「Circle (Non-Sports)」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Julia Ramsay: Kyoto Echo Choir

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Introduction: Kyoto Echo Choir is a tight-knit, extremely welcoming community choir. They sing choir music in a variety of languages, including Japanese, English, and Latin.

 

Comments: I had an incredible experience singing with the Kyoto Echo Choir. Not only did I advance my musical ability by rehearsing with a talented group of singers, but my Japanese got better through chatting with the members and sight-reading music in Japanese.

 

Advice: Kyoto Echo Choir is a very welcoming group, so there are no worries about not fitting in. However, since they take members all year long, they move very quickly musically. If you are considering joining this choir, I would recommend being sure you are confident in your ability to pick up music quickly, since they will not teach it to you directly and in my experience you are not allowed to take the music home to practice.

August Kittleson: Fujinomori Taiko Preservation Society

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For my CIP, I learned how to perform Taiko drumming with Fujinomori Taiko Preservation Society! This large, multigenerational group met at Fujinomori Shrine twice a week to practice compositions they would practice in many festivals around Kyoto. I loved meeting all sorts of different people while connecting to my passion of drumming. For any incoming students stressed about the prospect of a CIP, it will feel very stressful the first couple weeks. But, after that, things will mellow out and you’ll meet some incredibly friendly, non-judgmental, and playful people ever–that’s when you’ll make so many wonderful memories. But don’t give up!

Zhihe Tian: KGK (Christian Student Association)

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My CIP activity is participating in KGK (Christian Student Association). KGK is a circle that any student can join to meet other students and learn about God and the Bible. There are weekly meetings (Tuesdays) starting at 6:30 PM. We will start with worship (singing songs), then self-introduction, then break up into small groups (4-5 people) and chat about a given topic to get to know each other and learn about the Bible. 


As for advice for incoming students, I encourage you to come to KGK’s meeting even if just once. The friendliest and most open people I have met in Japan are from KGK. The first time I joined, people came up and introduced themselves to me. Everyone is curious about the newcomers and wants to be your friend. I was one of 2-3 foreigners who participated regularly. KGK is majority Japanese students and everything is in Japanese. Despite not being able to understand everything (especially when I first arrived in Kyoto), the warm atmosphere makes going worthwhile. There is an Australian missionary who comes to the meeting weekly, so if you need translation, someone is there for you. Also, I’m not a Christian, but just interested in Christianity, so even if you are not Christian, you are more than welcome to come. 


In spring, there is a 3-day camp for KGK that I attended. It was a bit scary because there are a lot of people and the number of foreigners is few, but I’m really really glad I went because I bonded with the locals and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Going to KGK has made my time in Japan very special. I bonded with the locals and had cheerful moments I otherwise wouldn’t have.

Naomi Lam: (Classical) Guitar Club

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My CIP activity is the guitar club. I learned how to play the guitar, specifically the classical guitar. I was learning how to play the electric guitar, so I picked the guitar club, thinking learning the classical guitar wouldn’t be too different from the electric guitar. I was also exposed to new music genres like bossa nova and just classical guitar music.
Advice for beginners like me, I would start by learning simple songs and knowing the Solfege notation.

Nadia Perdue: Participation at Kyoto University Choir

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This semester I participated in the Kyoto University Choir for about 2-3 times a week, 2.5 hours per rehearsal. On Mondays, the upper and lower voices would hold rehearsals separately, but Wednesday and Friday rehearsals were co-ed. Most of the songs we sang were entirely in Japanese, most of which I had not heard of before joining.

I have been in several vocal groups over the past few years, but this was a completely new experience. Aside from the language barrier—such as learning completely terms for music-related terminology that I was familiar with in English—the cultural differences were a completely new playing field. We take our shoes off before entering the ensemble room, clean up when we are done, and tell our fellow singers 「お疲れ様です」at the start and end of rehearsal. Moreover, at the beginning of rehearsals, not only did we do vocal warm-ups, but physical warm-ups, 体操, as well. For about 20 minutes, our ensemble dedicated time to doing anything from a few sets of squats, to full-on core exercises. We also did a few interactive warm-ups, as well, which encouraged me to break out of my shell and collaborate with my fellow singers. It was a wonderful experience getting to combine my love for music with my passion for learning more about Japanese language, Japanese music, and Japanese culture!

Even if you do not have any musical experience, I would certain encourage you to join the ensemble. Everyone was very welcoming to singers of all skill levels, and if you have any questions about anything, ask. Many times, I would feel embarrassed to ask a fellow singer on my part a question like, “What’s this musical concept called in Japanese?” However, as I bonded more and more with the people on my part, I realized that there is nothing wrong with asking questions. Once I understood this, I had a much more enjoyable experience, and learned so much in the long run.

 

Veronica Seixas: Kyoto University Choir

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Formy CIP,I went to Kyoto UniversityChoir’s rehearsals once a week on Wednesday from 6-8:30. It is an all gender/all voice part choir that learns Japanese, English, and Italian songs. Everyone in the choir was extremely nice and welcoming, assisting me whenever I needed help. I really enjoyed learning and singing songs in Japanese, and if the timing works out well you can sing in one of their concerts. If you have some experience with a choir and want to continue singing in Japan or try singing in Japanese, this is a great CIP that is easy to join.

Volunteering at Klexon (English Conversation Circle at Kyoto!)

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During my time at KCJS, I have decided that my community involvement project will be volunteering at Klexon English-speaking Circle located at Wings Kyoto. It was simple to speak with native residents who wanted to converse in English. At every meeting, we were met with different Kyoto residents. We were given a topic or a format of what we should talk about. Afterward, we talked about our daily life, childhood memories, and traveling.

Initially, I was a bit shy to make contact with the conversation partner, but as time passed, I was able to thaw out and trade our line or SNS accounts. Afterward, I was able to communicate with conversation partners frequently and have natural conversations in a language that was fitting for the atmosphere at the time.

In the end, I was able to join an event where all of the group members went to Mie prefecture and enjoyed a relaxing Hanami at Iwakurakyo Park. If anyone wants to enjoy talking with locals and have an intercultural connection, Klexon has the best suitable environment for it.

Caeden Polster : Klexon English Speaking Circle 2nd Semester

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In my CIP, I participated in the Klexon English Speaking Circle, a college student and adult circle of Japanese people who want to practice and learn more English, and foreigners who would like to help, or make new friends.

As I will be working as an English teacher in Japan after the program ends, I thought it would be a great opportunity to practice teaching English, and speaking in a way that is more conducive to learning and understanding. In my time at Klexon, I gradually noticed myself varying my speech complexity and speed for different participants based on their levels that I had gotten used to, and I also was happy to see great improvement over the year in their own English capabilities!

My advice for incoming KCJS participants would be to pick something that is related to what you are passionate about for your CIP, and keep an open mind. If you just leave your CIP after the required hours, or don’t participate in the extra social activities that may happen with members outside normal meetings, you could end up missing the opportunity to meet people who are as passionate as you, and make friendships that will last long after the program ends.

David Orvedahl: Collegiate Choral Doshisha

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Drinking at a Korean Bar in Osaka with a friend from the group. The drink was new to me. It’s called “makgeolli,” and it’s delicious.

I joined a chorus called C.C.D. (Collegiate Choral Doshisha) for the semester for my community involvement project. I spent a lot of time there–generally, rehearsal at least twice a week for four hours–but I think it was a worthy pursuit.

I was pretty anxious at first; now that I’ve done it, if you made me do it over again, I would still get anxious again. There were good times and bad times: Every now and then I would struggle with something and feel bad for a while, but then I would find a little success and feel better. For instance, rehearsals could be pretty tough sometimes, but drinking afterwards

I went to Osaka with three other members of the choir to see Handel’s Messiah performed by the choir’s alumni.

was almost always fun.

 

 

I also got to do a lot of cool things that I probably wouldn’t have done on my own. I rented a kimono and got some awesome pictures (All of them have other people with faces unblurred, so I can’t share them); I went to Osaka to listen to a performance of Handel’s Messiah; and I got to perform while wearing a Halloween costume–I was a shrine maiden. And occasionally, I got to touch a piano, which was massively beneficial to my mental health.

The hardest things about being in a chorus actually don’t really have that much to do with singing. That works pretty much the same way evKyaaaaaerywhere, with some minor differences. What was really hard was communicating with regular people. As a second-language learner, it’s easy to forget that most of the people you interact with–teachers, language exchange partners, classmates–understand what it’s like to really try to learn a second language, and so they end up with pretty good communication skills.

The people in my chorus are just normal people. They won’t always be able to meet you halfway to communicate, so really thriving in that kind of environment requires a different level of ability that I don’t think I have just yet. The good news is that I’m aware of that, and that I think I’m a lot closer to getting that kind of ability than I was at the

Rehearsal looked like this sometimes. The guys were on a break, so we took a load off.

beginning of the semester.

 

And there were other benefits to this project, too. For one thing, I was able to be around Japanese people around my age that already knew each other. They interact differently with each other than they do with foreigners, and I think getting to see it and be surrounded by it was super beneficial.

To anyone considering this type of project, I would say go for it. I can tell you, even if you don’t thrive, it definitely won’t kill you, and you’ll still probably learn a lot. And if you do thrive, even better for you: You’ll get to spend a lot of time around people and will

The alto section leader looking like a strict piano teacher.

probably be able to make close relationships with them. Just try to make the most of your time, and it’ll be worth it.

 

 

Theo Brown: Visiting temples with Shisekidoukoukai (史跡同好会)

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This semester I was able to join the Shisekidoukoukai, a circle at Doshisha University which typically met every week on Saturday to visit a historical site. Here’s a link to their webpage, https://www.d-live.info/club/sports/index.php?c=club_view&pk=1364458262, though note that you will need to message them on Twitter or Instagram to join (I had to create a Twitter account just for this). In my case, all of the meetings that I attended were at various temples throughout Kyoto (and one in nearby Shiga prefecture). Each week that there’s a meeting, a Line message goes out to the members of the circle (over 150) and those who wish to participate in the following Saturday’s event respond to the message. Usually around eight or ten people would actually end up showing up, though it varied. It was a lot less than I expected given the total number of members, and many of the same people would usually go every week, so I was able to talk with certain people several times. Generally you’re on your own for transport to the temple and just have to meet in front of it at a specified time (usually early afternoon); due to the location of the dorm I’m living in it often took upwards of 45 minutes to get to and from these places, which was a little frustrating at times. Though some people in the circle would come all the way from Osaka or Hyogo prefecture, so I can’t complain too much.

Once everyone who had said they would be coming had arrived at the meetup location (which sometimes took quite some time due to people missing buses or getting lost on the way there — Google Maps was my friend) we would proceed into the temple grounds and walk around. This could take two or even three hours to get through the whole area as we would look at everything, talk with the other members, check out the gift shop, and take pictures. However, because of the lengthy time commitment, some weekends I couldn’t make it, so be aware that the meetings are quite long. I think it would be quite awkward to try to leave in the middle, and we would formally end every meeting with a “解散,” so I wouldn’t plan to be able to only participate for part of the time. It wasn’t very formal at all and it was nice to be able to talk to other college students in Japanese in such a relaxed environment. Note that besides me, I only saw one other non-Japanese student (who was really really good at Japanese!) and everyone was speaking in Japanese the whole time, so if you’re not confident in your Japanese abilities be aware that it might be hard to communicate. Personally I was able to have good conversations with several people but my level is/was not at the point that I could completely understand the conversations of those around me enough to participate myself, though it was still good listening practice. If my level was not at the point where I could have a decent conversation in Japanese, I probably would not have enjoyed it as much.

One thing I noticed was that whenever I would meet someone for the first time they would always ask me what year in school I was. It was actually a bit interesting in my case because though I am a junior, due to the month I was born in, I would still be a second year student if I had gone through the Japanese system. Though second- and first-year students never referred to me as “senpai” though some people did use it for Japanese students above them. Another interesting thing was the use of Kansai-ben, in that some people seemed to use it all the time, and some didn’t despite being from the Kansai region. I suspect this might vary depending on the person and who they’re speaking to, since using a dialect other than Standard Japanese seems to be perceived as more informal. There were also a lot of members not originally from the area so that might make a difference too. Since I am planning to participate for the next semester as well I will keep an eye out for this as I find it interesting.

My goal for finding a CIP this semester was something in which I got opportunities to speak in Japanese with native speakers without a very structured environment or activity, and the Shisekidoukoukai exactly fits with that. Everyone in the club that I’ve met has been kind and I think it could be a good way to make friends. However, if you find temples boring, want to leave your Saturdays free, aren’t confident in your Japanese speaking ability, or want a more structured activity for your CIP, you may be better off looking elsewhere. But I certainly have enjoyed getting to see various historical temples and chatting with others in Japanese and so I plan to continue in the same circle for the spring semester.