Japan is famous as a “clean country.” When international students actually come to Japan, many of them are surprised by how clean the streets and parks are and how little trash they see in public places. Students at our Japanese language school, NILS, often say, “Japan is really clean!” However, that does not mean there is no trash at all in Japan. Especially near rivers and in grassy areas around them, garbage carried by the water or thrown away by people can gradually collect over time.
Recently, NILS joined a local volunteer clean-up event along the Homan River. The school asked for students who wanted to participate, and many students showed interest. Together with the teachers, about 40 people joined the activity.
The weather on the day was very comfortable, and from the morning we walked along the river while picking up trash. Since Japan is usually very clean, there was almost no trash on the streets or walking paths. However, there was quite a lot of garbage along the riverside that seemed to have been carried there by the river. For example, we found farming-related waste, empty cans, plastic bags, and other plastic trash. Everyone worked together hard to collect the garbage.
Not only Japanese language students but also many local residents participated in the event. There were police officers, firefighters, members of the Self-Defense Forces, and local volunteers. We were impressed to see so many different kinds of people gathering together with the same goal of keeping the community clean. Through this experience, we were able to feel the importance and strength of local community activities in Japan.
During the activity, students also had opportunities to speak Japanese with local people. Many people kindly asked questions such as, “What country are you from?” and “How is your life in Japan?” For the students, it became a very good chance to practice Japanese. We believe that experiences like this — communicating with local people in real situations — are just as important as studying Japanese in the classroom.
In addition, by participating in volunteer activities like this, students naturally become more careful not to litter themselves. Learning how much effort it takes to keep a town clean also becomes a chance to think more deeply about the environment.
When people hear “trash clean-up,” they may imagine something difficult or tiring. However, when everyone works together, it becomes a fun and refreshing experience. If you are thinking about studying Japanese in Japan, we hope you will try not only studying but also joining local events and volunteer activities like this. Through these experiences, you can learn not only Japanese, but also Japanese culture and connections with local people.
