Tremors in Tama

Tonight, I felt the ground shake. Don’t worry. It was just a tremor, and it wasn't frightening, but it’s the first time I’ve experienced it in Japan.

Actually, I am probably one of the last teachers on our program to feel a tremor. Several have experienced the sensation since we arrived.

Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active countries on earth. On Saturday, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed at least nine people in a rural area of the country.

Japan averages about 1,500 earthquakes per year. The country also has 108 active volcanoes.

Earthquakes are so common in Japan that most hotels have flashlights in every room, in case the power goes out. Also, most public buildings have hard hats. We’ve seen helmets in many of the classrooms we’ve visited.

The Japanese have become so accustomed to tremors that they hardly seem to notice.

A Day of Culture

Yesterday, we spent a lot of time learning about the Japanese educational system. Today, we learned more about the Japanese culture through a tea ceremony and through a lesson on making chopsticks.


In Japan, a tea ceremony is normally a special occasion reserved for honored guests. Participants sit on a mat for the ceremony. In a traditional ceremony, kimonos are worn.




First, guests either eat a meal or a type of small desert. Then, guests drink a bowl of green tea. Tradition dictates that participants drink the tea in three and a half sips and rotate the bowl, so that they can be sure that they drink from the most beautiful side.



The tea is brewed in a special pot, and the beauty of all of the utensils is seen as an essential part of the event.



The purpose of the tea ceremony is to help participants acquire a peaceful mind and to teach them how to behave properly in society.

Later in the day, we met with the superintendent of the Tama City Board of Education. Once again, I was struck by the fact that Japan is experiencing some of the same educational problems that we have in the United States.

That being said, Japan has one of the most successful school systems in the world. When asked why, the superintendent says part of the credit lies with the fact that teachers, at all levels, are given a lot of support and training, especially new teachers.

We finished off the day by learning how to properly use chopsticks, and then we actually made and painted a pair of our own.

I think this colorful pair gets the "Best Chopsticks" award. They were made by one of the art teachers on our trip.




In a couple of weeks, all of the chopsticks will be lacquered and mailed to us in the United States.

Thanks for all of your posts. I hope you are enjoying my blog.

Japanese Business Etiquette

This is one of the most common encounters you will see in companies in Japan - the exchanging of business cards.

In Japan, it is important to establish a personal contact, so people normally exchange business cards.

It's not like in the United States where a person nonchalantly pulls a card out and then puts the other person's card in his back pocket. In Japan when cards are exchanged, it is done carefully with both hands, and each person spends time studying the other person's card to find out more about the person's company and the person's rank in the company.


Handling business cards is done with care because the card is seen as an extension of the person. In the United States, business people don't think twice about writing on another person's card, but in Japan, it would be seen as the ultimate insult to write on another person's card in that person's presence.

I have already received several cards.



And I even carry and distribute my own because it would be perceived as unusual for us to not have them. By the way, the principal of my school, Alan Long, will be happy to know that the superintendent of education loved our school logo at Southeast Whitfield High School.



Japan is a land of ceremony, protocol and tradition, and this extends into the business world, as well.

Japanese Paradise

Baths are normally for just getting clean, but in Japan they’re a cultural art form.

Japan is one of the most volcanically active countries on earth, which means that hot water spurts out of the ground across the entire country. Japan has more than 3000 hot springs called onsens.

For centuries, the Japanese have been taking dips in onsens to soak away their aches and pains and soak away their troubles. The indoor and outdoor bathing facilities are found throughout Japan.

Tonight, I took the plunge. Trust me. It’s an experience everyone should have. It’s a little bit of paradise for just a few dollars.

School's In Session

One of the main purposes of the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund program is for teachers to learn more about the Japanese educational system. Today, we visited Higashiatago Junior High School in Tama to see the educational system for ourselves. School is still in session because in Japan summer break begins at the end of July.


The visit to the public junior high school began with the students singing a rendition of the alma mater. Then, we were able to tour the classrooms for the rest of the day.





Like many people, I assumed that Japanese students were subjected to strict discipline and not allowed to deviate at all from the norm, but I found just the opposite. The kids were given a lot of freedom to express themselves and, at times, exhibited the same behavior as any students here in the United States. Yes, they talk in class and act up a little bit, too.










But there were a few differences. First, we couldn't just walk into the school. We had to first take off our shoes. It is customary to take off one's shoes and change into slippers before entering a house because shoes are considered to be dirty. Guests to a school are also asked to take off their shoes and change into slippers. A teacher told me this tradition started because visitors are considered to be honored guests and should feel as if they are at home. In this picture, one of our teachers is putting his shoes in a locker.



Another difference is the importance of art in Japanese schools. Many school districts in the United States are cutting back on art programs in favor of subjects like math, English and science because those academic subjects are considered to be more important. In Japan, art is considered to be a crucial part of the curriculum.


My students aren't going to like this next difference, but in Japan, all kids are expected to do daily school chores.


Students eat lunch in the classroom. The students take turns serving one another. Teachers supervise, if needed, but the kids are expected to do all the work.


Today's lunch was fish, pickles, rice, and chicken soup. It was very good, and surprisingly enough, each day the food is served on real china, not plastic dishes.



At the end of the day, students even have to clean up before going home. Parents, in case you don't believe your eyes, in these pictures, students are sweeping and washing dishes.












Like other children we've met in Japan, the students at Higashiatago were very friendly and curious about Americans. The thing that struck me the most was how similar the students were to our students in the United States.

Tama

Some people have asked about Tama, Japan, which is where I am staying for a few days. Tama is a Tokyo suburb of about 141,000 people living in a 21-square mile area. It is best known for"Hello Kitty-Land." Here's a link

What's For Dinner??

Have you ever looked a menu in a restaurant and wondered what you’d get if you ordered a particular entree? That’s not a problem in Japan because all you have to do is glance at the restaurant’s window to find out.


Japan started the practice of making models of food back in the early 1900s. At first, the models were made of wax, but now they are made of plastic. Often, it’s hard to tell the difference between the models and the real thing.















The purpose of the replica food is to attract customers, advertise the menu and to let patrons know exactly what they’re ordering. It’s also great for Americans like me who can’t begin to read the Japanese on the menu. Yes, I’ll admit it. More than once, I’ve just pointed to the plastic model when I ordered, but I don’t think I’ll ever point to this one. I guess I have a thing about my dinner looking at me.


It’s not unusual to see customers on streets crowded with restaurants going from window to window trying to figure out which model looks best.



To make the models, a restaurant’s chef prepares the dish, and then the food is actually dipped in silicon. When the silicon dries, the food is popped free, leaving molds behind.

Plastic food is big business. Companies specialize in making the models, and food artists can train for up to two years to learn the craft.

Sometimes, restaurants just rely on nature to do the advertising. If you look closely,
you can see the fish swimming in the tank, fish, which by now, have probably already been eaten for dinner.







Japan also has it’s version of fast food. At some restaurants, the plastic models have numbers next to them.


Customers decide which entrée they want, put their money in a special vending machine and push the number, which spits out a ticket.

The customer then walks inside and hands the number to the cook. It’s that simple. On this particular night, I got No. 37, which was some sort of chicken teriyaki with a bowl of noodle soup. Good stuff! Yes, it looked exactly like the model.

I haven’t seen any posts in a couple of days. I hope you’ll keep reading my blog and join in.