Tabunkahiroba AIAI ~ Continuing to Challenge the Possibilities of Community-based Japanese language education ~

Ms. Fukumura, a Japanese language teacher, became interested in Community-based Japanese language education and started "Nihongo AIAI" in Hino City, Tokyo, as a place to put it into practice. Later, she changed the name of her circle to the current "Tabunkahiroba AIAI," for a very good reason. We interviewed Ms. Fukumura, who continues to enjoy her activities as a supporter and a friend of the foreign residents in the community.

Her Interest in the Community was Sparked by a Student's Words

One day, while teaching at a Japanese language school, Ms. Fukumura experienced a shock. "There was a student who was always napping in class. When I woke him up, he said, 'I can't learn Japanese at a Japanese language school. I'm working part-time at a yakiniku restaurant. That's where I improved my Japanese.' He was learning Japanese in his everyday life, not within the framework of the school. I was very shocked. At the same time, I was interested in the idea of one learning (language) within the community."

So, Ms. Fukumura decided to study at a graduate school, specializing in Community-based Japanese language education, while volunteering at a local Japanese language class. Ms. Fukumura visited Japanese language classes in a wide range of areas, including areas in Kansai and Tsukuba City. Later, with the advice of her graduate school professor, she decided to start a circle. That was "Nihongo AIAI," which was born in 2010. The name was derived from the Japanese word "wakiaiai," which means "full of a harmonious, joyful, and relaxed atmosphere".

A circle where Japanese and non-Japanese parents, as well as their children, play together.

To whom should she teach Japanese? Ms. Fukumura used her own experience to target mothers from overseas who were raising children. "I was born in Shiga Prefecture, and raised my children in Osaka and then in Tokyo; in places I didn't know. I experienced isolated parenting, not being able to make any mom friends or make park debuts (bringing one's child to the local park to play for the first time). I knew some foreign mothers who reminded me of my former self. Instead of a teacher-student framework, I decided to create a circle where Japanese parents, non-Japanese parents, and their children could play together and interact with each other."

She did not want to teach through textbooks. So, Ms. Fukumura came up with the idea that she would prepare topics that the mothers could easily discuss, and chat about them in Japanese.
For example, places to take their children to play on rainy days, their favorite dishes, recommended baby food, etc. However, mothers who had just arrived in Japan felt isolated in the circle because they could not come into the conversation, no matter how easy the topics were to talk about.

She made the mothers feel isolated in her circle, even though it was set up for those who felt isolated in society. Ms. Fukumura felt a strong sense of self-contradiction. So, she decided to take ‘Nihongo (Japanese)' out of the circle's name - "Nihongo AIAI"- and reviewed the activities that had focused on conversations in Japanese.

Passing the Baton of Initiative

Some of the foreign mothers were good cooks and some were good dancers, so I decided to ask them to take on teaching roles. The teaching roles now change each time, and the others become the learners.

Until then, Ms. Fukumura had taken the initiative of conducting the conversation　between participants, but she stopped doing so. "I decided to pass the baton of the initiative." She then changed the name of the circle to "Tabunkahiroba AIAI (hereafter:AIAI)". When they first began, activities were held twice a month, but they eventually settled into a format where they were held at the convenience of the participants. Twelve years have passed since Ms. Fukumura started the circle, and the number of mothers who have reached the end of their parenting period has been increasing. Some mothers have graduated from AIAI and gone out into society as their children grew up.

Two Ongoing Events - One in Spring, and One in Autumn

AIAI holds events in spring and autumn. For the spring event, students from Musashino Art University's Japanese language class organize intercultural cohesion events. Since 2016, collaborative project between local government, academia, and private sector has continued the "Oyako de Kokusai Koryu" (International exchange for parents and children) program; in which staff from the Hino City Child and Family Support Center, and AIAI, provide support, and hold events together. From 2020, the Hino Central Community Center, and the Hino Kokusai Yuko Club (local Japanese language class), have joined the program.

The goal is for participants from different standpoints to cooperate beyond the relationship of teachers and students of Japanese, to grow together through the organization of community events. The number of repeat participants increased with each session, and the number of Japanese parents and their children soon increased as well. On the other hand, one challenge has been the lack of participation of parents and children with foreign connections. Some people come for the unsuitable reason, "I want my child to learn English," and others write in post-event questionnaires saying "I wish there were more people of Western origin". "I guess there are still many people who think of international exchange in terms of the English language. It's not the same thing," says Ms. Fukumura. She would like to continue thinking about the meaning of the word "intercultural cohesion," with a larger group of people.

Japanese Language Education that does not Stick to the Japanese Language

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, regular meetings are now held online. "We announce our regular meetings on the AIAI Facebook page. Japanese, foreigners, newcomers, and anyone who wants to join is welcome. It's a simple chit-chat gathering".

Ms. Fukumura's goal was to provide Japanese-language education that did not stick to the Japanese language itself. However, as she continues her activities, she has come to think of returning to dialogue as a language activity, while also being conscious of adopting the Japanese language. "Participants (in my activities) enjoyed themselves in the circle even though they could not speak Japanese. But, outside the circle, they found that the situation was not so good - they couldn't make friends or find jobs. AIAI cannot solve those problems. Still, we hope to make this meeting a regular dialogue as a language activity, so that people can share and resolve any problems they may have."

In addition to the regular online meetings, the group also holds activities at a community farm in Hino City, where participants receive agricultural instruction and grow vegetables together. "Here, conversation in Japanese is unavoidable. The staff members of the farms ask the participants questions, with great interest in them, such as, ‘Are these vegetables found in your country?'. It may take some time for them, but I think they will eventually stop being afraid to speak Japanese with Japanese people."

Ms. Fukumura's open-minded activities are bringing various new winds to Community-based Japanese language education.

*This article is based on information available at the time of the interview. For the latest information, please contact the organization directly.