Skip to content

COLUMN: Japanese school performs at autumn festival

The elementary school in the fishing village of Otsu held their performance at the end of October
9272568_web1_Jory-Janet

As snow falls in the Okanagan, the autumn sun and the autumn festivals continue in Hokkaido.

The elementary school in the fishing village of Otsu held their performance at the end of October, with songs, dances and drama.

Otsu Elementary has seven students in three classes, and four more children who attend the combined pre-school and kindergarten.

All 11 participated in the school festival, to an appreciative audience aged one to 90. Musical variety began with the “It’s a Small World” theme where the pre-school and primary students performed songs and dances with connections to Hawaii, Mexico, and North America.

I experienced some discomfort, as sensitivity to cultural appropriation doesn’t seem to have reached this area, at least not in relation to indigenous cultures that are foreign to Japan.

I will try to find a gentle way to approach that topic.

A band and choral performances and a trip to the circus filled in the middle.

All of the elementary age students have mastered their unicycles for at least half the width of the gymnasium.

This was a thrill for me, as I have been watching the younger ones work diligently to master the skill. The grand finale was a play involving Wonderland, Alice, a rabbit, and various royalty sporting hearts, along with characters in traditional Japanese garb.

Unfortunately, my Japanese language skills are not yet at a level where I can relate the plot of this extravaganza of cultural fusion.

I did enjoy the spectacle, and the enthusiastic engagement of the entire student body.

Still to come are the Toyokoro Elementary school festival, and the Tokachi Valley Choral Competition for the junior high students.

Last year I was blown away by the talent and discipline of these young people, and especially considering that that the Toyokoro choir includes every student in the school.

I am very much looking forward to this year’s performance.

Janet Jory is in Summerland’s sister city of Toyokoro, Japan as the assistant English teacher.