Guest Post: Staying in a Monastery in Japan

hiking trail at Trinity Benedictine Monastery (Fujimi City, Nagano)

This is a guest post from Anthony, an ALT  from Ibaraki Prefecture.

Visit his blog on Christian books at Wonder Workbench.

(Edited) 

I recently visited Trinity Benedictine monastery in Fujimi City, Nagano. It was my first time to visit a monastery and I was not really sure what to expect. I just want some peace and quiet. And what could be a better place than a monastery? 

Strawberry Picking in Hamamatsu

Strawberry greenhouse in Hamamatsu

 Who likes strawberries?

I do! I do! I do!

And you probably do too. 

I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't like strawberries.

Luckily, Hamamatsu has a number of strawberry-picking places. You can't pick strawberries all over Japan. Some people have to join tours and travel for hours before they can pick fruits. So, I'm really lucky to be in Hamamatsu.

3 Great Things About the Senpai System

credit: likesuccess.com

Senpai (or sempai) generally means senior or mentor. By virtue, a senpai is older and has more experience than his junior/ protege termed as the kohai. 

The senpai system is prevalent in Japanese schools and companies. In schools, younger students consider the upper classmen as their senpai. You can see the senpai system at work especially in sports and music clubs. The freshmen will be under the "mentorship" of an upperclassman. In companies, an entry-level employee will be placed under the responsibility of a senior member. Whether in school or companies, the senpai is expected to train and to guide his kohai, usually for a year. In return, the kohai is expected to respect and obey his senpai. The senpai and kohai relationship may last even after the mentorship term. 

Since I'm a foreigner, I've never been actually under a senpai. But I saw how it worked in my schools and business classes. It may have its downsides but what I have seen, so far, are the good things about it.