Community "Nihongo Kyoshitsu" Activities Report, vol.10

The regional Japanese language education coordinators of the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation "TSUNAGARI" are visiting Japanese classes in Tokyo and introducing them in the Community "Nihongo Kyoshitsu" Activities Report.

 

In our tenth report, we are introducing "Kakehashi" in Adachi-ku.

Some information about Adachi-ku

Adachi-ku is located in the far northeast of Tokyo. It contains Kita Senju, often highly ranked as a popular area, and is a place of rich water and greenery despite being an urban center. This City is a place of abundance where you can enjoy both vibrancy and quiet comfort.

Population (as of April 1st, 2024):　             694,725

No. of foreign nationals among population:     40,119

 

 

Japanese class Kakehashi

Kakehashi is a Japanese class that started its activities in 1987.
It is held in one of the learning rooms in Umeda Community Learning Center, located three minutes' walk from Umejima Station on the Tobu Skytree Line.

 

The current President's policies are characterized by leaving activities to the learners and supporters, rather than managing them systematically as an association.
As a result, different groups spend their time in different ways, and the day that I visited, there was a two-person group using text to study, and a four-person group chatting—these ways of using the time were decided by the learners and supporters.

 

The President told me, "My role is just to provide a space. Each participant can act based on their own way of thinking." "It's fun to have different ways of thinking. I don't want to set policies as an association."

There aren't any management committee meetings; class management and plans, e.g. for flower-viewing or Tanabata, are decided through after-class discussions with supporters who stay behind of their own accord.

The class overcame even the COVID-19 pandemic, with everyone taking what actions they could in accordance with the current circumstances, based on the President's approach: "It'll be okay if we somehow keep going."

 

One other characteristic is that the learners and supporters can make use of free childcare.

Umeda Community Learning Center has a "children's room," a free space for children.

Support from the City allows a childcare worker to be sent to the class free of charge, and the learners and supporters can ask this worker to take care of their children in the children’s room while they are working on their activities.

I thought it was great to have an environment where people can study or offer support while still raising children. I hope that lots of people who are in their child-rearing years can participate in this class!

 

 

Try visiting…

President Sakamoto is very cheerful, and time flew while we were talking. During our conversation, I remember he said, numerous times, "I'd just like to keep the class going for a long time."
I hope that this class, which has continued for over 35 years, can keep going as a place for local people.

 

by AS