Yochien Graduation

**Here is the compilation of all the videos from that day. Entrance, prayer ceremony, diploma receiving, songs etc. https://youtu.be/J2WYoXlXdDk

Yochien, the school that children in Japan attend for up to three years before entering elementary school in the 1st grade. Most children attend starting at 3 years old.

When we moved here we knew we wanted our kids to go to Japanese school, and even though Holland had finished kindergarten back in Utah, with the difference in the start and end of the school year here, Holland needed to go back to Kindergarten. I didn't really consider trying to get her on a list before getting here and that was.....very.....ignorant of me. Yochien only accept a certain amount of students so that the classes aren't too full. Unbeknownst to me, November 1 of the PRIOR year is when application and registration is. So we were only...ya know...9 months late.

As I called around to every Yochien and got denied at each one, I finally called Higashi Yochien and found out that YES they had exactly 1 spot in the oldest class available, because another American child had been pulled out of Yochien to attend school on base. WOOOOPPPP!!! We totally got lucky there. The next day we had a meeting at the school. They let us borrow all uniform items since Holland would be there less than one year, and I'm grateful because its a hefty price tag for 7 months of wear.

Day one Holland swore she would never go back. Super, off to a great start! (Although to be fair, Holland has never been super "into" school, or order, or following directions, or doing anything that she doesn't want to do. Therefore, her disdain was not a surprise, and was not necessarily because it was "different".

Fast forward to March 20, and after many months of performances, a million origami coming home, notes from her teacher asking us for the kagillionth time to PLEASE wash her lunch set each evening (Holland's job was to wash her lunch utensils.....sometimes she did...sometimes she didn't. Her teachers were unimpressed with our apparent disgusting cleanliness habits, or lack thereof), and an extreme love/hate relationship with school, we got to go to Holland's Yochien graduation.

As I learned more about the forthcoming event, I found out that parents are to dress "formally". That doesn't mean prom or ball gown around here. It means formal business attire, and I'm soooooooooo (so so so so so) glad that this was explained to me or I'd have shown up in something wild. But Nope! Men and women both in dark (preferably black) suits.

Initially I naively thought that this was a bit overkill for a bunch of 6 years old who were merely going to the 1st grade. By the end of the day, however, my opinion had made a complete 180 degree about face.

Holland and her cute friend, Avery

Shortly after we arrived in the school yard, the kids were called up to their classroom to prepare for the ceremony, and the parents were escorted into the auditorium. Promptly at 9:30am the entrance music began and the 2 "graduating" classes entered, lead by their sensei in a beautiful graduation ceremony kimono. Ayumi Sensei stopped at the chairs and then greeted each child as they walked in and took their seats.

There was a quick Buddhist and prayer ceremony which I always love. Then was the receiving of the diplomas, which are amazingly gorgeous. Each child is called by name to the front. They are not just handed the diploma. Oh no.

First: the diploma is extended to the child.

Next: the student then extends their arms to receive it.

Then: the student raises it with straight arms above the head while looking straight at it.

Finally: the student lifts up their left arm high in the air while with the right arm they tuck the diploma under the left armpit. Then they walk off the stage. All in perfect precision.

There were songs they performed, and the teachers were also given gifts.

The students were all given several lovely graduation gifts including this box of very fancy mochi.

As mentioned before, at first I thought all of the hullabaloo was a bit overkill. I remember thinking, before we got there, "This seems like the type of thing that is more for the parents than for the kids." I could not have been more wrong.

The thing is, this isn't a one time event for these kids. These kids, from the day they set foot in school at three years old, are constantly being taught how important they are. How important education is. How important respect is. Respect of all kinds. Respect for self. Respect for others. Respect for belongings. Respect for places. It's almost more of a reverence than just a respect, and it is beautiful to watch.

So what better way to continue to teach these things than to hold a ceremony celebrating these children, the journey they have been on for the past 3 years, and the journey they are about to begin by entering the 1st grade? How better to display the importance of them as individuals, as well as the importance of education than by dressing in our best? Really, it didn't feel like a show at all. It felt like the people who had been teaching certain principles, actually living the principles they teach.

Needless to say, I cried. I cried for many reasons. One being: this girl has been thrown into an uncomfortable situation that quite frankly, she didn't want to be in. And she thrived. Not without hiccups. Not without difficulties. But she thrived. Additionally, I felt an amazing sense of gratitude for her sensei. She is given a student who doesn't speak the language, doesn't know the culture, and doesn't want to be there. And yet, she loved her, and helped her, and molded her, and loved her some more. And what more could a parent ask for?

Holland went to school for one more week after this (actually, it was daycare, because the oldest class was done. But I wanted her to go for language practice, and she wanted to go because she's never gone to the daycare at her school before). Her last day of school I cried some more as I thought of Holland leaving this new experience, for yet another new experience.

I wrote a letter to her Sensei, in Japanese, attempting to express my gratitude for her. I'm sure it read as though the one year old wrote it, but my heart is on that paper.

Goodbye Higashi! We love you!

Isn't she the cutest? Gosh I love her.

As part of her graduation, we (Santa) got Holland a graduation Kimono (because it was significantly less expensive than a traditional Kimono!) for Christmas. Part of the deal was she would get graduation kimono pictures taken, and our sweet photographer friend offered to do them for her. These photos are not hers, they are just ones I took during the shoot. But isn't she just beautiful!? Also..cherry blossoms. And so off she goes! Ready to take on the world!