「Institution」カテゴリーアーカイブ

AJ Johnston: Volunteering at Ohara Gakuin

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For my Community Involvement Project this semester I volunteered at Ohara Gakuin, an elementary and middle school in Ohara, a small town north of Kyoto. After a scenic bus ride up to the town, I spent my Wednesdays having lunch with the school’s students, assisting with their English classes, and observing other classes on a variety of subjects. Ohara Gakuin provided me with a look into the Japanese education system and the inner workings of an ordinary school. Studying the way in which teachers approached students of drastically different age groups and learning about English instruction in Japan was fascinating, and getting to know some of the kids over the course of my short time at the school was a lot of fun.

I would advise students looking into this CIP to definitely check it out, as it was a truly unique experience, particularly if you’re interested in working with children in the future or looking into the JET program. Try to take every opportunity to chat with the kids and other teachers, even if it’s awkward or neither party fully understands what’s being said. The kids generally want to get to know you, but can be shy or unsure of how much Japanese you understand— don’t be afraid to go for it and mess up! 

Umi Imai: Intensity Basketball Circle

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For my CIP, I joined Intensity, one of Doshisha’s basketball circles, where I participated in weekly practices throughout the semester. This circle holds practices on MTF from 3pm-6pm, and there are usually around 10-15 members who always show up.

At first, I struggled to communicate with the other members as the circle has a quieter, more gradual style of building connections. However, by showing up consistently and playing in practice matches with the other members, I slowly understood the rhythm of the group, felt more comfortable and included, and was also able to make friends.

My advice to incoming KCJS students is to be open to slower-paced relationship building and to show up consistently, as the connections form naturally over time. I also recommend not hesitating to speak up or ask if you can play with the other members, because usually the Japanese members are really nice and want to play with you but they can be a bit shy to ask you themselves.

Abem Fetene: Intensity Basketball Circle

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This semester, I had the opportunity to play basketball at the Kyotanabe campus with Doshisha’s basketball circle intensity. This club had practice about 3 times a week, during which the entire duration is provided for playing full court or shooting around.

The circle is really welcoming, with the members always inviting to play with them, regardless of the games; however, at times, it is good to try and be more vocal and set up a game yourself. I was able to join this CIP with a fellow KCJS member, Umi (pictured), which allowed for much smoother interactions, especially when talking after practices.

My advice to incoming KCJS students is never be afraid to try new things or meet new people, especially when language barriers can be a bit daunting. This experience taught me a lot not only about Japanese culture but also about Basketball culture around the world, which was really interesting to see firsthand!

 

Victoria Raiken: Shamisen at Greenwich House

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For my CIP, I took lessons at Greenwich House to learn the shamisen. I was joined by two other students from KCJS where we learned how to play a variety of traditional music pieces and ended the semester with a concert that involved the whole music school.

Before coming to Japan, not only did I have very limited experience with stringed instruments but I had also never seen a shamisen in real life before. Learning the shamisen in such a short time to perform at the concert was a big challenge for me but I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to be a part of this community and learn about such a valued piece of Japanese culture.

My advice to incoming students would be to apply an interest you already have and use that passion to create connections within the community. Despite my skill-based challenges, I had a genuine interest in music and because of that I was able to bond with both the other KCJS students as well as the wonderful people at Greenwich House.

Malia Marinchak: Yoga at Tamisa Studio

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This semester I attended weekly classes at the Tamisa Yoga studio in Sanjo Teramachi as part of my CIP. Throughout my classes I was able to experience what Yoga practice looks like in Japan as well as join as forge connections with the other students and have meaningful conversations with the variety of instructors on ways to improve and deepen my practice. The studio offers classes taught in Japanese only or dual taught in English and Japanese, and while I mainly attended the Japanese only ones, both were incredibly helpful as listening practice.

Since I had attended a different study abroad program in Japan for 8 weeks before the semester started, where I got to study Japanese traditional dance (本舞踊), this fall I was interested in returning to something that I do back in the US, that allowed me to prioritize mindfullness and exercise while I studied abroad. This kind of CIP worked for me since I also volunteered at a teahouse throughout the semester, so the project was more like a supplement, rather than the main way I interacted with my community.

While this worked for me, my circumstances were a bit unique, so If you haven’t experienced a traditional Japanese art, I would definitely recommend trying that, or volunteering with local organizations. 

Susan Flatt: Koto

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This semester, I had the opportunity to practice the koto twice a week at Greenwich House, along with two other classmates, who were learning shamisen. At the end of the semester, we all performed a traditional piece together (月に寄せる日本の歌） at the Otsu Traditional Performing Arts Center.

Through my time practicing with the musicians at Greenwich House, I was able to learn a lot about Japanese traditional music, including the many ways in which it differs from Western music. I also enjoyed the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with the other musicians, who were all incredibly welcoming to the KCJS students.

My advice to future KCJS students is to never be afraid about trying something new, even if you aren’t sure whether you can succeed. No one will expect you to be perfect right from the start, and the people around you will appreciate the effort you put in, even when you’re struggling.

Ben Grijalva: ‘Wasshoi’ Circle at Kyoto University

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For my CIP, I joined Wasshoi, a circle at Kyoto University focused on agricultural activities, community engagement and rural revitalization in the small but beautiful village of Miyama. Together with a group of core members, I traveled to this village bimonthly to participate in activities such as edamame harvesting, building a corn maze for kids and harvesting thatch for a local renovation project!

Though this was a massive time commitment, my experiences in Miyama were among the highlights of my semester at KCJS. Between sobering conversations about rural life and late nights bonding as a group, I can confidently say that being able to connect with fellow college students, local farmers and children alike was an invaluable opportunity that taught me a lot about rural Japanese community and culture.

I would definitely say don’t be afraid to look outside of the provided CIP list! If there’s a group or club that really interests you, reach out! Chances are the first one you find won’t work out, but don’t be afraid to keep trying; it paid off for me! For anybody interested in rural agricultural work like this and willing to commit several of their weekend days, I wholeheartedly recommend Wasshoi. They welcomed me with open arms, and I’m glad to consider many of them my friends. I only wish I had more time to see what they do next!

Penelope Hartogensis: Crochet at Itokobako

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For my CIP activity, I participated in a crochet workshop at a local yarn store called ‘Itokobako’ and created this horse amigurumi. You would bring your own project and the staff members would help you with it; there were all sorts of different projects such as knitting, weaving, sewing, etc.

I had a really great time at my CIP, and while it was a little intimidating to talk to some of the other participants as they tended to be older women, I had a lot of fun conversations with them. I also learned a lot of vocab for knitting/crochet and got some practice reading the patterns (and figuring out which kanji meant what), so it was a very enriching experience.

For choosing a CIP, like many others have said, I’d suggest focusing on things you’re interested in, because it was fun for me to learn crochet terms as it’s my hobby, but someone uninterested in the subject probably wouldn’t care, so it’ll be much more enjoyable and fulfilling to pursue your interest. Additionally, I think it’s worthwhile to think about the types of people that are going to be at your CIP, so taking mine for example, I know it’s easier for some people to talk to other college students (there’s just more topics to talk about), so keep that in mind when picking a place.

Alex Wills: Taiko

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This semester, I had the opportunity to participate in the Fujinomori Preservation Society’s Taiko Drumming Practice! Along with one of my fellow KCJS students, I learned the basics of how to play Taiko while also learning more about its significance in Japanese culture. Over the course of the semester, we prepared a roughly 2 minute long piece and performed it for the group, making connections with the team members and practicing our Japanese along the way. At first it was a little intimidating, but once you’re there, it gets to be very fun and rewarding.

Gaby Jacobs-Alarcon: Weaving

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For my CIP, I did weaving with Kawasaki Haruo and Kawasaki Yuri, a couple who have been weaving for most of their lives. I learned how to use a loom to make textiles out of wool and silk.

I think my CIP was one of the most rewarding things from my time at KCJS. I was able to be creative and get help from very skilled weavers while also having nice conversation with my teachers and other students during tea time.

I would recommend anyone to choose this CIP as absolutely no experience is required. You can tailor the experience to fit your needs. If you are more advanced, you can learn how to set up the loom and ask about certain techniques. Kawasaki-sensei has many books of his teachers work and books he was published in with other artists works as well.

I made a silk scarf and 3 tapestries, but I could have made more if I started with a more simple project at first.

If you choose this CIP, I would recommend you think about how much time you have in the semester. There is the ability to go 2 times a week for up to 6 hours each class. When I first did this, I got too tired and had to scale back. Do not be afraid to say no because you are not required to do this. But if you are really interested in weaving this is a great opportunity to go all in. Note that there is a fee, but half of it should be covered by KCJS.