Macleans College students travel to Tokyo for exchange programme

Anna Ye (Rutherford House), Austin Yan (Snell), Patrick Lin (Kupe) and Yuina Chan (Te Kanawa) spent ten days immersing themselves in the intricacies of Japanese culture. Highlights included wearing kimonos at the iconic temple complex of Asakusa, bathing in the local onsen and indulging in simple but delicious street food such as mitarashi dango (rice dumplings), okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) and the delicacy of wagyu gyu katsudon (deep-fried beef cutlet).

The students also explored the Sado Japanese tea ceremony and the art of Shodo, or Japanese calligraphy. In addition to these enriching experiences, their conversational skills in Japanese greatly improved and their understanding of Japan and its culture deepened significantly.

Anna Ye remarked that ‘the patience and warmth of the host students made us feel truly embraced, and a part of the community - at school and at home. From the staff to the students, everyone was incredibly welcoming and attentive, especially when it came to the meals, which were infused with the rich traditions and beauty of Japan. The memories we made here were precious and will be cherished for a very long time. We are ever so grateful for such an opportunity.’