Chapter 155: Osaka Part I (1/2)

Not long after, the flight attendant walked through the cabin and started distributing meals. Since Tao Fei was napping, Lu Qiao gave him a few nudges to wake him and eventually, Tao Fei raised the corner of his blindfold to see what was the matter. He said: “I’m not hungry, you can eat mine.”

Lu Qiao: “…”

In order to have enough extra money to send home each month to his family, Lu Qiao often ate very simply. The only opportunity he had to eat well balanced meals with meat were at the department dinners the company had each month. Seated in economy class, Lu Qiao didn’t think the food selection would be so luxurious. Seeing the tray of food before him, Lu Qiao was very surprised. There was a dish of cold Japanese-style noodles, sushi, fried chicken and a small cup of yogurt. Being able to eat two meals, Lu Qiao thought he won the lottery. Finally, his mood started to improve just a bit.

After eating, the flight attendant walked through the cabin to pick up the lunch trays and other garbage.As their destination approached, the flight attendants once again walked through the cabin and gave each passenger an immigration card and baggage declaration form. The total voyage was less then three hours. The two countries were really quite close to one another.

The island that was the Kansai International Airport** was the work of the internationally renowned architect Renzo piano. The people at the window seats watched the small island in the distance become a thriving airport as the plane got ready on its approach to land.

Before leaving China, Gu Yu gave each group member a simplified version of Zhang Siyi’s itinerary that included all the names of the buildings that they expected to visit and Kansai Airport was the first.

Almost everyone in attendance was familiar with the airport as it was a building that architectural students would learn about in their coursework. Even so, seeing the island from above first hand was a totally different experience then learning about it in school and as a result, the group members couldn’t contain their excitement. The volume inside the cabin slowly rose as delighted gasps could be heard throughout the large group of passengers. The other passengers and staff members weren’t sure what all the ruckus was about.

Even though Zhang Siyi has traveled abroad many times, he was influenced by his peers and like a contagion, he also let out a few ‘AHs and OHs’ in his excitement.

Walking out of the plane and into the airport after a smooth landing, the group surveyed their surroundings and thought the Japanese environment felt both modern and strange.

Built in 1994, utilizing new materials and construction techniques, the Kansai Airport was deemed a technological masterpiece of the time. Twenty years later, although the steel structure and large glass panes have lost its innovation and uniqueness, the airport continues to be an impressive site.

Now that everyone at Borderless has arrived, the members were eager to express themselves:

“Renzo Piano is like a God!”

“I’ve read about this airport in university and finally I’m able to see the master’s work in my lifetime!”

“Great! I’m in Japan!”

“To be honest, I was upset at hearing our business tour this time was to visit Japan.”

No one knew who voiced their opinion, but once the remark was made, suddenly everyone quieted down in remembrance of the dreadful war of the past.

“I feel the same. I don’t like Japan very much.”

“Damn Japs, they bullied us so badly……”

“For the Nanjing people! We are all family!”

“The country can’t forget!”

The more the group taunted and ridiculed, the worse the mood and attitudes of the people were becoming. Gu Yu stopped them and said: “We are here visiting Japan to look at various architectural sites for the purpose of education, not because of politics. Everyone should be mindful of history but also think about it rationally.”

Tong Heyi echoed Gu Yu and advised everyone: “I agree with Director Gu. If architecture is regarded as pure art, then art has no national boundaries. If you don’t like Japan, don’t buy Japanese goods, especially the Japanese toilet. By all means, you can return to China right now.”

As the crowd laughed Child Labor’s joke, the moment of resentment passed as bother group leaders redirected the group’s emotions. The gloom that enveloped them had lifted.

“We came to “little Japan” with the mindset that it would be a bad place, but reality proved contradictory. Since no one had the heart to admit it, instead we mocked and made up reasons to convince ourselves otherwise. Heh.”