Greater London South West Scouting

GLSW International - Join-in-Jamboree programme ideas from Japan

From the Jamboree Office at Gilwell Park

Public Holidays

January 1 New Year's Day
January 13 Coming of Age Day
February 11 National Foundation Day
March 21 Vernal Equinox Day
April 29 Greenery Day
May 3 Constitution Memorial Day
May 5 Children's Day
July 20 Day of the Sea
September 15 Respect for the Aged Day
September 23 Autumnal Equinox Day
October 13 Sports Day
November 3 Culture Day
November 23 Labour Thanksgiving Day
December 23 Birthday of the Emperor

Climate

Except for the Hokkaido area and the subtropical Okinawa region, the weather is mostly temperate, with four seasons. Winters are cool and sunny in the south, cold and sunny around Tokyo (which occasionally has snow), and very cold around Hokkaido, which is covered in snow for up to four months a year. Summer, between June and September, ranges from warm to very hot, while spring and autumn are generally mild throughout the country. Rain falls throughout the year but June and early July is the main rainy season. Hokkaido, however, is much drier than the Tokyo area. Rainfall is intermittent with sunshine. Typhoons are only likely to occur in September or October but rarely last more than a day.

Everyday Japanese Words:

ohayo gozaimasu (oh-hi-yo go-zai-mus) good morning
konnichi (co-hnee-chee-wah) good afternoon
komban wa (com-ban-wah) good evening
sayonara (sigh-oh-nah-rah) good-bye
doozo (dough-zo) please
arigato (ah-ree-gah-toe) thank you
haha (ha-ha) mother
chichi (chee-chee) father
onna noko (on-nah-no-koh) girl
otokonoko (o-to-co-no-co) boy

May 5 is Japan's national holiday, Kodomo no hi (Children's Day). Families with boys fly koinobori (carp kites) to pray for their children's strong growth.

Carp Kite

[Carp Kite]

You need two large sheets of green tissue paper (75cm long) and some smaller pieces in contrasting colours; a piece of wire long enough to form a circle (for fish's mouth); a ball of kite string (lightweight string); scissors; glue; pliers; sellotape.

  1. Draw and cut out the two main body shapes. Use the full length of the tissue to ensure the largest possible kite. Cut the tissue paper 'parts' in pairs so that the finished kite will be symmetrical.
  2. Glue the two body pieces together leaving the mouth and tail open so that the wind will blow through.
  3. Add fins and eyes using contrasting colours. When attaching features do not use too much glue.
  4. Make a hoop with the wire, securing the ends by twisting them round and round (you may need pliers for this).
  5. Fit the hoop into the fish's mouth, folding the edges of the tissue paper over it.
  6. Either Sellotape or glue the mouth carefully so as not to tear the tissue.
  7. Fasten a piece of string on either side of the mouth and attach this to a longer line.

The carp is now ready to fly 'upstream'!

Colourful carp hangings

Either:

  1. Cut a fish shape from construction paper.
  2. Use a paintbrush and a mixture of half glue and half water, gently paint over tissue paper pieces so there are no dry spots.
  3. Hang or attach to stick to wave or "fly".

or:

  1. Give each child a paper bag with the corners of the closed end tucked in and stapled to look like a fishes head, a hole cut in the centre for its mouth, and the open end scalloped for its tail.
  2. Sponge paint 'scales' all over the fish.
  3. Add eyes and tissue paper streamer 'tails'.
  4. Punch a hole above and below the mouth to attach strings to fly or hang.

Japanese Paper Lanterns (chochin)

  1. Fold a 30cm x 45cm sheet of construction paper in half lengthways.
  2. Draw a heavy line about 2.5cm from open end of paper.
  3. Draw lines from the fold to the heavy line, about 2.5cm apart.
  4. Cut on these lines only while folded.
  5. Stop cutting at the heavy line.
  6. Unfold the paper and form it into a cylinder.
  7. Staple the ends together.
  8. Cut a paper handle and staple to one end of the cylinder.
  9. Decorate if you want.
  10. If you have any left over wall paper, this would make nice lanterns.

Flapping Fish Game

  1. Cut large newspaper fish in preparation (about 30cm long)
  2. If you have lots of young people let them decorate and put their names on them.
  3. Lay out your start and finish lines.
  4. Give each child a newspaper folded in half, and have them line up with their fish.
  5. Now they have to flap the newspaper vigorously to make the fish "swim" along the floor.
  6. The winner is the first across the line.
  7. Larger groups could do a relay race with the children taking over from one another on the start and finish lines

Number Song (tune of Three Blind Mice)

Ichi, ni, san (1, 2, 3)
Ichi, ni, san (1, 2, 3)
Shi, go, roku (4, 5, 6)
Shi, go, roku (4, 5, 6)
Shichi, hachi, ku, ju (7, 8, 9, 10)
Shichi, hachi, ku, ju (7, 8, 9, 10)
Ichi, ni, san (1, 2, 3)
Ichi, ni, san (1, 2, 3)

Onigiri (Rice Balls)

Ingredients: sticky rice, tuna fish, water and spinach

  1. Cook rice in a covered pot on the stove.
  2. Steam until soft and sticky, cool slightly.
  3. Give each child a small handful of rice, a paper towel, and a bowl of water. Wet hands to keep the rice from sticking. Make balls out of the rice.
  4. Put a teaspoon of tuna inside.
  5. Traditional onigiri can be wrapped in seaweed, but you can use spinach as a substitute.

Moon Cakes (Makes 24)

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5).
  2. Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.
  3. Mix in the flour.
  4. Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.
  5. Refrigerate dough for half an hour.
  6. Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the palms of your hand.
  7. Make a hole with your thumb in the centre of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of jam. Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.

Sparkle Fish

  1. Make a round template out of scrap card.
  2. Lay the template onto a piece of brightly coloured paper and cover the exposed circle in glue
  3. Sprinkle glitter over the glue and remove template to show a beautiful circular fish body!
  4. Cut fins and a long shiny tail out of foil, glue in place
  5. Use card scraps or paper to add eyes, mouth, gills etc.... Sparkle Fish!!!

Streamers

Children can make streamers then they can watch them float in the breeze.

Take a paper towel tube and let the children cut and twist lengths of crepe paper to sellotape to one end. Then let the children decorate the tube with markers and stickers any way they like. This will be a big hit to dance around with during your outdoor play. Tip: You can also punch three holes at the top and attach string to hang and watch blow in the wind.

Port/Starboard Game

(With thanks to Callum Farquhar)

Based on the game Port/Starboard that most groups will know, you will not need to take a long time explaining rules. The game will give participants a bit of an understanding of the geography and culture of Japan.

Sides of Hall:
North
Hokkaido
South
Kyushu
East
Pacific Ocean
West
Sea of Japan
Actions:
Mount Fuji
Volcano-like actions!
Mayor's coming
Bow from the waist
Before a meal
Everyone says "Itadakimas"
Eating time
Sit cross legged, eat with one hand
Baseball
Ready to hit a strike
Sowing the Rice
Bend and plant rice like actions

Other Japanese Activities