My CIP activity was attending group pottery lessons three times a month at Ikoma Ceramics. The studio offered a very nice intimate setting where I worked with the instructor and four other local participants. Since we all shared one large table while working on our individual pieces, it was easy to have fun, engaging conversations. Being the only college student in the group meant I was always with people older than me, which provided a great real-world environment to practice the polite Japanese I learned in class.

The sessions were held on Wednesdays or Sundays and lasted two hours each. I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere; it felt like a safe space to ask questions or simply work on my pottery to de-stress. Through this activity, I became more confident speaking Japanese and understanding the local dialect.

I really recommend Ms. Ikoma’s studio! She is very approachable and flexible with scheduling through text. If you’re looking for creative freedom and want to craft some unique pottery pieces to take home, this is the perfect opportunity.

This semester I took weekly ikebana lessons under Ashida Sensei over the course of eight weeks. During these lessons, I learned both traditional and modern styles of ikebana.

Each class focused on a specific arrangement style while keeping in mind the four main principles of ikebana in these styles: shin, gyō, tome and dou. Learning to respect the unique purpose of various flowers allowed me to continue appreciating the deep meaning and intentions behind every piece that keeps the ikebana spirit alive.

I recommend anyone starting off or continuing ikebana to remember to stay patient with all aspects of arranging, as the process itself is just as important as the final result. It was very rewarding to see how a simple assortment of flowers can be styled in a way that holds deep meaning, history, and beauty.

This semester I took one-on-one koto lessons under Kurahashi Sensei. For the duration of nine weeks, I took classes once a week with Kurahashi Sensei and learned different techniques and ways to play the koto, while also learning how to play various song with these different methods.

Each class would build upon the skills that I have already had or have learned in the class prior, and would continue to advance in playing more difficult song. I would definitely recommend taking koto classes, the one-on-one focus definitely helped me to understand new vocabulary, techniques, and have any questions answered while playing.

A word of advice I can give is that it is ok to make mistakes while playing! Different techniques require different ways to play the koto, be prepared to pull strings in different directions and methods to create classical yet stunningly sounding notes in traditional songs!