Viva Asia! Period of Integrated Study
Vice-Principal
of Nakatomi Elementary School (Ota ward), Naoko Kaneko
Eight
Friendship members of Meguro UNESCO Association and forty-five 6th
graders held an international exchange meeting on June 18 (Fri.), 10:00 a.m. ~ 13:00 p.m., at Nakatomi Elementary
School in Ota ward. Nakatomi elementary school is located in a town famous for
Omori laver (edible seaweed) called “Nori”. The school has a historical
document museum of Nori, within its premises. They have an annual event where
the pupils experience making Nori. They are proud of their local culture
including traditional Nori cultivation and sacred sea festivals. However,
teachers had been worried that the pupils might be nervous about their first
experience in sharing time with people from overseas.
Once the
meeting started however, the teachers found that their worries were groundless.
When Ms. Cho and other South Korean members let some pupils wear hanbok (traditional Korean costume),
many pupils wanted to try it. One boy said that 
hanbok was a really nice and fluffy cloth, easy and comfortable to
wear, and he wished he could keep it on all the day. A girl said that she was
really happy to see herself in a mirror wearing the beautiful Korean costume.
All the pupils enjoyed delicious Korean confectionery and kimchi. The confectionery South Korean members made for the pupils
was really impressive. A pupil said that Kimchi
tasted very good and quite different from those he had had at home, and that it
felt fierier as time went on.
The Thai members, including Ms. Saiubol, talked about their country and presented a musical performance on a Thai instrument shaped like a Chinese or Japanese Shamisen. Many in the audience felt that the instrument made familiar sounds, although they had never heard that instrument before. The Thai embassy kindly gave all the pupils beautifully embroidered umbrellas, which is a Thai art. The pupils were delighted with their presents.
The pupils were surprised when they heard Ms. Kasmaei speaking fluent Japanese because they never expected a foreigner could speak Japanese so well. She explained the features of towns in Iran and the pupils pointed out the differences between those and towns in Japan. For example, Ms. Kasmaei mentioned the many people and bikes coming and going along the street but the noise does not penetrate into the stone houses. A pupil pointed out that the stone houses must have a different quality from the houses familiar in Japan where such noise does penetrate. The pupils were happy with pistachio nuts Ms. Kasmaei kindly distributed and some pupils wanted more.
Afterwards, all the attendees moved to the gym where the pupils performed ‘Yagibushi’. The Friendship members seemed to appreciate the mysterious yet sweet and unique Japanese sound, especially that of the Japanese drums. Although it was only for half a day, the pupils of Nakatomi elementary school were filled with friendship towards Asian countries. We thank all the visitors from Meguro UNESCO Association.
Ms. Saiubol sent the following letter to
the Meguro UNESCO Association Secretariat.
