Japanese Students Share Sushi, Games and Culture With Masters Community

Four students from Japan traveled across the globe to spend two weeks with the Masters community, learning about American culture and sharing their culture with Masters students.

The exchange students, who visited from Monday, March 25, through Saturday, April 6, participated in Upper School classes, such as Ms. Kadiyala’s Introduction to Engineering class, and also led workshops for Masters students, teaching them how to make maki sushi; create origami; and play kendama and bakanuki, a traditional Japanese game and a popular Japanese card game, respectively.

During their time in New York, the exchange students, who attend Jiyu Gakuen school in western Tokyo, visited another local school: Bronx Collaborative High School. “While they did note some differences between the schools,” said Rob Fish, Director of Global and Civic Exchange, “they also commented on many similarities of Masters and Bronx Collaborative students.” Another highlight from the exchange was the homestays, during which the visiting students lived with Masters families. “The opportunity to live with our families helped them experience American family life and develop much deeper friendships and bonds with Masters families,” Fish explained.

At the conclusion of their stay, the students created a final project, which highlighted various observations about the differences and similarities between Japanese and American culture and education.

Masters students will have another opportunity to experience another country’s culture when the School welcomes exchange students from Senegal from Thursday, April 18, through Thursday, May 2. 

SHARE Article