Japanese Club: Learn about Japan’s culture
Students participate in a calligraphy exercise
November 28, 2021
UAIS Japanese Club is a club that helps spread awareness of Japanese culture and language. Meeting every other Monday opposite of Art Club from 2:15-3:00pm, Japanese Club plays games, makes crafts, eats snacks, and has fun with friends.
Japanese Club has held several activities such as making Teru Teru Bozu’s, Origami, Calligraphy, and playing Fruits Basket. Additionally, members talk about the history and culture that follow along with the activities. Members are also able to indulge in Japanese snacks like Hello Panda. Engagements between Japanese Club board members and members make the club meetings feel relaxing and fun.
Kaitlyn Grishaj, junior, is Japanese Club’s Public Representative. She advertises Japanese Club to the student body, runs the Instagram (uaisjapaneseclub), creates posters for Instagram, talks to the public, and represents the club.
“If they are already in Japanese class, then it can further their understanding of the culture. But if they are not, then they get to learn about a culture they don’t know about and further their international minds,” she said.
Sullivan Sensei, UAIS Japanese teacher and Japanese Club’s supervisor, reckons that Japanese Club is special and different from other clubs offered at UAIS.
“The members make it special because they are really here for their love of Japan,” she said.
Furthermore, members are the focal point of Japanese Club and what gives the club its uniqueness. Aubrey Westerfield, junior and Japanese Club member, emphasizes the importance of having many members within the club.
“The past few years, Japanese Club was always a pretty small club, but now there are so many members and everyone seems so excited to be here. So, it really exceeded my expectations due to how much bigger it got,” she said.
Students who joined Japanese Club for the variety of activities, topics of history, and culture covered were surprised by the unity of the club.
“It exceeded my first expectations. My first time in the club was when it was virtual and I thought we’d end up just listening to presentations the entire time. But I was happy to make the themed crafts like the Teru Teru Bozu,” said Niyah Reeves, a sophomore and Japanese Club member.
Similarly, Lauren Richmond, junior and Japanese Club President, agreed with Reeves.
“The Calligraphy meeting was fun to watch people do. It was cool to see the members practicing Kanji in a traditional Japanese medium that is not used daily by students,” she said.
Overall, Japanese Club seems like an exceptional club where members are able to explore Japanese culture that sometimes cannot be covered in Japanese class and make friends to enjoy their shared love for Japan. If readers of UAIS are interested in joining Japanese Club, meetings are conducted every other Monday, opposite from Art Club from 2:15-3:00pm in Sensei’s room. Students can also find pictures from Japanese Club on Instagram at uaisjapaneseclub.
