Community "Nihongo Kyoshitsu" Activities Report, vol.16

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 sixteenth report, we are introducing The Kamishakujii Fureai Nihongo Kyoshitsu in Nerima-ku!

About Nerima-ku

Nerima-ku is located in the northwestern part of Tokyo's 23 special wards and borders Saitama Prefecture to the north. With a population exceeding 750,000, it is the second most populous city among Tokyo's wards, cities, towns, and villages.

The city is served by the Seibu Ikebukuro, Toshima, and Shinjuku lines, the Tobu Tojo Line, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho and Fukutoshin lines, the Seibu Yurakucho Line, and the Toei Oedo Line. Including stations in neighboring wards and cities near the city boundaries, there are as many as 25 stations, making it a very convenient area for commuting to work and school.

 

Population (as of September 1st, 2025):  750,027

                                   Foreign population:  28,608

 

Kamishakujii Fureai Nihongo Kyoshitsu

The Kamishakujii Fureai Nihongo Kyoshitsu is held at the Kamishakujii North Community Center, which is a 5-minute walk from Kamishakujii Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. According to reports, the classroom has been held at this location since Fumoto-san, one of the supporters, started it in 1990.

When we visited for coverage, the classroom was so lively that voices could be heard even outside the community center. Groups consisting of one supporter and one to four learners were engaged in activities suited to their respective Japanese language levels.

 

Fire Extinguisher and AED Training

Normally, group learning takes place from 10:00 to 11:30, but on the day of our visit, group learning ended after about an hour, and the remaining time was dedicated to fire extinguisher and AED training conducted by staff from Shakujii Fire Station.

Before the training, Shakujii Fire Station staff gave a lecture in simple Japanese about the importance of earthquake preparedness.

 

During the lecture, participants watched video footage showing what would happen in the event of a major earthquake directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area, as well as disaster prevention videos about precautions to take when earthquakes occur. (These disaster prevention videos are also available on the Tokyo Intercultural Portal Site.)

After the lecture, participants divided into two groups for AED training and fire extinguisher training.

 

AED training

 

 

In addition to fire extinguisher and AED training, the Kamishakujii Fureai Nihongo Kyoshitsu creates opportunities for city staff to explain garbage sorting methods. These initiatives are made possible through encouragement from the city to hold such events.

The classroom maintains regular contact with the city, consulting about community center usage and receiving requests from the city to distribute flyers for foreign residents.

 

 

Thoughts on our visit…

We were surprised to learn that activities have continued since 1990, but we believe this has been possible because, with cooperation from the city’s instructor training courses and community center usage support, it has become a place where "Japanese language learners can participate comfortably" without any pressure. It was a Japanese language classroom where both learners and supporters, spanning generations, were constantly smiling throughout.

 

 

by AS