Children from MCAS Iwakuni experience Japanese culture first-hand

Photo By Lance Cpl. Triton Lai | Children from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and local Japanese towns participate in a cultural class at the School Age Care Center on MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Aug 20, 2019. This event brought students from Shunan International Children’s Club to MCAS Iwakuni in order to give the American children the opportunity to experience Japanese culture first-hand. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Triton Lai)  

MCAS IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN

08.27.2019

Story by Pfc. Triton Lai 

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

Japanese and American children participated in a cultural class at the School Age Care Center on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Aug. 20, 2019.

Forty students from the Shunan International Children’s Club in Shunan City visited MCAS Iwakuni to attend the class and interact with American children.

During the event the children dressed in Kimonos, performed a dance, practiced calligraphy and arranged flowers.

The class is an annual event that allows children from two different cultures to interact with each other. The event was a collaboration that was coordinated by Mamoru Sasamura, the director of Shunan International Children’s Club for Americans and Japanese and Eugene Clark, the director of the Youth and Teen Center.

Sasamura said the class was a good way, to support each other as neighbors.

Sasamura and Clark have been working on and coordinating events together for more than 20 years.

“Sasamura and I have a good relationship, the club comes to all of our major events,” said Clark. “It’s a cultural change that the families and kids love. Kids are gonna be kids no matter where they are around the world.”

• Date Taken: 08.27.2019
• Date Posted: 08.27.2019 00:52
• Story ID: 337526
• Location: MCAS IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP