Aya Tsuhako speaks during a Japanese language class at Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Aya Tsuhako speaks during a Japanese language class at Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Okinawa students learn life is very different in a US school

At Kamiak High, the lockers actually lock and classes do not start on the hour. Weird. Very weird.

MUKILTEO — Tall trees. Big houses. Big hamburgers.

Those are some of the words used by the 23 students visiting from southern Japan to describe their first impression of America to a class at Kamiak High School.

Hideto Furugen, 15, found joy in water vapor.

“I got to see my breath,” Hideto said. It’s a rarity in the subtropical region of the island of Okinawa where he lives.

Another high point: People came up to talk to him.

“Love it,” the teen said. “We don’t do that in public.”

The students were part of the Kakehashi Project — “The Bridge for Tomorrow” — a friendship program promoted by the Japanese government with the United States, in this case two cultures, 5,700 miles apart.

A group of students from high schools in the Edmonds School District visited Tokyo and northern Japan with the Kakehashi Project in July.

Airi Sugimoto (left) and Erika Okuma (right) look into the weight room during their tour of Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Airi Sugimoto (left) and Erika Okuma (right) look into the weight room during their tour of Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

During the December winter break, 23 students from Yoshitaka Inoue’s Japanese class at Kamiak will visit the Okinawa school.

“My students are so excited they can try Japanese language skills and make lifelong friends,” Inoue said. “For both ways, it is important for this age to see somebody from a different culture to open up their minds, especially nowadays to appreciate the differences.”

Students from both countries were at varying levels of language fluency.

As Kamiak senior Brian Lee, 17, put it: “We were able to work with what we knew and what they knew in order to communicate. We tried to find middle ground.”

Added classmate Jasmine Jones, 17: “We learned that language is more than just perfect grammar with communication. It’s about finding words that can work. We are excited to use these tools when we go to Japan next month.”

During their weeklong visit, the Japanese students made the rounds in Seattle, visiting the Japanese consulate, Nisei Veterans Committee, the University of Washington, Alki Beach and Pike Place Market.

They stayed with host families in Mukilteo for several days of immersion in Pacific Northwest teendom.

Japanese students and teachers take pictures of the school theater during their tour of Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Japanese students and teachers take pictures of the school theater during their tour of Kamiak High School. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Okinawa, known as the Japanese Hawaii, is 400 miles south of mainland Japan, about the same distance off the coast of China, and 300 miles north of Taiwan.

It’s about 1,000 miles from Tokyo. Unlike Tokyo, which many Americans associate with anime, fashion and food, Okinawa is remembered for its decisive role in World War II. The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest. About 110,000 Japanese soldiers died, and possibly as many civilians. About 12,520 Americans were killed in the battle.

About 25,000 U.S. military troops are stationed in Okinawa, which has 1.4 million residents.

The students are from Naha Kokusai Senior High School in Naha, the largest city and the capital of Okinawa.

At Kamiak, the students from Okinawa, in hoodies and jeans, blended in with the Mukilteo teens swarming the halls. Uniforms are required at their home school. In a slide presentation, they showed Kamiak students pictures of the dress code attire, mostly plaids and navy blues.

“I wish I could wear regular clothes,” said Okinawa student Yumeno Sueyoshi. “I like my own clothes better than uniforms.”

At her school, students attend all the same classes together, rather than get to choose which gym class they want. In Japan, students stay in the same classroom and teachers change rooms.

The Japanese students were awestruck by the size of the theater department, indoor swimming pool and weight room.

Lockers were among the other things that American students take for granted that their Japanese peers found fascinating.

Sakura Hentona and Aoi Uehara, both 17, were amazed not only by the size but also that they locked. Their school has small cubbies with “No privacy,” they said.

Another thing that stood out: chairs attached to desks.

They also found it fascinating that the class periods didn’t start and end on the hour, as in Japan, but at odd number combinations.

A class starting at 10:24?

Weird, they said. Very weird.

Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

An American Robin picks a berry from a holly tree on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Calling all birders for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Audubon Society will hold its 28th annual Great Backyard… Continue reading

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Aaron Kennedy / The Herald
The Joann Fabric and Crafts store at 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett, is one of three stores in Snohomish County that will close as part of the retailer’s larger plan to shutter more than half of its stores nationwide.
Joann store closure plan includes Everett, Arlington, Lynnwood locations

The retail giant filed a motion in court to close approximately 500 stores in the U.S.

Lynnwood
Lynnwood police: 1 suspect in custody, 1 at large after attempted carjacking

Beverly Elementary School went into a precautionary lockdown Thursday afternoon. Numerous officers continue to search for the second suspect.

Candidates announce campaigns for Everett city council seat

Ryan Crowther, founder of the Everett Music Initiative, will challenge incumbent Paula Rhyne for the District 2 seat.

Lynnwood City Council Vice President Julieta Crosby speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood picks top eight candidates to replace former council VP

The City Council will make its final decision Feb. 20 after interview process.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.