I went to the Portland and Oregon from November 10 to 13. These are were really different from South West. So I had a very new wonderful experience in there. All places were amazing for me, so I was really impressed. For example, I spoke a lot of English more with my friends, teacher and a college student to compare Southwest trip, I really enjoyed shopping in the place that is the Washington Square Mall and Pioneer place because of no tax, and also I could learn Japanese American in the Japanese-American Memorial . I was moved by all stone that was written valuable poems in there. So, that was a very fulfilling trip for me. First, I had a lot of fun conversation with college students at Columbia Basin College . I could speak English a lot in there, so I got confidence thanks to this opportunity. My partner’s name was Anna. She has learned Japanese, so she really interested in Japan. First, I taught her how to make a crane. It was so difficult to teach, but after teaching she w
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I went to the Japanese American Memorial. I was really interested in learning about Japanese Americans, so I was glad that I got to go there. I learned and felt many things. I thought learning about the Japanese Americans are essential point because I am Japanese and I have been in America. Visiting the Japanese American Memorial was an unforgettable experience. First, I found a poem which I felt strong emotions about. The poem reads, “Going home, feeling cheated. Gripping my daughter’s hand. I tell her we’re leaving. Without emotion.” When I read this poem, I imaged the situation and then I almost cried. The author couldn’t feel anything because of leaving house. I have never experienced such a depressing moment. However, I think “without emotion” is the saddest feeling more than feeling something such as sad or dejected. I also imagined leaving my own house and going to camp would be hard things to do. I felt pain in my heart. Second, on the stone, it shows a scene where
Do you know Japanese anime? It is a kind of animation first drawn by hand then made by computer. Sometimes it’s made into movies and sometimes into comics. It’s a symbol of Japanese culture. It has amazing history and process. Also, there are many genres of anime, such as fantasy, battle, romance, sports, history and so on. Then, there are many ways to enjoy by anime. Anime make everyone exciting not only children but also adult. It is very popular around the world. This presentation will explain the history, process and fascination of anime. Presentation Date: December 1
What do you know about traditional sports of Japan? Japan has many kinds of traditional sports, and players carry on a tradition. One of the traditional Japanese sports is karate. Karate has old history and spirit. Spirit is traditional Japanese sport’s characteristic, so players value spirit. Also, karate has ranking system and many styles. Karate also has two ways to play: competition and demonstration. Karate uniform is interesting, because player puts on a belt and uniform, and each belt has meaning. Karate has many interesting characteristics. In the presentation, the audience will learn about karate styles, and karate’s uniform.
How much do you know about Japanese pottery? Japanese pottery started in the Jomon Era about 10,000 years ago. Japanese pottery is still an important part of Japanese. The style of Jomonware used many patterns on the surface which were pressed by coils. In the Edo and Meiji Period, Japanese pottery and kiln were improved by the influence of foreign countries. Also pottery began to be used in the Tea Ceremony, and as a result Tea ceremony aesthetics are deeply connected to Japanese pottery. Japanese pottery gain experience of evolution and improvements. In this presentation you will learn about the early history of pottery, pottery materials and equipment, and Japanese pottery today.
Koyasan, or Mt. Koya, is the home of a Shingon Buddhist temple complex that is one of the most important religious places in Western Japan. Koyasan was founded twelve centuries ago by the great Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai). Koyasan has a very long history which is the unbelievable story of Kobo Daishi. In 2004, Koyasan was selected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Many tourists from all over the world visit Koyasan. Tourists can stay at a temple hotel called “shukubo”. At shukubo, tourists have a Japanese vegetarian meal call “syojin-ryori”. This presentation will be about important places in Koyasan, it's interesting history and the historic temple lodging. Presentation date: November 29
Could you refuse a big award from the government? Kawai Kanjiro did it. Kawai Kanjiro was Japanese potter who joined the important Folk Art Movement. This movement wonderfully affected Japanese art history. Kawai made not only pottery but he also wrote poems and calligraphy, and also designed buildings. He made a lot of wonderful art works, but he didn’t want to be famous. In fact, Kanjiro declined an offer from the Japanese government to be the holder of the title of Important Intangible Cultural Property. Are you interested in his life? In this presentation, you can know Kawai's artistic life, Kawai's unique characteristic, and Kawai's beautiful house which was designed by him.
Why do we enjoy using and seeing pottery? Making pottery has been part of our life and also art. Fifty years ago, in Japan, we had a wonderful potter named Kawai Kanjiro who influenced Japanese pottery history, and he also made other art such as wood sculpture and poems. In order to know Kawai Kanjiro, you need to know basic procedure about pottery, Kawai Kanjiro’s pottery style, and Kawai Kanjiro’s other art. After this presentation, your view of pottery will certainly be changed. Then you will be an expert about Kawai Kanjiro.
What is your purpose when going to a café? A café is a place where people can spend private time, talk, and meet friends. In Japan, people go to a special type of café called theme cafés to experience new fads as well as healing. Character cafés are trendy places to enjoy popular characters and take photos. Animal cafés have the power of healing between people and animals. Maid cafés have become popular with their pretty girls. Theme cafés will increase in the future. Be sure to come to this presentation to learn about all these exciting cafés of Japan.
Kabuki is a unique and important part of traditional Japanese theater. The style of Kabuki plays is unlike any other in the world. For instance, Kabuki has special makeup, and Kabuki is acted by men only. Kabuki has a long and rich history of about 400 years and it has maintained its traditions. Recently, young Japanese people have become less interested in traditional Kabuki so a modern form was born - Super Kabuki and Cinema Kabuki. This presentation will explain what Kabuki is, will talk about its history, as well as explain what modern Kabuki is.
What were you raised with when you were a child? Many people in Japan might answer ‘Studio Ghibli’. Studio Ghibli is an animation film studio, and it has a long and interesting history. The main director is Hayao Miyazaki, who represents Japanese anime. The film studio use traditional animation technique. Ghibli’s films are deeply related to Buddhism. We can see Japanese traditional custom from the films. Studio Ghibli has its own museum called Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Many foreigners visit it every year. People are fascinated by Ghibli for many reasons. This presentation will explain what Studio Ghibli is, how Ghibli is related to Shintoism and Buddhism, and why the Ghibli museum is so popular.
Did you know that over 200 million dollars’ worth of manga is sold every year? It’s an amazing amount. Why do lots of Japanese people read manga? First, because manga has a lot of good points. To put it simply, manga gives us energy and we can learn many things from these Japanese comics. Second, there are lots of manga kissa (manga cafes) in Japan which are really popular. These places give opportunities to people to read manga. In addition, manga has many genres. It’s a very big reason that people read it. This presentation will show what manga is, will explain manga kissa, and more.
Do you like to watch comedy? Comedy is essential for our life because laughter makes us happy and helps us to live longer. Japanese comedy has a long history, and some styles of comedy have remained the same over many generations, continuing to make people laugh. Japan has varied comedians, and comedy TV programs. This presentation will explain what Japanese traditional comedy is, who interesting some Japanese comedians are, and give examples of famous comedy TV programs in Japan.
Do you know how many objects Japanese gardens consist of? Japanese gardens are roughly divided into three parts: a vegetation part, a stone part and a water part. The gardens have a long history and they were influenced by garden styles in China. Japanese gardens contain unique shapes and beauty and have interesting and important plants and water and stone forms. This presentation will explain the history and design of Japanese gardens.
Japan has a countless number of gardens which are open to the public. Many of them were constructed by feudal lords from four hundred to three hundred years ago. There are 3 especially beautiful gardens which are called The Three Great Gardens: Kenrokuen, Korakuen, and Kairakuen . All three gardens have a long and rich history. They were established by nobles for their retirement or relaxation, so the gardens help to indicate how they lived at that time. This presentation will explain the history, the features, and the attractions of the three great gardens.
Can you image a female only world? Takarazuka Revue is a glamourous form of musical theater in Japan. Surprisingly, the cast are all female, so women play both male and female roles. Takarazuka Revue has an intriguing history and style. Each troupe has characteristic individuality and attractiveness. The programs are full of variety. There are both unique traditional and modern programs. The productions consist of perfectly staged plays and truly gorgeous shows. Both the staging and the shows are fascinating. The versatile performers can act, sing and dance. The beautiful costumes are a byword for the theater. This presentation will show the charms of this wonderful type of theater.
Judo is an amazing traditional Japanese martial art which is practiced all over the world. Judo is a well-known, graceful, and dynamic combat sport originated in Japan. Judo has established great, long history since it was made by Jigoro Kano in 1882. Judo started getting popularity since it became an official sport of the Olympic Games, and there are about 28 million judo students in the world today. Judo has absolutely significant rules, such as scoring and penalty systems. They are a little complicated; however, it is incredibly interesting to learn rules of judo. Judo also has great equipment, such as tatami, uniform, and belt. The equipment comes from Japanese traditional things, and it indicates the origin of judo. You will learn about judo, including its great history, specific rules, and special equipment. You must become interested in judo, a magnificent traditional Japanese martial art.
You may have heard about the tea ceremony before. Japanese people have enjoyed drinking tea for a long time, so the history of the Japanese tea ceremony is long and interesting. People have developed and spread the tea ceremony around Japan in different ways through the different eras. When you come to this presentation, you will understand three important points of history, the changed ways of enjoying tea, and famous people and schools related to the tea ceremony. Presentation day: November 30
What do you think is the most traditional ceremony in Japan? It's a tea ceremony! Matcha, which means tea, came from China and was first used as medicine. After that, people found the tastiness of matcha, so it became popular as a drink. There are two kinds of matcha which are different in appearance, how they are served and formality. Japanese tea ceremony cakes are of two kinds and are also different. Then there are specific words that are involved in the tea ceremony. They reflect Japanese individuality and grace. Everyone will be sure to more deeply understand the tea ceremony of Japan from this presentation. Presentation day: November 30
Do you know Kukai? Kukai is the founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism and one of the most famous Buddhist monks in Japan, and all Japanese people know him. In 804, Kukai went to China to study Buddhism and brought it to Japan. It’s interesting to know about his life because Kukai’s life was a little different from other monks. His innovative teaching is easy to understand, but it has a deep meaning. Kukai has many legends, and there are many temples and places related to him. He was trusted by everyone. Kukai died, but he is still alive in people’s minds. This presentation will be about Kukai’s life, his innovative teaching and his fabulous achievements. Presentation date: November 29
What do you think about traditional sports in Japan? In the world, there are many sports like baseball, soccer, basketball and so on. In Japan, there are many traditional Japanese sports like Karate and Judo, but there is a sport that should not be forgotten. It is SUMO! Sumo is a traditional Japanese martial art, and many foreign wrestlers also play sumo. That’s to say, it’s an international sport. Sumo wrestling has ranks of strength, many interesting stories, uniform, and there are famous places related to sumo. This presentation will explain sumo’s definition, an introduction of sumo wrestler and support staff, and bits of fascinating knowledge about sumo.
Have you ever been to a place where people can have fun and relax at the same time? Japan has many places for recreation and healing. Star cafes are new and very fashionable. Customers can actually participate in astronomic observations. Foot bath cafes have a bath for one’s feet which visitors can enjoy while drinking tea and receiving positive health effects. Book cafes have picture books, are loved by all generations, especially children, and visitors can stay for a long time. Star cafes, foot bath cafes and book cafes are some of the most novel and interesting cafes in the world. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce you to each of these amazing Japanese cafes.
If you are invited “Let’s go to a café”, what type of café do you imagine? Perhaps you will imagine a simple café serving coffee, light meals, and sweets. Japanese society actually has a lot of unique cafes. Today, maid cafés and animal cafés are popular. However, there are other unique cafes. Junkissa, which has not been changed for a long time, are unique because they cannot be replicated. Rakugo cafés are fused with Japanese culture and are places where people experience traditional Japanese comedy. The fusion of escape games and cafés has never existed before. Escape cafés have only appeared recently. By listening to this presentation, you will certainly want to visit all these cafés. “Let’s go!”
What kind of house would you like to live in in the future? Houses are important and necessary for our daily life. There are many fabulous house styles all over the world. The style of each country is unique and enchants us all. Japanese houses keep developing every day. They are very attractive because Japanese carpenters use many new amazing techniques. Also, each prefecture of Japan has a different style of house. They include incredible ideas to be able to live comfortably and happily. It’s the purpose of this presentation to show traditional, modern and houses by prefectures. The audience will come to see how fascinating Japanese houses are.
What is traditional culture of your country? Everyone is definitely able to give some examples and can figure out which country it is when they hear other cultural examples. Today, people around the world know the tea ceremony is famous in Japanese. The tea ceremony expanded during the 16th century. In that time, samurai had different rankings so Sen-no-Rikyu, who developed the tea ceremony, thought samurai needed to be equal. Therefore, he created the tea room and made many rules that customers must follow. Each manner shows elegance, grace and gentleness. The small tea room is precious as an architectural example in Japan. This presentation will show what the tea room is, what guests do there, and why the Japanese tea room is the size it is. Presentation day: November 30
What immediately comes to mind when you hear the word “castle”? Everyone has different images of castles. I would guess that American’s imagine Western style buildings like palaces, but Japanese castles were totally different. Their form was very unique. Nowadays, the number of Japanese castles are about 200. Each castle has different history, stone fences and exterior buildings. In this presentation, the speaker will focus on three famous Japanese castles: Osaka Castle, Himeji Castle and Shuri Castle.
Have you ever experienced karaoke? Karaoke is a popular kind of entertainment in Japan. It is spreading all over the world. Japanese enjoy singing and talking in a karaoke bar or a box. Karaoke has various styles, and there are a lot of reasons why Japanese do karaoke and why karaoke is so popular in Japan. Because Japanese are good at high-technology, karaoke can be very entertaining. This presentation will talk about three interesting features of karaoke. You will find several reasons people enjoy karaoke. Presentation Date: December 1
Have you ever been to Japanese garden? Japan has a long traditional culture that includes Japanese gardens. Japanese gardens were introduced from China and they were adapted to different Japanese styles over many historical periods. There are a lot of objects and styles in Japanese gardens. We can see the power was expressed in each period by looking at the gardens. This presentation will explain the long history and changing styles of Japanese gardens. If you know about it more deeply you can heal your mind in a Japanese gardens.
What is the Humanoid Robot? A humanoid robot is a robot whose shape is similar to a human and has some skills like a human. In Japan, humanoid robots are becoming popular, because Japan is the most developed country which make humanoid robots. Their abilities are unlimited, more than you imagine. This presentation will talk about what humanoid robots do, their abilities, and the most famous robots, ASIMO and Pepper . They are now displayed in stores, so people can enjoy talking and playing with them. Moreover, we can live with them. They improve our life. Also, they entertain and help our usual life to be more convenient. They will change the daily life of Japanese people more and more. Their future is in front of our eyes. You will have more interest in humanoid robots by this presentation. Presentation date: December 1
Do you like traveling? Okinawa is a popular place to travel. It is part of Kyusyu island in the southern part of Japan. The climate is warm and subtropical, so tourists enjoy playing marine sports in summer. Okinawa is a place where people are thrilled to visit, because there are a lot of captivating places such as Churaumi aquarium, Onnason beach resort and a famous international street. Next, there is unique food such as Umibudo and Okinawa-soba. Finally there is pleasant music in Okinawa. In this presentation, the presenter will introduce these three topics, and show that Okinawa is an attractive district. Presentation Date: November 29
Most of the countries have a king, president or so on. In the case of Japan, there is an emperor. Recently, the news about abdication before Japanese emperor died was announced all over the world. The news made people all over the world take notice of him. This presentation will explain about Japanese emperor, for example, what is an emperor?, what kind of job does Japanese emperor do?, Why did Japanese emperor think about abdication before he died? and so on. Presentation date: November 30th
Are you tired? If you are tired, you should go on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. The Shikoku Pilgrimage is the one of the most famous spiritual pilgrimages in the world. The Shikoku Pilgrimage has wonderful history of 1,200 years. In addition, 100,000-300,000 people go on the Shikoku Pilgrimage from all over the world. Most pilgrims enjoy it is an unusual and great opportunity. There are rules and unique items to visit temples that may make pilgrims confused, but a lot of local people and establishment always support the pilgrims so they can make unforgettable memories. In the presentation, you can know details of the fabulous and traditional Shikoku Pilgrimage such as what is the Shikoku Pilgrimage is, how to perform it, and the scene during the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Presentation date: November 29
Did you know that Japan has the oldest imperial court in the world? Nowadays, the Japanese emperor is the symbol of Japan and is not involved in politics. However, emperors were involved in politics during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) which includes the Nanbokucho period (1336-1392). Furthermore, the imperial court at that time was divided into two courts because of complicated problems. In addition, one of the shoguns who was a Japanese political leader tried to obtain the position of the emperor. This presentation will talk about a famous emperor during the Muromachi era and a shogun who tried to be emperor. Presentation Date: November 30th
The emperor system in Japan has a mythical beginning and has continued for about 2600 years. It has a strong connection with Shinto, the Japanese ancient religion. The first emperor was Jimmu, and the legends of his enthronement show the roots of Shintoism and the Japanese emperor system. To know the ancient emperor system of Japan is the key to understanding Japanese tradition. This presentation will explain the ancient emperor system and the mythical first emperor Jimmu. Presentation date: November 30th
Hitomi Fall 2016 Southwest trip Attractive things in South West Trip Southwest was one of my best trip. It was something special for me. Also place and people made me some special feeling. One especially impressive ting for me was Mexican Culture. There were many Mexican things in New Mexico and Arizona. These are chilies in old town Santa Fe. I saw many chilies in old town. Every chilies which I saw were hung. Appearance was already hot! I felt they are motif of New Mexico. It was very unique and cute. There was kind of open space outside the store. There were many colorful and unique shape things. I felt it showed us exactly Mexican. They were custom unique to New Mexico. Also each shop in old town were Pueblo style. This is the dinner at old town. The name is Taco's plate. We could eat each dishes in the plate with a good balance. Each food taste were unique. After rest of day in this trip, I ate many beans in Mexican dishes. These we
Did you know that Hokkaido is the largest prefecture in Japan? Also, Hokkaido is known as a really cold prefecture, so its nature and scenery are really lovely and beautiful. In addition, Hokkaido has been visited by many tourists such as many students and foreigners. According to a survey conducted in 2015, Hokkaido has the top ranking among Japanese who want to go another prefecture. There are a lot of reasons for this such as its amazing history and magnificent nature. This presentation will talk about three renowned spots in Hokkaido. These are Abashiri prison museum, Shiretoko National Park (World Heritage), and Otaru city which are really known to many people. It will also introduce more detailed information about those spots, so this information will be interesting. Presentation Date: November 29
Have you ever been to Kyoto? Kyoto is one of the most historical places in Japan. First, Kiyomizu-temple in Kyoto is popular place for tourists .On the way to the temple, there is an interesting road leading to the temple. In the main hall, there is “Otawa no Taki” that is known for its interesting history. Kyoto has not only interesting food, but also fascinating culture including glamorous Maiko and proficient artist, Geiko. Kyoto has also delicious traditional unique dishes such as “Kyo ryori”. In this presentation, the presenter will explain fascinating places, culture and food in Kyoto. You will really want to visit Kyoto after you listen. Presentation Date: November 29
Fantastic and Beautiful Southwest Trip What do you think people can do in the Southwest? In the Southwest Trip, we can know about learn about the architecture, Pueblo society, see the Grand Canyon, and so on. That’s to say, the Southwest trip can many experiences. First of all, Santa Fe is one of my five memories. I went to Santa Fe and stayed about two days. Santa Fe was a very beautiful city, and also food was so delicious. Extension students went on tour of downtown Santa Fe, for example, we went to Mission San Miguel, Loretto Chapel, St. Francis Cathedral, and so on. My Pecha Kucha Southwest topic was Loretto Chapel, so I was impressed by the miraculous staircase when I saw it. Second, I went to Acoma Pueblo, and I saw many houses on the cliff. The scenery from the cliff’s top was so amazing and wonderful, but I thought this life is little difficult to go shopping or school. Acoma Pueblo’s church was treated clos
Mako, Fall2016, Southwest trip Wonderful Six Day Southwest trip was very good time and good experience for me. Landscape from Grand Canyon, Mexican food and adobe’s townscape could do many first experiences. I almost ate burrito or taco during southwest trip. I especially like burrito, but I dislike bean. All Mexican food has beans inside, so I always left. This picture is first day’s photo and this burrito big size!! This shop is very good. This picture is Santa Fe. I was very impressed, because this city’s building is adobe. I had liked this type of beautiful building. Also, Santa Fe’s evening sky was very beautiful! Santa Fe stayed in this city three days, so I went to stores and I went to hiding coffee shop. I thought I want to g o there. I was wowed by this picture, because I like her picture’s shade. Also, I had gradually come to like the Georgia O’Keeffe’s picture, so I bought this picture’s postcard. Also, I was surprised coul
The southwest is completely different from Spokane. The most surprising thing for me was how big nature is. I felt nature with all senses. Even now, my body remembers it. In Albuquerque, the land was huge. The land is flat and can see horizon. There are no tall tree and no forest there. Soil’s color was red, brown and reddish brown. Plants covered the land. It was like polka dot. The rock mountain in Acoma showed presence. It was like a huge table. The rock mountain like a wall. The sky was significantly blue because of the rock mountain The Grand Canyon view was the most beautiful. There were no words to say about it when I saw it. It was huge and powerful. It seemed like Grand Canyon was alive and breathing. It release special power. Nobody spoke loudly. The Grand Canyon sunset view was interesting. The rock’s color was different where it is located. As time passed, the color also changed. It’s sound awesome, right? The sunrise at Grand Canyon was the m
The Southwest trip was the best trip in my whole life. Southwest is totally different from Spokane. Different scenery, food, culture, people and weather. There were a lot of interesting things in Southwest. I would like to talk about delicious Mexican food, interesting and historical places, my favorite art and amazing Grand Canyon. The f ood in the Southwest was very different from Spokane. In Southwest, there is a lot of Mexican food. A waitress said New Mexico’s Mexican food is really similar to real Mexican food. There were a lot of chills and it was very spicy. My favorite food was guacamole which is made with avocado and some spices. I really enjoyed the meals in Southwest. At the Palace of the Governors, Native Americans sell turquoise jewelries or traditional pottery. I bought turquoise accessories from talkative Native American women. I talked to her and she taught me about Native American. It was a very interesting conversation.
Southwest trip was one of my reason to come back to MFWI as an Extension student. In Southwest, everything such as people, food, air, building and scenery was very different from Spokane and Japan. From this trip, there are five cultural differences for me. The first impression of Southwest was the dry air. Even in the airport, the air was dry for me and the taste of the water from fountain was very different from Spokane. The first place of the trip was the Old Town, Albuqureque. There were many hanging chilies along the road. While having dinner, the clouds in the western sky were almost colored orange in the beautiful town. In Southwest area, most buildings were adobe construction which is made from clay. Adobe building have used by Native Americans who are called Pueblo Indians. In the Pueblo town, even cooking kilns were made by adobe construction. Then, a few of Pueblo Indians are still living there. In Japan, Japanese traditional buildings are getting fewe
The Southwest Trip was absolutely wonderful. The Southwest culture was really cool and there were so many beautiful places. Each place showed deep, great history of people, nature and art. The southwest culture, especially Acoma was special and completely different from any place. There are 4 beautiful places that showed lots of brilliant history and fascinating culture. First, Santa Fe was totally amazing. I liked adobe buildings so much because they all looked so pretty. I could go and see many places, such as the oldest church in the U.S. and some famous museums, and I learned a lot of history. There were many people around the Plaza selling the jewelry which is made by them. So, I really enjoyed learning their culture, shopping and beautiful scenery in Santa Fe. Next, Acoma was incredibly wonderful place. We visited Sky City, which was a super valuable experience. Acoma was completely different from Spokane, and I was really surprised that people are still living in suc
The Unforgettable Trip Haluna Nakatsuka I traveled to the Southwest with Extension students and teachers for seven days. Honestly, I didn’t have an interest in this trip that much. However, I learned about America’s deep history, touched a lot of nature, and spoke English a lot during the trip. This trip was absolutely super special. Acoma Pueblo - Sky City First of all, I learned about America’s deep history. I studied the world history when I was a high school student, so I knew a part of American history. However, I didn’t know the history around New Mexico and Arizona. One of the interesting history is that the people of New Mexico traveled a long journey riding on the horses with a lot of heavy things which they needed. The end of Santa Fe trail is The Plaza in Santa Fe. There are many outside shops that sells handmade jewelry and arts made by Native American who are relatives in The Plaza. The sunset view of the city was beautiful. Another place with a lot of histo