Fall 2016 is over!

Fall semester 2016 is now over.  The distribution of letter grades is as usual.
2201/2251     3A's  7B's  2C's  2D's
1102              3A's  2B's  6C's  2D's
1101              9A's  5B's  7C's  3D's  and 12F's

Spring Semester registration is going on and all the classes seems to be held.  No cancellation due to the enrollment.

Spring Flower Viewing Trip to Kyoto has amazingly 13 students in it and soon to be closed.

Summer Study Abroad Japan has 5 registrants and abot 12 more are expected to register.

Dollar value is going up so we are in good shape!

Fall 2016 is now closing!

Time flies.  The fall semester 2016 is about to end.  As usual I lost many students from 1101 but those who registered 1102 and 2201 survived quite well.

Now the Spring Semester registration is open and many classes are waiting for you.
1101  Tue & Thu 10-12 and 12 to 2 (2 classes)
1102  Mon & Wed 10-12 (1 class)
2201  Mon & Wed 5-7pm (1 class)
2202  Mon & Wed 1-3pm (1 class)

Plus  1101 Tue & Thu  7-9pm (taught by Imamura-sensei) will be open as well.

Spring Break trip has already 11 participants and will be closed shortly

Summer Study Abroad anticipates 15 students (according to my recent memo) and 3 have submitted their application and likely to be admitted.

Fall 2016 Classes are ready for you to register. All GTS classes will open.

Fall 2016 classes have been waiting for students to register.  As of the end of July, all 5 GTS classes have enough students to open and continue to wait to be filled for next 3 weeks.

Japanese 1101
Monday/Wednesday  10am-12noon 
Tuesday/Thursday     10am-12noon   AND 12noon-2pm

Japanese 1102
Monday/Wednesday    5-7pm

Japanese 2201
Monday/Wednesday   1-3pm

There still will be night Japanese 1101 class on Tues/Thurs night.

The final excursion to Shimogamo Shrine.

Today's afternoon excursion is the last one of the Summer Program 2016.  Students played in the river with barefoot with local kids and were headed to Shimogamo Shrine to make a prayer for their own zodiac deity.

Everyone had a final exam today and practiced the final project which will be performed tomorrow at the farewell party.

Now everyone began final shopping and preparing for the return trip to the US.

Gion Festival Parade and the Martial Arts!

While raining a bit, Gion Festival Parade began and smoothly carried out.  The rain stopped and the weather was actually perfect to watch the famous TSUJIMAWASHI (Turning without wheel) at every corner.

Late afternoon after the parade, we went to Shugakuin where GTS elementary school friend operates the Martial Arts Dojo, Kenbukai and everyone learned Tai Chi and other self defense methods!

GTS Time Slip to Kamigamo Shrine

Study Abroad Program 2016 is nearing the end.  Many students have been exhausted so their temper began worsening.  So it was a good idea to visit Kamigamo Shrine area where GTS spent his elementary school years.  There are many new buildings but still some have been exactly the same as before.

Students had some taste of GTS time of some 40 years ago.  We went to a couple of parks where we met many school kids and had fun with.

Indeed, everyone grew up but they all of sudden becomes kids when they saw see-saw, swing, slide, and jungle gym, etc.

It was a good time.  At least GTS was happy to have some time slip!

Buddhist Script Writing at Daikakuji Temple

Very nice but hot and humid weather returns to Kyoto and produced much sweat while we were walking to Daikakuji Temple from Randen Arashiyama Station for about 30 minutes.

At the Daikakuji Temple as usual, we did Shakyo, or Buddhist Scripture Writing at Godai-do.

Though everyone just tracing what was on the paper, s/he was quietly concentrating on doing it.  During the morning class at KIA, students experienced traditional Brush writing so this was quite practical use of what they learned.

The weather is cooperating with us and hope to visit Kamigamo Shrine tomorrow without rain.

Nishijin Textile and Japanese Exorcism

Slight rain continued today.  Some began preparing overnight trip to Tokyo (Fri-Sat).  Kyoto's humidity is getting higher and higher so everyone began getting tired as well.

Afternoon trip was to Seimei Shrine which is famous for Japanese exorcism. The famous exorcist during the Heian period 11th century was Abe no Seimei.  He is enshrined here.

After Seimei Shrine we visited Nishijin Textile center where you can enjoy Kimono Fashion Show. 

Very quick visit to NARA Park and the Giant Buddha!

It was very humid and raining a little today.  As soon as the class ended we jumped on the bus to get to the city subway station to quickly reach Kyoto Station for Kintetsu train ride.

about 50 minutes train ride took us to Nara where we walk to the Giant Buddha Hall in Todai-ji temple accompanied by many deer around.

Some were quickly climbing up the February Hall corridor to overlook the entire Nara city from the above.

Nijo Castle under extreme heat and humidity.

Monday began with heat and steam!  Kyoto's real hot and humid weather has arrived with traditional event of building the Gion Festival Huge Float for marching coming up this weekend.

Everyone went to Nijo Castle in the afternoon to see its main building and the garden.  The weather itself is nice though hot and humid so it must be the good experience.

We will be heading to Nara tomorrow and play with deer next to the Giant Buddha!

Hiroshima Peace Study overnight trip completed!

On Saturday under the rain we left Kyoto for Hiroshima by bus.  On the way in highway, we stopped at Hyogo Prefecture (Tatsuno) and Kodani for lunch.

We checked in Aster Plaza, which is located 10 minutes walk from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
We went arounf important spots of the park by walking (Central Monument, Thousand folded crane, Korean Victim's Mound, Aioi T Bridge (Bomb target), A-bomb Dome, Hypocenter, etc), then began listening to the Survivor's talk by Ms. Keiko Ogura who was 8 years old when the A-Bomb blasted 1.5 miles away from her house.

After her talk we went back to Aster Plaza where we met students from Hiroshima Jogakuin University.  These local students took our students to the central city in Hiroshima for dinner and some entertainment.

On Sunday, we visited Miyajima Island which is famous for floating shrine and Torii gate in high tide time.  It was very quick trip to the island by ferry boat but the mission was completed.

On the way back home, everyone got exhausted but safely got back home in the traffic jam.

Arashiyama Mountain Top Scenic area to Tenryuji Temple.

Another hot and humid day today, yet we went to Arashiyama by train and walk along Oi-River to get to the park where Zhou Enlai's memorial park is located.

From the mountain top area, we walked through bamboo trail to get to Tenryu-ji Temple garden.

You can see the Kyoto city from the top of its garden mountain!

Today is the Milky Way Festival (Tanabata) day so some go to the festival with Japanese Summer Cotton Kimono (Yukata).

The Phoneix Pavilion under the excessive heat!

Though the tough steamy weather continues, we went to the Phoenix Pavilion which is famous for 10 yen coin design.

Afternoon direct sun shine was hitting us hard but we survived!  Fast Uji river stream made us feel a bit cooler but....

We will visit the western side again tomorrow!

The Silver Pavilion instead of Nijo Castle!

Originally we planned to go to Nijo Castle but it changed the closed day schedule so we altered the plan to visit the Silver Pavilion.

From the mountain in the Silver Pavilion, we could see the city from the eastern side!  We did see the same city from the monkey park that was the western side.

Heat continued.

July 4th with Heat and Heat

Kyoto is now having its traditional hot and humid days and today was no exception.  We could get away from the heat in the department store.

Instead of walking around during the steamy daytime, we went to Gion Corner to enjoy some traditional performance (Tea, Flower, Gagaku, Kyogen, Kyomai, Koto).

Though it last only 60 minutes, everyone can taste a bit of Japanese traditional culture during the heat!

Kyoto's steamy heat arrived in the Monkey Park

Traditional real humid and hot summer weather arrived in Kyoto.  There was Sushi making activity at school this morning at school and everyone enjoyed making sushi roles and eating what they made!

We took Randen train from Hakubaicho to Arashiyama which was packed with tourists.  We went through those crowd and get to the foot of Mt. Iwata which has a Monkey Park on its top!

Steamy Kyoto summer began on this first day of July and we will have continuously this hot days from now on!

1001 statues welcomed students at Sanjusangendo!

Most students got soaked yesterday by heavy rain at the Golden Pavilion.  The weather somewhat got improved a bit so no umbrella was quite needed.

In order to get to Sanjusangendo Temple we took the train though everyone can leave the temple by bus.

There are 1001 Senju Kannon (mercy Buddha with 1000 hands) in them temple, which is really overwhelming!

We will have the Sushi making party at school tomorrow, which will be followed by the visiting Mt. Iwata Monkey Park.

First major rainiy day in Kyoto

Though it was the fisr major rainy day, our field trip did not stop.   After school, we went to Ritsumeikan University Zonshinkan Cafeteria to eat lunch before heading to the Golden Pavilion under rain.

Really shiny golden pavilion is great but the Golden Pavilion under rain.  Kyoto's rainy day has its own citizenship!   It seems that the rain will cease tonight and we will be welcomed by many statues at the temple tomorrow!

Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine with thousands of Torii gate

In this rainy season, it was really lucky today not to have rain though the forecast said it would.  After lunch we took the rain going down to Fushimi Inari where many many tourists were hanging around.

Some made it on top of the Mt. Inari after walking through thousands of Torii gates.

We will be hanging around school tomorrow by visiting the Golden Pavilion after eating lunch at Ritsumeikan University cafeteria.

Yasaka Shrine to Kiyomizu-dera Temple via Kodaiji Temple

In the school, students had a chance to wear Kendo Gear (Thw way of Sword) and took some pictures.

Afternoon trip began from Gion or the Torii gate of Yasaka Shrine and walked to Maruyama Park (famous for Cherry Blossom).  We walked up to Kodaiji temple built next to Ryozan Kannon (huge outside buddha for mercy)

From Kodaiji temple, we walked up to Kiyomizudera temple through Ninen-zaka and San'nen-zaka which are all filled with tourists!

No rain, it was good!

The Zoo and Nanzenji Temple under rain!

In this rainy season, raining seems to be inevitable but sometimes rainy day is better than hot and humid day which is very famous in Kyoto, more like infamous!

Animals are so close that we could really enjoy their lovely behavior!  After having a bit fun, we were headed to Nanzenji temple and Lake Biwa Canal.

Not bad as a first week of the program!

Eikando stands quietly at the east end of Kyoto

After school, we took a group photo in front of Kyoto International Academy.
In the morning it was raining a bit but in the afternoon it stopped and got really heated with steam.

At least we were still in the cooler area of Kyoto, so everyone is still surviving, I suppose.

We will enjoy with some animals at Kyoto City Zoo tomorrow!

Osaka Castle waited for us in the slight rain!

We got another group from Georgia (Gerogia Southern University).  Three groups are becoming one now.  COD, EALC, and GSU.  Total 31 studnets!!  Big group!

Our afternoon trip today was to Osaka Castle.  Not bad weather on the way to get to the Castle but slight rain began towards the end of the trip.

In Japan, today is the first day of the Senator Election for which Shingo's friend id running!

Rain stopped and drove us to Heian Jingu Shrine

It was heavily raining over night but it stopped while commuting to school in the morning and during the afternoon excursion to Heian Jingu Shrine and Kyoto Handicraft Center.

Everyone seems to be placed in the new classroom after the placement test and began settling down!

Though it is in the midst of rainy season, so far so good.

By the way, while Shingo is commuting to school, he bumped into the Glenbrook South High School Japan trip group in the bus!

What a coincidence but it happened a lot during the summer in Kyoto! 

The first school day completed without problems!

The first school day was very hot and humid day without rain.  Everyone took a placement test and met teachers for the first time.

Everyone came to school on time as we practiced over the weekend.  After school we went to Ritsumeikan University to have lunch at its cafeteria before visiting Ryoanji Temple, the Rock Garden.

So far so good.  It seems to be raining tomorrow!

Summer Study Abroad Begns without any problems!

COD JAPAN Study Abroad Program began without any problems.  We have gathered at the designated gate at about 4:30am way early in the morning at O'Hare then our flight left for San Francisco where we switched the plane for Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan.

Long flight but the excited flight arrived in Osaka on time and were transferred to Kyoto International Academy by 7pm to meet with host families.

On Saturday morning (this morning), we practiced commuting to school under sun shine!

Our actual study activity will begin on Monday 6/20!

The Spring Trip is concluded at the top of Mt. Inari!

Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine and thousands of Torii gates celebrated our successful trip on this final day.  Everyone made it to the top of Mt. Inari and we walked back to the train station through thousands of Torii gates.

Since it was the GOOD FRIDAY yesterday, we went to Kyoto's largest Catholic Cathedral in downtown where we dismissed!

Later they went to get some useful items at the 100 yen shop before heading to Korean BBQ place "Dai SHOGUN" in their hotel area!

No rain during the trip.  Though Sakura was not quite bloomed and chilly days continued, we could accomplish what we planned and ready for heading back to the States tomorrow!

Golden Pavilion and Rock Garden

Before all those tourists, we arrived at the Golden Pavilion but still very many people already there!  We walked from the Golden Pavilion to the Rock Garden (Ryoanji temple) to meditate a bit.

We had lunch at the cafeteria at Ritsumeikan University before heading to Hirano shrine where they are preparing the flower viewing tables.

Today is the only day of the month when the flea market is held at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine so we did not miss this chance.

At night we had a group dinner and be ready for the next day.

Windy but with sunshine!

The end of the trip is closer and we haven't had any rain so we are quite lucky.

We began strolling the Kyoto's largest shrine garden in Heian Jingu Shrine and continued to walk to Nanzenji temple via Shingo's condo.

From Nanzenji temple we could walk through the Philosopher's Path from Nyakuoji Shrine to the Silver Pavilion from whose top of the mountain we could see beautiful Kyoto!

Shopping at the Kyoto Handicraft Center concluded today's program and be ready for tomorrow!

Super walking from the west to the east

Continuing beautiful day assisted us to walk a lot today.  We walk from the hotel to Nijo Castle via Sin'sen'en through allies.

After lunch break in Gion, we began walking from Yasaka Shrine to Kiyomizudera temple through Maruyama Park, Kodaiji temple, Ryouzen Kan'non, San'neizaka, Ninenzaka and Kiyomizuzaka.

This tour spot was really crowded so after visiting Jishu Shrine, going down the Tea Bowl Slope (Chawanzaka) to get to the main Street (Higashioji).

We continued to walk to Sanjusangendo temple where 1001 statues welcomed us.  At night we had a glimpse of Japanese traditional performance such as, tea ceremony, Ikebana, Koto, Gagaku, Kyogen and Bun'raku.

A lot of accomplishment!

Buddhist Scripture Writing at Daikaku-ji temple and Kimono Show!

Another beautiful day encouraged us to go to a bit farther west to Daikaku-ji temple where everyone had a chance to experience writing the Han'nyashingyo scripture for the betterment of the life!  

From the temple we walked through so called Sagano Bamboo Forest Strolling to get to the Arashiyama Randen train station via Nonomiya Shrine which is famous for Tale of Genji.

Because the cherry hasn't been blooming yet, we alternate the schedule and visited Nishijin Textile Center where everyone can enjoy sopping and Kimono fashion show!

No rain with sunshine again!  Spring has really come!

The Osaka Castle and the Phoenix Pavilion!

A bit cooler but the beautiful weather continued. Our Keihan train day begins with the Osaka Castle from which the entire Osaka was very visible.  Everyone got even the soft serve before entering the castle!

Lunch break was at the Imperial Market Place next to the Panasonic Building.  On the way back to Kyoto, we stopped in Uji where we could visit the Phoenix Pavilion to compare with it in the ten yen coin.

Originally we planned to visit one more place in Fushimi but time was running out so we postponed!

First Full day began with DEER in Nara!

Perfect weather welcomed us to Nara.   Many deer in Nara park pleased us and everyone got surprised with THE giant Buddha Image at Todaiji temple.  We walk through Todai ji huge temple complex including February Hall from which the entire Nara city can be seen!

We walked along Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine and Mt. Wakakusa to get to Kasuga Grand Shrine!

Lunch time at Higashimuki Shopping Street, then were heading back to Kyoto.

Scenery from the top of Kyoto Station Building was also superb!

Spring Trip 2016 Launched!

It has been a while since last time I updated.  Well, it was at the last summer trip!

Spring Trip 2016 group is really small and having only 4 members yet we will be having a lot of fun here in Kyoto.

We took American Airlines most recent aircraft "DREAM LINER" to get to Narita Airport from which we too a train to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

We made it just right to catch the scheduled domestic Japan Airline to reach Osaka Itami Airport from which we got top the hotel by monorail and subway!

Everyone seems tired with a good spirit!  We will go to Nara first tomorrow!