Living In Japan

Japanese Traditions by fourth grade students

Japanese Traditions - page 2 Shodo (Calligraphy), Kendo and Aikido (Martial Arts Activity), and Ikebana (flower arranging)

A Koto Music Demonstration
The koto is a instrument that is six feet tall and 1 foot wide. It often has a cloth design at the end.There are 13 stings on the koto. Once long ago there were silk strings but now they use modern synthetic strings. When you play the insturment, you have to put picks on your thumb, index finger, and your middle finger. The notes are written in Japanese Kanji.
Contributors: Mary, Erica, Joshua, Stephanie, and Yui

Koto music has a pretty sound. I think that the people who played koto were trying very hard to make the music sound just right. It must be pretty hard to play the koto because the strings must be pushed half way down or all the way down. The bridge has to be changed so the koto makes the right sound. It was so amazing that they can play that fast and not miss a note.
Contributing students:Stephanie, Mary, Erica, Yui

Before we played the koto, we felt like we had butterflies in our stomachs. After our turn to play, we were hot and sweaty. Our fingers hurt when we pushed the strings on the koto and they got red. When it was our turn to play, we ignored the audience so we would not laugh and make a mistake. We forgot to smile, but at least we played very well!! On Saturday, we will have a concert and we hope we will not forget to smile.
Contributors: Mindy and Emi

Tea Ceremony

The kimono dressed lady who cleaned off everything and made the tea, seemed like a professional. It was so interesting seeing her clean off everything with the silk cloth. We really liked seeing her technique for wiping the cup. One lady started taking the glasses and wiping the cups off, then started dipping them into the water and washing them off. I could tell that she enjoyed having a tea ceremony. The lady who made the tea cleaned the wisk with a silk cloth.
by Mary, Stephanie, Greg, Nathan

The ladies gave sugar candies placed on a napkin. The candy was sweet. The candy is eaten before drinking the tea so the tea won't be as bitter. You can pick different kinds of candy. One of kind of candy was powdery.
by: Mana, Erica, David, Jeffrey and Yui

You scoop a little of the green tea powder into the bowl with the scooper. Then you add hot water to the cup and mix it with the bamboo stick until it gets evenly colored. Before drinking the tea, first bow to the person who serves the green tea to you. You say "Osakini" (May I drink first?) to the person next to you. Then you eat your candy before you drink the tea. You put your left hand on the bottom of the cup and spin the cup two times clockwise. Then you drink the tea.
Contributed by Doug, Emily G., Emily S., Burton, and Mindy

Upon finishing the tea, first put the bowl in front of you and then the ladies come and bow. Then you bow to them, and they take your bowl away. Finally, you bow once more to them. Some people think the tea was bitter but some people liked it. And some people only took a little sip. Perhaps you too will have the chance to participate in the tea cermony.
Contributed by Caroline, Ty, Ryan, Emi, and Joshua.

The tea was good but it was kind of different from the tea I drink at home and the color was darker. by Mana My opinion was that the green tea had an awful after-taste and the candy made a big difference. by Erica I liked the tea, it was delicious! I hope you like it if you try it some day! Contributed by Caroline C.

The fourth grade teachers and students would like to thank Kasai Sensei, Kojima Sensei and Sado no Onakama (tea group).

Fashions of Japan


	Images showing formal kimonos, a Shinto priest's outfit, and two girls in school uniforms.

Japanese Traditions - page 2 Additional Japanese Traditions of Shodo (Calligraphy), Kendo (Martial Arts Activity), and Ikebana can be found on page 2 of traditions.

This page brought to you by...

Jeff Harrits, (Grade 4 teacher) and Patty Nakagawa, (former Grade 4 Teacher)

email: jharrits@asij.ac.jp