edit_note Visitor’s voices: Impressions of educational travel and school exchanges in Japan “Talking with the Japanese students was an incredibly precious experience.”
Learning the Japanese Way of Caring Through Honorific Language and Greetings

Eunhye Cho, teacher

Ms. Eunhye Cho has been teaching for two years. She works at Hanlim Art & Design High School, Chungju, South Korea, where she specializes in music and is currently in charge of a first-year class.

Q. Why did you select Japan as your educational travel destination?　

A. The city of Chungju has begun supporting the cost of educational travel abroad as part of its global education support program for high school students, and we decided to implement the program at our school. We selected Japan, China, and Taiwan as potential destinations that could be traveled within the budget range, and after surveying students and their parents, 70 to 80% of them chose Japan. Many of our students study art and design, so they have an interest in Japan, which is home to the world’s largest animation and manga market.

Q. Tell us about the participating students.

A. All our first-year high school students participated in this educational travel program to Japan. They are all in the same grade, but each class specializes in a different field, studying each of the following five: illustration/painting, 3D imaging, beauty, fashion, and business economics.

Q． Tell us about your destination cities and why you picked them.

A. An exchange with a Japanese school was our top priority, so we asked the travel agency to ensure to include it in our itinerary. We also wanted to exchange with an art high school, just like us. The travel agency suggested this school based on our requests.

We were scheduled to stay for four nights and five days, so we decided to visit three cities: Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. We wanted to avoid traveling long distances from Nara Prefecture, where the school exchange was to take place. Incorporating advice from the travel agency, we chose places that have deep connection with Korea, such as Doshisha University, where the Korean poet Yun Dong-Ju studied. We also visited Dotonbori and Universal Studios Japan, where we could get a sense of modern-day Japan. In Kyoto, we visited Byodoin Temple and the Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto by Tadao Ando.

Q. How did the students prepare for the educational travel program?　

A. In my homeroom class, we had weekly inquiry-based activities about Japan. The class was divided into five groups that delved into themes such as music, fashion, history, and culture, and gave presentations about these topics. After returning to Japan, I will ask them to submit a report comparing their prior studies with their actual experiences there.

They also practiced the theme song from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away, “Always With Me” in Japanese so that they could sing it at the welcome ceremony. I selected the song since I’m the music teacher. It’s a memorable track for me as it was pretty popular back when I lived in Tokyo for my father’s work.

Q. Tell us about the school exchange program.

A. For the exchange program, I requested the school to arrange activities where the students could paint together or get to know traditional Japanese culture if possible. I was so impressed with the range of programs they had prepared such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy, and Japanese musical instruments. For communication, we used translation apps and an interpreter was assigned to each classroom.

What left a big impression on me was the cheerful greetings and bright expressions of the students of Nara Prefectural Takamado Senior High School. Students from other grades who passed us in the hallway also greeted us with such warmth and made us feel welcome. We could see that they had meticulously prepared for the visit by having enough students to show us around and help us during the classes.

I found the explanations about flower arrangement fascinating. Since it was autumn, they used chrysanthemums and other seasonal flora. They told us about the symbolism behind each flower, such as how the tallest flower represents the sky. I felt that it was a great example of Japanese culture. We were provided with a printout of the explanation translated into Korean, which made the process smooth and easy to understand.

Q. Would you like to do school exchanges in Japan again in the future?

A. In a student survey conducted after our return, when asked what was the most memorable part of their stay in Japan, the school exchange with Takamado Senior High School topped the list. We, the faculty, agree. Our educational travel program would not have been as meaningful without this exchange. Although there are some financial issues, such as the availability of support from the city, we would like to continue these exchanges in the future. I believe that actually going out, having new experiences, and talking about design and art with students of the same age is very important. It’s the kind of education you don’t get in regular classes.

Ｑ．Finally, what advice would you give to those who are considering education travel or school exchanges in Japan?　

A. In my class, we had a total of four hours of inquiry-based activities about Japan prior to the trip, but I don’t think that was enough. If we had had more time, we would have been able to find new perspectives as we experienced various new things in Japan. Similarly, it would’ve been ideal if we had about the span of a year to communicate with the travel agency and the coordinator on the Japanese side. Since there are language and distance issues, it’s difficult to meet and discuss in person beforehand, so it will inevitably take more time to make decisions compared to a domestic trip.