sakura at IzumoTaisha

sakura at IzumoTaisha
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

I just added 24 pictures from my field trip with the 9th grade class to our local shrine - Izumo Taisha.

Every year in April my whole Junior High leaves school for the day and goes off to draw somewhere. Last year I went with the 9th graders to IzumoTaisha and I had a great time - this year was no different. The 7th graders went to the local winery and the 8th graders went to an historic old station, but I chose to go with the 9th graders to the shrine.

Mostly because the shrine is really pretty this time of year and it's one of the best opportunities for me to walk around and chat with the students in a relaxed way. I had some really great conversations on everything from what teachers I like, to do I like girls with big boobs or no boobs to my favorite song at karaoke.

We left the school just after 9am, walked up to the shrine, then the kids picked out random spots to sit and sketch until lunch at 12:30. Then they sketched some more and we all headed back to school at 3pm. We got really lucky because it was crappy weather all week, but that Wednesday was GORGEOUS, and then it rained all day Thursday. So lucky.

I sat down by myself to enjoy my "sack lunch" when some of the 9th grade girls saw me sitting by myself and came over and asked me to join them. So cool of them - a really good group. Still so interested in my life despite having known me for almost two years now. But I seem to be able to get to know the 9th graders best each year - and this year's class will be a good class to get to know better. They'll be the last class I see graduate - but it'll be a nice full-circle type thing since they had just started Junior High as 7th graders when I arrived in 2004.

Anyway - click on the photo to see more.

See ya,
Jason