Here are the results of a quick, informal–say it in a word, say it in a phrase–poll of how KCP alumni described KCP.
wear an undershirt /
more than just school, it’s an experience /
one of the greatest experiences in my life /
蒸し暑い /
an exercise in academic sadomasochism, yet amazingly fine /
awesome
The KCP main building, early morning sun, in a relatively sane part of Tokyo’s otherwise very busy Shinjuku district.
KCP, street level. Students waiting for buses, hooking up with friends.
One of the classroom buildings. Note street sign in both kanji and romaji (romanized letters).
A typical KCP classroom. It’s so peaceful, empty! (For less peaceful classrooms, see below.)
Computer lab, almost empty. These computers have flat screens, plenty of USB ports, internet access, CD drives, and software such as Word and Excel.
The KCP library, full of good reference materials to support your learning.
The student lounge, where students eat, drink, and chat. Onsite vending machines plus local stores nearby. Obento is a favorite. Bulletin board posts pics of recent school events and co-curricular activities.
Students enjoying learning games in language class.
Everyone is involved, even those not part of the discussion. Classes are a mix of Americans and students from other Asian countries.
Small-group exercises. For language, this is a great way to learn. Real communication can happen in a small group.
And small-group work with a teacher to check in occasionally is even better. KCP teachers are known for their ability to both generate interest and respond to the needs of each individual.
Catalina Tiamson, University of Washington
My experience in Japan wouldn’t be anything like how incredible it was without KCP. Through them, I now have a family overseas that I consider real family. I have friends all over the country who I regularly correspond with. I plan to go back next summer, definitely through KCP.
I am a junior. I took Japanese for a graduation requirement. After studying Japanese for a year, I began looking around for a study abroad experience and discovered KCP. I planned to study there only for the summer. But after living in Japan, immersed in the language and culture, I was hooked! At KCP, I delved right into the heart of all things Japanese. I am now a double major in Japanese and American Ethnic Studies. After graduation, I’ll be teaching English in Japan while I complete my masters degree program in education.
This past weekend I saw the stunning film Seven Samurai (七人の侍 Shichinin no samurai–1954), digitally remastered in high-def. At 3½ hours, it was much longer than conventional films, but I was riveted the whole time. It played at my local independent movie house. (For those of you in Bellingham, it’s part of a Masters of Japanese Cinema program by the Pickford and Western Washington University.
Akira Kurosawa, the director, created the basic recruitment-of-heroes film that has been a model for so many–The Magnificent Seven and Ocean’s Eleven, among others. Even more, this film was a major forerunner of the introduction of Asian sensibilities–zen, aesthetics, food, style–to the American public.
As Patrick Crogan of SensesOfCinema says, the movie itself was “an action film that engaged the emotions and the intellect in equal and extraordinary measures.” I’m by no means a film expert. But I was captivated by the water-wind-fire-mud motifs, the camera shots pitting sweeping, dynamic warrior scenes against quiet close-ups. Everybody ran everywhere, in that village! The strong winds blowing were intensely powerful. It was also supremely satisfying to see some character development (or revelation) in an action movie–not easy to do. The themes are undoubtedly tied in with the Japanese peoples’ search for identity, a clear moral code, and nationalism after World War II. Toshiro Mifune (a major character in many of Kurosawi’s films) and Takashi Shimura star.
It’s impossible not to be engaged by this movie. And I was not at all prepared for the enormous role humor played in the story. If you’re looking for some good insight into what it means to be Japanese, this movie is a champion. It ranks among the world’s best films of all time.
Check out–
I’ve just been reading a great book on wabi-sabi (the beauty of impermanence; the impermanence of beauty). It’s called
Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers
by Leonard Koren
Click here for Leonard Koren’s website.
The book is delightful. I especially like “the wabi-sabi universe.” It goes like this–
Metaphysically, things are either dissembling into, or evolving from, nothingness.
Spiritually, (1) truth comes from observing nature; (2) greatness exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked; and (3) out of ugliness can come beauty.
State of Mind is to accept the inevitable and appreciate cosmic order.
Moral precepts: (1) get rid of all that is unnecessary; (2) focus on the intrinsic; and (3) ignore material hierarchy.
Material qualities include: the suggestion of natural processes, irregularity, intimacy, lack of pretension, earthiness, murkiness, and simplicity.
This feels like the real deal to me–the kind of thing I always suspected but have never seen encouraged in our self-betraying society. This book is so worth it. Consider buying it if you strive for a life where the real things matter.
We have completed our review of all the T-shirt design submissions. Thank you everyone for your wonderful designs! These designs have been chosen as our finalists. We’d love to hear what you think. Vote for your favorite one and let us know why you like it. We’ll be making a final decision soon. Happy holidays everyone, and thank you for your comments!
Wabi sabi (侘寂) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. It is sometimes described as authentic beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”
Andrew Juniper claims, “If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi-sabi.”
Wabi connotes rustic simplicity, freshness, or quietness. It can also refer to quirks and anomalies arising from the process of construction, which add uniqueness and elegance to the object. Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age—the life of impermanence of the object are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.
Wabi sabi is a kind of training. The student of wabi sabi learns to find the most simple objects—say, fading autumn leaves—interesting, fascinating, and beautiful. Wabi sabi can change our perception of our world: a chip or crack in a vase makes it more interesting, giving the object greater meditative value. Similarly materials that age such as bare wood, paper, and fabric become more interesting as they change over time.
For more, see the Wikipedia entry on wabi sabi. Consider reading some of the books listed, especially Wabi Sabi for Artists, Poets, and Philosophers, by Loenard Koren. It’s a profound consolation in this world of instant fashion, meaningless communication, and planned obsolescence.
We know it’s getting close to finals time and you’ve got a long list . . . but please do send something in to the KCP T-Shirt Contest! As an enticement, we’ve tripled the value of the prizes.
We’re not getting the numbers of submissions we’d like, and we want your input! We hope you alumni will be energized to enter the contest.
Here’s the writeup again, revised. Think of us on Thanksgiving weekend!
Thanks, Casie.
Be the one to design the first-ever KCP T-shirt! Just come up with some good art and/or a good slogan and send it to us by midnight, November 28. The winner receives a $300 gift card to Best Buy and two finished T-shirts. (Yeah!) Second and third place receive a $100 Best Buy gift card and one finished T-shirt. (Yeah!!)
Ground Rules
Specs
Agreement
I had a marvelous time at KCP, and a lot of it was due to the family I stayed with. I learned so much from them, and I felt so welcome!
My view out the plane window on the way there–even the clouds look different.
A typical storefront in my neighborhood. You can see that the word SALE is in English!
My host “sister” adored me, and I adored that. Here we are at dinner, along with steaming kettles of food.
We kids are just home from a shopping trip.
A family outing. We did a lot of these, and it was great travelling in this group that I knew so well.
We’re on the bridge in the park. This is quite close to where we lived, so it was a frequent favorite.
The view at the train station towards downtown Tokyo. My commute was about 35 minutes–a good time to study and people-watch.
Me, with my host sisters and some of their friends. Kids are the best for learning Japanese! They don’t judge you and they know the latest expressions. And learning by playing is a blast! Note–everything in the house is white. How does that work, with all these kids?
A village we visited on one of our longer family trips. Such a nice contrast to the city.
My host sister took a photo of the lunch she made me one day, when I came home late after a school excursion. She was so proud.
Every KCP student enjoys the sa do, or traditional tea ceremony. It is also known as “the Way of Tea,” and it is the result of centuries of meditative, ritualized interaction among host and guests. For the Way of Tea, the year is divided into two main seasons: the sunken hearth (ro) season (the colder months, November to April), and the brazier (furo) season (the warmer months, May to October).
Guests remove footwear and wait in the tea room’s entryway until summoned by the host. Guests then ritually purify themselves, one by one, washing hands and rinsing mouths with water from a small stone basin. Guests enter the tea house and are seated on the tatami in order of prestige.
In cold weather, the ro (fireplace) built into the floor of the tea room is opened to heat the tea kettle. The many rituals for purifying oneself, greeting each other, scrupulously washing the tea utensils, and serving the tea with exquisite care are, well, steeped in traditions a thousand years old.
The host and the guest receiving the tea exchange bows. The guest then bows to the next guest and raises the bowl in respect to the host. The guest rotates the bowl to avoid drinking from its front, takes a sip, and compliments the host on the tea. If it is thin tea, the guest drinks all the tea and returns the bowl to the host, who prepares tea for the next guest after washing the bowl. If it is koicha, the guest takes two more sips before wiping the rim, rotating the bowl to its original position, and passing it to the next guest with a bow. This continues until all guests have taken tea from the same bowl, and the bowl is returned to the host.
Two kinds of tea may be served. Koicha is a thick blend of powdered tea and hot water, involving a sort of kneading to blend the large amount of powdered tea (matcha) with relatively little water. Usucha is a thin tea. To prepare it, matcha and hot water are whipped using the tea whisk. Along with tea, guests may receive sweets, a light meal, a full meal, or some combination. Here, guests enjoy sweets.
Many of the movements and facets of tea ceremony evolved from the wearing of kimono. For example, certain movements are designed with long kimono sleeves in mind; certain motions are intended to move sleeves out of the way or to prevent them from becoming dirtied in the process of making, serving, or partaking of tea.
Normally, the host cleans the tea utensils afterwards. These guests were only too happy to take a more active part.
