In March, students from Notre Dame Jogakuin Jr. and Sr. High School in Kyoto made a brief visit to Notre Dame High School in St. Louis (NDHS), for a quick taste of daily life in the U.S. With their own recent summertime trip to Kyoto, 12 students from NDHS, joined by administrators Amy Bush and Katie Wood, added another remarkable chapter to this ongoing and rich history between St. Louis and Japan, first forged by School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) decades ago.
“The students had this opportunity because of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and their willingness to initially go to Japan in 1948,” said Katie. “Because of those brave sisters, our students were able to continue and maintain the global relationship.”
The goal of this trip was a meaningful cultural exchange for students on both sides of the Pacific, involving months of planning and coordination between the schools. There was careful preparation for students making the journey, involving multiple meetings to go over everything from logistics and expectations to travel pointers (the international trip was a first for many of the students) and the selection of gifts to share with the Japanese students.
“With the amazing planning and organizing by the team in Kyoto, our students had a truly robust, beautiful, and powerful experience during our time in Japan,” said Katie. “As soon as we arrived at the school, we were immediately meeting the faculty, Principal Yoshiko Kurimoto, staff and students. The kindness and welcoming greeting was remarkable.”
“They were also so excited to have international students come in, it made us feel like celebrities,” said NDHS student Andrea Schneier. “Meeting the Japanese Notre Dame students was so exciting. I had so much fun introducing myself and getting to know them. They were all so sweet. When they came to visit us in March, I had become friends with a student, and we were both so excited to see each other again.”
The itinerary for the NDHS students included sightseeing highlights alongside authentic, personal experiences. The group toured Nara’s deer park and local temples and shrines. During a bullet train ride to Hiroshima, the NDHS students learned how to make origami paper cranes to be left at a Children’s memorial.
“The day we went to visit the Hiroshima Museum was meaningful,” said Andrea. “We first had a tour of the Peace Park and then we walked around the museum. This was the most emotional part of the trip for many of us. Being able to see, in person, the remnants of buildings or peoples' belongings from the atomic bomb, really put into perspective how devastating the attack was.”
The weekend began with the St. Louis students attending class on a Saturday as the schools in Japan operate on a six-day school week, something very different from the United States. Despite the language barriers, the students conducted interviews to learn about each other. Following this half day of school, students then departed for a two-night homestay with local students and their families.
“The most meaningful experience on the Japan trip I had was when my host family dressed me in a traditional Japanese summer style dress called a Yukata,” said NDHS student Elizabeth Merrill. “I felt very welcomed. It was a moment where my host family and I were able to appreciate each other through my learning about their culture and them taking care of me, wanting me to learn and have a fun time. The Yukata was beautiful, and it was lovely getting to pick out the different pieces that I thought matched.”
Another especially impactful moment included a visit between the NDHS students and several Japanese School Sisters of Notre Dame. The students and sisters traded stories and enjoyed a snack of banana cake and Cokes. The students of NDHS then sang the school song to the sisters and received a song of blessing in response.
The final night gave an opportunity for the St. Louis guests to teach those in Japan about their school and campus life. The whole group took turns sharing their viewpoints and stories. The presentation was followed by games, songs and a farewell pizza party.
“The NDHS students loved any moment they could spend with the Japanese students. Whether it was in a classroom, on a tour, during their homestay or at the party, these students seemed as though they had been classmates forever,” said Katie.
Just prior to their departure on the last morning of the trip, the group from NDHS had an unforgettable opportunity to say goodbye to the entire school via an all-school assembly. There were prayers shared in both Japanese and English, with a final goodbye to all.
“While these students had only known one another for days, the goodbyes were heartfelt and tearful,” said Katie. “It was a lovely moment to witness.”
“I loved learning about Japanese culture, I always thought it was so interesting and I am glad I was able to experience it firsthand,” said Andrea. “I feel like I gained a lot of life experience from this trip. It was very fun to travel, get outside my comfort zone and see how different life can be in other countries.”
“Our students were the best ambassadors for Notre Dame High School. Each alumna, donor and SSND should be proud of this group,” said Katie. “They matched the kindness and hospitality that was shown to us. They met other ND girls and now have Japanese sisters for life.”
Learn more about the three schools founded as special ministries in Kyoto by SSND.