I absolutely loved all of the cultural immersion activities we participated in today! Calligraphy was especially my favorite. Ms. Aizawa’s demonstration on how to write Kanji at the beginning of the activity, and her welcoming attitude and kind encouragement throughout the activity really helped me get over my initial fear. I also loved decorating the fans with stickers and drawings. I had such a fun time participating in this activity as I love arts and crafts, but also being able to culturally immerse myself in traditional Japanese writing was an unforgettable experience! -Simran
Today, we learned how to make matcha from a master of tea ceremonies within the Omotenseke school. The focus, precision, and care the master took to purify the tools used for the ceremony was breathtaking. Watching it, I understood that matcha-making is not just the process of making a beverage – it is also an attitude and a way of life. – Chenyi
We learned so much today in our Japanese class. We started the session with greetings before diving into self-introductions, numbers, and currency. Being able to practice proper pronunciation while conversing with each other was incredibly fun! We ended the session learning well-known Japanese food and other statements. Now that I’ve learned some conversational phrases, I feel more confident navigating Oita and other cities here in Japan! -Halle