The Japan Forum > Click Nippon > Class Ideas

Students read the interview article about Aoyanagi, a tatami maker who makes bags with tatami, and explore traditions in their own environment and how they have been passed down. Students then create a commercial or flyer for the tatami bag.

Read the interview article, “Yokosuka, the town of Curry” and learn how Yokosuka used its ties with the history of serving curry in the Japanese navy in local economy revitalization efforts. Students research food festivals in their regions and recognize its history and natural features. Then they think of what kind of food festival would promote the region, and create a poster or an article in Japanese to promote the festival, reflecting the knowledge gained from their research. Students may also enjoy cooking Kaigun Curry with the recipe close to the original.

Using visual resources, students will learn about emakizushi and how to make them. Students will design original emakizushi, as a cross curricular activity, and will also explore the relationship between emakizushi and seasons/annual events.

Students will read the interview article of Murasame Tatsumasa, a professional gardener of traditional landscape gardens in Japan, and will learn about the traditional Japanese gardens and gardeners through reading the interview article. After reading the article, the students will research traditional Japanese culture like Wabi Sabi to compare them with their own culture and write an email to Murasame.

Students will read the interview article about Nakaya Chikako, who runs emakizushi workshops to promote instruction in its techniques. Students get to know about emakizushi, and think about the positive influence of making emakizushi together for the family today.

The students will watch a video of Mr Komoto who launched a new wave of kendama, answer questions and talk about what they saw. Making kendama and doing kendama dance/exercise are opportunities to connect with other key learning areas. Students will also research the history of kendama and learn about the changes to games and lifestyles over time.

Students will learn about the Japanese tradition of living mindfully and using things with care through reading about Mr. Maeda’s ideas and the challenges he faces in demonstrating the value of tatami for today and the future. Also students will consider their own lifestyle choices in light of this such ideas. Read about the project to send tatami to disaster areas, and consider the importance of understanding the viewpoint of evacuee when taking action to help.

Students will read the interview with a male childcare worker and reflect on attitudes regarding gender roles and how they are changing in Japan. Students will also discuss about the changes in gender roles in the learner's country and the merit of gender-equal society.

Study the importance of preparing ourselves in case of disaster, especially storing emergency food, which leads to a discussion of what we can do to protect ourselves. Then, by studying some simple recipes, learn about some examples of traditional Japanese dried ingredients. Compare these with ingredients familiar to students, then have students create their own recipes for emergencies.

Using visual resources and text about recycling art and artist, students will learn about creative recycling. By making recycle art and learning the concept of Mottainai, students think about what they can do for the environment.

Read the interview article of the LINE stamp creator, and explore the meanings of stamps used in SNS and their roles in communication. Then create your own stamps to express your feelings.

Students will read a short text about setsubun and experience activities such as mamemaki. They also have opportunities to make an oni mask, sing songs and discuss their own cultural events.

Students will read the interview article of Mr Nomura, who blogs about vending machines in Japan. They will also make a comparison with those in their own country, and discuss the reasons why there are so many in Japan, then reflect on what that says about Japanese society.

Students will read the article of a stationary designer, and explore the culture and meaning of personalizing stationary and other items as well as making handmade items.

Students will read the interview article of Ms Yoshido, a communication stylist, and learn about the Japanese spirit of omotenashi. Students also reflect on their own culture of hospitality and think about the feelings and spirit behind these actions.

1) Read articles on idols regarding self-realization together with your friends and discuss your thoughts and understandings.
2) Convey orally and in simple sentences how to proactively self-realize your feelings towards your favorite idol.

By reading an article of a father who makes Kyara-Ben, students will learn about Kyara-Ben as a Japanese food culture and understand what he wants to express through making them. Students will also design their own Kyara-Ben and explain their thoughts for each item. The recipes of Kyara-Ben are available to expand the lesson to cross curricular learning.

Students read the text written by a female high school student, and learn about the Japanese way of celebrating Valentine’s Day and how it has changed over time. Students will then expand the topic to discuss gift-giving topics such as hand-made gifts and wrapping as aspect of Japanese culture. Students will also have an opportunity to explain, in Japanese, about how they celebrate Valentine’s Day.