Studying Japanese at the Keisho Heritage Center
Used with the permission of Keisho Center
I have been going to Keisho Heritage center every Saturday morning since I was 6 years old. Now that I am 17 and about to graduate, I have been reflecting on my time spent there. Keisho in English means heritage, and I learned about heritage, language, and Japanese culture with my friends from similar Japanese backgrounds. We are placed in classes with people of the same age, and same level of understanding Japanese.
Some examples of the cultural activities we participate in throughout the year include mochitsuki, a rice pounding event to start off the New Year, Setsubun, a traditional Japanese bean throwing event while shouting “Devils out! Fortune in”, and Hinamatsuri, which is known as girl’s day or the doll festival. In April every year, we have performed at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. I have always taken the train with my family downtown, and as a school we have always sang six Japanese songs while on stage. In the fall, we have Undoukai, which is an annual event in Japanese schools where students are divided into red and white groups, and compete in various sports activities such as the tug of war, tamaire (bean bag toss), and relay race.
As students, we routinely practice Shuji, which is the calligraphy of Japanese language, and typically write something that signifies the season we are in. We also cook a lot of different Japanese food like sakura mochi, a sweet, pink-colored rice cake with red bean paste filling, and takoyaki, a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour and octopus that is cooked in a special molded pan. We also make onigiri, which are rice balls made from white rice and other ingredients, and annually participate in an activity called Onigiri Action. It is carried out by an organization called Table for Two, which helps deliver meals to children in need around the world. We also have many visitors and guest speakers come in to talk with us to share their involvement and experiences in Japan. One of the highlights of my experience in Keisho was when I attended Prime Minister Kishida’s welcoming ceremony at the White House. It was lovely to see the US-Japan alliance, and the Prime Minister announced that Japan would send 250 new cherry blossom trees in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US.
My experience during my time at Keisho has helped me better understand my roots and culture. Throughout my time here, I have gotten more comfortable with the Japanese language and have even made friendships that I will cherish and keep for the rest of my life.
