March 3rd in Japan is Hinamatsuri - Girls’ Festival or the Doll Festival. It is a day to pray for the growth and happiness of young girls everywhere. During the festival families with young daughters display Hinaningyo, a set of ceremonial dolls dressed in ancient court kimonos. This year, Tokyo’s Shinjuku Culture & International Exchange Foundation hosted a cultural festival to celebrate Japanese customs and arts. WLE students from Germany, Italy, France, Australia, Canada, US, and Columbia were fortunate enough to take part in the festival and experienced a number of Japanese traditions including calligraphy, ink painting, kimono-wearing, origami folding, tea ceremonies, and flower arranging.

Matt placing the flower stem on the frog

Flower arranging – Japanese flower arranging is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. The Japanese emphasize the linear parts when arranging flowers and the entire structure is based on three main lines that symbolize heaven, earth, and mankind. The instructors had ume (Japanese apricot) and rapeseed blossoms on hand to teach the participants the art of arranging flowers in a vase. You could tell by Andrea’s concentrated looks that flower arranging required a sense of creativity and intense concentration. In the end, participants were able to take their arrangements home as souvenirs.

Julia and Alex are ready to start their painting	Look at John’s artistic work!	Tom following the instructor’s advice

Ink brush painting – Japanese brush painting is a pure art executed with black ink on white rice paper using bamboo brushes. It is difficult to get the right consistency of ink – too much ink on the brush causes the ink to bleed through the paper and too little ink causes the image to blur.

The students did a practice painting to get an idea of the process. After our one and only try, we moved onto creating our own works of art. Thanks to the kind and courteous advice from the staff on hand, everyone was able to create beautiful ink brush paintings. John (from US) spent enough time to complete his painting, which the instructor commended him on. Each work of ours was framed and mounted on a scroll for us to take home.

Having a long and meaningful conversation, David and Suzuki-san really cultivate their friendship	Lukas’ sincere adoration for Japanese cultures	Andrea’s serious face

Kimono wearing – If one stays in Japan for an extended period of time, wearing a kimono at least once is a must. We had the pleasure to do so at the festival. While Theresia (from Germany) was getting dressed, she realized the difficulty and skill required to put on a kimono. Once dressed, she commented on how tightly it fit and how restrictive it was. On the other hand, male students were happy to find their kimonos to be a relaxing and comfortable fit. Real kimono are made out of silk and can cost more than 1 million yen (US$ 10,000)! We were very grateful to have this wonderful experience.

Making sure the Obi (broad sash) is secured tightly	Theresia, Abi, Claudia, Gregory, David and Tom in front of Hinaningyo	Tom and David surrounded with beautiful Japanese women!

What did the British actress Elizabeth Taylor and the 39th US president Jimmy Carter have in common? They both collected the beautifully crafted Japanese cut glassware called Edo Kiriko. Edo Kiriko, which literally translates as “Edo Period cuttings,” is a traditional glass craft that has been passed from artisan to apprentice for more than 170 years.

A showcase of different Edo Kiriko works	Display of Ojima-sensei’s works	Students drawing their designs

Artisan Ojima-sensei, who has been in this industry for 20 years, greeted WLE students at his studio in early March. He demonstrated his expert techniques by grinding the glass with the help of a turntable. We were all amazed at his skills and within a few moments, he had completed the work of a beautiful grape picture in the glass.

It was now our turn to have a go at making our own Edo Kiriko. There were two studios and seven work benches with different kinds of turntables available depending on the type of pattern we wanted to cut into the glass. Traditional Edo Kiriko patterns include fish scales (nanako), basket weave (kagome), chrysanthemum flowers (kikutsunagi), intersecting bamboo fence (yarai gasane), elongated eclipses (shippou), stars (hoshi), and intersected hemp leaves (asanoha).

Students working seriously	Ben’s finished product	This is how the glass is decorated

Ben began straight away at carving the Australian flag into his glass, but soon realized how difficult it was to create the right cut. On the other side of the room, it took Stacy quite awhile to finally decide on a design. “I don’t want to mess up my work when I start to cut,” she said while closely looking at Ojima-sensei’s artwork.

By the time everyone had decided on their designs, the students were consumed with concentration in their artwork. All that could be heard was the sound of cutting glass. They sat on the workbenches hunched over their glassware as if they were professional artisans. “It isn’t that hard to carve a big picture, but making a detailed pattern is really tough. It takes both a lot of concentration and attention,” Alex said while drawing her pattern on her glass.

Ojima-sensei giving feedback to Lukas and Alex	Matt, Abi and Stacy	Group photo with Ojima-sensei

Within one hour, most of the students finished their glasses which included flowers, forests, bamboos, Mickey Mouse and even Super Mario! We thanked Ojima-san for his advice and took our pieces of artwork home. We went home that day feeling like professional Japanese artisans!

On the last day of the May Golden Week holiday we went hiking at Mt. Takao, which is an hour train trip from the center of Tokyo. The students that joined this activity included Matthew and Wesley (both from Canada), Ina (from Indonesia), Maiken (from Denmark), Ben (from Australia) and Ueda-san (volunteer). Mt. Takao has been well known as a sacred mountain since 744 A.D when the temple, Yakuo-in, was built on its mountainside.

Taking a cable car up to the mountainside	In front of famous big cedar	Walking in the deep forest

We were a bit unlucky with the weather that day as it was rainy and foggy, but the upside to that was that there weren’t many other people climbing that day and we virtually had Mt. Takao to ourselves. Surrounded by dense fog, all we could see were the big cedars that stood straight up to the sky with Tengu statues set among them. Hiking in the rain was not as bad as we expected as the leaves protected us from getting wet. When it drizzled, the raindrops fell on the leaves allowing us to enjoy its pleasant sounds. When we walked into the mystic foggy forest, we felt as if Tengu could have popped up from behind the bushes.

We reached the top!	This is what a Tengu looks like	Ina and Maiken stand next to the sacred dog

Tengu are deities or demons that appeared in traditional folktales and have been connected to Mt. Takao. They have a mix of human and bird-like features and red faces with long noses. Tengu fly freely by using fans made from feathers or leaves and are seen as either holy spirits protecting the mountain or demons making mischief. A number of Tengu statues inside the Yakuo-in temple seemed to enhance the believability of their existence.

Yakuo-in temple	Wesley gets best luck on his paper fortune	Tengu protecting the temple

We finished the hike in approximately 3.5 hours feeling tired but content. Being away from bustling Tokyo, the half-day hike in the deep green woods was a refreshing and relaxing time. At the end of the trip, Matthew commented on despite the weather being rainy, it had actually turned out to be perfect for us!

Many people still remember the massive earthquake that measured 6.8 on the Richter scale that hit Niigata two years ago. Living in a country that is frequented by earthquakes, Bousai-kan or “The Disaster Prevention Center”, managed by the Tokyo Fire Department, is uniquely Japanese. A fine five-story building, Bousai-kan is the place to learn about disaster prevention. We can’t say we won’t be faced with a catastrophic earthquake during our stay in Japan, but if one strikes whilst we’re here, then we can be prepared for it and avoid panicking!

Big smiles on the miniature fire truck	Hubert, Matt, Mason looking cool with their 3D glasses	Matt and Mason ready to brave the storm!

Among the informational and hands-on exhibits, the most frightening was the virtual earthquake simulator. Before experiencing the simulator, we watched a 3D movie of the actual earthquake that struck Tokyo all those years ago. In the movie, hordes of people ran onto the streets barely escaping falling signs, rocks and debris. Those images shocked us even though we didn’t experience it ourselves.

After that, it was our turn to experience an earthquake equivalent to 7.3 on the Richter scale in the earthquake simulator. The simulator was set up as an ordinary Japanese living room equipped with a kitchenette, cabinet, table and door.
“The most important action you should take during the shaking is to protect yourself. Paying attention to fire or keeping clear escape routes is a second priority,” said our guide.

Our museum guide, Kushida-san, informs us of the latest procedures in disaster prevention	Hiding under the table to escape the (fake) ‘quake!	Our students leaving the quake zone – shaken’ but not stirred

Even though we expected the “earthquake”, it was still pretty scary when the floor began violently shaking. All of us rushed to slide under the table clutching cushions to our heads to protect ourselves. Mason (from Canada) almost seemed to enjoy the shaking just like a theme park attraction, but even he firmly held a cushion to the top of his head. The magnitude of this quake was unimaginable for even Ina, whose home country Indonesia, is frequented by earthquakes. It would definitely be scary if an earthquake of this size struck whilst you were in the kitchen using a stove!

This was definitely a case of where experiencing something far exceeds just learning facts straight from books –what we experienced and learnt that day will definitely be useful if we’re ever caught in a ‘quake.

On Sunday 25th of June, Hubert, Matt (both from Canada), and Yossi (from Israel) traveled to the Edo Fukagawa Museum. The life-sized reproduction town made us feel like we had stepped 300 years back in time, back to the Edo era.

As the entrance to the museum was on the second floor, we were greeted by a view of the tiled roof-tops and the soft tones of the Shamisen (traditional Japanese banjo-like musical instrument) floating up between the buildings. We were actually quite fortunate to catch the monthly Shamisen performance where Shamisen players play in tatami rooms.

A view of the rooftops	Matt crushing along with a pestle & mortar	Kitchen from the Edo era

Yossi sat at the very front of the audience with all the older audience members listening intently to the Shamisen because his host father also played it and he had become an avid fan. Meanwhile, the other students explored the recreated buildings/sets such as the rice shop and the warehouse.

“Come here or you won’t be able to see the performers,” said a fellow audience member, so we decided to sit down in the second row and listen to the songs. A woman in a Kimono who hummed along with the Shamisen, and Shinobue (a kind of flute) played a part to enrich the tunes. We wondered if people in the Edo era always lived life in this relaxed way.

Hubert testing out the functionality of the traditional paper umbrella	Traditional Edo era tableware

After the performance was over, the musicians were thoughtful enough to find and introduce themselves to us and let us have a closer look at the Shamisen. Because it was obvious that we were from foreign countries they explained and showed us that the Shamisen had only 3 strings, so it produced relatively delicate and soft tones. It was surprising to find out that its body was made of either cat or dog hide.

The sounds of the Shamisen, the feel of the old furniture, the smells of tatami along with the hospitality of the people there made us feel like we belonged to the Edo era. We went home that day fascinated after our 300-years time travel experience.

The audience enjoying the Shamisen performance	Yossi trying to play the Shamisen	Group shot with the professional Shamisen players

Name: Maiken Møller-Hansen
Program Enrolled in WLE: Total Beginner Conversation
Country of residence: US
Citizenship: Danish
Profession: Manager / Student
Educational background: MS in Communications
Languages spoken: Danish, German, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, sukoshi Nihongo.
Hobbies: Photography, the Outdoors, and Art

Is this your first time in Japan?
Yes -- I finally made it to Japan after having wanted to go for over 20 years!

Why did you decide to study Japanese Language?
When I was 10 years old I received my first Sony Walkman as a present -- I have been interested in Japan ever since and I believe that there is no better way of trying to understand a country and culture than learning the language.

How are you finding your studies in Japan?
Fun! I guess I am a bit of a language ‘Otaku’ (geek) -- I love the feeling of opening doors into a new language universe every day by adding more and more knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. Classes themselves have been more varied and fun than I expected. The atmosphere at school is great and the teachers are very good at mixing up the curriculum by using different teaching methods, such as games, audio, real life conversation and so forth. Outside of the classroom it is the best feeling, when you find yourself starting to understand what people are talking about on the train etc.

How do you like Tokyo?
Tokyo is an amazing city, the list of things to do and see here is endless. It takes a while to get used to the size of the city and to the number of people who live and work here –- there are people everywhere, all the time! But once you start knowing your way around you start discovering the many faces of the city: I love the fact that there are so many different neighborhoods to explore and that all of these offer vastly different insights into Japanese culture and history.

What do you find most interesting about Tokyo?
Personally I have fallen in love with the small winding streets you find in certain parts of Tokyo such as the backstreets of Harajuku, Aoyama and Daikanyama. I love wandering around and discovering all the little gems that are hidden in these areas: tiny shops and restaurants, old and quirky buildings next to new and super avant-garde buildings, little shrines and temples, people going by their business and so forth. I am also a big fan of the Tsukiji fish market -- it is such an amazing experience to get up in the wee hours (before school) and go to the largest active fish market in the world, where I have seen many more species of fish and sea food than I ever knew existed. It is a great place to take pictures, both of fish and of the people working there and of course to enjoy the most delicious and fresh sushi in the world. Finally there is something to be said about Tokyo at night, when all the neon lights come out and turn the city into an amazing visual spectacle right out of Blade Runner.

How has your experience in Japan changed you if it has?
Since I had wanted to go to Japan for a long time, the experience has left me with a deep sense of happiness and contentment on a personal level. On a larger scale, I’d say that the chance to experience Japan and a slice of Asia up close has been eye opening to me in many ways. I had traveled a lot before coming to Japan but always in the Americas and Europe and somehow had the idea that Japanese and Asian people would be somehow ‘different’. The truth is that they are, because everyone is different and unique, but at the same I also discovered that we share so much more than I expected in terms of what is important to people (like the 2006 Soccer World Cup!), as well as in terms of tastes in music, movies, travel and so forth. Through school I also met a lot of people from other Asian countries and I feel very happy to have added so many new friends to my personal ‘world map of friends’ which used to be skewed towards the western part of the world.

Another thing I’ve learned in Japan is something about the virtue of patience and on focusing your energy on what really matters. For example during my many, sometimes long, train rides around Tokyo I’ve truly come to admire the Japanese people’s gift of gracefully accepting crowded spaces and having to share resources. It seems to me now, that too many other people around the world spend too much energy on getting upset or frustrated about things that aren’t really that important, instead of conserving their mental energy for more worthwhile purposes – so, in a way I think my stay in Japan has taught how to make the choice to be a happier person.

What is the thing you like most about Tokyo/Japan?
It is very hard to pick just one! But if I must, I’d have to say the food. Since coming to Japan I have discovered that the Japanese Kitchen has so much more than Sushi to offer, and all of it is very tasty. And the best part is that Japanese food is mostly very healthy at the same time -- I don’t think any other country/kitchen in the world can compete with that. My personal favorite Japanese food does remain Sushi however. Nothing beats the taste and the freshness of the Sushi you can get in Tokyo even at relatively inexpensive places, like the conveyor belt restaurants you will find all over Tokyo and which makes ordering with modest Japanese language skills a walk in the park…

Will you come to Japan/Tokyo again?
Yes, absolutely, I consider this my first visit to Japan. I’d like to continue studying the language, but I’d also like to come back for a trip to the more remote parts of the country, such as Hokkaido and Okinawa for example.

What advice/tips would you give to others who plan to come and study in Japan?
Just do it! Before my trip I was a bit worried about how everything was going to work out since I had very limited knowledge of the language, Tokyo is quite a big city and so forth. But Tokyo, while being big and confusing, really is a very safe, friendly and well organized place. At no time did I feel scared about traveling around the city, worried about finding my way etc. The essential signs and directions are available in English as well, and people will go out of their way to help you find where you are going – even if they don’t speak English they might walk you to the place!

The other, more boring, piece of advice is to study as much Hiragana & Katakana as you can before coming here. I wouldn’t worry too much about Kanji (unless you are contemplating a more advanced class), as there are so many, that it can be a bit intimidating. But the quicker you’ll be able to pick up Hiragana & Katakana, the quicker you’ll be able to really dive into the reading and writing in the textbooks and hence to kick start your learning.