Japan’s vast and varied culture has finally reached AAHS, as students can now join Japanese Club! The club promotes and celebrates everything to do with Japanese culture, including food, film, and customs.

The club meets every Thursday during Lunch in Mrs. Robson’s room, #411 in lower D. Air Academy do not have a Japanese class, but this club enables students to learn about the country through its customs and traditions, including the language. The Jetstream Journal reached out to the leader of the club, senior Kana Nagasawa, for her comments on the club’s mission and agendas, as well as junior Kayle Caulfield and sophomore Michelle Giammattei.

The first and most important train of thought for potential club attendees is what the club does. So, Jetstream asked Kana about what exactly this club does. 

“I do my best to teach Japanese languages, cultures, and culinary ideologies,” Kana said.

Kana also stated that her favorite part of the club is merely exposing people interested in the culture.

“My favorite part has to do with my background, I am bilingual and know Japanese and English, and I want more people to know about the culture,” she stated.

Sophomore Michelle Giammattei said that she loved the culture and culinary arts.

“I love when we test out different foods from Japan, including using chopsticks and learning their Japanese names. I also like when we have lessons about the culture and our curiosities,” Giammattei said.

Many students gain something from clubs, such as friends, learning something from other students, or a different view of the world before them, and Kana is no different with the club she put together and delivered in prosperity.

“I have gained the struggle of teaching it verbally, to be sure, but also made some friends (and kept some) while leading the club,” she affirmed.

Junior Kayle Caulfield mentioned that she made a lot of new friends and had an interesting take on the culture.

“I would say that I have made a lot of new friends and a better understanding of the culture, and I’ve acquired a new taste for the food that I can’t get in America,” she said.

Students joining the club will be delighted to know that it is not honed in on one particular aspect, and is more a general conversation, albeit an interactive one about the customs in Japan as well. 

Kana expanded that it’s “about a more broad culture, and I am open to requests in what to include to teach”. She has expanded on all of the activities offered, such as watching anime, cooking, and talking about cultural customs.

Overall, while it can be disappointing to some that AAHS does not have a Japanese class, the club still offers students their fix for the vast culture that is Japan. There are many reasons students should join, such as the various activities such as anime, the tumultuous past, and culinary arts, all of which await eager students!