Bring Japan to Your Classroom!

The Japan Caravan (informally called "School Caravan") Program, is an educational outreach program of the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, whereby staff members and community volunteers make presentations at schools throughout our jurisdiction.

The purpose of the Japan Caravan Program is to provide information on Japan to American students, and to promote friendly relations between Americans and Japanese. Especially in areas with Japanese communities, we strongly hope that this Program can lead to greater community involvement.

The typical Caravan presentation lasts less than one hour. While the quantity of information that can be given in such a short time is necessarily limited, the goal is to pique the interest of the students and encourage them to pursue further study on their own.

The presentation can be tailored according to requests from the teacher, so no two Caravan visits are exactly alike. However, all presentations have some common elements. Typically, one or two staff members will visit a school and teach the students about contemporary Japanese life, such as the school system, lifestyles, etc. The presentation usually begins with an explanation of the basic geography and population of Japan, and a brief overview of history. Visual aids, such as maps, photographs, and videotapes are employed.

Depending on the age and knowledge of the students, the presentation may also include information on Japan's economy, Japan-U.S. trade, governmental system, etc. Some Japanese language is also introduced, and time is always allotted for questions.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of the Program, local volunteers are being recruited to provide follow-up visits and consultation. Volunteers could be Japanese company employees and their families, or members of Japan-related organizations. If local Japanese companies are making educational efforts on their own, then the Caravan may serve as a supplement and catalyst to those efforts.

If you are a teacher in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina or Virginia and would like the Japan Caravan to visit your school, please contact us!