It is already “Shiwasu” (Busy time of the year, December). Let’s close the year properly!

The last week was Thanks Giving Holiday. It was an important holiday that you get together with your family and appreciate “Food” and “Health”. I assumed that you also had busy holiday. I knew about Thanks Giving but I didn’t know about “Black Friday and “Cyber Monday”. When I watched TV about “Black Friday”, it reminded me the Japanese “Hatsu-Uri”. “Hatsu-Uri” is bargain sale that happens from New Year eve to New Year. During “Hatsu-Uri”, some of the items are half price and many people shop but the targeted item is “Fukubukuro”. In this bag, you will often find goods that are so much more than the price of the bag. Shoppers make lines before New Year for “Fukubukuro”. It seems like it will tell you this year’s fortune because you are excited not knowing what are inside and also saving you get. The Christmas sale starts from Black Friday and wait for the Christmas. We wait for spring with “Hatsu-Uri.” Both are important culture for US and Japan. Today is already December. December has another name, “Shiwasu” in Japan. “Shi” refers monks and they are busy preparing for the many events at the year of year. It is said that it comes from the phrase “toshi hatsuru “(the year comes to an end) that then turned into “shi hatsu”. Then it turned into “Shiwasu”. Anyhow we will close the year quickly. We should plan well and close the year properly while we can spend time calmly. It is getting colder, let’s be careful of getting cold. 続きを読む…

A new beginning! Our office is moving into the Friends’ Central School

Just when we were enjoying the beautiful leaves of autumn, winter has set upon us very quickly. In good news, the JLSP office will be moving on November 19th (Monday) after 21 years in our current location. During the weekday, 3 staff members conduct all business related to the school at this office. From creation and distribution of class materials to coordination with the Ministry of Education, the office has many responsibilities. We also store all computer related items and historical documents in this office. Truly the heart of the school! All this important material will be transported to a room within the Friends’ Central School, which will lessen the need to move materials back and forth between the office and the school. We believe we can service you even better with smoother and faster preparation and creation of class materials. JLSP opened 42 years ago in 1972. We moved to the current Friends’ Central School in 1989, 17 years after our opening. The Friends school is renowned for having been the home to famous Japanese educators like Inazo Nitabe and Umeko Tsuda as well as bacteriologist Hideyo Noguchi. We believe our long-lasting relationship with the Friends’ Central School is thanks to many supporters and the Friends’ Central School itself, which has a deep and rich history with Japan. With the move of our office, we want to take the time to express our deep appreciation for all our supporters, and double our efforts in providing the best educational experience. Please come visit our new office! 続きを読む…

Summer Time Has Ended, Reassure the importance of the time, (to make the most of time)!

Summer time was ended on Nov 4th (Sun). The last time I turned the clock back an hour was 18 years ago when I was in Mexico and it was a very interesting feeling. I actually did not know it ended at 2 o’clock in the morning on the 4th. I was talking to my son’s son (my second grandson) on the phone wishing him a happy birthday at the time. At the end of conversation, we said “what time is it..” “time difference is…” and I looked the digital clock. It was different from my cell phone clock and I said “what is going on…!?”. I looked at the clocks around the house, turned the TV on, and compared the TV programs. The more I looked, the more I was confused. “What time is it actually!?” Holding my head, I went to bed. It was in the morning I realized the summer time ended. One hour makes a huge difference. I felt that day went very calm. “Time is Money” is one of the sayings that describes time. This means that time is valuable as much as money, so spend time meaningfully. This quote was by the United States founding Father, Benjamin Franklin. In Japan, we have “autumn sun sets as quick as a bucket dropping into a well”, describing how quick autumn sunset is.

Slow sun-rises and quick sun-set, we all have same hours a day. I hope you use the time wisely. 続きを読む…

Reading is great to prolong healthy life?!

As fall deepens, the fallen leaves we step on are making good sounds. As mentioned from the last volume of Smile, new reading award “yokozunas” has been awarded each week, and it is great to see children loving books. Between everyday studying and clubs, it is hard for people to make time for reading. Last week, I watched a NHK show called “Asking AI (artificial intelligence)” that featured the theme “healthy life.” Health life is a numerical value that shows how old you can be active till. According to the AI, “to prolong healthy life, more than exercising or eating healthy, it is important to read.” You exercise to find a book, your mind receives intellectual stimulation, your mind recalls the past events—reading books seems to bring together all these effective features to prolong healthy life.
When my child was little, I remember reading a storybook with him on my lap. Even after he’s grown up, he still remembers that one page from the book and talks about it. His body also remembers that warm feeling on my lap. It is such a blessing to be able to reflect back on those precious family time.
What is “your family’s storybook”? 続きを読む…

Balanced Meals Bring Healthy Mind and Body!

When I walk through the meat and seafood sections at the supermarket, I am fascinated by the ways they are cut that we do not see in Japan. There are more selections of different parts of meat, mostly lean meat. Compared to “Wagyu” that has delicious reticular marbles of fat, on the contrary, lean meat has light, chewy taste with the original flavor of meat, and you never get tired of it. On the other hand, the fish section has many kinds of beautiful fish…. My electric dictionary helps me find the names of fish unknown to me, and I enjoy buying fish using body language.

In Japan, there is a tendency to favor fish and vegetable over meat as one gets older, however, it resulted in malnutrition among the elderly, so eating meat is encouraged now. Fish also are high in nutrients, with unsaturated fatty acid including DHA and EPA, is encouraged to take daily for any age group to maintain good health, promote healthy growth, and to activate the brain.

Talking of fish, Tsukiji Market, which had been called the “Kitchen of Japan” for 83 years and was a tourist attraction, closed recently. It moved to Toyosu Market. As time passes, so does the food market of Japan, and so are the foods we eat. We all are busy with raising children and working every day, but let us take a close look at our own bodies and the foods we eat. The balance is always important, and as we enjoy the “Fall of Harvest” and the “Fall of Appetite,” we should look into the lifestyle of a balanced diet and exercise. 続きを読む…

Fall is in full swing. It’s a Halloween season!

Halloween on October 31 has been showing excitement in Japan for the past few years. In Japan, “Halloween” may be reminded of Halloween costume and parade rather than the origin of Halloween. Halloween is an event that celebrates the harvest of autumn and kicks out evil spirits. When the spirit of the deceased visited the family members, they wore masks and dressed up to protect themselves from spirits and witches coming at the same time. From these practice, children nowadays are dressed up and started trick or treat.
In Japan, there is a similar event during the Bon, such as a “grave festival”, in which all residents in a region prepare the Bon festival, and families welcome the spirits of the ancestors and visit the grave.
It is also similar to the Setsubun, where we decorate holly leaves and sardines at the entrance of home to drive away the demons, and the Full Moon Night, where we celebrate the harvest and children walk with sweets. In Mexico, where I had worked before, there is a custom that they decorate the grave with a huge decoration, greet the deceased family members and friends, and have bright and fun time with the dead. Although religious meaning and historical background of the events in the fall season are different among countries, it seems to be common that they talk about memorable memories of their ancestors and appreciate the harvest in fall.
At Halloween, children in our neighborhood seem to come seeking treats. How do we prepare and welcome children? I’m very excited to have Halloween.
続きを読む…

“Fall is the season for art & culture” Let our children shine!

When I take a walk around my neighborhood, I spot red and yellow colors among the green leaves. The height of autumn is approaching. Pumpkins and Halloween ornaments at the entrance of houses are also adding beautiful colors to this season. At JLSP, from now through November, various events will be held by each schools/divisions and courses. Students will show off their study progress at those occasions.
Schedule of the events:
Kindergarten: 11/17/18 (Sat): “Birthday Celebration/Fall Music Concert”
Elementary School: 11/10/18 (Sat): “Fall Study Festival”
Middle School: 10/20/18 (Sat): “Fall Cultural Festival”
High School: 11/17/18 (Sat): “Ko-shien Debating Contest”
Keisho Course: 11/3/18 (Sat): “Autumn Culture Festival”
In the past, all schools/divisions and courses had gathered together and participated in one annual school play around this time of the year. However, last year, we started to have separate events by each schools/divisions and courses. It will be a good occasion for each of them to introduce Japanese culture and experience, or to present their studies that they have been working on. Moreover, this will be a great opportunity for students to improve how to express themselves, as well as for students to respect and learn from each other. You are welcome to observe any event. Please support your children in their preparation, and cheer for them. Details for the events are yet to be announced. Please pay attention to the correspondence from your children’s homeroom teachers. 続きを読む…