Japan Day 11

Eleven...or Ju Ichi...brought us to Hasaki Senior High. The big difference is that Senior High is non-compulsory. What does that mean? Well, in Japan, students must go to elementary school, which goes from grades 1-6, and junior high school, which is from grades 7-9. However, Senior High, which goes from grades 10-12, is not mandatory and students must take a test to get good scores in order to get into good schools. The test is a very big and competitive part of school life in Japan.

Once again, we were greeted like rockstars with a ceremony in our honor and speeches. The band played "Hooray for Hollywood" as we marched into the gym. We then proceeded to observe various classes. Hasaki High specializes in industrial and engineering studies. They still offer the standard academics of Language, Math, Sciences, History, and English in large classes of around 40 students. However, they also offer very small ratios of 6-10 students for their workshops such as metal machining, electrical engineering, etc.

However, the school day doesn't end when the bell rings. Afterschool social clubs are a big part of a student's life. We were able to participate and observe such activities such as baseball, soccer, judo, kendo, ikebana, and tea ceremony clubs.

Kendo really was impressive with the female participants shrieking at high volume and the flurry of their kendo swords struck against each other's armor.

Japan Day 10

Day 10 saw another school visit, but this time to Hasaki Daiyon Junior High School. The first obvious difference is that all junior high schools have a uniform policy. Hasaki Daiyon has the traditional black and white outfits for regular school use, but they also have an awesome baby blue shorts, sweater, and shirt outfit for PE.

During our stay, we saw a number of fine arts classes. We got a chance to do some india ink painting and play a large stringed-instrument called a koto. All Japanese schools also offer instruction of English in addition to their Japanese language. Which means that most Japanese children will be bilingual on some level.

The Junior High students also ate in their classes and cleaned the school much like their elementary counterparts. During the cleaning, I had to double check to make sure that I was on the second floor as I saw a student hanging outside the window and washing the outside of the glass. The students have a strong sense of pride and responsibility for their school and it is clear in how well they keep the campus clean.

Day 9

Woohooo! We finally get to go to a school! We kick things off with a visit to Fukashiba Elementary School in Kamisu City. Our host city group includes 16 teachers from throughout the USA and includes a person of African-American descent and several folks of mixed Caucasian background that runs the gamut of blonde, redheads, green-eyed, blue-eyed, etc. So, factor in the fact that Japan as a whole is pretty homogenious as an ethnic society, the entire experience was very much akin to being rockstars. It was bananas! Kids were surrounding us by the droves asking for our autographs. I literally signed hundreds of books, bags, folders, papers, and even a lunchbox.

Aside from the circus coming into town, there was real work to be done. We went and observed classes to see how they taught academics and handled behavior. We also got to participate in activities such as Japanese Calligraphy, computer, recess (dodgeball & double dutch), and gardening.

There are quite a few interesting differences in their schools and our American schools. First of all, coming to school is a very organized event where the kids wear the same brightly colored hat (usually a yellow baseball cap) so that they are very visible to traffic. Also, they are organized in teams where older kids walk younger kids to school with the 5th or 6th graders on the front and back to sandwich all the little kiddos. Immediately after arriving at school and before the school day starts, kids either do self-directed exercises or do chores such as cleaning or watering plans. Another interesting fact is that the students take of their outside shoes and put on slippers for the inside of the school.

Other differences include the entire concept of lunch. In most US schools, lunch is handled in the cafeteria as students get their food and eat at tables. In Japan, lunch is handled in the classroom as a team of students for each class brings the food to the classroom and they serve the food from rolling pots and pans onto plates. All of this is student directed and the teacher eats with them in the classroom.

After lunch and towards the closing of the school day, the most mind-blowing thing occured...cleaning time. Yes folks, the elementary students had their assigned areas and started to clean. Not just picking up rubbish or straightening chairs, but full blown sweeping hallways, wiping down furniture, vacuuming, weeding the gardens, beating carpets, etc. It was like watching Karate Kid as hundreds of Daniel-Sans had to paint the fence or wax the floor for Mr. Miyagi. Once again, the teachers didn't have to tell these students what to do. They were busy cleaning themselves.

Day 8

Our host city agenda is all about receptions and discussion groups. So, it's no surprise that the first thing on our agenda for today was a meet and greet with a select group of parents (kinda like their PTA) to discuss educational reform. The ladies that we met with were all very involved parents and are perhaps more so than most Japanese parents. Nevertheless, we walked away with the feeling that the majority of Japanese parents are very supportive of the school system. However, it is important to note that divorce rates (around 25% compared to the 55% in the US) is on the rise and more homes have dual income families that have both parents working instead of a traditional stay at home-parent (which usually is the mom).

It was funny to hear the term "Monster Parent" which is applied by the Japanese to parents who are overly demanding and difficult to work with in the schools. Apparently, these types of parents are increasing as well in Japan as shared by the moms that we met with. Right now, I'm picturing a parent walk into a school with the Godzilla music and suddenly roaring.

Our next stop was another meet and greet at the fancy Kashima Central Hotel. The city held a reception for all of us with the Mayor and special dignitaries, host families, and media in attendance. Of course, it would be my luck to be responsible for the requisite speech on behalf of our group on this occasion. I have to admit that it went well and I was pretty proud of my speech...I even gave the intro in Japanese! Woohoo!

I also got to meet my host family, which I will join in a few days, for the first time. I have the honor of staying with a lovely older couple and their daughter. Man, I wish I took Japanese in High School instead of French. It would've paid of well now.

After our reception, we were whisked away to Kashima Port where a city boat was waiting for us. We got an awesome tour of their harbor and the busy port system. I kindly shared that I was interested in getting behind the wheel of the boat. They kindly shared "No". LOL.

We then were taken to a visit with one of the local industries: the Kao Corporation. The Kao Corporation is a chemical manufacturer that makes such products as Biore, Jergen's Lotion, and Shiseido. We were given the grand tour and were even hooked up with some gift baskets...nice.

We then were taken to Minato Park where they have this huge tower observatory that overlooks the harbor. Great views and the park even had cool penguin waterfountains.

Japan Day 7

We're in our host prefecture of Ibaraki and we went between the capital city of Mito to the our host city of Kamisu.

First, we were received at Ibaraki University where we first met with the University President before dividing into 3 groups to have discussions with university students about the higher level educational system and their concerns. Ibaraki University has a pretty accomplished and established agricultural program. As always, the people that we've met have been courteous and extremely curious about us.

After our university stop, we took the a side trip to Kashima Shrine on our way to Kamisu city. This is a beautiful shrine like all the other shrines I've visited. However, this shrine is nestled deep within a forest and is home to deer. There's something special going on here. I've definitely got to go back. Also, every shrine I've visited uses a particular crest or mon, to identify the shrine. Kashima in particular uses the design with three "tomoe". Tomoe are supposed to be a swirly image with a large round head and a elongated tail...kind of like a tadpole...however, they are actually depictions of snakes. In Japan, snakes are believed to be very spiritual animals. In fact, the yin and yang sign is made of two tomoe.

Then, we rolled up on Kamisu City and had the meet and greet with the Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Superintendent, and their posse. They were really gracious and even gave us these cool lanterns as gifts and took us on a tour of a pond that was called "God's Pond". This was interesting since it used to be a much bigger pond and they reclaimed a whole grip of land for development. Nevertheless, the pond was pretty lake sized still yet.

Japan Day 6

Left Tokyo by chartered bus to go to the Ibaraki prefecture and my host city of Kamisu. Before leaving I took a trip to Ginza where I caught a festival where they carry portable shrines called mikoshi. It was a party atmosphere as hundreds of people came dressed in their Hapi coats to carry the gilded shrines.

Then, we set off for Mito...the capital of Ibaraki. On our way, we stopped by Kairaku-en...one of the top three gardens of Japan.

Another beautiful garden and shrine...Kairaku-en boasts a large plum forest, bamboo grove, springs, lakes, caves, cherry trees, and the Kobuntei (traditional Japanese bldg). Built in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki...Kairaku-en was unique where she was open to the public. After all her name means "a park to be enjoyed together".

Tomorrow marks the meat of the program as we have various visits with schools over the next few days. Whew...I'm beat.

Japan Day 5

This was my only totally free day throughout the duration of this trip. So, I had to take advantage of it and go big. I caught the Nozomi Shinkansen (the fastest bullet train) at 6 AM for a 2 hour ride to Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan. Upon arriving, I joined up with a tour group that went to several of the top attractions within the city.

The first stop was Nijo Castle which was built in 1603 and was the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nijo is a fascinating building that still has functioning Nightingale floors and gorgeous interiors hidden in a solemn exterior. Nijo castle also has a wonderful garden.

Stop 2 was Kinkakuji Temple and it's Golden Pavillion. Nestled in its exquisite gardens, the Golden Pavillion rests upon a serene pond. She glitters and gleams in gold leaf. Having burned down three times previously, she rises from the ashes much like the pheonix that adorns its roof.

The third stop was the Shinto shrine of Kitano Tenmangu. Kitano honors the spirit of Michizane Sugawara who was then named Karai Tenjin. Tenjin is now regarded as the deity of scholastic studies, and is extremely popular with students preparing for high school or university entrance examinations.

After lunch and some shopping, we went to the fourth stop of the Heian Jingu Shrine. The Heian Shrine has the vermillion court replica of the Imperial Palace and the beautiful Shin-en gardens that sprawl over 30,000 sq. meters. The gardens are home to various ponds, bridges, and buildings.

Next was Sanju-Sangendo Hall which houses 1001 statues of Kannon dating back from the 13th century. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed of the hand-carved golden statues, but each one is magnificent and unique.

The final stop was the Kiyozimudera Temple which rests atop the hill and looks over all of Kyoto. The only way up is a quaint old lane lined with stores. Atop the temple is a terrace that provides a gorgeous panoramic view of the city and the surrounding environs. Nestled in the area is a three-story pagoda and a waterfall that splits into three channels that are attributed to wisdom, health, and fortune.

Whew, what a busy day. All in all, each day has been filled with walking and travelling. It is important to note that there was a 7.0 earthquake that occured in the northeast area of Honshu by Iwate and Miyagi...I was fortunate to be several hundred miles away. However, apparently Tokyo felt the shocks.

Japan Day 4

Started the day early by going with some new friends to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. This is an extremely busy area with warehouses, alleys of small stores and restaurants, the auction area (which is now closed off to tourists), and lots and lots of fresh seafood. First of all, this place is a BUSY area...even at 5AM...and you need to pay attention at all times because knives are flying and cool little speed carts rush in and out between the stalls with little time to regard silly tourists taking pictures. Not that the workers are rude, but when it comes to fresh fish, time is money and we are intruding on their job site. Amongst the stalls of shops and restaurants, we stumbled upon a small restaurant with handwritten scrolls that meticulously explain how to order, what kinds of fish are available, and other helpful things in English. This was the best place since the owner is a very amusing and extremely friendly host who studied in Scotland and makes it a point to teach and help foreigners while in Japan. Great food and nothing like fresh fish in the morning. It is also customary to say a greeting before and after eating. The word "Itadakimasu" (eat-uh-ducky-mas) is said prior to eating to give thanks for the food. After eating, "Gochisosama" (Go-chee-so-sah-mah)is said to show appreciation for the meal.

After rushing back to the hotel for the days lectures and workshops, we ended the work day with some traditional Kabuki and lessons on other Japanese arts.

Of course, I'm out to maximize my time so I caught the JR rail to go sea Disney Sea. There's a special cheap price to go into the park after 6 and worked perfectly. Disney Sea is awesome. All the attention to detail that Disney parks are known for with the efficency and work ethic of the Japanese. We got to ride the big rides such as the Tower of Terror and the Indiana Jones ride and still catch the BraviSEAmo show. Great stuff...I would definitely go again.

Japan Day 2 & 3

Okay, Day 2 was our first full day in Japan and we were busy! We started the day going around Akasaka and went first to the Diet Building. No, the Diet Building has nothing to do with food. The Diet is their main government building that houses their Representatives and Senators. The Japanese government is very similar to the British government. The Japanese do not have a king, but they do have an emperor. Both really don't have a lot of governmental power, but they are still considered important. The Japanese also have a Prime Minister and 2 Houses of legislators. While we couldn't take pictures inside the Diet, I can say that the building is very impressive with lots of marble and inticate designs. Oh yeah, it is super clean much like the rest of Japan.

We then went to Asakusa where there is a famous Buddhist Temple and Shinto Shrine. Shinto is the religion that is originally from Japan. It is based on hero worship and some nature worship. On the otherhand, Buddhism is from the Chinese and generally believes in a deity called Buddha.

After our sightseeing trip, our group watched a Kyogen performance. Kyogen is an old style of Japanese theater that have the actors talk in a very sing-song type of voice and dance in very controlled movements.

Day 3 was very informative. We spent the day mostly in lectures and workshops about Japan's economy and in a discussion by some of the top legislators for Japan. We also went to catch a baseball game with the Seibu Lions vs. The Hanshin Tigers. The Japanese are big fans of American Baseball and go all out at their games.

Japan Day One

Flying to Japan is not an easy task. From San Francisco, it took over 10 hours straight so it should be about 5-6 hours from Hawaii. Eitherway, try sitting down for that long without getting up and moving around much. Also, when you fly to Japan from America, you have to cross the Interational Date Line which means that you have to add one day ahead. So, if it is Monday in the US, it is usually already Tuesday in Japan.

Nevertheless, the moment you see that first glimpse of Japan from the plane window, the time spent on the plane is well worth it. Japan is not a very big country at all. It is a group of islands that is about the same size as California when you put them together. However, most of the people live in the Tokyo Metropolis which keeps the rest of Japan fairly agricultural.

After arriving in Narita International Airport, I had to clear their Customs procedure first and get a stamp in my passport to let me in the country. Then, our big group of teachers were escorted to buses that then took us into Tokyo (about 1 1/2 hours driving). We got to our hotel which is located in Akasaka and is centrally located near their governmental buildings.

My first task was to get acquainted with the Tokyo Metro subway system. Tokyo has a very busy but thorough and convenient subway system. You can just about get to anywhere in Tokyo via the subway. In fact, the majority of the people ride the subway to work and school everyday. Even young kids use the subway on their own. Of course, if you are new to Tokyo and her subway system, it is very easy to feel scared and intimidated during rush hour. During the busiest times of the day, people are literally pushed into the train system by attendants.

So, in my adventure to get familiar with the subway, I traveled to Shinjuku, Ginza, and Harajuku. All are popular shopping areas and are well known for interesting fashion. The people here all very friendly and polite. They will go out of their way to help people especially foreigners.

Japan T-Minus 2 Days!

I'm in San Francisco for the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Orientation. Over 160 fellow teachers have gathered plus the IIE staff to share this wonderful opportunity with me.

I have met teachers from all over the country including a teacher from Alaska who teaches in a school with only 20 kids and two teachers. On the other hand, I also have met a teacher from Florida who teaches in a school with over 3000 students. We come from very different backgrounds, but we all will be sharing the same experience for the next month or so.


Today's orientation included listening to staff people and previous scholarship recipients who have already gone to Japan. We then ended the day with a dinner at the home of the Consul General Nagamine of Japan. The Consul General is a Diplomat, or a person who represents his country and makes sure their country has good relationships with other countries. He and his wife threw a party for all of us and served various Japanese foods such as sushi, sashimi, edamame, tempura, and Kobe beef. His home rests on top of the many hills of San Francisco and has a gorgeous view of the Bay.

Japan T-Minus 3 Days

In just a few hours, I'll be boarding a plane to take me to San Francisco for Orientation and then to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun!

Excited is an understatement right now. I've just finished packing and am hoping I don't forget anything.

I've been told that suit and ties are very common there and we are required to wear jackets and ties for a number of activities during our stay there. This is a bit intimidating since I am used to wearing shirts and shorts in Hawaii. As always, we will adjust and adapt.

If I had to choose one thing that I am most excited about, it would be seeing all the shrines and temples. As you may know, Mr. Troi likes architecture (how buildings look) and I just dig how these shrines and temples feel and look especially since some have been around for over 1400 years!