When learning the days of the week, it was fun . . . . Usually I struggle with what we’re learning. However this lesson was one of the lessons I was easily able to understand. In addition, it was one of my favorite lessons because we were able to listen to a music video that helped us memorize (in a way) the days of the week.
Coming up to Level 2 in Japanese, I was beyond excited to dive into more complex language, the toughest writing system to really grasp, Kanji. I have been anticipating both the hardship and excitement of what Kanji would bring. Our first few characters we learned were the days of the week. There was a days of the week song that sensei showed us. It was for kids but it helped me memorize the days in order.
In English, we start our week from Monday and end at Sunday. In Japanese, the week starts on Sunday and ends Saturday. The particle for “day,” regarding to of the week, is よう日 (youbi), so we had to memorize the characters for specific days. The characters have distinct meanings. For example, the character for Tuesday 火 (ka) is also the character for wild(fires), Wednesday’s character 水 (sui) is also water. My absolute favorite in terms of writing and meaning is Friday 金 (kin), meaning money!!! Friday is money day; payday!! The character itself is the most complex with the total of eight short majestic strokes.
I can’t wait to continue this journey of diving deep into essential kanji to further my comprehension skills at this level.
On November 18, 2023, Sally Schwartz and I attended the “The Heart of Ryukyuan Dance” performance which was located at Georgetown University’s Davis Performing Arts Center. Five masters of Ryukyuan dance from Hawaii, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. were featured in the performance. The five Ryukyuan Dance Masters from various academies came together for the first time to share Ryukyuan culture and art. Sally and I were generously invited by the DC Okinawa Prefectural Office to both the performance and the reception afterwards, and I greatly appreciated the event that I attended.
To provide some context about the significance of the Ryukyuan dance, Ryukyu is the ancient (and original) name for the Okinawa region of Japan. From its founding in the 15th century until its incorporation into Japan in the 19th century, Okinawa fostered its history and culture as the autonomous “Kingdom of Ryukyu” for 450 years.
I didn’t know what to expect when I attended the event but it was way better than I expected. In all, ten dances told stories that included cultural tapestries, love stories, and much more. Every dance was distinct in its own right, whether it was a lively, upbeat dance or a slow dance. I loved watching the dances and connecting the dance moves to the story itself. The dance that sticks in my memory the most is called “Kanayo Tenkawa River,” and it tells the story of two lovers who chose to exchange vows by the Tenkawa River. The fact that the dance included props made it something I truly adored. The dancers used a piece of cloth to show that they were interconnected through their love.
The dancers’ demonstration of a move used in Okinawan dances to the audience was my favorite part of the performance. They then invited the audience to join in on the dance, which I thought was a great way to involve the audience. We were able to learn a cultural dance move and take it with us home. My other favorite event was the decision to combine GoGo music — Washington DC’s official music — to Ryukuyan dancing. I would never have imagined that the two cultures could coexist, so it was really fascinating to watch. Although the dance and music are very different from one another, they nevertheless blended incredibly well.
I greatly appreciate the dancers and everyone involved for creating a wonderful experience. I loved every ounce of it and I would love to attend another event like this again.
To me, and I’d like to assume to the others as well, going to places that hold historical significance towards Japan helps keep my motivation to pursue Japanese language learning even further. Reading, looking, and imagining how everything was put into place behind the history just inspires you to read more into it, wanting to learn more about the topic and the overall history.
Thankfully, in Washington D.C., there are historical landmarks and workshops we’ve gone to. For example, we spent a Saturday morning last month walking around the Tidal Basin, which is located near the National Mall. A pagoda we found near the FDR Memorial includes the 5 elements: Sky, Wind, Fire, Water and Earth. This historical piece was given to the United States from Mayor Ryozo Hiranuma of Yokohama, Japan in 1957. It’s honored and kept in good condition by the people who choose to admire the piece instead of attempt to vandalize it. It’s respected by all, signifying the US and Japan relationship to be strong, and shows Japan’s appreciation to the US by giving them a piece of themselves along with the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin.
Furthermore, on November 4th, Japanese Plus students attended another workshop by Onigiri Action, sponsored by Table For Two, which happened at Marianne’s Cafe on the first floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington D.C.
The workshop allows you to make your own onigiri (rice balls) to enjoy, savoring the taste. But in return, taking a quick picture and posting it on social media using their hashtag or on their website will allow you to feed starving children around the world. The significance this has on children’s lives by only making an onigiri and posting it to the public for more awareness is a wonderful experience and action.
These are just a few experiences the class and I have attended. Hopefully we get to attend more field trips surrounded by Japan’s history, whether its music, art, environment, and even architecture. Because of these field trips, we all are replenishing the drive that drove us to join this program: learning the culture and language of Japan.
On October 28, I had the pleasure of walking along the Tidal Basin along with my Japanese Plus classmates as well as some visiting teachers from Japan. This was a great opportunity to practice my Japanese along with my classmates and learn new words and phrases from the teachers. The rules were clear, we were only allowed to conversate in Japanese throughout the entire walk. This meant we would practice both long phrases to describe various things we saw on the walk, and short filler words from daily conversation. We learned how to play “I Spy” in Japanese as well. We learned how to say the different colors in Japanese and used that to play I Spy with various different monuments that we could see around us. This was helpful for learning not only the colors but also the names of common objects, like trash cans or trees.
We were also able to appreciate Japan’s cultural influence in DC as we walked by the out-of-bloom but still beautiful cherry blossom trees that would turn beautiful shades of pink come spring. The walk was an overall success as I felt that it was a great chance for me to practice my Japanese in a more casual setting outside of the classroom. We were also able to catch some tidbits of Japanese influence along the way, such as a lantern that came from Japan and references to World War II in the FDR Memorial.
Walking around the Tidal Basin was a fun experience with my classmates and visiting educators from Japan. Although it was hard to speak only Japanese, it was a great way to learn while having fun. I enjoyed looking at the different sites such as the Japanese Lantern, and Japanese Pagoda, and taking photos with everyone. One thing that really stood out to me while we were walking around was the Japanese Pagoda. It’s funny to imagine the amount of confusion when trying to put together the 3,800 pounds of granite. As an American, most of the time, these things seem normal and we don’t really look into the history of those things, but when being told that they had relations to Japan, it gave those sites a deeper meaning. It shows the connection between America and Japan, realizing that there are pieces of Japan even in your own area and you might not even know.
Globalize DC’s Japanese Plus Program and the Japanese Language Program at Columbia Heights Education Campus are very pleased to co-sponsor an information session for DC high school students on applying to attend Temple University’s Japan Campus.
Date and Time: Monday, October 16, 2023, 5:00-6:00 pm Place: Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC), 3100 16th Street, NW (metro: Columbia Heights-Green Line)
Students, have you ever wondered about the possibility of actually attending university in Japan? It’s a real option that more and more American students are considering. Please join us on Monday, October 16 at 5 pm to learn how to get an American degree at Temple University’s Japan Campus (TUJ), located in the amazing city of Tokyo. The school welcomes students from all over the world and all different backgrounds. Japanese language proficiency is NOT required for admission; classes are conducted in English. This free information session, led by Joy Uetake, a TUJ graduate turned Admissions Counselor, will cover everything from student life to curriculum to how to apply to financial aid options.
Watch this video to get an idea of what TUJ is all about.
Any student interested in attending this session should preregister by simply sending your name, school, and email address to sally@globalizedc.org. Any questions? Send them to the same address.
Saturday, September 30 was a happy day for us! The second year of our citywide afterschool program, Japanese Plus, launched at Columbia Heights Education Campus, with 14 returning students and a new Japanese teacher, Chihiro Takahashi. These super-dedicated DC public high school students will be meeting twice a week from now through the end of May – studying Japanese; exploring Japanese culture, history, and potential college/career pathways; and engaging in cultural exchange with peers and others in the US-Japan space. In other words, soaking up all things Japanese. Excitement is the operative word.
So what were they thinking on this first day back?
D’Amonie
In this present moment, I am very excited to be back. I have looked forward to this time again. I still love learning languages and I’ve been very proud of my Japanese learning journey thus far. Being able to go places and read the hiragana and katakana on Japanese products is so exciting for me, but there’s more to learn, which is why I am back. I am confident that I will get to my goal of natural conversational Japanese this year. I can’t wait to go to the next level. I can’t wait for more exchanges and interactions. And I can’t wait to go out and explore firsthand.
Zitlaly
As I was going through the metal detector here at CHEC, it hadn’t hit me that I’d soon be sitting in my Japanese class. I guess you can say it felt surreal. I’ve always been hesitant to push myself beyond limits, especially with languages. Though due to my past year experience, I feel as I can finally reach my language goals in Japanese. So I’m not as nervous nor scared to admit when I need help. I wish myself the best of luck this year especially because I’m a senior and REALLY BUSY!!
Elias
It’s the start of Japanese learning level 2 and honestly I feel good. I’m not particularly nervous. It’s more of a joyful, can’t wait type of feeling. But now that I’m also thinking about my senior year, that sorta does slow me down a little bit but I can manage. Learning through all the challenges and going to places relating to Japanese and Japanese culture keeps me motivated. And because of that, I’ll continue to push through in order to learn Japanese and experience the culture and more.
Aaron
I’m very excited for this year of Japanese Plus. I’ve gotten to see some friends from the class that I’ve missed. I hope to find a way to incorporate my knowledge and learning of the Japanese language into my college courses next year. My dream is to be able to tour my music in Japan or the UK one day.
Kori
I am looking forward to learn more about Japanese culture as well as being able to extend my language. I feel confident that I’ll learn more than I did before, and meet new people, like how I met a Congressman, and traveled to the Embassy of Japan during the summer, which helped me learn more on the history of the persons and embassy. I want to be able to experience more than what I’ve done like the tea ceremony, and being able to try on a traditional outfit.
Aitana
I’m looking forward to the new possibilities year two has to offer to our Japanese class this semester. After my time in Japan these last four months, I am excited to share all about my experiences with my classmates and hopefully inspire them to want to study abroad too. Overall, my goals this year are to maintain my Japanese skills, stay connected with the Japanese community in DC, and seek out new exciting opportunities.
Zion
Coming back to Japanese Plus is like remembering the first time I walked through the doors of our room for Japanese 1. I was late for my first class on Japanese, remembering my first teacher, our first exchange program with Japanese students where we all got to practice our Japanese with native Japanese speakers. It is sort of like going from middle school to high school, with all that I have learned from Japanese 1. I plan to take that knowledge with me to Japanese 2 to further expand my knowledge.
Mai
I am feeling really excited and happy coming into my 2nd year at Japanese Plus, to improve my Japanese skills that obtained last year. This year I am looking forward to learning and understanding daily life Japanese conversations, such as being able to talk about our day and things we like. I also look forward to building complex sentences using kanji. Outside the language aspect of the program, I hope to engage with the Japanese culture such as learning to play taiko drums, Japanese festival, and host again a Japanese high school exchange program.
Felipe
I’m now a level 2 Japanese student which makes me happy but nervous at the same time. I feel like I came out of last year with a good understanding of the language but I think level 2 will ramp up the pace a lot quicker and I’m gonna have to keep up. Luckily I went to Japan over the summer for 3 weeks which definitely helped with keeping my Japanese memorized. I was able to get some speaking and reading practice in as well as just being surrounded by language. This year I’m looking forward to hopefully get to a basic conversational level of Japanese and start learning some kanji.
Chamiya
My main goal for the year is to converse and meet Japanese students. While I was in Japan over the summer, I had the opportunity to practice and learn more Japanese. However, I wasn’t able to talk to students who were my age except for my host sister. Talking in a different language to converse with someone from a different culture was super fun and exciting to me. I learned so many different aspects of their culture and I was able to teach my own culture. There were similarities too and I wish to do it again. That is my goal for this year – to converse with a Japanese student and learn about their culture.
Margarita
Glad to be back!!! Seeing my friends and using Japanese again is making me feel so excited. Although I need to review some things, I am glad I get to do it with a new teacher. Hopefully this year we all grow closer as a class now that we will spend more time in person, and expand our knowledge of Japanese language and culture. I am excited to see how much Kanji we can learn this year and hopefully be able to use it with more Japanese people.
Jennifer
Coming into my second year of Japanese Plus I feel a bit nervous and excited. I feel nervous because I think my Japanese skills aren’t good enough but then I reflect on where I started. I knew nothing but here I am having small conversations and I know how to introduce myself. I am excited to continue learning. I aspire to be fluent so that it may better prepare me for college. I hope to study abroad and this program helped me seek opportunities in which I can. I also hope to get a better understanding of Japanese culture, the language, making connections, and growing with my peers.
Penelope
Although it’s been a while since our last Japanese class, I’m looking forward to picking up where we left off and advancing our language skills even further. I hope that this year we can go to more events around DC to experience Japanese culture, because I enjoyed so many of the ones we attended last year, like Sakura Matsuri and the exhibit at the JICC. I’m also looking forward to learning more kanji, and, of course, working with our new teacher!
Tristan
When I first came back to the program I was surprised by how my peers had changed over the past five months. Along with this I felt a bit awkward initially re-entering the program. I hadn’t many opportunities to practice Japanese over the break, so I felt a bit rusty almost as if I were lagging behind. With that said it would be a lie to say that I didn’t miss the program.
Well now that the program is over for the year, I looked at some of the pictures from throughout the year, and reflected on the growth made. Here are some major points (portrayed as pictures) in my progress with the program.
Here is a photo from the beginning of the year. I’m there in the black coat. I’m an ambivert so I’m usually very antisocial in instances where I’m in a new place. I was very antisocial and kind of against the whole program in general. Not for a specific reason, its just harder for me to get accustomed to things like the Japanese Plus program.
I’ll be using the JICC visit to detail my middle point in my progress with the program. I think the JICC visit was where I kind of opened up a bit more than I was used to. Especially with the haiku I submitted for their exhibit.
That haiku was very personal to me and was normally something I wouldn’t write, much less show in an exhibit. I also think I was getting more accustomed to being in contact with the other students in the program and making genuine friendships.
You can’t see me in this image, but the Sakura Matsuri Festival was a really big final turning point for me in the Japanese Plus program into accepting the program into my life and enjoying it. I was way out of my comfort zone being that much in a public place, but I didn’t feel anxiety, or anything being there because I was there with the Japanese Plus group. Overall, being in this program helped me a lot with being open to new experiences. I hope that all of my classmates have a great summer, and that next year will be as great as this one was.
I gladly registered in Japanese Plus when the chance to study a new language and get immersed in another culture presented itself. I had no idea that this adventure would enhance my linguistic skills while also giving me a lovely and life-changing experience. Japanese Plus provided doors to a fantastic world that I will always treasure, from the intriguing language to the rich cultural history.
Language Learning
Japanese Plus introduced me to the complexities and nuances of the Japanese language. The procedure was productive and engaging because of the qualified instructors, and interactive teaching techniques. I gradually started to understand the complexities of the language, from simple vocabulary to complex vocabulary. My ability to speak, read, and write Japanese has improved thanks to the properly designed activities, conversations with other students, and the direction of my instructors.
First Japanese Class
Cultural Immersion
The emphasis on cultural immersion was one of Japanese Plus’s most impressive features. Beyond improving my language abilities, the program gave me the chance to learn about Japanese traditions, customs, and history through a variety of cultural events, such the Japanese Street Festival, Sakura Matsuri. I have a deep appreciation for the Japanese focus on detail and how much respect is put into everything. I was able to develop a stronger bond with the culture through immersion in these events that went beyond merely learning the language.
Table for TwoRajio TaisoHana MarketCultural Exchange
Connections and Friendships
Japanese Plus not only provided me with the opportunity to learn from qualified instructors, but it also fostered a supportive and inclusive community. Interacting with fellow learners who shared my enthusiasm for Japan created a space where we could exchange knowledge, practice together, and develop lasting friendships. Through group activities, study sessions, and shared cultural excursions, we created a network of individuals who not only supported one another’s language learning but also shared a genuine passion for Japanese culture.
Study SessionSaturday Class
Real-world Applications
One of the most rewarding aspects of my experience with Japanese Plus was the ability to apply my language skills in real-world situations. The program encouraged us to engage with native Japanese speakers, whether through conversation partners, language exchange programs, or community events. These interactions provided me with invaluable opportunities to practice what I had learned, enhance my conversational abilities, and gain a deeper understanding of Japanese society.
KAKEHASHI Exchanges
Personal Growth
My involvement with Japanese Plus went much beyond merely learning the language and becoming immersed in the culture. It evolved into a transformational journey of personal development. I was forced beyond my comfort zone by the difficulties I had learning a difficult language, adjusting to a new cultural setting, and making connections with people from other backgrounds. I was able to grow in my self-awareness and understanding of the value of human connection as a result of the experience.
With our Language AssistantsKAKEHASHI Exchange at All Souls Church
Japanese Plus has been a wonderful and enlightening experience that has profoundly impacted my life. I have learned so much more than just Japanese ability through language study, cultural immersion, contacts, and personal development. My understandings have been broadened by the program, and I have developed a greater appreciation of other cultures. I will also be appreciative of this fantastic experience to our wonderful instructors, Shoko Hamano and Takae Tsujioka. Sally Schwartz, who provided me with outstanding mentoring, support, and direction throughout my time in Japanese Plus, deserves a special mention as well.
