Produced by KOKUGAKUIN KUGAYAMA JUNIOR HIGH AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL and GEIC

THE KUGAYAMA TIMES

STUDENT EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019 Unprecedented Victory in Koshien

P l a y e r s a c h i e v i n g a long-cherished wish to win in Koshien thank for spectaters who cheer and admire them.

THE SHIMBUN Photo

This summer, Kokugakuin Kugayama baseball club participated in Koshien, or the National High School Baseball Championship, for the third time after 28 years’ interval, winning in West-Tokyo high school baseball tournament. In the final local match with Soka High School, they got tied with a score of 2 to 2 in the 6th inning, and grabbed a come-from-behind victory at the end of the game. Kazuya Okada’s timely hit led to a victory in the first Koshien round against Maebashi Ikuei 5 goals, one of which was also a theme song, which the T-shirts. Red is the theme color High School. They won by “singing the school song at cheering party boosts the players’ of the Kokugakuin Kugayama reversing the game by five Koshien.” They practiced with morale to seize the chance. This baseball club. The power of the consecutive hits from 2 outs in the motto of “baseball with brains” song was made by arranging song and the powerful cheering the 7th inning. The second game and achieved the feat of the first “Star Silhouette,” a song in image also attracted much lost by 19-3, but they changed the victory at Koshien. “Touch,” a famous Japanese attention and contributed to being club’s history, in which they have The baseball club was strongry baseball animation. The head of selected as “the best cheering never won at the championship. supported by the cheering songs the cheering party Shotaro team award” by the editorial When a new team was formed that the school brass band played. Higashi wrote the lyrics. During department of “High School last summer, they were said to be The players themselves decided the memorable phrase, the Baseball Dot Com” in a publisher “the weakest team ever.” They set their own support songs. There is cheering party members cry out, Gentosha. The Kugayama “Ippon daseyo,” which means, hit baseball fans are enthusiastic Soccer Club again Joined the Championship the ball, swinging towels above about the future activities of the their heads. That makes a unity. baseball club that impressed The Kugayama soccer club has participated in the national convention 10 Whenever this song is played, the many people this summer. times. Hiroyuki Aketa, captain of the club said, “We will improve the skill of players make a hit, so it is ball handling, which is our strength, and we tone up defense skill, our popular as a “magical song” ------weakness. That’s why we got to play nationwide.” Unfortunately, in the first among high school baseball fans. By Yudai Tsukada, Momoka round, they lost the game to Kamimura Gakuen High School 3-2. The Kugayama cheering section, Otagi, Hikari Kato, Sorana Fujita, Not only regular members but also support members make this club called “the Alps Stand,” was all Nanami Ishida and Yuna Maruno stronger. The head of cheering party said “When regular members play in red with scarlet cheering games, we always sing Kugayama Sanka, which is a representative school cheering song, and inspire their motivation.” In order to cheer the team more effectively, seniors of the club show the first graders how to cheer during Like all the other clubs, the soccer club and the baseball club are lunch break. never blessed with practice conditions. This school puts much emphasis not only on club activities, but also on studying. To get the students to study enough, regular practice time is about 2 hours in all The regular players and the club activities. What is more, morning practice is prohibited, and it cheering party of Kugayama must have a holiday once a week. The baseball club has to share their soccer club. space for practice with the soccer club as well.

In spite of this difficult situation, they practice hard and juggle their KOKUGAKUIN KUGAYAMA time. Their effort has finally born fruit. The baseball club practices SOCCER CLUB Photo with the motto of “baseball with brains,” and the soccer club “winning gracefully,” their promising future is strongly expected from now on. .

2 THE KUGAYAMA TIMES STUDENT EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019

SOCIETY

Behind Tapioca Craze Environmental terms such as young girls taking photos to plastic trash is difficult to recycling or environmental post on Instagram. recycle and must be incinerated. conservation are frequently However, there are various Toxic substances from brought up among the media. problems behind this popularity. incineration lead to Various companies and nations First, containers and straws are environmental destruction. have also been taking measures thrown away on the roadsides. Various measures have begun to to protect the environment. Stores have trash cans, but many be taken against this situation. Starbucks, a major coffee young people drink tapioca For example, China has chain, announced in July 2018 drink while they are walking on restricted the import of plastic that it would gradually phase the streets. They leave empty trash and Taiwan authorities Yukino Umemura photo out the use of disposable plastic containers and straws on the have banned people from using Tapioca containers blocking straws at all stores around the roadsides, although they put plastic straws. However, tapioca trash cans world by 2020. Similarly, cans or plastic bottles into drink is very popular in Taiwan, McDonald’s has shown a policy recycle boxes. If leftovers in the and many people want to drink to switch from plastic straws to containers are spilled on the it. As a solution, a tapioca bottle various companies have taken paper straws in some areas. roadsides, it will lead to odor called "Float" was developed to measures for environmental The problems also relate to annoyance and lack of hygiene. solve the garbage problem. This conservation. However, the tapioca boom. Tapioca drink is a Too much plastic waste is innovative development made most important thing is to pay mixture of tea and soft drinks another problem. It has become from recycled bottles, makes it attention to environmental with tapioca balls made from even more serious in recent possible to drink tapioca without conservation in places such as cassava powder. The boom years throughout the world. a straw. There is a mesh case in or , started in 2008, and tapioca Among other countries, Japan is the bottle, so tapioca drinkers where people are familiar with drinks are very popular in Japan, known for its large amount of can drink up the contents. In tapioca. Small accumulation of especially among young people. plastic wastes. According to Iceland, new bottles made of these acts leads to a better Tapioca drink originated in the Annual Report on the seaweed were developed. environment in the long run. Taiwan has been spreading environment in Japan issued by It's important that people ------throughout Southeast Asia and the Ministry of the Environment throw the empty drink By Maki Goto, Yukino around the world. in 2019, the estimated amount containers into trash cans. If Umemura, Moe Nishikata, In Japan, many tapioca shops of plastic containers and people all over the world do this, Hikaru Akiyama and Mai such as “Gong cha” and packaging is over 700,000 tons the environment will improve Umeda “Chunshuitang” have been nationwide. The plastic trash in and tapioca becomes more ------popular for five years. Tapioca "Tapioca Drink" further popular. drink came into fashion among promotes the seriousness. Dirty Thus, in recent years,

In the Shoes of the Challenged The 2020 Olympic and Junior High and second graders improve barrier-free facilities. In Paralympic Games will be held in of high school in Kokugakuin the survey mentioned above, Tokyo, so the interest for people Kugayama High School. about 44.5% of Kugayama with disabilities is growing. Mr. According to this survey, 64% of students think they live in Andrew Parsons, the President of the students think that they can`t barrier-free surroundings in International Paralympic help people in need because they Tokyo now. However one teacher Committee said that the are at a loss. Therefore, many and students of Seiko Gakuen Paralympics promote the students worry about how people insisted that there was still room understanding of people with with disabilities feel about what for improvement. For instance, disabilities. they did. For example, “If we too narrow sidewalks and too The Kugayama Times students help, it may confuse many utility poles often prevent conducted a survey about support people with disabilities”, “can`t them from walking smoothly. for people with disabilities. It have courage” and “other people When visually impaired people Natsumi Makino photo targets the second graders of may do it”. walk on the road, they often use Any road can be a serious risk For these opinions, one teacher white canes and are helped by to the visually impaired. and students of Seiko Gakuen, persons who lead them to walk If people with disabilities needs a special needs education school properly. If sidewalks are help, do you help them? in Kugayama, told that they don`t narrow with many utility poles, ０．５% want other people to hold white they will probably hit the poles, disabilities. In addition, canes. Also, not to touch their which become very dangerous for barrier-free must not only just shoulders suddenly when people them. Moreover, some broken exist itself, but also be really convenient for those who need it. ３５．５％ ６４% talk to them. And, people with Braille blocks mislead them. disabilities are grateful if they are Braille blocks help them walk ------told “Is there anything I can do?” safely. Therefore, Braille blocks By Himawari Kimura, Marin rather than “Are you OK?” when must be repaired to new ones, Ishizuka, Natsumi Makino, Daigo they need help. and kept correctly anytime. Takasaki and Mayuko Yano In preparation for the Tokyo In conclusion, the action with I want to help, but I don`t know how to help them. Paralympics, Tokyo has to people`s kindness does not Yes, I want to help necessarily help the people with No, I don`t want to help (total:444 students )

3 THE KUGAYAMA TIMES STUDENT EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019 SURVEY (total:444 students )

Chart Sleep Time 40% 37% How to Deal With 35%

30% ①3 ②3～4③4～5④5～6 Sleeping Students? ⑤6～7 ⑥7～8⑦8～9 ⑧more than 9 (hours) 20% It is not rare to see the people in some countries. The average 11% who sleep on the train in Japan. It sleep time of Japanese is shorter 9% 10% is also seen in the class. Stuart than the other countries. This result 4% 2% Dalziel, who is one of the English corresponds with what Stuart said. 1.08% 0.72% native speakers in Kokugakuin It is often said that children who 0% Kugayama Senior High School, sleep long time get good score. The ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ recognized that this school’s Kugayama Times conducted a always related to grade. This result active learning. However, it isn’t students tend to sleep in class. He survey about the relationship corresponds with a questionnaire easy to introduce active learning to used to be a teacher in Korea, between the length of sleep time which is carried out in Kugayama. class. According to a teacher in Thailand and so on. It is impressive and test score in third-year junior What kind of people’s action are Kugayama, some subjects are not that students except for Japan and high school students and first-year connected with improving test suitable for active learning. It is Korea take classes without sleeping. high school students. Chart shows score? Some teachers said that hard to teach in active-listening Table shows the average sleep time students sleep time. Most of them students who listen carefully to style when there are more than 20 sleep from five hours to six hours what their teachers talk about students or there is not enough time Table Sleep Duration Hours or from six hours to seven hours. improve their grade. It is quite to cover curriculum. by Countries Most of high score students sleep natural that sleeping In Japan, teachers are likely to 1 Spain 7.92 from five hours to six hours or students ’score are not good. give students entrance from six hours to seven hours. And 2 Bulgaria 7.91 Meanwhile, one student said that examinations ahead one-way also, most of low score students 3 Romania 7.88 she wanted her teacher to conduct lectures because they think they sleep that time. But some of both 4 Greece 7.87 the class more interestingly. should keep their own teaching

students sleep only about three

… Students-centered class is called pace for students. Not only hours. Therefore, sleep time is not active learning. In fact, Michael teachers but schools and the 9 Italy 7.65 always related to their score. 10 France 7.64 Lazarus, a professor of Tsukuba educational institutions, have to

Mituo Nagane, a professor of

…

University, proves that sleepiness strive to improve the current Chiba University, wrote the report is relieved by the stimulation that situation. 21 Thailand 7.02 about sleep time. According to the motivates people. Sleepiness is ------22 Korea 6.83 report, Japanese bed time has been related to adenosine, one of the By Kento Sukai, Yuna Konno, 23 Taiwan 6.56 delayed, sleep time is decreasing. substances in human brain. The Hina Sasaki, Yuriko Sakakibara 24 Japan 6.15 Many parents recommend to substance becomes inactive if they children “Go to bed early, get up and Aoi Fukushima Original data; from American keep motivated. One such way to early and eat breakfast.” ------Medical Association enhance student’ motivation is Revised by the Kugayama Times That is to say sleeping is not

Gap of Opinions about Part-time Job between Students and Teachers There are numerous school rules students can choose one of the five young people, because options in the supervisor, and a science teacher, in Kokugakuin Kugayama Senior options as shown in the graph below. future will expand.” Another student said, “Doing a part-time job doesn’t High School, and one of the rules 56 students answered “money”. claimed, “We want to do a part-time have many negative effects for the prohibits the students to do a Some of them said that they want to job in vacations such as summer students. Unfortunately, as written part-time job. There are many make money to have fun with holidays.” Another opinion was, above, students should mainly focus schools which don’t allow students friends or to buy anything they wish. “High school students are old on enhancing their academic to do a part-time job in Japan. How And 26 students answered enough to work and contribute to abilities. Losing their time by doing do the students feel about this rule? “experience”. The students implied society. It seems that they are a part-time job could lead to the lack The Kugayama Times conducted a that they want to have social interested in society and want to go of enthusiasm to study. That is why survey about part-time job with experience in society by doing a out into the world”. On the other the school doesn’t allow the students 137 first grade high schools part-time job. hand, a student who has a positive to work.” students. One of the students who have opinion said “Rather than being In conclusion, the students’ Graph 1 indicates the percentage negative opinions to the school rules troubled by human relationship with opinions quite differ from the of students who want to do a about a part-time job said “To work other part-timers and bosses, I would teachers’ opinions, which is part-time job. 32.8% of them said a part-time job is very good for not have a part time job and stay at aconsiderable issue to discuss. As a they don’t want to. home.” Another opinion was “High method the teachers and students Also，Graph 2 shows the result Graph 2 school students should concentrate could have a conversation and about “ what is the purpose of What is the purpose of mainly on studying or club activities, explain why they’re unsatisfied with working as a part-time? ”. The being a part-time worker? so they don’t have enough time to each other. Knowing what’s in each work a part-time job.” other’s mind can fill in the gap Graph1 Even though there are many between them, which is necessary Do you want to do a part-time money 56 job? students who want to do a part-time for both the students and teachers. experience 26 job, Kokugakuin Kugayama Senior ------

meeting new people High School doesn’t allow them to By Misato Takabe, Shogo Mizuno, 7 do a part-time job. To ask the reason, Kokoro Doi, Yusei Nakamura and 32.8 contribution to 4 % YES society an interview with Nobuhiko Sato, Tsubasa Yoshida communication 1 the School Rules Department ------67.2 NO % 0 20 40 60 (total:137 students ) 4 THE KUGAYAMA TIMES STUDENT EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019 LOCAL Inokashira Line : Together with Hopes in Nature publicize the beauty of the grasses were revived, flowers in scenery along Keio Inokashira the four seasons began to bloom, Line. The composition of and insects such as butterflies picture with a train, which is an increased. artifact, in a natural landscape, Second, the group to revive looks really attractive. Railways the clear stream of Kanda River provide synergy for goodness of makes an effort to clean the landscapes. river and research the ways that For example, fireflies that make the river beautiful in order lived in the Kanda River and to change it into a “swimmable Tamagawa Water Supply along river”. Inokasira Line. The population Finally, at the Inokashira of Firefly has declined Park, the Tokyo Metropolitan significantly. The soil on the Government, NPO and riverbed that the fireflies’ larvae volunteers cleaned up the pond cling to is necessary, but hoses and carried garbage out from the were installed to improve the bottom of the river. It has been banks and the embankments, held three times since 2014. which washed away the soil for This activity was prized as the the larvae. As a result, the Nature Conservation Grand Kanda River is no longer an Prize in 2017 by the Nature inhabitable environment, not Conservation Society of Japan. only for fireflies, but also for The Wadabori Park, located black snails, or firefly feed. In along the Inokashira Line, also addition, carps ate up black has a plan that contributes to snails. nature conservation Tsubasa In addition, contamination Ashizawa, a second year student of a pond occured in Inokashira in Kokugakuin Kugayama High Park. There used to be clean School who usually use the water, and Inokashira Park used Keio Inokasira line said “Keio to have an unique ecosystem. Inokashira line conserves the However, urbanization of nature along the line as well as surrounding areas and depletion promotes the development Eigo Uemura Photo of spring water caused the there.” increase of alien species. In fact, It is no exaggeration to say The Keio Inokashira Line, which is used by most of Kokugakuin according to the interview with that, railways are strongly Kugayama Junior and Senior High School students, has a senior high school students in connected with people’s lives beautiful landscape with a lot of hydrangeas in early summer. that school, some of them have and nature. Ruining nature is the impression that there is little easy, but it is extremely difficult These beautiful hydrangeas date nature. to recover it in a short period of Many Kokugakuin back to 1990. Keio Railway On the other hand, there are time. Kugayama Junior and Senior Corporation started to plant the many activities to protect that ------High School students commute hydrangeas. This project aimed nature. Some of the activities By Yura Matsumoto, Kento to school by getting off at to prevent the collapse of the are mentioned below. First, a Takamura, Ui Chinen, Eigo Kugayama Station in Keio banks along the train tracks group aims to protect nature of Uemura and Masahiko Inokasira Line. This Line from rainwater and amuse train Tamagawa Water Supply, saving Takemori connects Kichijoji and Shibuya, passengers. Cherry blossoms, wild grasses, trees, fireflies and ------extending for about 12.7 sasanquas and azaleas are also birds around. As a result, wild kilometers. planted and decorate the train In June, over 26,000 tracks throughout the year. hydrangeas are in full bloom Keio Railway Corporation also THE KUGAYAMA TIMES and please Inokasira Line users. held "Keio Photo Contest" to Published by a group of 32 students of Kokugakuin Kugayama Junior and Senior High School, a private high school in Ward, Tokyo, in cooperation with the not-for-profit Global Education Information Center(GEIC).

Publisher : Kokugakuin Kugayama Junior and Senior High School Project Supervisers : Kenta Sakai, Kae Takahashi and Yuko Nakamura Editor: Kento Takamura Assistant Editor: Yura Matsumoto Contributing Editors: Ayano Usukura Staff Writers : Yudai Tsukada, Momoka Otagi, Hikari Kato, Sorana Fujita, Nanami Ishida, Yuna Maruno, Misato Takabe, Shogo Mizuno, Kokoro Doi, Yusei Nakamura, Tsubasa Yoshida, Maki Goto, Yukino Umemura, Moe Nishikata, Hikaru Akiyama, Mai Umeda,Himawari Kimura, Marin Ishizuka, Natsumi Makino, Daigo Takasaki, Mayuko Yano, Kento Sukai, Yuna Konno, Hina Sasaki, Yuriko Sakakibara, Aoi Fukushima, Yura Matsumoto, Kento Takamura, Ui Chinen, Eigo Uemura, Masahiko Takemori and Sae Tachikawa Contact : 1-9-1 Kugayama, Suginami Ward, Tokyo, Japan 168-0082 URL : http://www.kugayama-h.ed.jp/ illustration by Ui Chinen