Japan

Japan is such a favorite for us.  I was born in Yokosuka on a naval base, and my dad is fluent in Japanese.  Both of my sisters and my stepmother speak it, and I grew up with cute tiny pink chopsticks and a deep love for Warriors of the Wind.  All of my dolls were named Zondra and Axel, and I wrote a fair amount of fanfic.  All that is to say - this was an easy unit to love.

A great resource for songs and stories is Mama Lisa, as always, and her Japanese section is great.  There is a Circle Round episode called "the Rice Cakes and the Oni" that my youngest particularly loved.  Around the World Stories has four wonderful Japanese stories that are worth checking out.  (I know it's pricey, but it really is worth it.)

We ate sushi and miso, visited a Japanese grocery store and bought Ramune soda and treats, practiced our chopstick skills, made okonomiyaki (unfortunately I can't find the recipe I used, but this one looks good), and ate mochi.  Unfortunately, I didn't keep track of our books as carefully this time around, so my list is a lot smaller.  I know we read more than this, but...  Here's what I have notes on.

Books we used include:

• All About Japan by Willamarie Moore - This was my favorite introduction/overview for Japan, and I highly recommend it.  It has stories, origami, recipes, a nice comparison of life in the city versus life in the country, an explanation of various festivals, instructions on how to do an Obon dance, and so much more.  I was very, very impressed with this one.  If you only get one book for your Japan study, this should be it.   The author lived in and worked in Japan for many years.
• The Bicycle Man by Allan Say - Say was born in Japan and has written many beautiful children's books about the country.  We read many, many of them this time around.  This one was interesting for discussion purposes.  We talked about Sports Day at school and how it is different from the field days my kids experienced when they were in public school.  Talking about the American soldiers in Japan was also an opportunity - we hadn't discussed American soldiers stationed in various countries, who may or may not want them there.  
• The Boy of the Three Year Nap by Dianne Snyder - the boys loved the crafty trickster nature of this story.  The discussion on whether or not it was ok to trick the father was also interesting.  The author spent part of her childhood in Japan.
• Crow Boy by Taro Yashima - This book is dated, and dated enough that it almost obscured the story for my kids.  They were confused about why the other kids were so mean to the main character and why the teacher permitted it.  They did enjoy the ending.  The author is Japanese.
• First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger - I bought this book in 2008, and my kids are still reading it.  It's sweet and a little funny and very short.  If your kids are unsure about Japanese food (or if they love it), or if they are in the very young person crowd, definitely try this one.  I couldn't find any details on whether the author had a connection to Japan.
• The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel - The boys liked this one so much that they hid it, and I had to purchase it from the library.  So I guess I'd say it was a hit.  I don't believe the author had a connection to Japan.
• Grandfather's Journey by Allan Say - Like all of Say's books, this is beautifully done.
• Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog by Pamela S. Turner - My boys couldn't decide if Hachiko's story was heartbreaking or awesome or both.  They liked this book.  The author lived in Japan for six years, and her children attended school there.
• Hachiko Waits: Based on a True Story by Leslea Newman - Poor sweet Hachiko.  This one was appreciated too.  I don't know if the author has a connection to Japan.
• Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki - Hana is a beginning violinist, and is anxious before her first recital.  We enjoyed this sweet story.  The author is a second generation Japanese Canadian.
• Hi, Koo! and Zen Socks by Jon J. Muth - There are a number of these zen stories (Zen Socks, Zen Shorts, Zen Ties, Zen Ghosts), and we read and enjoyed them all.  The perspective is very different.  They are interrelated but not sequels, and my kids liked that too.   The author is not of Japanese descent but has lived in and studied in Japan.
• How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina Friedman - We already owned and loved this (slightly dated) book.  It's a great tale of the parents' meet cute story.  The idea of someone not knowing how to use a knife and fork or not knowing how to use chopsticks was fun and nicely paralleled.  There's a Reading Rainbow episode featuring this book, too.  I'm not sure if the author has a connection to Japan, but the book is illustrated by Allan Say.
• Kamishibai Man by Allan Say - The boys were intrigued by this completely new-to-them method of entertainment, and really enjoyed the story.  I have a YouTube link to a real kamishibai man, and it's just as interesting.
• The Magic Fan by Keith Baker - This is a beautiful book.  The illustrations are lovely, the topic is interesting, and the book has cutouts of the magic fan to turn for each page.  My second grader immediately wanted to design his own magic fan, which made for a lovely art project.  It pairs well with any other tsunami books you might be reading.  I don't believe that it is a traditional tale, and the author isn't Japanese, so maybe I shouldn't have included this one, but it really is awesome.
• A Pair of Red Clogs by Masako Matsuno - This one was a great option for conversation with my kids.  Did the little girl make the right choice in how she cared for her clogs?  Did her mother know what she had really been up to?  What would you have done?  The author is Japanese.
• The Paper Crane by Molly Bang - the boys were enthralled by this magical tale.  Highly recommended.  I couldn't find any info on whether the author had a connection to Japan.  There's a great Reading Rainbow episode about this book. 
• The Perfect Sword by Scott Goto - This one was enthralling.  Who would get the amazing sword?  Definitely a hit.  I couldn't tell if the author has a connection to Japan.
• The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito - We loved the different sounds that this little boy experiences during his day.  It's a really lovely book.  The author lived in and worked in Japan.
• Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki - Suki wears her beautiful kimono to school, and some of the kids tease her.  She triumphs with her beautiful dancing.  The teasing is pretty mild, as far as that kind of thing goes, and her self-possession is great.
• The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks by Katherine Paterson - The boys loved this one.  A cruel overlord, kind underlings, a debt of gratitude - what's not to love?  I don't think the author has a connection to Japan.
• Ten Oni Drummers by Matthew Golub - This one was a huge hit.  Oni are Japanese goblins, and they are not scary in this story.  It's also a fun introduction to taiko drumming.  The author lived in Japan with a group of taiko drummers and speaks Japanese.
• Today and Today by Kobayashi Issa - This is a beautiful and gentle book of haiku poems.  The illustrations pull them together to represent a year in the life of a family.  There is some grief, but it is sweetly handled.  If your family has recently lost a grandparent, preread this one.  The author is Japanese.
• Tree of Cranes by Allan Say - I particularly liked the unspoken nature of several important story elements.  A little boy's mother is strangely sad and distracted.  He has been naughty, and she is frustrated.  She is not acting like her normal self.  She folds a ton of paper cranes, she digs up the child's special tree... What is going on?  She's homesick for her native California, and she is celebrating Christmas with her child in Japan for the first time, although her little boy is definitely not a baby.  My kids liked this one, but I loved watching his mother struggle through her deep emotion to take care of him.  It seemed very true of parenthood as I know it too, and it was interesting to think about how mystifying the struggles of our parents seem to us when we are small.  Although the mom mentions that it is Christmas, she doesn't explain anything about Christianity or Jesus.  She seems to mostly miss having and decorating a tree, which I can definitely relate to.
• Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa - A grandfather sacrifices his beloved home to save his family and village.  Definitely a hit.  The author is first generation Japanese American.
• The Way We Do It in Japan by Geneva Cobb Iijima - A little boy moves to Japan and learns how things are done in his new country.  We liked this one.  The author and her family lived in Japan.
• A Year in Japan by Kate T. Williamson - My fifth grader's favorite.  Beautiful, dreamy, interesting, perhaps not incredibly informative, but still worth browsing through.  The author lived in Japan.

Non-fiction options:

• Countries of the World Japan by Charles Phillips - This one is ideal for older kids.  The sections are more comprehensive and include many thoughtful details.  I don't know if the author has a connection to Japan.
• Families of Japan - This is an engaging and interesting dvd that contrasts the every day lives of two Japanese children, one from a rural area, and one from a city.
• Japan by Charles Phillips - This is a National Geographic book, so the photos are beautiful.  It's detailed and comprehensive.  My fifth grader liked it, and middle school students probably would too.  It's a bit dated in appearance but was still very interesting.
• Japan by Max Winter - Intended for younger kids.  We liked the brevity of this one.
• Japan: My House in Japan - This New Dimension video streams on Amazon and showcases a little boy showing off his Japanese home.  We liked it.
• Japan: Shuntsuke in Japan - Another New Dimension video about a little girl in Japan and her experiences while shopping with her mom.
• Japan: Yououri in Japan - A streaming video on Amazon prime.  A little girl learns a new Japanese dance.
• Japan: Yutaro in Japan - Another streaming video from Amazon.  A little boy learns to play a drum for a performance.
• The Little Travelers - Japan - This video is available on Amazon prime and detailed the every day experiences of two little girls who visit Japan for three months.

Extensions for older kids:

• Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus - I liked this one, but my fifth grader didn't enjoy it as much as me.  I can't find any information on whether the author has worked or lived in Japan.
• Hiroshima by Laurence Yep - Affecting and intense, this is the story of Sachi and her experiences after the bomb.  The author is Chinese American.
• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - Not Japanese at all, but we have strict rules about reading the book before watching the movie, and the (Japanese) movie was on our viewing menu, so my oldest had to read it.  My oldest really enjoyed it, and the discussions about how the movie and book were similar/different were fruitful.
• Manjiro: The Boy Who Risked His Life for Two Countries by Emily Arnold McCully - We read several books on Manjiro.  My oldest liked this one quite a bit.  The author doesn't appear to have lived or worked in Japan.
• The Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson - Not my oldest's favorite, but an interesting story.  I don't know if the author has any connection to Japan.
• Mieko and the Fifth Treasure by Eleanor Coerr - A different take on a child after the Hiroshima bombing.  We enjoyed this one.
• The Samurai's Tale by Erik C. Haugaard - A tad gory, but a huge favorite with my fifth grader.  This is a historical tale that took him a little while to get into, but in the end, he really enjoyed it.  The author was of Danish descent, and doesn't appear to have lived or worked in Japan.
• Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr - This sad story was a hit.  Poor Sadako.  The author lived and worked in Japan but was not of Japanese descent.
• Sign of the Chrysanthemum by Katherine Paterson - Apparently my oldest isn't a KP fan.  I liked this one, but he found it to be slow going.  He did finish the book, though.

Our Atlas crate was about Japan this time and included a really fun toy.  (If you want to try it out, here's my affiliate link.  You and I would both get $10 credit on our accounts.)  And our extremely long but fun playlist is here and talks about royalty, castles, history, ninjas, the national anthem, trains, samurai, religion, the Ainu people, volcanos, constellations, islands dedicated to various animals, monkeys, sushi, surgical masks, school, and so so so much more.

We watched so much Studio Ghibli to go with this - Ponyo, Totoro, Pom Poko (side note - yes, they are floating on overinflated testicles.  My kids didn't notice it at all, even a little bit.  Apparently the Japanese feel about ball sacks as most Americans feel about butts.) Howl's Moving Castle, Nausicaa, and Grave of the Fireflies.  (Grave is very, very sad, and we didn't watch the entire thing.  My kids were making some offhand remarks that indicated that they didn't truly understand how devastating war, especially nuclear war, is, so we launched the Saddest Movie Ever.  It absolutely helped and hopefully didn't scar them for life.)  The kids watched Avatar too.  (I know it isn't Japanese, but it's very heavily influenced.)

I noticed that there aren't any books specifically by/for the Ainu, who are Japan's indigenous people.  There is quite a bit of into on them on the YouTube playlist.

Other extensions:

• Tea: green tea is the obvious answer here.  We used decaf for the kids.
• Bread: Hokkaido milk bread was a fun option.
• Cookie: Hato sabure were delicious.  Mochi are not cookies, but were a nice addition.  I didn't try to make them - we just bought them at the Japanese grocery store.
• Sandwich: sandwiches in Japan are amazing.  Seriously impressive.  Here's some suggestions and here are a few more.
• Fruit: nashi (Japanese pear), yonashi (Western pears), fuji apples, persimmons, Mandarin oranges, lemons, yuzu, watermelon, strawberries, cherries, kumquats, plums, grapes, melons, kiwi, figs.
• Veggies: kabocha squash, daikon radish, seaweed, bamboo shoots, cabbage, carrots, turnips, radishes, mushrooms, spinach, mizuna, potato, lotus root, burdock root, onions, leeks, tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant, green peppers, corn, okra, bitter melon.
• Kid TV show: So many.  Pokemon, Speed Racer, Thundercats - your kid probably already watches a show that was originally Japanese.  I like this list for cartoons to help pick up the language.  Super Wings have an episode set in Japan, and so does Justin Time.
• Minecraft: build one of the specialty islands!  Bunny island, fox island, cat island, etc.
• Constellations: Here's a list of names for the Japanese constellations, with a pronunciation guide.  For more traditional constellations, I found this interesting.  This isn't a comprehensive list, and if your kiddo is really interested in this, I would definitely do more research.  Mine are losing interest in constellations and so a cursory discussion was plenty.
• Lullabies/songs/games: As always, Mama Lisa's site is amazing.