6/23 (Day 2 Recap)
Word of the day: Nihongo
(Japanese language)
Yesterday was the start of our three week Japanese language
and culture journey. In the beginner’s class, students learned about the
Japanese language, encompassing vocabulary and hiragana,
one of three Japanese writing styles. Uchida sensei taught the beginners basic
greetings to provide the students with the ability to strike up a conversation
in nihongo (Japanese). In addition to
expanding students’ knowledge of vocabulary of nihongo, students practiced the formation and stroke order of
hiragana. Afterwards, students were treated with an authentic peer-to-peer nihongo experience, pitting beginning,
intermediate, and advanced students in an all-nihongo lunch where for one hour students were only allowed to
speak nihongo where many less-experienced students
reiterated the phrase “nani desuka?” (“what is that?”). This allowed beginning
students to utilize their newfound knowledge while higher-level students aided
in any language mishaps along the way. After lunch, students were treated to a
one-hour film class, which featured he film Princess Mononoke, held by one of
the campus’ professors in which the students learned about nihongo animation, specifically Miyazaki films, and how he
encompassed elements of modern themes and utilized the Japan’s vast history.
Afterwards, students were lectured on campus safety by the assistant director
of campus safety, Mr. Daugherty, on the campus in which students learned about
the many safety features located throughout the campus. Following campus safety,
students were allowed two hours of recreation time within the campus’s gymnasium,
enjoying a plethora of equipment such as a pool, racquetball courts, and
basketball courts, as well as a fitness center and others facilities. After cleaning
up, students were treated to dinner and then attended their first of many
culture classes hosted by their senpai. Kim-senpai taught one group about the
differences and similarities between Japanese and Western animations, which
included how audiences’ perception of each animation style varies from country
to country. Chung-senpai educated students on the evolution of Japanese pop
music and culture in Japan. Tomomatsu-senpai displayed the art of Taiko
drumming to her students and showed them the techniques required to play the
drums. Rounding off the day, students elected company leaders to perform
various activities around campus throughout the duration of the academy and the
company leaders recruited students to assist them on their tasks. After a
fun-filled day of various activities, students recorded their experiences in
their journals for the purpose of reminiscing at the academy’s end.
- Antoine and Melissa
6/24 (Day 3)
Today, the beginner-level students continued to learn
hiragana, one of the three Japanese writing styles. Uchida Sensei revealed many
tips and tricks to facilitate memorization. The students have only had three
days of exposure to the language, but are continuously learning new symbols and
phrases. The students participate in group learning to mimic the Japanese
group-mentality. After reviewing the hiragana symbols, Uchida Sensei passed out
a blank board game and asked the students to fill in the spaces with the new
symbols they had learned. This game required quick recollection and encouraged
students to memorize the hiragana characters. This creative activity was an
enjoyable and effective method! At the end of language class, the students all
introduced themselves to each other and conversed completely in Japanese. This
is a huge accomplishment considering the minimal experience these students
have. So much progress is being made, and this is only the beginning!
Today, Lawless Sensei taught the advanced class in the
afternoon (We normally have Ōtani Sensei ). Lawless Sensei started off the
class by having the advanced students play Taboo in Japanese. The students did
well, but having a smaller vocabulary makes the game a lot harder. In
preparation for Friday’s cooking class, in which everyone will make gyoza
(dumplings) and onigiri (rice balls), Lawless Sensei helped the students
re-learn cooking vocabulary. The advanced students will be asked to explain the
recipe to the beginning students in Japanese. The Taboo game was a way to
prepare the advanced students to explain unknown words using circumlocution.
Finally, the advanced students read a story about an exchange student in Japan
who ate her meal with gusto until she realized the meat was suppon, or snapping turtle!
- Christina B.
Today for our guest speaker we had Kristen Luck, a Ph. D candidate at
VCU, come and give us a lecture. It was about Japanese politics. She analyzes
documents and labor laws in Japan and searches for keywords referring to woman’s
rights, specifically laws referring to the objectification of women’s bodies
for childbirth and child rearing. We also watched a PowerPoint explaining the
governmental and political system in Japan. She explained that the Edo and
Meiji periods of Japan were a time where the emperor was revered. Afterwards,
she explained how Japan’s political system had changed so drastically from
imperialism to capitalism. Today, instead of an emperor executing all major
actions for the country of Japan, there is now a parliamentary system in place
similar to England. This is because of the occupation of Japan by the United
States, where the United States wrote a constitution for the previously
imperial country. The emperor is now currently a figurehead, and now the Prime
Minister carries out most executive duties (sort of like a president). She also
touched upon the issue of discrimination in Japan, mostly directed towards
people of a race other than Japanese and Japanese women, her specialty. There
was a question-and-answer session afterwards, where we asked questions and had
a discussion.
All of the Japanese Academy students were
very engaged throughout the lecture!
-Amy
