Posts published in “Japan”

Life Saving Summer Memory

February 17, 2020

By Shin Takebe

The University of Shimane

This summer I was working at Iwami Seaside Park as a lifeguard. It was really fun because during my free time, I could enjoy some activities with other lifeguards but also there were dangerous days. It was a really hard job for me but I got a lot of experiences through this job.

Hamada city, in Shimane prefecture is located on western side of Japan. This prefecture facing the Japan sea so there are many beaches. Iwami Seaside Park is the largest beach in Hamada city, the total length of this beach is 3km! You can see beautiful sky and sea at this beach but when typhoon is approaching, The waves get higher and nobody can swim. At the beginning of the August, This beach was always crowded but Around late August, the sea bathers were less than before.

There are lifeguards who belong to Hamada Lifesaving Club and they are lifeguarding at the beach during the summer season. The members are twenties to fifties. Also they did some activities like stand up paddleboarding, wakeboarding, and snorkeling. They are not professional because they are working at company during the week and if they have a free time like the weekend, they lifeguard at this beach.

The first day, I had free time so I did stand up paddleboarding with sea bathers and other lifeguards. That was a hot, sunny day so I got a tan but the sea was a really beautiful. That’s why we really enjoyed this activity. In the middle of August, a typhoon came to Japan. This caused big waves, These big waves took some sea bathers out to the sea and I helped them by using a rescue board. The rescue board is looks like a long board to surf but it has more buoyancy and thick. We have a lot of rescue board and we use this like this situation. It was a really dangerous day but no one was hurt. Around late August, there were less sea bathers than at the beginning of the month, so we did wakeboarding. I think that wakeboarding is a little bit it more difficult than the other activities but we really enjoyed this sports.

In brief, it was really hard job but I learned that how to help people who are taken away by the big waves, how to work as a lifeguard, and so on. My Lifeguarding job became a great summer memory that I can not forget!!

Archery Changes My Life

Archery Changes My Life

February 17, 2020

By Chihiro Morihara

The University of Shimane

This August, my life of Japanese archery was changed. I participated in preliminary contest of the National Sports Festival in the Chugoku region, held in Izumo, Shimane. Meeting great teachers, teammates and other participants from other prefectures affected me very much. I could learn many things and I grew as a player of Japanese archery.

Before writing about my special experience, I will explain to you about Japanese archery. Japanese archery is one of Japan’s traditional sports. We use a bow and four arrows. We can get a point when we hit a row on the target. The length from the center of the target is not related to the score. All we have to do is hit the target. Players compete by adding up the total number of hit arrows.

The meet gave me three opportunities. First, it gave me a chance to meet many players of Japanese archery. I could see many players in Shimane; 10 teammates, 3 coaches and their friends and teachers. We could get to know each other through this meet. They told me not only how to play Japanese archery better but also how to repair and maintain my equipment.

Second, it gave me a chance to learn about the way to control my nervousness before a large competition. The meet was held in Izumo Dome in Shimane. Domes are larger than places where I usually practice and play. I have participated in a large meet held in a big dome like this, but I didn’t play well because I was too nervous to do my best. So, I didn’t want to make the same mistake again this time. To do my best, I did two things. First, I talked with my teammates to prevent me from thinking too much about possible mistakes I might meet. Second, I wrote out why I was so nervous. Before writing out about it, I didn’t know what made me nervous, so I wrote out what I feel anxious to visualize my worries. For example, I wrote “It’s important to calm myself down because I can’t hit my arrows when I feel heat.” These two things worked well.

Finally, the meet gave me a chance to improve my skill of Japanese archery. Through not only the day of the meet but also self-practicing for it, I certainly could make progress. The environment around me was great because people around us cheered me and gave me advice. I was very pleased when my teammates and coaches noticed my effort and praised about it and my progress. That helped improve my skill and motivate me. In addition, it helped me even more mentally. People around me gave me the power to practice more and more. I had practiced harder than ever for the meet and improved my skill because players around me were much better than me. However, they were not students and didn’t have time to practice hard, but I was a student and had much more free time than them, so I thought the only thing I could win over them was quantity of practice, and I practiced about 4 hours per day. As a result, I could hit 3 of 4 arrows on the target on the day of the meet. However, I noticed the quantity of the practice is as important as quality of it to prepare for the day of the meet, because our team couldn’t win the meet. I think I should have practiced with my teammates together more. I always practiced alone but it was important to practice like the real part.

Through the meet, I learned that the more I practice, the better I can do. Also, knowing each other with players of Japanese archery is important because they help me when I fall in a slump. Also, I noticed the environment around me is very important for upgrading my skill. I think the three opportunities I got through the meet held this August and practicing for it changed my life of Japanese archery, and I believe this experience will help me in the future.

Be Prepared, Secret of Success

Be Prepared, Secret of Success

February 17, 2020

By Takumi Oto

The University of Shimane

On October 1^st, I found again that getting ready is essential for success. I got a job offer from the company I will enter after graduation from university this April. The company held a “newbie ceremony” at its building called the Comprehensive Center in Osaka on October 1^stfor new recruits.

One day, I was given a mission by the human resources employee before the ceremony was held. The mission was to read an address replying beck to the president’s encouragement one for the new recruits. When I got the call, I felt honored, but at the same time, a little nervous, too. Referring to two previous addresses sent to me, I wrote an original one, and sent it to the company to check. After making sure my address was suitable for the ceremony twice, the time when I would have to read it got closer. Not to read it out loud with a shaking voice, I decided to practice reading and to give myself confidence. I went to a karaoke booth alone with my address paper and read it again and again through a microphone. That was the first preparation I did by myself for success.

My second form of preparation happened on the day, October 1^st. I arrived at the center two hours earlier than the opening of the ceremony since I planned to practice the actions in the ceremony and read out loud the address. One HR employee and I did it together, and that was helpful because I could imagine how to behave during the ceremony. After having lunch with him, at 1:00 pm, the ceremony finally started. It’s held in a medium-sized hall, 23 new recruits including me were in the hall and 10 board members sat in front of us. After the introduction of each board member, the receiving of the offer confirmation, and then the president’s address, my turn came. I was not nervous but confident because I knew how to walk in the front of the president, read out loud the address, and fold the paper to give him, so I carried out the mission. Practicing those steps was the factor for my success. Without this practice, I would have felt more nervous and would have not been that confident when I was in front of all the participants.

Therefore, I was able to realize again that to keep practicing is the huge factor for succeeding. Those two steps -reading out loud alone in the karaoke box and practicing with a partner in the real situation- gave me confidence and better understanding of what to do in the ceremony. Getting ready for the actual performance is necessary for the success.

Beach cleanup raises environmental awareness

Beach cleanup raises environmental awareness

March 12, 2019

Fifty volunteers gathered at the beach of Iwami Sea Side Park, Shimane prefecture on Sunday, March 10, 2019 for collecting trash on the beach.

The volunteers were 28 US service members of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and 18 Japanese students of the University of Shimane.

The international event was organized by ISP, the company that manages Iwami Seaside Park, which consists of two beaches, campsites, cabins, sports facilities, aquarium and parks.

Mr. Yoshiro Morikawa, President of ISP, welcomed the volunteers and expressed his gratitude to the participants. He said a lot of trash was washed up to the beach in winter and the beach cleaning effort in winter was necessary to welcome tourists in summer.

The volunteers then grabbed big garbage bags for burnable and non-burnable trash and walked the length of the beach and picked up the litter.

There were a lot of objects on the sand. Seina, freshman, said “there were a variety of items: salad dressing containers, fishing nets, plastic spoons and plates. I picked them up again and again, but no matter how much I collected trash, I saw a lot of trash lying on the beach.”

The volunteers worked for one hour, ending up collecting ocean trash that filled two trucks.
After the cleaning, a big BBQ lunch was offered by the organizer. Both the students and the Americans enjoyed a great lunch and conversation in English.

The beach cleaning was educational for the college students, because it raised awareness of the litter problem on the beach. Kasumi, sophomore, said she had not realized there was so much litter on the beach because she had never participated in this type of project before. Shusuke, freshman, noticed the trash on the beach was an international issue, because a lot of plastic bottles had labels written in a foreign language.

The interaction with the Americans also motivated the college students to study English more. Amane, freshman, said, “I could not initiate conversation in English. I thought that I had to to overcome my shyness. I also need to increase my English vocabulary, because I could not understand what they said well nor was I able to express myself in English.”

Takumi, junior, said the best thing was that the Americans were friendly and he enjoyed English conversation so much. Yui, freshman, said he enjoyed learning about the life in military. Rie, sophomore, got curious about the life in the base and felt like visiting it.

At the end, the cleanup crew took a group photo and exchanged LINE information each other. Despite the rain, the international beach cleanup was a very successful event: a cleaner beach, insight into the trash problem, motivation to study English and heart-warming conversations. Everyone is looking forward to a next opportunity to make a meaningful contribution.

Being a college students by living alone

Being a college students by living alone

June 21, 2018

Two years ago, my parents dropped me off at the dorm of the University of Shimane in April. As I watched their car driven off, I felt really sad. My new life so far has been not easy, but my college life experiences helped me grow a lot.

First, I realized the difficulty of housework. I learned how hard it was to do housework because I live in an apartment alone. It took a long time to go shopping, doing laundry, and clean my apartment room. I am very grateful for my family.

Second, I learned how to cook. I had not cooked very much when I lived with my parents. My mother always cooked meals for everyone. But I now cook meals all by myself. My cooking skills improved a lot and I can cook many dishes now.

Third, I grew up to have a strong sense of responsibility. I can manage my life better. For example, I wake up by myself in the morning, because no one wakes me up. Also, I learned to fill out important documents like pension forms or tax forms, which I have never done before.

By Yurina Kuno

Own cultural knowledge necessary

Own cultural knowledge necessary

June 21, 2018

My friends and I had an opportunity to share ideas with American students in Hiroshima on Saturday, May 20, 2018. We had fun with students from East Carolina University, but this experience was shocking, too, because I realized how ignorant I am about Japanese history and culture.

While we stroll around Hiroshima Peace Park, I was asked many times by the American students like that “Have you been there before?” or “What do you know about Hiroshima?” I had thought I knew about Hiroshima but I was not able to explain my knowledge well because my understanding about Hiroshima was very superficial.

We took a ferry and arrived at Miyajima in the afternoon. American students and I went looked around souvenir shops, and there were many cat figures which are called manekineko, meaning “welcoming cat.” I wanted to explained the meaning of the welcoming cat, but I was not able to talk about it sufficiently.

Then we entered the main building of Itsukushiam Shrine, and I only washed my hands, when an American student pointed out that I was supposed to purify myself by cleansing my mouth. I was very ashamed of my ignorance.

During the short exchanges of the American students I learned being raised in Japan does not mean I know Japanese culture explicitly. I felt I need to make effort to understand Japanese culture so that I could explain Japanese culture to people abroad.

Mutsumi Higashio (University of Shimane)

Missing Sound of Police Cars?

June 17, 2018

Missing Sound of Police Car?

Shimane students and American students from East Carolina University exchanged differences of cultures while walking around Hiroshima and Miyajima on May 20. What impressed me the most was differences of cultures of the two countries.

I chatted with Remi and Tina from East Carolina University about their experiences in Japan. They said Japanese cities were really quiet, and to my surprise, they miss the siren of the American police cars. According to them their city, Greenville, North Carolina, is noisy because they hear police sirens almost every day.

Remi and Tina also said high school life is very different. American high school students do not have uniforms. They can color their hair. They can wear piercing. Tina had a pierce on her nose. Tina said, “American high scool students are crazy.” I was very intrigued.

Exchanging ideas about our cultures was so much fun.

At the end of the day, Remi introduced me to one of her friends, saying, “This is Ako. She is my best friend today.” I felt warm in my heart. We said good bye to each other at a JR station, hugging each other. The meeting with ECU students at Hiroshima and Miyajima was a wonderful experience for me.

By Ako Miyama (University of Shimane)

American and Japanese students visit Hiroshima together

March 26, 2018

Students from East Carolina University, Hiroshima University and the University of Shimane on May 20, 2018

Thirteen American students and 12 Japanese students enjoyed walking around Hiroshima on May 20, 2018, deepening friendship between United States and Japan.

The students are from East Carolina University, Hiroshima University and University of Shimane.

The cross-cultural exchange is part of a study tour of East Carolina University, led by Professor John Tucker, who organized the tour to provide his students the opportunity to study Japanese history and culture in Japan.

Since the ECU students had studied Japanese culture before embarking on this trip, they had known good transportation and small living quarters already, but some aspects of Japanese life were new to them.

Diamond, who majors in Anthropology at ECU, said that she noticed differences of behavior of people in shrines. She was surprised at Japanese people seemed nonchalant about the tourists taking pictures at shrines. For her shrines are a sacred place of worship and visitors should pay respect to the people who pray and worship.

Diamond also found Japanese students looked happier and content with their college life, while college life in the United States is stressful with a lot of term papers and exams.

Kazuki, freshman of the University of Shimane, took this opportunity to practice his English. He has prepared for this meeting by doing research about Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and effects of the atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima. He was greatly impressed with the attitude of the ECU students who were eager to learn about Hiroshima, which further inspired him to study more about the perspectives of Americans toward the atomic bomb.

John Tucker, a professor in the Department of History at ECU, has coordinated the program many years. He said that while students can learn materials from books and lectures, experiences is one of the most valuable forms of education for young students. He coordinates field trips as well as videoconferencing for his students to get first hand knowledge from real people.

East Carolina University and the University of Shimane provides their students real time virtual meetings via videoconferencing, and the friendship were further deepened by this face to face meeting in Hiroshima.

The students gathered at A-Bomb Dome at 9:00 and introduced themselves each other. They strolled around the Children’s Peace Monument, Peace Bell, Memorial Cenotaph, taking photos and chatting each other. Then they moved to JR Miyajima Station and got on a ferry boat for Miyajima Island. They were greeted by deer and the enormous red torii gate. The tide was high and they were not able to get near the gate. They went through the shopping street, biting street foods, and worshipped at the shrine. At 16:30, they all hopped on a ferry back to the mainland. They said good bye to each other around 17:00.

By Mariko Eguchi (University of Shimane)