Introduction

In June of 2008, I was honored with the great privilege of participating in the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. The JFMF Teacher Program is funded by the Government of Japan as part of the "People-to-People Exchange" initiatives. Established in 1996, the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Fulbright Program, which has provided scholarships for 6,800 Japanese nationals to study in the United States. The JFMF program is a symbol of the Japanese people's thanks to Americans and an expression of Japan's continued commitment to better understanding and friendship between our two nations.

As a participant in the JFMF program, I (along with 159 other teachers from all fifty states across the U.S.) gained a first-hand experience of Japan's culture and education. During my three-week immersion in Japan, I visited schools from elementary through university level and talked with Japanese educators, students, fellow participants in the JFMF program, and many others about the commonalities and differences between the education systems in Japan and United States. I also learned about Japan's rich culture. I attended presentations on Japan's government, economy, and education system, toured the National Diet of Japan, strolled through the east gardens of the Imperial Palace, saw a kyogen play, learned about kabuki theater and traditional Japanese music, took part in a tea ceremony, ate peppered rice crackers, tiny fish with eyes staring up at me, gelatinous bean paste desserts, and many other mysterious dishes, went for many long walks through Tokyo neighborhoods, stood packed like sardines while riding the subway at rush hour, walked inside the Great Buddha statue in Kamakura, bathed in an onsen (hot spring), slept on a thin futon and buckwheat pillow laid out on tatami mats, traveled to the sacred Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes in Wakayama Prefecture, and visited dozens of ancient Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. My time in Japan was so dense that it felt more like three months than three weeks.

Now that I am back in the United States, I'm eager to share my experiences with my students, colleagues, family, and friends. I hope to use this blog gives you a better understanding of my trip and becomes a starting point for conversations. Hopefully, after reading about my experiences in Japan, you will have been bitten by the bug of travel and will set out on a journey of your own!