On Saturday, November 8, 2025, first-year students of the IB Course at Ritsumeikan Uji Senior High School visited the long-established Kyoto wagashi shop “Kameya Yoshinaga” to experience traditional Japanese confectionery making as part of their Pre-CAS activities. Under the careful guidance of master artisans, students took on the challenge of creating delicate shapes that express the changing seasons, engaging their five senses to experience the aesthetics and traditions of Japanese culture. Through the soft texture of nerikiri dough and the harmony of colors, students learned about the creativity involved in “shaping beauty” and the values embedded in the spirit of hospitality. This type of hands-on experience is a distinctive form of IB learning, deepening understanding not just through knowledge but through direct, tactile engagement with culture.

Kyoto is a city that continues to carry forward Japan's traditional culture. This activity offered students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of their own culture by learning at its very heart. One of the core principles of the IB is “respect for cultural diversity,” and this is rooted in first understanding one’s own culture. Through the wagashi-making experience, students rediscovered the “beauty” and “spirit” of Japan and took their first step toward broadening their global perspectives.

This wagashi-making experience was part of the “Pre-CAS” program, which serves as an introduction to CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) in the IB curriculum. Through learning outside the classroom, students developed a proactive mindset, cooperation, and creative action. Such hands-on experiences are central to IB education, which connects academics with real-world application.