Japanese

Year 8 Online Cultural Exchange with Ritsumeikan Junior High School

On December 4, a group of Year 8 students took part in a special online cultural exchange with Ritsumeikan Junior High School in Japan. This unique learning experience allowed students from both countries to connect, communicate, and explore each other’s cultures through food.

During the session, Yarrabing students tasted traditional Japanese foods such as natto (fermented soybeans), onigiri (rice ball) with umeboshi (sour plum), oshiruko (sweet red bean soup), and kakigori (shaved ice dessert). In return, Ritsumeikan students sampled iconic Australian foods such as Vegemite, meat pie, Weet-Bix, and more.

Students shared that preparing and tasting these foods together helped them gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture in a fun and interactive way. They also enjoyed seeing the Ritsumeikan students react to Australian snacks. For many, this exchange made cultural learning exciting, meaningful, and memorable.

This wonderful experience not only strengthened the relationship with Japanese students but also helped students appreciate cultural differences through something truly universal—food.

Below are some reflections from our students:

The online meeting with Ritsumeikan was very wonderful experience. We learned about each others cultural through food which made the event exciting. We also learned how Japanese dishes are like, such as the rice ball known the おにぎり(onigiri) has a tradition that they put sour plums which are very sour and chewy, making them unique. There's also this food called the なっとう(nattou), which are soybeans mixed with mustard and another sauce, and after when they are mixed it starts to become bubbly which tells us that its ready to eat. The taste of the beans are way different to the beans I have ate, and it showed me that how flavors can be different from cultures. Through this online meeting I have learned so much about Japanese food, and I wish to do these online meetings with Ritsumeikan.

(Jasmeet - 8B)

I really enjoyed the experience of learning about Japan with our sister school, as it gave me the chance to discover new foods while connecting with others. The activities were engaging and exciting, and I found the whole process not only educational but also a lot of fun. It was a memorable opportunity that combined cultural learning with enjoyment, making it both meaningful and entertaining. My favourite part of the cultural exchange was when we all had to eat the onigiri, my friend got the sour one and seemed to have the worst reaction which was funny. It was sooooo funny!! I’m super excited to ever meet with them again!

(Avi - 8E)

On December 4, few year 8 from a few class took part in an online cultural exchange with Ritsumeikan. We tried four traditional Japanese foods such as natto, onigiri with sour plums, shiruko and kakigori, and the sour plum guessing game was a favourite moment for many students. Making the foods together helped us understand Japanese culture in a fun and hands-on way, and the session created great memories for everyone involved. We are very grateful to Mr Walsh and Takahama Sensei for organising this experience. Arigato gozaimasu. I look forward to future exchanges.

(Krrish - 8G)

Junko Takahama

Curriculum Leader