This morning, the K2 and K3 class went on a school trip into Tokyo to visit the Fire Department Museum! We all travelled to Shinjuku on the school bus and had lots of fun on the way there, but once we arrived, the real fun began!

After being greeted at the museum, we saw our first attraction of the day; the fire department’s old helicopter! As we admired the helicopter as it hung from the ceiling, we spoke about its design and features. After discussing the helicopter together, we answered questions about it and had a miniature test!

The excitement didn’t end there, as we headed upstairs to actually climb inside another fire helicopter and take turns to imagine being the pilot. Pupils were able to press buttons and pull levers, as if it was a real flight! It was great to see everyone having so much fun and enjoying the skyline views!

We proceeded to head downstairs to learn more about fire departments from hundreds of years ago. At the museum we were able to see photos, videos, paintings, and models of the old equipment used hundreds of years ago. As well as all of this, we could also see real life sized pieces of equipment, including old fire trucks being pulled by horses!

The children also enjoyed seeing the contrast between the old fire fighting equipment and comparing it to the ones used today. Everyone decided that the modern uniform and helmets looked much comfier and safer than it’s counterparts, although the old styled helmets looked very cool!

We finished our trip by exploring the inside of a modern example of a fire truck and an meeting a robot firefighter. Everyone had a wonderful time and loved exploring the museum. It’s great to see how our trip has inspired some of you to become firefighters in the future!

Well done everyone, see you all next time!

Charles