Japanese News

Year 8 Japanese Students Bring Their Learning to Life

Our Year 8 Japanese students recently celebrated the completion of their Food Unit with a visit to a local Japanese restaurant, where they had the opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice in an authentic setting.

Throughout the unit, students explored many aspects of Japanese food and dining culture. They learnt vocabulary for fruits and vegetables, practised ordering food and drinks at restaurants and supermarkets, including using quantities, and developed their understanding of Japanese cultural expressions associated with meals. They also refined their chopstick skills in preparation for the excursion.

At the restaurant, students embraced the experience by ordering and enjoying a range of traditional Japanese dishes, including katsudon, tempura, teriyaki chicken and bento meals with miso soup. Many students challenged themselves to use chopsticks throughout the meal and were delighted to discover new favourite foods.

Before eating, each class came together to say いただきます (itadakimasu), expressing gratitude before the meal. At the end of lunch, students concluded the experience with ごちそうさまでした (gochisou sama deshita), a traditional expression of thanks after the meal. These cultural practices helped students gain a deeper appreciation of Japanese customs and etiquette.

The excursion was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect their language learning with real-world experiences, building confidence while celebrating Japanese food, language and culture in an enjoyable and memorable way.

Students Showcase Their Talents in JATNET Calligraphy Competition

Students in Years 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 explored the traditional art of Japanese calligraphy during their Japanese lessons this term, developing their understanding of Japanese language, culture and artistic expression.As part of their learning, students practised writing Japanese characters with both pen and brush. 

This year's JATNET (Japanese Teachers' Network Tasmania) Calligraphy Competition competition challenged students to write a designated Japanese character or word. Primary students wrote うま (uma – horse), Years 7–9 students wrote 和 (wa – harmony, peace or Japanese), and Years 10–12 students wrote 命(inochi – life, destiny or fate).

Schools may submit a maximum of two entries in each competition category, making selection a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to our students who were selected to represent the school:

• Primary Pen: Shakaya Henricks and Amelia Beven

• Primary Brush: Mila McLennan and Shanaya Prajit

• Year 7–9 Pen: Luka Duncanson and Millie Corbin

• Year 7–9 Brush: Lottie Sun Joyce and Madelyn Keep

• Year 10–12 Pen: Elise Wilson

• Year 10–12 Brush: Elise Wilson and Lily Rose McGee

Japanese calligraphy is much more than neat handwriting. It is a traditional art form that requires patience, concentration and precision, with careful attention to stroke order, balance and presentation. We are incredibly proud of all the students who are representing our school and commend them for the dedication and care they put into preparing their entries.

We wish all entrants the very best and look forward to celebrating the competition results later this year.

Looking Forward to Welcoming Our Yaizu Visitors

Mount Carmel College is looking forward to welcoming students from Yaizu, Hobart's sister city in Japan, when they visit Tasmania from Tuesday 28 July to Monday 3 August 2026.

The annual visit is a valued tradition that strengthens the long-standing friendship between Hobart and Yaizu through cultural exchange and meaningful connections between young people. This year, Mount Carmel College is delighted to host 17 female students, aged between 13 and 18 years, during their stay.

We extend our sincere thanks to the wonderful Mount Carmel families who have generously opened their homes to host the visiting students. Their hospitality plays a vital role in making this experience memorable and meaningful for our guests. We also thank the many staff members who are supporting the program and helping to create a warm welcome for our visitors throughout their time at the College.

As part of the visit, Yaizu's Deputy Mayor and official delegation will also be in Hobart and will tour the Mount Carmel College campus on Wednesday 29 July. We are honoured to welcome them and look forward to sharing our school community and learning environment.

The friendship between Hobart and Yaizu has connected the two cities for almost five decades, with 2027 marking the 50th anniversary of this special sister-city relationship. We are proud to continue playing a part in fostering international friendships and cultural understanding through this valued annual exchange.

We look forward to welcoming our Yaizu visitors to Mount Carmel and wish them a wonderful stay in Hobart.