Nana Remembers Japan

In 2002 I spent a month in Japan as a participant in the Fulbright Memorial Program. The Fulbright Memorial Program was established by the Japanese government in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Fulbright Program. The program promotes understanding and friendship between the United States and Japan by sponsoring short-term educational and cultural studies in Japan.  I was one of 100 educators, two from each state, who had been selected to participate. The program was fully funded by the Japanese government. The entire group spent three weeks in Tokyo and then one week in smaller groups around the country.  I was assigned to the group that went to Yamato, a city not far from Tokyo.  During our stay in Yamato we stayed with Japanese families and experienced life in typical Japanese homes.




The reception at city hall to welcome us to Yamato.

 

The Fulbright Memorial Program Yamato Group with Yamato government officials.  I'm hidden in the back on the left.



I have thought back to the month I spent in Japan numerous times this past week as I watched the images on the news of the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami. I can't stop thinking about the people who made my experience in Japan so memorable. I learned so much about Japan, but also about myself and my own culture. There's nothing like experiencing another culture first hand to provide the fodder for personal growth.

There have been so many terrifying images on the news this week, I am sharing some of my memories of Japan because I can't stop thinking of the people. These are the same people we're watching on the news.  In Yamato we had the opportunity to visit Japanese schools.   We watched the children arriving to school.  They walk together in groups along predetermined routes led by adults or older students,  and pick up more students along the way.  The older children helping the younger ones.



Walking to school in organized groups





I could go on and on about the similarities and differences of the Japanese and American educational systems.  One major commonality was happy, engaged students.

These elementary students performed for us and then taught us a traditional dance.

 

Tokyo was a cultural shock for me.  I'd never seen so many people.

I had always heard about Japan being a homogeneous culture with little diversity and strong pressure for everyone to conform. I was surprised at the individuality I saw in Tokyo.



A mother and a child in traditional dress



Goth with neon wigs!



One minute a family in traditional clothing is walking by....

and the next minute you're standing on the corner next to a guy in a top hat and five inch heels.  

The Fulbright Program was founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946.  Following World War II Japanese students had the opportunity to study in the US as Fulbright scholars.  Today those Fulbrighters are leaders in Japan in business and government.  The Fulbright Program helped Japan recover from World War II.  Numerous Japanese Fulbright scholars attended various receptions held for us during our stay in Japan. 

In Yamato we attended an elegant dinner that included the director of the Japan-United States Educational Commission, numerous former Fulbright Scholars and our Yamato host families.  One  member of our group played the violin and as a tribute to our hosts, he played the Japanese national anthem.  It was one of those moments that is seared in my memory.  We all stood for the anthem.  I looked around the room and noticed the tears in the eyes of the elderly men as they silently mouthed the words.  Later I learned that the national anthem is not played frequently in Japan.  It is also unusual to see the flag displayed.  In fact, following World War II the Japanese were not permitted to display the flag.  It is considered by many as a symbol of the extreme nationalism that contributed to World War II.  I was surprised that World War II continues to have such a strong influence in Japan. 

We reached out to help the Japanese recover from World War II.  It is reassuring to see the world respond to the crisis in Japan now.