fmf Fulbright Memorial Fund

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fmf Fulbright Memorial Fund

• American Teachers Visit Japan
• Summer 2001
• Marie Urbanski

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Summary of the FMF Memorial Fund Program

• In June of 2001, I was one of two hundred
  educators selected from across the United States
  to participate in a three-week study visit to
  Japan. Funded by the Japanese government, the
  aim of the program was to provide the educators
  with first-hand opportunities to experience
  Japanese culture and education through school
  visits, seminars, and home stays. I visited
  museums and historic landmarks in Tokyo, Kyoto,
  and Kamakura, and even had the opportunity to
  stay in a Japanese inn (ryokan).
• After a one-week program in Tokyo, we were
  divided into groups of twenty and sent to
  specific cities in Japan. I was sent to Noshiro
  where I visited local schools and spent a few
  days with a host family.
• I truly enjoyed my stay in Japan. Through
  these slides, I wish to share some of the
  highlights of my trip with my students.

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Overview of the 3-Week Program

• 6/17 Orientation in San Francisco
• 6/18-19 Travel to Japan
• 6/20-22 Meetings in Tokyo
• 6/23-24 Free Time in Kyoto Kamakura
• 6/25-7/3 Visits in Noshiro City, Akita

• School Visits
• Home Stay
• Ryokan Stay

• 7/4-6 Wrap-Up Meetings in Tokyo

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This was my FMF group of 19 who were to be sent
to Noshiro City for school visits.
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I made some very good friends.
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In Tokyo, we traveled a lot by subway.
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The Diet Building
This is the chamber of the House of
Representatives.
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Tokyo Tower
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We toured the area around the Imperial Palace.
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Sensoji Temple is Tokyos oldest temple. It
dates back to 628.
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Tsukiji Fish Market
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Auction of tuna occurs at 5 am!
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Sashimi anyone?
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Koto and Shakuhathi are traditional Japanese
instruments.

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Kyogen Performance
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Kabuki Theater
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Geisha wear beautiful kimonos.
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The bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto can reach
speeds of 187 mph.
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Higashi Honganji Temple is Kyotos largest
Buddhist temple made of wood.
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Nijo Castle in Kyoto was built in 1603 entirely
of cypress.
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The Temple of the Golden Pavilion was constructed
in the 1390s as a retirement villa for a shogun
(military dictator). It is covered with gold
leaf.
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The Heian Shrine was built in 1895 to celebrate
the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto.
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Worshippers can post their prayers on a board and
leave them at the shrine.
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A visitor to the shrine can purchase a fortune
paper. If it foretells a bad fortune, the paper
is tied to this bush and left at the shrine.
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The Heian Shrine is surrounded by beautiful
gardens.
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The main hall of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto is
constructed over a cliff. The height and view
are magnificent.
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This is the Torii Gate to the Shrine of the Great
Buddha in Kamakura.
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The Great Buddha is 37 feet high and weighs 127
tons. It was built in 1252.
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The Great Buddha is surrounded by gardens.
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A store front in Kyoto extends good wishes for a
good life.
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The mayor and the superintendent of schools
welcomed us to Noshiro City.
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Noshiro is a port city located on the northwest
coast of Japan.
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This Buddhist Temple in Noshiro is made entirely
of local woods.
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This Buddhist monk showed us the proper way to
sit when praying.
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Energium Park houses a botanical garden.
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The Botanical Garden
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The Kazeno Matsubara-Pine Field Forest
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Rice fields
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The Nebuta festival is celebrated in August. A
thousand years ago huge floats like this were
used by the central government to frighten the
local tribes into submission.
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Huge kites are also used during the festival.
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Every school we visited made us feel welcome.
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Children even asked us for our autographs!
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Outdoor shoes are not worn inside the building.
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An elementary school science classroom
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Students are assigned jobs at their school. They
take turns serving lunch.
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Other students sweep floors or clean the chalk
boards.
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The elementary school students performed a
special music assembly for us.
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The junior high school building was 1 year old
and made entirely of cedar.
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Middle school students performed an experiment in
which they generated carbon dioxide gas.
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High school biology students prepared
cross-sections of pine needles in order to
observe the stomates under the microscope.
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Local cedar is used to make barrels for storing
sake and for making drums.
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This was my host family in Noshiro.
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I was taught calligraphy and Japanese cooking.
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I learned about a traditional tea ceremony and
how to use a pottery wheel.
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We drove along the northwest coast of Japan.
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We looked out at the Sea of Japan.
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This lake is blue because of its copper content.
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We stopped for a traditional Japanese meal.
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Tempura, fish soup, and sashimi were served.
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FMF took us to a ryokan a Japanese bath house
with hot springs.
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We celebrated the holiday together.
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We had fun times.
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Finally, it was time to say good-bye to a
wonderful group of friends.