We welcomed students from The Northwest School in Seattle, USA for a three-day school experience program at Ritsumeikan Uji.

During their stay, the visiting students participated in classes conducted in Japanese, experiencing everyday learning alongside our students. Although some appeared nervous at first, conversations gradually emerged as classes progressed. Many moments were seen where students supported and learned from one another in a natural and collaborative way.

They also took part in cultural activities such as taiko drumming, tea ceremony, and a kendo club experience. In the taiko session, students felt the powerful rhythms resonate through their bodies. Through the tea ceremony, they learned about the spirit of Japanese hospitality expressed through etiquette and refined movements. During the kendo club experience, they encountered the martial arts principle of beginning and ending with respect, gaining insight into Japan’s unique club activity culture.

In Japanese language class, students deepened their understanding of Nara, which they had recently visited, while learning Japanese characters and expressions together with international and Japanese high school students. One highlight was writing their English names in kanji on decorative boards and exchanging them as gifts, filling the classroom with warm smiles.

Witnessing students learning from one another across language and cultural differences once again affirmed the value of international exchange that our school cherishes. We hope this experience broadened each student’s perspective and became a meaningful step toward a more global outlook.