Japanese is offered to students from years 9 to years 13. Click here to access full course outlines.
2010 - The Japanese Dept is organising a trip to Japan.
Report 2008 - the trip to Japan
The first nine weeks of this year were spent getting the final details organised for our trip to Japan. Thanks to parents and students, we left on the 12th of April very early in the morning. Our flight as always was long but interesting…. We were met by Mr Kyomo and company, from our sister school, Shukugawa, and were taken by bus to the school to find our host families. Some students had one or two hour train trips to and from school. Such a change from the five minutes or so in Taupo. The home stays were wonderful and our students were very spoilt. Some went to Movieworld and famous temples while Mr Moyle and I were taken to Kyoto to have a 14 course vegetarian banquet in a temple. Very, very yummy. We were taught and taken many places while we were at Shukugawa. The biggest highlights were the Tea ceremony, Himeji castle and the outlet stores we happened to park by.
After Marco had bought all his shoes and Connor had lost his rail pass, we headed for Hiroshima Peace Park. A very thought-provoking place. Then we headed to the island of Miyajima. This was a great place to stay, although we did not know the shop would close down early and we had to get dinner from a vending machine. An experience in itself.
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Next we moved to Kyoto and saw Kinkakuji (Golden pavilion) and Ryoanji (Rock garden) and we did some more shopping….
Then for the last days we headed for Tokyo, where we had a nice time in Meiji Shrine, went to Harajuku (young peoples’ town) Akihabara (electrical town) and Disneyland. A great time was had by all and at the end of the long day we were able to see the light show. Amazing.
We had one half day and the students wanted to go to that famous place where a million people cross the crossing every day and do what? Shopping of course.
We allowed the students to be in charge of getting us from place to place. We missed a few stops on the train and had to back-track. Some students also went back onto a train because they wanted to watch a sumo person getting on the train and decided they should to. All in all the students did very well and I know that if they go back to Japan at least know they can get places.
We had a return visit from our host school in July every year and our next trip is planned for 2010.
Report 2007
We have had a busy and enjoyable year this year with the added bonus of a traditional Japanese dance teacher showing our students some moves and our sister school visiting us for the second time.
Year 10 enjoying a dancing lesson with Saito Sensei Students at present are also busy with preparations for next year’s April trip to Japan.
Students sat the Australian examinations in August and the results are just in. We have ten students who gained Distinction. A great effort.
Happy new year everyone
Some year 9 students enjoy an origami lesson from our host school teacher and students
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OVERSEAS TRIPS 2006
This year in 2006 April, saw the end result of 18 months of hard work and preparation for eight students and two teachers as we undertook a school trip to visit Japan.
We spent the first few days with our host school. Shukugawa Gakuin, who returned on a visit to us in the beginning of Term Three. Here our students were hosted for three days and it was here that all our Japanese learning could be used. Next time we visit (2008) we will extend our school visit to help our students learn more about the Japanese language and culture in a home environment. We did get mobbed a lot in Japan. People (usually school students) would stop us and ask to have their pictures taken with us.
While with our host school we visited Himeji Castle. After leaving the school, we visited Hiroshima, visiting the peace park, Miyajima and then Kyoto; including visiting the Golden Pavilion and the Rock Gardens. Then we moved on to Tokyo; visiting Mieji Shrine and Disneyland. All the students were great ambassadors for our school, and our country.
The best way to sum up this trip is in the students own words.
Antonio: The best thing about Japan was it never ceased to amaze me. Everyday something new was to be expected, from shopping malls that stretched three kilometres long, to sightseeing and exploring wondrous temples and shrine.
Renae: Had great fun and would go again.
Samantha: It was a good experience and I had a lot of fun.
Lauren: It was fun and Japan was a beautiful place.
Geordie: Japan was so cool. I loved the amazing scenery and the culture was so interesting.
Evan: The trip to Japan was an awesome experience and there was an awful lot of beautiful scenery.
Mr Baxter: It was a great experience, definitely worth repeating.
Ms Ireland: I had forgotten just how lovely Japanese people can be and we were looked after so well it was hard to come home.
Many, many, many thanks to the great students and great parents with all their hard, hard work, not only for their own student’s trip, but in the helping with our host sister school visit last term. Thanks also for the help from staff and students with our visit to Japan and both Japanese school visits to TNT in term three.
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