Day 12: Ushizu High School

Ushizu High School is a public school that specializes in three courses: Life management (nursing and home economics), fashion design, and Dietetics (culinary arts and nutrition). The school has 470 students from all over Saga Prefecture. Only 44 of the students are boys. Upon graduation, 40% of students go on to universities and 60% find jobs in their line of study. Students are not allowed to work while attending the school.

After a lunch that consisted of several local delicacies that included whale skin and some sort of weird looking sea creature, we were treated to a Japanese tea ceremony. The room where the ceremony was held had been furnished with tatami mat floors and traditional paper walls. The room is used specifically for teaching students the way of the tea ceremony and we were rare guests. The teacher was dressed in a beautiful kimono. As the ceremony proceeded, she taught the basics of manners and tradition. On display was a scroll with calligraphy and ikebana which is a flower arrangement that represents earth, life, and the heavens. The scroll had four Chinese characters which meant harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. The purpose of the tea ceremony is to provide all participants a guide toward the realization of genuine peace.