Editor’s Note: Hannah Tagan is a freshman at Kinnick High School on Yokosuka Naval Base. She’s an aspiring writer who enjoys exploring Japan and sharing her stories with others. If you or someone you know would like to contribute your story to Stripes Japan, let us know at japan@stripes.com!

Are you interested in experiencing Japanese culture? My family is, so when we found out about a unique program called Kimino High School, where you can get a taste of one day as a Japanese high school student, we were excited to participate.

Kimino High School means “Your High School” and offers traditional and community activities Japanese students experience daily. The school is in Kimitsu, Chiba, about an hour and a half away by car from Yokosuka Naval Base.

When we arrived, our first activity was to choose our school uniform. They had a wide selection of styles, including both classic and modern student looks. After changing, we received a greeting from our teacher and the school staff at the front entrance and then proceeded to our classroom.

Joining my class were my parents, my little sister Bridgit, 11, and little brother Thomas, 3. Other “classmates” included a lady from the staff dressed as a fellow student who stayed to assist us all day and a news reporter from Tokyo MX TV named Lucie. We all got up and wrote our names on the board before we began. We then chose the class leader and two lunch helpers. The class leader is the student who announces in Japanese to the class when to stand, come to attention and bow (a sign on the chalkboard helps with remembering the words for the commands). My dad and I were chosen to be the lunch helpers, a laborious task we would learn about later. My sister Bridgit was chosen to be our class leader.

Next, we received instructions on our yellow seat cushions in our desk chairs. We were told the cushions double as head protection in case of an earthquake. We practiced using the cushions as cover and climbed under our desks the same way students would drill on a regular school day. We practiced this to make sure everyone, including my little brother, knew what to do.

Once we were set on earthquake safety, we started our first class: calligraphy. To begin, each student selected a Kanji character, then practiced with ink and brush a few times on paper. After we were comfortable with painting the character, we then painted it onto a small wooden board, which we got to take home after it dried! We were amazed at how well my little brother behaved, even trying his hand at calligraphy.

Before we knew it, it was time to prepare lunch. Before my dad and I could go help, an alarm sounded to alert us of an earthquake. It was a practice drill, so just as we had done earlier, we grabbed our cushions and got under our desks until the drill was over.

Once in the clear, my dad and I changed into our special lunch-helper attire, an apron and white lunch hat. We served rice and curry to each of our classmates. It was a lot of fun being able to participate in lunch and so different than how we do it in the States and on base. In addition to rice and curry, we also enjoyed milk, pudding, tomatoes and agepan, a Japanese sweet bread. In the end, it felt very much like the variety you find in a supermarket or convenience store bento. It was not only very filling, but also nice to have a lot of variety and good portions of everything.

After lunch, we moved onto Japanese history class. First, we changed into yukata summer-style kimonos and samurai outfits. To expand our understanding about Japan’s past, we were taught how to use a real Katana sword! As a family, we stood in a line and were taught the basic stances and how to swing the sword. It was like history coming alive after reading about this and seeing it in movies and on TV.

After changing into gym uniforms, we returned to our classroom. Before heading to gym class, we had to clean our classroom, a practice common in Japanese schools, which do not have janitors. Each student stacked their chair on top of their desk, pushed the desks to the center of the room, and grabbed a broom to sweep up the floor. This custom of cleaning up after themselves teaches students responsibility.ility.

It was then time for gym. Downstairs, the gymnasium was set up to play three popular Japanese “Sports Day” games and our class was broken up so we could compete in a team battle. Sports Day is a public holiday in Japan and schools treat it as a field day or day to promote sports and health where students can play different sports or physical fitness activities. 

First up was a traditional game where we threw red and white beanbag sacks up into nets and the team with the most sacks in the net at the end wins. The next game was a classic tug-of-war. After the tug-of-war both teams were tied, so the last event was extra exciting to determine who would be the winner. The last event was an obstacle course race consisting of bouncing a badminton-like object on a wooden racket while running to the other side of the gym. This was followed by three attempts to pop a balloon using a ninja star (cool right?). Finally, we had to grab a donut hanging on a rope using only your mouth and then sprint to the finish line! It was very fun to have a team versus team activity as part of our Japanese school day!

After working up a sweat at Sports Day, we changed back into our school uniforms because it was time for graduation! We received certificates and scroll holders to take home with us!

The school day was over, but we were invited to attend an after-school festival. We changed back into our regular clothes and got to enjoy a Bon Odori stage, music, game booths and more. What was special was that because we were the only ones there, we didn’t have to pay or wait in line to try all the activities. We even got to go on stage and play the Taiko drums!

Kimino High School takes reservations ahead of time and can be accessed within less than a two-hour drive from most Kanto area bases using the Tokyo Aqua Tunnel. Alternatively, the school provides a free shuttle service from Shinjuku Station. Photos and videos can be taken throughout the experience.

At 35,000 yen (about $215) per person, this high school experience isn’t the cheapest activity my family and I have tried. But we all agreed that the experience and lifelong memories were worth the money. We were even featured on segment of Japanese TV with our “classmate” Lucie.

If you’re curious about life as a Japanese high school student or culture, this experience is a fun one perfect for all ages. Check it out!

Things to know

• Address: 223-1 Sakahata, Kimitsu-shi, Chiba, Japan 292-0532

• Hours: Class starts 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Website

• Cost: 35,000 yen per person, including lunch and free shuttle service

• Notes: This program is for tourists and is conducted in English.