Bunkasai wkd

Shukunohe Jr High's Bunkasai

Well everyone, I'm bunkasaied out....its been a super long wkd spent lost in translation and I just don't have the energy to put another 50 pics on this site. In the effort of time and energy and well, laziness on my part...I have posted all pics from Shu's bunkasai on my school site instead of this one. I figured you have taken the time to come this far, what's one more click right! ;) You will also find additional pics from Taneichi's bunkasai. Read about the significance of the bunkasai below and and then click on this:

http://teachingintaneichischools.blogspot.com

Bunkasai= A cultural fest, which is really more like a "showcase of their fine art skills". Parents and community members can freely peruse the school's rooms and listen to the concerts etc. It's a time for the students to learn morals and values and Japanese traditions. They organize the ENTIRE event, so they learn how to work together-plan together and improve together. They teach each other the songs, arrange choreography, lead their own practices and even conduct the songs! They believe the bunkasai is meant to show the students what they need in order to be a productive members in society...pretty lofty goalk, but the mood was joyous and fun! Parents were on hand to check out the many skills their child posseses...not just academics and sports (which they really do excel at), but also music, drama and art. Would hate to compete against this bunch in a talent show! Great work kiddos!

TANEICHI'S BUNKASAI:

Here are just a few of the pics fr their festival. It was pretty cool, they turned all of their classrooms into mini-art museums. Their rooms were beautifully decorated by the students and showcased their shodo, metal making, painting/drawing, wood carving, basket weaving, sewing a pair of shorts!! and proving their handyman skills (each student had to refurbish an old radio). They sang many songs @ the local culture center, which was a contest between the grades. The brass band performed, the drama club did a one-hour play and the PTA threw a garage sale to boot! What a day!

In going to Shukunohe's festival, I realized that ALL bunkasais follow the same format. It was painfully similar---like right down to the types of art projects presented. Hmmm, the unmistakable consistency that plagues Japanese culture and society.

For more pics of Taneichi's special day...please go to:

Http://teachingintaneichischools.blogspot.com

Each class had to make a huge newspaper...like "regulation" size and everything. So its larger-than-life-size posed quite the challenge to fit all those difficult Kanji characters into neat little rows! But they did it and of course---true to the insane competitive spirit here---were judged on who's was best.

Never would have guessed these kids could 'act'...but they blew me away! Completely doing away with their "Japanese" cultural rules and behavioral expectations...it was great to see them let loose!

Love their artwork...geometric, interesting, eye-catching and creative! Super job folks! Yoku de kimashta!