Before I start the story of Pharmaceutical Japan Tour, I'd like to introduce names of the chosen people of Pharmaceutical

Japan Tour 2012 (PJT 2012). They are Fenny Christine Haitono, Niko Rupoko Putro, Rahmad Aji Prasetya, Ilil Maidatuz Zusfa, Angelia Putri Moeliono and Mirrah Almira. But Fenny Christine Haitono, Rahmad Aji Prasetya and Ilil Maidatuz Zusfa cannot come as the Indonesia Delegates because of certain reasons. The tour itself was held from February, 13th-February, 18th 2012. Pharmaceutical Japan Tour is an annual program held by the Association of Pharmaceutical Students Japan (APS-Japan). Well, I think that is a brief introduction for PJT 2012.

February, 13th 2012 Two of the Indonesia Delegates, Angelia Putri Moeliono and Niko Rupoko Putro arrived at Khaosan Tokyo Annex and Khaosan Tokyo Smile, the place where we're going to stay for 5 days after having 7 hours flight from KL (LCC Terminal)-Tokyo (Haneda Airport). In Japan, it was still winter time, so the temperature was about 6C. We arrived at the Khaosan Tokyo at 00.10 in the morning and we met the Leader of PJT 2012, Sachimi Chiba and the vice-leader, Hayato Ninomiya. We paid the registration fee, got our key room and slept for a while before we had to start our first day. At 9 am at the morning, most of the PJT staffs were gathering in the lobby to discuss about today's free time plan. So I and Niko went to see the new Tokyo Sky Tree Tower (the new icon of Tokyo besides Tokyo Tower but this tower had not officially opened), Kaminarimon Gate in Sensoji Temple (Kinry-zan Sensji) and also to Akihabara with 4 staffs (Ishii Hiroaki, Matsumoto Hiroaki, Utsumi Junya, Ishimoto Tsubasa). After we went home, we were preparing for the welcome party near Sensoji Temple (Kinry-zan Sensji) and met our group for the PJT 2012 activities. In welcome party, all the main staffs and 10 group leaders (2 leaders for each group) for the whole activities introduced themselves and so all the delegates. In this tour, we had delegates from Taiwan, Tunisia, Malaysia, Singapore and Czech Republic. Even though not all the Japanese staffs were able to communicate in English fluently, but they brought their dictionary everywhere so that we could talk together. After the welcome party was over, everyone went back to Khaosan Tokyo Annex and Khaosan Tokyo Smile by feet. First day was over and we couldn't wait for the next day.

Room in Khaosan

Kaminari Gate at Asakusa Tokyo Sky Tree Tower

Sensoji Temple at Daytime

One of the Buildings in Akihabara

Sensoji Temple at Night

February, 14th 2012 We started the second with breakfast and preparation to go to University of Tokyo (Tokyo Daigaku), one of the best Universities in Asia. Today we had light rain and the temperature degree was about 5-6C. In the Pharmaceutical Department of Tokyo University, we were welcomed by Prof. Hiromichi Kimura one of the experts in the Pharmaceutical Science and Economy. He gave us a lecture about leader that was needed for today, Japans current condition and how to be a good leader in this globalization era and so many things. After the lecture ends, we had a discussion about the health problem that we had in our country and what we're going to do after we graduated someday. Before we started the laboratory visit, we had lunch (Japanese lunch box set called bent) and hand-made chocolate from the Staffs because it was valentine day :3. We visit some laboratories which were used for finding new drugs for depression and synthesizing organic compounds. We also had a short lecture for the synthesizing process of some compounds, some basic knowledge of pharmacology of drugs and the process of how neuron worked. Here we met with the other Indonesia delegates, Mirrah Almirah and a guest from Indonesia, Farida Ifadotunnikmah who joined only the laboratory visit. Before we had our bowling time, we had a cultural exchange with all PJT 2012 staffs and delegates. First we had a discussion about Japanese cultures from the staffs and we shared our countrys cultures to them. Next the representative of every country presented a short introduction of their own countrys culture and pharmacy condition to everyone in the room. This time, we got more new knowledge about Malaysia, Czech Republic, Singapore, Taiwan and Tunisia cultures. After we finished our presentation about our country, we were divided into small groups for bowling time and then we had dinner in Sweet Paradise, Shinjuku. Shinjuku night view was very beautiful; I suggest you to see some picture that I included in the next page. Then, we went back to Khaosan Tokyo Annex and Khaosan Tokyo Smile by train and second day was finished greatly. Another sophisticating day!

University of Tokyos Building

Japanese Lunch Box Set

Night Views in Shinjuku

Sweets Paradise in Shinjuku

February, 15 th 2012 The third day began by merging 5 groups to 4 groups because we were going to observe different hospital. My group was doing the sight-seeing activity in Kawasaki area. After we finished, we went to the Saisekikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital hospital by bus only with some of the staff because the visitors were limited. We went to Saisekikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital (private hospital), one of the top 5 emergency hospital in Yokohama City. For your information, the administration fee for both the public hospitals and private hospitals were same for the Japanese citizen because they were protected by insurance. We were welcomed by Mr. Tomohide Akasa, Ph.D. MBA, the director of Pharmacy Department. In this hospital, we visited the Pharmacy Department where they have only 29 pharmacists (one pharmacist could manage until 560 beds), 8 people for carrying stuffs and no pharmacist assistant. This department was divided into 4 major parts according to the top prioritize cases that they have which were outpatient, chemical therapy, ICU and emergency part. This hospital had 1.600 types of medicines, 800 injections/day (domestic prescription: 300), and they spent 170.000.000/month only for this hospital. Every pharmacist in this hospital checked the condition of the patients everyday for at least twice in a day. They noted the result in computer (automatic) and they checked it manually so it made them a cross-checked result. They show us the machines that were used to pack the medicine and IV injection. They also showed us the database program that was made by the chemical therapy's leader for the patients so that they could check their next schedule and their condition. The other group with Niko Rupoko Putro included in the group went to Saisekai Yokohama Nanbu Hospital where their pharmaceutical department consists of 25 pharmacists who were working in four different division namely dispensing 1, dispensing 2, pharmaceutical practice and pharmaceutical information. The basic concept of Saisekai Yokohama Nanbu Hospitals Pharmaceutical departments was that "everyone should participate in clinical practice in an environment that provides the opportunity to learn from each other". After the visit to hospital was over, we went to Roponggi Hills to meet the other group that went to different hospitals. We had our dinner in two different places; sushi restaurant or yakitori restaurant. Not long after the dinner ended, we went to the observatory of Roponggi Hills for the night view. From here you could observe the Tokyo City and even the Tokyo Tower! What a great view :) we also had photo with every staffs and delegates. The third days ended beautifully.

Ramen

Saisekikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital

Set of Sushi

Roponggi Hills Main Building

Night View from Roponggi Hills Obeservatory (52nd floor)

February, 16th 2012 This morning, we were having a journey to Kampo Museum in Shinagawa. Just like China which had Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kampo was the Japanese Traditional Medicine that was developed from the Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this museum, we got to taste the tea originally made by Nihondo Group, saw around their museum and lecture about what is Kampo and how we could have a license for prescribing Kampo medicines by taking certain courses. After the visit to Kampo Museum was finished, we went for lunch and then we continued our journey to our next destination which was to the Headquarter of Esai Co., Ltd. which were located in Myogadani, Tokyo. We were allowed to enter Koishikawa Knowledge Centre where we were going to see and listen to presentations conducted by Dr. Rami Suzuki (Senior Director, Business Development, PCHQ, EPCS) and Dr. Chihiro Takayama (Senior Director, Knowledge Creation). The presentation was opened by Ms. Sayoko Sasaki (Senior Director, Public Relation). They promoted some of their products such as Halaven as anti-cancer drugs, Aricept as anti-alzheimer agent, etc. They also had main philosophy called hhc (Human Health Care) which understood the comfort of using drugs that was needed by the patients and the family's patient. Eisai believe that the side effect of some drugs that they produce didn't comfort the patients, so that they were trying to make the side effects reduced significantly because they care to the whole condition of the patients. We learned that the health conditions of patients were our top priority and we needed to make them felt comfortable also when the patients were taking drugs. After the visit to Eisai Co., Ltd, we went to Shinjuku for sightseeing and dinner at Citibank Shinjuku Building. Another day had been spent with good memories to remember.

Kampos Prescription Room

Kampos Display Museum

With all Delegates and Kampos Director

Eisais Koishikawa Knowledge Centre

Eisai Co., Ltd. Nabe

February, 17th 2012 Today was a day only for group sight-seeing, so every group went to different places. At first my group went to Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jing) which was located in Shibuya, Tokyo. This shrine was dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, found in 1920. Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jing) also had museum, memorial picture gallery of the Meiji government, Main gate (torii), Barrels of sake, etc. And it was lucky for my group to see the wedding ceremony that was rarely seen by others even by the citizen themselves. For another addition, Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jing) had a beautiful park named Yoyogi Park which surrounded the shrine and made this place was a green spot amongst other big buildings. In this chance, we also got to see a wedding ceremony on that day. After we finished the visit to Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jing), we went to Takeshita Street in Harajuku to have lunch and shop for a while. Then, we also visit the Hachiko statue near the Shibuya station. Hachiko itself was a dog which become famous because of its loyalty towards its owner even though its owner had died for years. In front of Hachiko Statue, there was a simple museum which was shaped like a mini-bus and inside we could see so many pictures and short story about Hachiko. Last spot for sight-seeing was in Tokyo Tower (333 meters high) where the top of the Tokyo Tower was not straight as the effect of Fukushima last year's earthquake. We went there to observe Tokyo city at night and it was so beautiful! Luckily, the snow fell down that night and we could see the falling snow from the observatory (150 meters high). The Tokyo Tower also had a lookdown window so that the visitors could see down this tower. That night was very beautiful and then we attended the farewell party which reminded us that this tour was almost over.

Barrels of Sake Main Entrance Gate in Meiji Jing

Votive Tablets for writing prayers

Wedding ceremony in Meiji Jing

Takeshita Street in Harajuku

Udon with Fried Tofu and Octopus

Hachiko Dog Statue in Shibuya

Hachiko Museum

Tokyo Tower Love Spot

Tokyo Tower View at Night

Tokyo City View at Night with Falling Snows

February, 18th 2012 Last day, this is the day when the tour ends. Everyone prepared the luggage and we didn't know when we would meet again or where we would meet again. But one thing that everyone remembered, that this tour brought a lot of unforgettable memories and experiences. We got to know more about Japanese food, Japanese culture, Japanese peoples way of living and most important Japanese health condition in hospital. This tour would be a very precious memory that won't be forgotten by anyone. See you again someday Pharmaceutical Japan Tour 2012 Staffs and Tokyo. Thank you for everything! Mata aimash ne minna-san~

Copyright 2012 by Angelia Putri Moeliono