Kin Elementary School 金武小学校

Kin Elementary School is the largest of the three elementary schools in Kin, Okinawa. Kin is a beautiful town perched on the edge of the east coast of Okinawa Island, the biggest island in the chain of islands which make up Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The population is about 10 000. Despite the fact that almost 60% of the town's land is taken up by an American military base, Camp Hansen, the town has many attractions, such as; a beautiful stretch of ocean, mountains in the background, rice paddies, natural springs (Okawa Springs), an important buddhist temple (Kannonji) with underground caves, mangroves, and some excellent public facilities including a swimming pool, a martial arts gymnasium, spa baths and a modern library. There are also many local events to enjoy throughout the year: the two-day summer festival, traditional moon-viewing festivals (complete with shisa lion dance performances) and various smaller festivals, concerts and cultural performances as well.

Kin has five main districts, from the biggest to the smallest, they are: Kin, Namisato, Yaka, Igei and Nakagawa. Each district has it's own community centre where local festivals and activities take place, but everyone joins in activities at the central community centre where adult education classes, various clubs and activities for children, and the major town events are held. There is no high school in the town (children go to high school in neighbouring Ishikawa to the south or Ginoza to the north or farther afield). Most elementary school students go to the nearest school; Kin Elementary school is for the children from Kin and Namisato; Yaka and Igei children go to Kagei Elementary School, and the children of Nakagawa residents go to Nakagawa Elementary School.

Kin Elementary School sits behind the main street in Kin (Route 329). It has a bell on top and an impressive mural above the main entrance. The school was founded in 1882. The school building was transferred to its present site in 1897. The front part of the school was completed in 1984 and the wing behind which houses the teachers' room, science home economics and science classrooms and the library, was rebuilt in 2011.

The principal, serving for his second year, is Mr. Ryuji Shimozono who is from Kagoshima but has spent a long time living and working in Kin Town. He is also the principal of Kin Kindergarten which is connected to the elementary school.

Like the American school system, children complete a year at kindergarten and then six years at elementary school. The school year starts in April and ends in March. Children start school in the April following their 5th birthdays and go on to junior high school in the April after their 12th birthday.

At Japanese schools, children in different grades learn different subjects and have different starting and finishing times. All grades have different finishing times depending on the day of the week or the schedule of events.

Lunchtime is the best time of the day for some students. All the schools in Kin Town have the same lunches and they are delivered each day from the school lunch center. They are very healthy including lots of vegetables! Everybody is encouraged to eat everything and also drink their milk! Children eat their meals in the classroom; groups of children take turns being lunch monitors and serving up the food to the other children and carrying the food to and from the classroom.

All the children enjoy their breaks, especially the long recess after lunch and cleaning (they get together in groups and clean their own school everyday after lunch). The children like to play outside but sometimes they just hang out in their classrooms, particularly when it is really hot.

Another really fun part of the school curriculum is the year-round program of events that all children take part in. There is a welcome party for the first grade, music assemblies each month, swimming in the summer, a sports day which includes 'Eisa' dancing by the fifth and sixth graders, a school concert (each grade puts on a music, drama or dance performance), and a good-bye party for the sixth grade.

After a big ceremony in mid-March, the graduating students from Kin Elementary School then go on to join their contemporaries from Kagei Elementary School and Nakagawa Elementary School at Kin Junior High School. It can be daunting starting junior high school but in Kin children have often already made friends through school exchange events, outside activities or family connections.

Well, that's all about our school, do you want to take a tour?

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