Category Archives: 地域学習

訪問地, 地域学習, 大阪府吹田市

Shopping street work experience and juggling with new friends at Kansai University

Group photo with English conversational school turned into Karate lesson
Group photo with English conversational school turned into Karate lesson

We went to the shopping street in Suita, where we were each assigned to a specific shop. A group of five World Campus – Japan participants (including myself) were supposed to be teaching English, but ended up getting a private karate class from our student instead! At the end of the class, we decided to thank our student/sensei by performing some Rakugo for her, which we learned about for the very first time yesterday. I did not want to perform then, because I’m not good at improvising, but today I felt confident enough to try. And I actually sorta liked it, too!

Later in the day, we went to Kansai University to interact with the students. First, we got to play with the juggling club’s materials. My favorite was the diabolo: spinning it was easy and fun. I also tried really hard to catch it after throwing it up in the air, but I just couldn’t do it! Later, we talked about the differences between our countries, for example, what type of food we eat or how we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Our group’s question was: “what do you study at your university?” It turned out we all did something with languages, either English, Japanese, Korean or computer programming (we think it counts).

When the day’s program was over, we made plans with some Japanese students to hang out at the arcade the day after. We might also see them again at the Arigato Event. Somehow, World Campus makes it easy to make foreign friends, even when we have little time together!

Francine Geurts, The Netherlands

訪問地, 地域学習, 大牟田市

Karuta games and a visit to a katana smith

Karuta games and a visit to a katana smith
Karuta games and a visit to a katana smith

We started the morning with some cheeky rounds of Karuta which we played with the cards we made together. The word “we” refers to us WCI members and the eager-to-play children of the Local organizing committee. Many of us had never even heard of the game itself, so the games were slightly over-powered by the children, but everyone looked like they were having fun all the same.

After the games were done, our vast group of many fellows departed together to be able to meet a real katana sword smith. He lives in a rather secluded place, narrow roads and lots of trees, and all of it just added to the mystique. When we arrived, there was a pair of cameramen waiting for us. They were filming material for a tourism video of sorts, and we got to be a part of it.

The actual katana experience itself was very exciting. At first, the smith told us about the history of katana, and showed us how he mends the metal. Some of us even got to try smithing – on a separate piece of metal, not an actual sword of course. Then we moved to his Dojo, and he and few others showed us how easily they can cut tatami-mat rolls. Some of us got to try cutting the tatami-mat rolls as well, and some even succeeded in cutting through the tatami.

All in all, a very exhilarating day trying activities a normal tourist might not be able to try.

Helmiina Suuronen, Finland

訪問地, 地域学習, 大牟田市

Cutting bamboo to the sound of shamisen

Towa Sofia and Krysta making bamboo chopsticks in Omuta
Towa Sofia and Krysta making bamboo chopsticks in Omuta

Our day today consisted of muddy work, enjoyable crafting, and most importantly, lots of bamboo! It was time to visit the mysteriously beautiful bamboo forest. After some minutes of intense spraying-each-other-with-mosquito-repellant we were good to go. When we reached the top of the mossy staircase we were met by a tranquil forest shrine and a lovely view.

During the day we got to try out different activities together with the locals who instructed us. Some of us did grass cutting in order to clear an overgrown slope, and some learned how to cut down large bamboo trunks. It was both fun and challenging, and it felt good to do something useful. Everyone got to show off their creative side when we learned how to make our own chopsticks out of bamboo! We used a carving knife to carve them out of raw pieces of bamboo. Those chopsticks we then used when eating the delicious lunch including soumen noodles, onigiri rice balls and fresh corn. During the afternoon we got to learn about bamboo and the preservation of the bamboo forest. We also had the honor to meet the priestess of the shrine, and to see a beautiful and thrilling performance of Japanese traditional music and dance.

The day was concluded with a visit to a big shopping mall. Trying some Japanese-style crêpes was first on the list and we gathered in the small crêpe store watching the store attendants throwing together things like strawberries, banana, chocolate and cream. After this delightful little snack we spent the rest of the time looking for souvenirs to bring home, and playing games in the arcade.

I, like several of us, happily returned home to my host family tonight carrying bags filled with souvenirs. But somehow, as I prepare to go to sleep, what fills my head is not the thought of all the cool Japanese stuff I bought, but the swaying sound of a shamisen and the image of a pair of crooked bamboo chopsticks.

Sofia Larborn, Sweden