Today we visited a Japanese high school.  Actually there are two highs schools contained in one facility.  The first school is a traditional high school curriculum while the second is a "sports" high school where  traditional curriculum is modified.  Students enrolled in the sports high program take academic courses in the morning and devote many hours in the afternoon practicing their particular sport.  The sports include everything from American baseball to Japanese karate.  The most noted feature of this high school facility includes 4 different gymnasiums which appear to be in constant use.

In the academic side of this high school there is the standard Japanese academic curriculum with a heavy emphasis on students learning English.  Again, students are in self contained classrooms and most teachers lecture students from a raised podium.  Japanese high school students study many long hours and frequently attend extra cram sessions, referred to as "crammies" in order to pass their final exams.  Ninety percent of a students grade for each class is based on only one exam.  Academic failure in Japanese culture carries with it great shame so Japanese students are under intense pressure to excel in school.

Our afternoon meeting with the high school faculty included only male teachers and the principal selected each teacher who would answer our questions.  When our group inquired about the very limited use of technology in their high school again the answer was cost.  The principal explained further computers are for "information processing" and  not a tool for school.  He went on to say teachers are responsible for teaching and children are responsible for  learning.   

Yesterday and today we visited two schools in Eniwa, Japan; Megumino Junior High School and Eniwa City Shimamatsu Elementary School.  Both school visits were different and intertesting.  The Junior High School follows the more traditional approach for instruction where the teacher lectures and students listen and take notes.  Since the final exams in all subjects are most important students in the 9th grade feel great pressure to do well in their studies.

Shimamatsu Elementary School is a brand new building, opening last December and the facility itself is a showplace.  The design includes the use of natural materials, lots of wood and natural light throughout the structure.  Instruction takes place in self contained areas for each grade level but the students are more interactive with both their teacher and other students.  Additionally all students are responsible for taking care and cleaning the inside of the school building everyday.  In fact time is spent after lunch everyday for students to clean the classrooms, bathrooms and they even wash the hardwood floors on their hands and knees!  Classical music is played over the school intercom while cleaning occurs and there is no whining!  Truly a collaborative atmosphere of cooperation and community exists in this elementary school. 

Overall the Japanese schools we have visited are very different from American schools.  Classrooms are all self contained and teachers travel to various classrooms for each subject.  Instruction is directed to the middle of the group and technology is not used for instruction nor is it connected to the school libraries.  When we asked the junior high administration why computers are not used by students regularly in his school he said they were too expensive.  Clearly technology i.e. computers are not mainstream in Japanese public schools.

I did show several students and teachers my PC laptop and they were amazed.  When I explained some of our students only carry their laptop instead of text books they seemed bewildered.  The Japanese school children loved taking turns and writing their names on the laptop.  Many times I felt like Marco Polo demonstrating all of the features on the PC laptop we are using at Saint Ursula Academy.

It is now early morning here in Eniwa.  The Japanes Prime Minister spoke late last night about North Korea testing an atomic weapon.  Japan is calling for sanctions against North Korea and asking the world to condemn North Korea for their boldness.  Since Japan does not have a nuclear weapon they are very concerned about these recent events. 

This morning our group will be officially welcomed to the city of Eniwa by the Deputy Mayor at City Hall.  We will have lunch there and a meeting with local city officials.  This afternoon we travel to Hokkaido University of Education is Sapporo.

Our day yesterday was so interesting and great fun.  We began our day with a tour of the Sapporo Beer Factory here in Eniwa.  This facility is state of the art in design and production.  And of course they served beer at the end of the tour!  Nothing like 20 American school teachers drinking beer  on a Monday morning!  Next we visited an elderly local man who owns his own iron works.  He is a 6th generation black smith/iron worker and his little shop/garage was so interesting.  Orginially his family made armaments but now he makes custom farm tools.

Our afternoon was spent at the Eniwa Community center where local musicians presented a demonstration on the Koto, a Japanese harp.  Their concert included women and children in kimonos playing this traditional Japanese instrument.  Afterwards we were permitted to try and play it with them.  The musical demonstration was followed by demonstration/hands on with Japanese calligraphy and oragami; both of which we spent the afternoon doing as a group.

The local people have welcomed us in their community as their honored guests.  Everywhere we go we are treated with warm, genuine hospitality.  The Japanese people are so kind and willing to help us find our way even though they speak no English.

Our group just returned to our hotel after spending a wonderful day in Eniwa touring a brewery, an iron works and visiting the local cultural center.  We were horrified to learn North Korea just tested an atomic weapon about 30 minutes ago.  The Japanese people in our hotel are very upset and visibly shaken.  I will write more about this matter when information is provided to our group.

Well, I just found out my entries to my blog except for one did not post!  Contrary to popular belief Japan is not that technology efficient!   In fact, many members of our group have had numerous internet problems.  Since we changed our location today is how I found out all of my entries have not posted.

Our group just moved from Tokyo.  Actually we flew up to Eniwa today and it appears the internet works better here than in our luxuary hotel in Tokyo.  However, luxuary does not exist in Eniwa, Japan!!   We are truly in "the sticks" up here. 

 After we arrived, our local host took our entire group to the local social center called "Cowboy"... go figure... "Cowboy" is the local mall.  As it turns out  "Cowboy" is the equivalent to the local Walmart/video arcade/cinema/liquor store and heavy on the liquor store part of this equation...all under one roof.  The next seven days in Eniwa, Japan certainly looks to be a very interesting adventure. 

Our first stop tomorrow morning is at the Sapporo Beer Factory followed by an afternoon tour of the local Iron Works.  Like I said...Eniwa looks to be an interesting place.

However, yesterday 10 of us jumped on the night Bullet Train and went to Hiroshima.  Hiroshima is a beautiful city surrounded by mountains.  Our tour guide for the entire day was excellent.  Her husband lived, himself a victim of the atom bomb when he was three years old.  She had many personal accounts  to share with our group. 

Personally, I had many mixed feelings about going to Hiroshima because it was a long and intense trip for 24 hours.  Yet, I am so glad I did go. Hiroshima in a word is hopeful and quite frankly I did not expect this.  Additionally, Hiroshima is a highly spiritual experience of a universal nature...another surprise.  No one talks at HIroshima...they whisper.  The respect throughout this place is palpable and the peace is profound.  Although one sees and hears water and experiences beautiful architechture and floweres there is this overwhelming universal experience we absolutely must love one another.

What touched me the most was walking into the International Peace Museum and seeing the marble sculpture at the front door given by Pope John Paul II shortly after he became Pope. The inscription includes his words...." peace is the personal responsiblity of everyone who lives on the earth.  In order to truly love God everyone must be a peace maker in their own world."   I did not know one of his very first trips as the Pope was to Hiroshima.  The night Pope John Paul II was elected Pope he told his secretary he felt called to go there.

A group of us attended morning Mass today at Sophia University in Tokyo.  Sophia University property adjoins our Tokyo hotel.  Several of us who attended Mass had breakfast afterwards and each of us had some connection to the Jesuits back in the states!  Being Catholic and parichocial seems to follow one everywhere.

We arrived here in Tokyo late yesterday, Tuesday after crossing the International Date Line and loosing most of Tuesday....really weird to miss a day!  Our orientation in San Francisco over the weekend was awesome and the teachers in this program are incredible people.  I am amazed how many of these professionals are commited to educating future leaders with the focus on peace making.  So many share the same values of Angela Merici which has been a pleasant surprise for me.

Today we met the Minister of Education who explained the many problems in Japanese education. Evidently the perception is Japan leads the world for highly motivated students yet the opposite is true.  There seems to be national crisis of youth violence because of a hugh drop out rate for high school students particulary in the last 4 years.

This afternoon we had a conference on Japanese Theatre with an explaination on the significance of masks and makeup in Japanese Theatre performance.  The history of Kabuki Theatre and performance is both ancient and fascinating to Japanese culture.

Tonight was a reception and dinner hosted by our U.S. State Department and members of the local Fulbright Program here in Japan.  The focus was on the relationship between our two countries and the hugh emphasis which was made after World War II for two enemies to become world peace makers.  Senator J. William Fulbright actually came up with the idea of recycling the araments from World War II and using those funds to educate Japanese students at American universities.  Through the Fulbright Program hundrends of Japanese students were educated at American colleges during the 1950's and 60's and many became the leaders of modern Japan.  The JFMF Program was instituted 50 years later by the Japanese government to thank America and to honor American education. 

Tomorrow the focus is on the Japanese government and the Mayor of Tokyo is hosting our group for lunch.  We will also attend a session at the Diet, the Japanese House of Representatives. 

Again, on this feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of peace it is truly a blessing to be here in this program representing Saint Ursula Academy, a school which prides itself on educating young women who will positively change the world.