About Me

My husband, Sid, and I both teach history in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Sid was awarded a Fulbright lectureship in Japan for the 2010-2011 academic year and so we are moving to Japan with our two (reluctant) boys. :)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Waving the Flag--the Japanese Flag

Just a quick post.  Today Sam came home from school waving a little Japanese flag. So, I said, "Sam, why are you waving the Japanese flag?"  His reply?  "Ah, Mom. We had to go see the emperor today and they made us wave these flags."  Sid has wanted to see the emperor for 20 years, but hasn't.  Sam, the 8 year old, got to go see the emperor drive by--close enough that he waved at the emperor and the emperor and his family waved back.  One of the advantages of going to a Turkish school inside of a Japanese elementary, I guess. Ah, Sam, why couldn't Daddy go wave the flag with you, too?

I have to wonder if Hirohito is turning in his grave. Do you think he ever in his wildest dreams envisioned that someday in Japan an American kid would be waving the Japanese flag at the Japanese emperor? 
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3 comments:

  1. NinaNovember 9, 2010 at 1:06 PM

    So this is the second time you mention, Turkish schools. I have never heard of them. I googled the term and mostly came up with schools that teach the Turkish language or culture, but I assume that is not the kind of school Sam goes to.

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  2. MelindaNovember 10, 2010 at 4:20 AM

    No, Sam's school originated because Turkish residents in Tokyo wanted a place to send their kids to school (in other words, without putting them in Japanese public school). So, the Turkish ambassador met with the mayor of Shibuya and requested space in one of the Japanese public schools for the Turkish school. It was given, the result being an "international school" run by Turks where kids are taught in English (but get Japanese lessons). Many of the Turks could not pay the expensive tuition of international schools here (about $20,000 a year, sometimes more) so they often get reduced tuition at the Turkish school. The kids interact with the Japanese kids at recess, during exchange activities, and in special events (such as seeing the emperor). So, it's the Jingumae (name of the Japanese public school in which Sam's school is located) International (mostly non-Japanese although a few Japanese kids attend in order to perfect English) Exchange (because the public school and the international school interact) School. :)

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  3. NinaNovember 15, 2010 at 5:45 PM

    Thanks for the explanation. I was wondering if it referred to a teaching method sort of like the Montessori approach.

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