Japan Culture Summer Camp
(July 18-22, 2011)
Participants in a Q&A Session on Tanabata
20 children in grades 4-6 joined the Japan Information Center staff for a week-long Summer Camp at the Consulate, beating the heat and learning about Japan. Each morning from 9:30 to 12:30, participants tried something new, whether it was navigating through a virtual Japanese house or making tanzaku for Tanabata.
Several guests held workshops over the course of the week, and parents got in on some of the fun, too! Especially during the flower arranging and cooking lessons (students learned how to make sushi balls), parents were every bit as inventive as their children. Guests included Ms. Elaine Jo, who conducted the flower arranging workshop, Mr. John Moale, who played the shamisen while teaching about Japanese music, and Ms. Tomoko Aoyagi, who demonstrated a Japanese Tea Ceremony.
Participants Trying Shodo, or Japanese Calligraphy
Shamisen Performance
Other activities included Japanese clothing (the children were allowed to try on traditional festival wear), anime, calligraphy, origami, Japanese language, and traditional games. With the help of more than a few volunteers, each day was filled with new discoveries.