JASH Japan Wizards Competition Sends 2024 Teams to Japan
*Updated 12/3/2024
On February 24, 2024, 99 students representing 17 high schools from Oahu, Hawaiʻi, and Maui participated in the 21st Annual Japan-America Society of Hawaii’s (JASH) Japan Wizards Statewide Academic Team Competition (JWC), Presented by Hawaiian Airlines, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Campus Center. Teams were comprised of three students each, with a total of 33 competing teams. Teams competed in one of two levels, A or B, depending on the Japanese language class they were enrolled in at their respective high schools. Students were tested on their knowledge of various Japan-related topics such as contemporary Japan, culture and traditions, economy, food, geography, history, politics and government, religion, U.S./Hawaii-Japan ties, and of course language. The theme for the 2024 competition was “Travel Around Japan!”
At the conclusion of the JWC, the annual Atsuhiko Tateuchi Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship, given by JASH Board Director Ms. Ina Tateuchi in honor of her late husband, Atsuhiko Tateuchi, who was a strong supporter of JASH and the Japan Wizards Competition, and the International Christian University Special Award was awarded to the overall top-scoring team in the competition, Mililani High School Level A Team.
Mililani High School Level A Team receiving the plaque for the Atsuhiko Tateuchi Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholarship and International Christian University Special Award for Overall Top-Scoring Team
JASH awarded Japan trips to the top scoring public and private school teams in each level. Level A: Mililani High School and Hanalani Schools and Level B: Mililani High School and Punahou School. The Japan Wizards Competition title sponsor, Hawaiian Airlines, sponsored the four top scoring teams’ airfare to Japan.
Additionally, St. Joseph School Level A team was randomly selected to receive the Dr. Leineweber Trip Award, thanks to the generous donation from JASH Board Director and Youth Educational Committee Chair Ms. Jean Rolles. This award is named after her friend and former JASH Board Director, Dr. Michael Leineweber, who passed away in 2014. The St. Joseph team plans to visit Japan in November 2024.
Waipahu High School Level B team was also awarded a trip to Japan, generously donated by an anonymous retired public school teacher. The donor expressed how her former students benefited from the JASH Japan Wizards Competition and requested that the second highest scoring public school from Level B travel to Japan.
The winning students and their advisors traveled to Japan this summer to experience firsthand what they studied in their classrooms and independent research. Each team created their own itinerary, incorporating an educational program visit that JASH arranged which was hosted by our colleagues in Japan: Ehime Prefectural International Center; Nagaoka International Exchange Association; Temple University Japan Campus; Tokai University; and Rikkyo University.
Mililani Level A team at Tokyo Skytree
Mililani High School Level A team visited Japan from July 15-27, 2024. The team visited major cities, including Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara, and Tokyo. They started off their trip with an exciting visit to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Next, the team made their way to Hiroshima to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, as well as explore the island of Miyajima. The team headed back to Kansai to visit popular spots in Kyoto and Nara, including Kiyomizudera, Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Nara Deer Park, Todaiji, Yoshikien and Isuien Gardens, and Nakatanidou mochi shop. Then, they made their way up to Tokyo, where they had their educational visit at Tokai University. Student Lexie Segawa reflected on their visit, “My teammates and I were able to connect with students from both Japan and from other countries, learn about the history of the university, and the different Olympic athletes that graduated from Tokai. I enjoyed this experience as this was one of the only times I was able to truly connect and have a normal conversation with people living in Japan.” The team also had fun at Tokyo Disneyland, teamLab Borderless, Harajuku, Ueno, and Asakusa.
Hanalani team enjoying a meal with their homestay family in Nagano
Hanalani Schools Level A team traveled to Japan from June 30-July 12, 2024. The team made valuable connections in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Nagano. They started off their trip in Sapporo, where they saw one of the most beautiful night views in Japan and visited a historical village and learned how past foreign influences played a major role in how Japan is today. The team made a quick stop in Tokyo, as they engaged in their educational visit at Temple University Japan Campus and saw the popular sights of Asakusa, Tsukiji, and Ginza. The team then traveled up to Nagano, where they enjoyed staying with a homestay family and experienced daily life in Japan. They had a great time sharing about Hawaiian culture by throwing a luau for the family to show their gratitude. Student Monica Lum commented on their trip, “We visited the landmarks we watched online, tried the specialty foods we memorized, and saw the works of the authors we read about. It was an unreal experience where we not only applied what we learned about while studying for Japan Wizards, but also a way to gain more knowledge about the relationship between Japan and America.”
Mililani Level B team at a ryokan in Atami, Shizuoka
Mililani High School Level B team traveled to Japan from July 17-27, 2024. The team journeyed from Kansai to Kanto, making stops in Nara, Osaka, Kyoto, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Tokyo. They started their trip with a peaceful stay in Nara, visiting the popular sights of Nara Deer Park and Todaiji. At night, they experienced the lights and sounds of Osaka’s vibrant nightlife. The team then headed to Kyoto, where they hiked up Fushimi Inari Taisha and were taken aback by the impressive architecture of Kiyomizudera. The team traveled up to Yamanashi, where they witnessed the beautiful sights of Mt. Fuji and picked delicious fruit at a local farm. The team then made a quick stop in Shizuoka to stay at a traditional Japanese inn or ryokan. They enjoyed wearing yukata, tasting the various dishes of kaiseki ryori, and entering an onsen for the first time. The team ended their trip in Tokyo, where they had their educational visit at Rikkyo University and took a campus tour. Student Jake Sihavong reflected on their trip, “The places I have been, the cultural experience I cultivated, and the people I met. My trip to Japan has helped me develop a deeper understanding of Japan’s culture, my language abilities, and why I truly love Japan.”
Punahou team visiting Ote High School in Nagaoka
Punahou School Level B team traveled to Japan from June 3-11, 2024. The team spent their week-long trip in Nagaoka, Karuizawa, and Tokyo. They started their trip off with their educational visit with our partners at Nagaoka International Exchange Association, where they learned about the history of Nagaoka as well as the importance of their ties as a sister city with Honolulu, and various local specialties. The highlight of their exchange was visiting Ote High School during their Sports Festival, as the team prepared and sang a Hawaiian chant in front of the whole school. They also had fun conversing with students from the school’s English club, talking about their similarities and differences. Student Maya Eastburg commented on this exchange, “I think that like these students, the willingness to understand and learn about other cultures is something that can strengthen the ties between not only Japan and the U.S. but with the rest of the world.” Then, the team traveled to Karuizawa, where they took in the beauty of nature at Shiraito Falls and had the opportunity to make their own rings from clay. The team ended their trip in Tokyo, where they realized the differences between countryside and city lifestyles.
Waipahu team visiting Matsuyama Minami High School, partner school in Ehime
Waipahu High School Level B team, recipient of the 2024 Anonymous Donor Award, visited Japan from May 31-June 16, 2024. The students made meaningful connections during the two weeks, visiting Hiroshima, Ehime, and Kobe. In Hiroshima, students experienced a homestay and were able to see what daily life in Japan was like. The team enjoyed attending classes with their host family kids at Fukuyama Iyo High School. They also visited Miyajima and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Next, they traveled to Ehime and met up with our partners at Ehime Prefectural International Center for their educational visit. They were glad to have an exchange with their partner school, Matsuyama Minami High School, and enjoyed interacting with local students. The team then traveled to Kobe, where they met many people from different countries during classes at Interculture Language Academy. Student Dara Ann Kimura commented on their trip, “I got to explore more about my culture and learn more about where my ancestors came from, but I also made many friends and got to experience modern Japan. Through these experiences, I was also able to better my Japanese understanding and speaking skills. However, my greatest benefit was learning that although Japan and Hawaii are miles and miles apart, we share many aspects of our culture and perspectives.”
St. Joseph team and classmates visiting Urawa Jitsugyo Gakuen in Saitama
St. Joseph High School Level A team, recipient of the 2024 Dr. Michael Leineweber Trip Award, traveled to Japan from November 1-16, 2024. The team first visited their sister school, Urawa Jitsugyo Gakuen in Saitama prefecture. They each stayed with different host families from the school and experienced daily life in Japan, as well as visited popular sites and districts in Tokyo including Tokyo Skytree, The Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park. The team had their educational visit at International Christian University, as they interacted with a few local students during a campus tour. Student Perseas Vanebo reflected on her experiences, “From exploring historical sites and participating in cultural traditions to gaining insights into disaster preparedness and urban planning, each experience offered valuable lessons. These lessons have not only broadened my understanding of Japan but also provided me with ideas on how we can apply similar principles in Hawaii and the United States. Most importantly, this trip reinforced the importance of cultural exchange and the enduring bond between Japan and Hawaii, a relationship built on shared history, mutual respect, and a commitment to learning from each other.”
JASH would like to thank our overall sponsor, Hawaiian Airlines, for coordinating and donating the four winning teams’ air transportation, and our other major supporters – Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation; Freeman Foundation; Hawaii Hotel Industry Foundation; JTB Hawaii; Kosasa Foundation; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Temple University Japan; International Christian University; Ms. Jean Rolles, and our anonymous donor – for continuing to encourage Hawaii’s high school students to study about Japan, its fascinating culture, and the U.S.-Japan relationship. Because of the generous support of our donors and supporters, these students were able to have life-changing experiences and immeasurable opportunities to learn about the country firsthand. Student Reid Tamanaha from Mililani High School Level A team reflected on his valuable experiences, “I am forever grateful to the Japan Wizards Competition because I never would have otherwise traveled to Japan. I think my experience in Japan has changed my perspective on mindfulness and respect for others, and just how I treat others and act as a whole.”
To learn more about the Japan Wizards Competition, visit www.jashawaii.org/education/jwc.
