The Sankei Shimbun 
An Indian student and a Tenri Junior High School student clean the floor together.
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About 40 students from schools in Hyderabad and Bangalore in southern India visited Tenri Junior High School in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. Aged 13 to 16, they spent the day experiencing what daily life is like for a typical Japanese student.
The visit was organized by India-Japan Friendship Center, a Kyoto-based NPO that promotes cultural exchange between Japan and India. The group connected with Tenri University after participating in the city's annual World Festival Tenri. They then arranged for the students to be hosted by the university's affiliated junior high school.
Cultural Exchange Through Education
During the visit, the school's vice principal explained to the Indian students what a typical school day in Japan looks like. He highlighted events such as entrance ceremonies, field trips, cultural festivals, and sports days.
When he mentioned that students clean their own classrooms after school, many of the Indian students were visibly surprised. Later, they tried it out themselves, learning how Japanese students clean floors using cloths.
In India, cleaners are usually responsible for cleaning schools, so students rarely do it themselves. "I realized that Japan's clean streets probably start with lessons in school," said 14-year-old K Kesari Nandini with a smile. "India should consider this approach too."
Kunna Dash, the 55-year-old chairman of the NPO, added, "Punctuality and cleanliness are part of Japanese culture and something to be proud of. I really wanted Indian children to experience that firsthand."
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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