The Japan Forum > Click Nippon > Class Ideas

Students will read an article about Yummi, a solo artist, and learn about the obstacles she overcame and her effort to realize her dream. With Yummi's success story as an example, students will think about their own future dreams and aspirations, and ways to realize them.

Students will read an article with an interview of an active university student, and learn about student life in Japan, especially the aspect of club activities.

Mr. Kazumichi Miyake, a former rock musician, is now running several businesses successfully in the Philippines. Students will read the interview article and learn about his positive thinking and free spirit, which led him to leave Japan, where he used to have the feeling of being locked up. This will lead students to discuss resilience.

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.

Students will read the interview article on Mr Komoto, who launched a new wave of kendama, and learn what is attractive about kendama. Students are provided with the opportunity to reflect on traditional forms and new skills and styles. Also, by interviewing parents and grandparents on what games they played as children, students learn about the changes in lifestyles of now and then.

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.

Students will read the article of Shimon-chu, a local idol group, and research Shimon-chu’s local area. Students will have an opportunity to reflect on their own local area and culture. Creative tasks include acting out an interview with Shimon-chu and designing a costume for a local idol group.

Students will study the words of the poet who experienced the great Tohoku disaster in 2011, and will reflect on the power of words.

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.

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.

Reading the text, What we have lost", students explore the relationship young Japanese people have with their mobile phones. Activities include: research etiquette in Japan, compare how people use mobile phones, conduct class survey and so on. Make a connection with the topic by brainstorming before reading the interview. Students study the interviewees' opinions about usage, handy functions, and drawbacks of mobile phones. Then give their own opinions. Through studying this interview, students are encouraged to think and discuss about etiquette, and safety issues of using mobile phones as their prime concern.

Reading the text, students explore the relationship young Japanese people have with their mobile phones. Activities include: research etiquette in Japan, compare how people use mobile phones, conduct class survey and so on. Students study the interviewees' opinions about usage, handy functions, and drawbacks of mobile phones. Then give their own opinions. Through studying this interview, students are encouraged to think and discuss about etiquette, and safety issues of using mobile phones as their prime concern.

The activity highlights the pros and cons of cell phone use and introduces students to the use of emoticons with Japanese text messages.