Next year, 2020, will see us offer the opportunity for Yr 5, 6 and 7 students to take part in the biennial Myojo Study Tour in September. Due to the moving of Yr 7s to high school in 2022, it means for those students currently in Yr 4, their opportunity to go to Japan will be as a Yr 5 next year.  The trip will be just under 2 weeks in length and is a chance to visit a beautiful country with a vastly different culture.

Students have the opportunity to:

  • stay with a host family as Myojo students do here at Woodend
  • go to the Myojo Japanese school each day, experiencing every-day school life
  • be part of a home room class at Myojo Gakuen elementary school
  • utilise the Japanese language skills they have learned in the classroom
  • and visit cultural and tourist landmarks and attractions.

As a Woodend group we have a 2 day/1 night trip to Hakone, a beautiful part of Japan, and stay in a traditional Japanese style hotel called a ryokan. During this trip we also visit an open air museum (the first ever built in Japan which includes learning about the natural world using play equipment and shape based art, plus a permanent exhibition of 300 works by Picasso), ride a cable car, boat and special “mini shinkansen”.

Hakone is part of the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. On a clear day, Mount Fuji can be seen in the distance. Through experiencing the cultural and historical aspects of the country first hand, students broaden their understanding of their part in the global community.

From our experience, it is a wonderful opportunity which sees students grow in confidence, increase their independence and maturity and open their minds to a different culture.

Approximate cost is $3000 which covers the airfare, the 2 day trip to Hakone, transport, entry tickets to the museum and host family fees.

We will be running an information session early Term 3. If you have any questions before that feel free to ask or pop in to see me in my classroom.

Sarah Vinall