Island Education: a day at SuoOshima High School. highschool on an island in Japan tour

High school life, the subject of many an anime and manga, conjures up images of cute uniforms, young kids with bright faces, magic powers, and flying ninjas? Okay, crazy pop culture images aside, high school life in Japan is very different from what I remember in the good old U.S. of A, and today we have a rare chance to visit a local high school on our island. What is high school life like in a place so far removed from the big cities? Welcome to Yamaguchi Prefectural Suo Oshima High School. So today we have three students who are going to show us around the school and talk a little bit about the special curriculum here. Hi ladies. Hi. Can you introduce yourselves? Okay. Well, let's get to it. So the Aloha Project, was this like in collaboration with something in Hawaii? Yes. Ah, okay. This is high school, you know. Kenmitsu Yamaguchi University and Suo Oshima City. Ah, I got it. Okay, and then together you design these really cute shirts, and this has awasango? Yes. Oh, okay. So this is a special coral that is found only in a certain part of Suo Oshima. So yeah, this is a really kind of special design, special coral for the island. Wow, okay. These are really pretty. Oh, really? Thank you. So this is a mumu version of that, the Aloha shirt design. This is super kawaii. Very super cute. Okay, wait, let's see if I can put it, put it over myself. Let's see if it'll fit. This is where I realized I should have just worn a t-shirt today. What do you think? Is it my color? I guess, yeah. This is really cute. Wow. So they wear it when they go to a school show. Oh, right. Like when the media come, they put it on. Oh, it's an easy way to tell everyone what school you're from, right? If you're wearing, all wearing like a jersey or an Aloha shirt. Right. I think that's a great idea. Well, thank you. So just inside the school, there's this really nice kind of open space. What is this area? Oh, so this is basically a community space that the township can use. Come in here and either watch TV or read magazines or just hang out with the students. The people who come in here, are they old, older people? They're not. Okay, so like the senior citizens from the town just outside. Do you like talking to them? Yes. That's nice. I think that's a really good idea. We should do that in America. Join schools with like the senior citizens and have just a community area for people to talk. Okay, well, thank you for showing me this area. I think that this is a really good idea. What do you think when you think of high school in America? What do you imagine? Oh yeah, you don't have lockers in the high school here. Okay, I guess that is kind of a unique like American high school experience having a locker. Oh, maybe that's different here. Okay, yeah, so in America, the students move to each classroom for, you know, like math, science, physical education, social studies. So yeah, every, maybe every one hour, we change classrooms. But in Japan, do the teachers change classrooms? Oh, so you have the same classroom all day? Yes. Sometimes, for some subject, you have to move the class. Well, of course, like if you're in science lab or doing PE or something. Okay, so yeah, that is different. Do you have a question for me about anything like school or America or anything? Prom. Throughout the year, we have usually two or three very formal dance parties. Yeah, but prom is usually for people who are graduating. So yeah, the graduating class would be the most special. Is there no dance party in Japanese high schools? No. What do you do for fun? What what do you have to look forward to? Oh, what did what do you do? Well, do you enjoy that? Oh, the preparation is really fun. I understand. Oh, but there's no, there's no dancing, no prom. Well, prom is a really big deal in America. Well, it's fun. It's fun. But we'd like to see the school. So let's move on. Oh, thank you. Go get it. See now how many schools, how many high schools have a view like this, where you're right in front of the ocean? Like, I can't even think of, I can't even think of a place in America that would be like this. So this is one of your classrooms. What a view. Oh my goodness, look at that. Look how clean the water is. Yeah, it's so clear. Yes. So what, what is this classroom for? Oh, okay. So like next level. I think that this view would be too relaxing and I would just fall asleep in class. I have a feeling it would be too beautiful and too relaxing and I can imagine people falling asleep at their desk here because it's just like, it's yeah, too chill. Oh, thank you so much for showing us this room. This is really beautiful view. If you look just right across there, I believe that's Ryuzaki Onsen, Ryuzaki Spa. Okay. And then Ganmon, which was one of the Shiowase Kigan that we saw like many videos ago, but it's straight that way. So from this school, you get like pretty much a view of the entire thing from here. So I heard that you guys have like, um, what is it like some sort of boat class or like kayaking or something? Yeah, boat club. You may practice out here? Yeah. Oh, just right here in the cove? It's a training field for them. Wow. So yeah, this school has a boat club. Team, boat team. Boat team. So their season is probably summer, right? They train all year round. All year round. Oh, okay. I think I can see it. Oh, wow. So the boat club keeps their boats moored over there. All right. Well, thank you for showing us this. Okay, what's next? Before accessing the rooftop, we take a small detour to a specialized part of the school. Thank you. It's the older school building. You can tell it's got the wood floors. Oh, this is classic. Presentation here. Because all the, you know, students from one grade can fit here. There's a body on the bed. Really? It freaked us out. By the way, it is actually accurate. Oh, seriously? He looks like Albert Einstein. I see. So this is for training. Right. So this is the, how can we say, like a nursing facility where they train the students to do basically like elderly care. So for like nursing homes and something like that. So, wow. So I imagine because there's so many elderly citizens on the island, this is a much appreciated course. For the country too. For the country, yeah. I mean Japan as a whole has a lot of elderly people. So they train here to become nursing staff and then go work in the community. Most of the people who took this course are from the nursing department. Oh, I see. They are the ones who go to the nursing department. I see. They are the ones who are learning the basics here. That's why it's so beneficial. That's why a lot of people take this course. I see. 100% chance of getting a job. That's amazing. Oh, you can see the flowers. Okay, so the computers here are for the business course, but also the students are individually given a tablet. That's for their, I guess, personal use here as a student. I see. That's nice. At this school, there is a dormitory for students who come from like out of town or from other parts of Japan who are studying here. Something that I think is a little bit different compared to America, because I've never heard of a dormitory being at any high school, at least in the United States. So I'm curious, how is dormitory life for you? Oh, that sounds nice. I understand. So you can be close to your friends and you can do things together. I understand. Do you miss your families? Is there ever a time for your family to come visit like your dormitory room? No, no. They can't come inside of it, but they come here to pick them up. Oh, of course. Okay. Wow, that's really interesting. The light turned off. Because I think, like with me, I imagine dormitory life being something more college-oriented, like everyone who goes to university usually stays in a dormitory or an apartment that's near the school. So this, for me, is like really kind of different, kind of like, whoa, I didn't know you could do that here in Japan. The rooftop. Thank you so much. See, and we're lucky that today was good weather, because springtime is kind of iffy. Wow, so yeah, actually, if you come around this side, you can see Dake is right there, but you couldn't really see it from that window we were looking out. But yeah, the opening of our videos was taken top there. Also, I noticed that you're wearing uniforms. Yes. So do you like wearing uniforms? You like it? Why? It's so cute. Oh, that's true. That's true. It's very cute. So it makes you feel kind of special? Yeah. Right, right. Also, I noticed your pins. What are these? You're right. Okay, so they said Mikan no Hana, that's the orange blossoms. And of course, you know, in Suwa Oshima is really famous for like Oshima Mikan, or the oranges. So of course, their emblem would be related to oranges. But it's really cute. Yeah, I think that the uniform and the pin together, it looks very, very like sophisticated. Can you tell me what do you like about this school? Oh, okay. Okay, thank you. Okay. Oh, okay. Thank you. I heard that there's something extra special about this school. You guys do hula dancing. Oh, so you have a hula team? Yes. Could you show me? Yes, of course. So what's special about the hula here? Oh, wow. That sounds amazing. So please show me. I'd like to watch. Every day, I see the sun come up. I love a holiday. Every day, I feel the tropical breeze blowing through my hair. I know my love is in my head. Say hello and bid farewell. I know a lot of things. I love you. I'm all alone the other way. Every day, I see the golden surf. All trees sway like a hula girl. Every day, I feel the blue moon in my head. Say hello and bid farewell the other way. Unfortunately, today is the dance teacher's last day, so tearful goodbyes are in order. This school accepts international students, so come one, come all to Suwa Oshima and enjoy an island education. Spending time with the girls and learning about their school life was refreshing and brought back memories of my high school days. Life out on this island seems so innocent and carefree compared to my home country, and I was impressed at the curriculum that focused on the community's immediate needs. The motto of this school is Shimaju Campus, which means the entire island is the school, and learning is not limited to within the building. The hula dancing was so beautiful, and as is the island connection with Hawaii. I wish I could do high school over again as a student of Suwa Oshima High School, enjoying the boat club or the hula team, but maybe in the future my daughter can enjoy it instead.