Centre Visits For Schools
Centre Visits & Online Workshops
The Japan Foundation, Sydney offers Centre Visits in person and online furoshiki workshops.
We accommodate visits during school terms, except during Australian public holidays and selected Japanese public holidays. Please note that we are unable to accommodate visits from the last week of Term 4 until the first week of Term 1. Responses to applications may also be delayed during this period.
The workshops are designed to deliver opportunities for teachers to expand their cultural knowledge and gain ideas for teaching and advocacy, while their students are immersed in an authentic Japanese language and cultural experience. Workshop topics fit well into the Australian Curriculum’s General Capabilities – Intercultural understanding, and Cross-Curricular Priorities – Sustainability and Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia.
Both online and workshops in person are FREE of charge.
Senseis’ Voices Archive
Find inspiration in the advocacy efforts of Japanese language teachers across Australia. This archive brings together articles written by teachers sharing the initiatives, activities and advocacy they have undertaken to promote and support Japanese language education in their schools and communities.
Discover how a Japanese language class explored the art of furoshiki and traditional Japanese patterns to uncover meaningful connections between Japanese and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Through hands-on activities and student-designed wrapping cloths, students explored symbols, sustainability and shared connections to nature, creating a vibrant classroom display that celebrates cultural understanding and ownership of language learning.
Discover how Natalie-sensei brought Japanese Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) and Aboriginal Children’s Day together to create meaningful lessons about cultural diversity, shared values and the importance of understanding different perspectives. Through hands-on activities, flag exploration and a collaborative koinobori display, students explored how both cultures celebrate children’s wellbeing while learning the importance of respecting cultural differences and acknowledging Australia’s history.
Discover how Japanese language learning can come alive through an unexpected connection with Marine Studies and Science! in this initiative, students explore the traditional Japanese art of fish printing while investigating marine species, combining hands-on creativity with cross-curricular learning to deepen students’ engagement with both subjects.
Discover how an online conversation exchange connected Australian and Japanese students during a time when international travel was impossible. Mariko-sensei shares how this initiative sparked enthusiastic conversations, encouraged students to overcome their fear of making mistakes, and boosted their confidence and motivation to learn Japanese, demonstrating the power of authentic connections with peers across cultures.
How can learning Japanese help students tackle global challenges? Discover how senior Japanese students came together for the 2021 Model UN in Japanese to debate the protection of our oceans, negotiate international perspectives and develop solutions all in Japanese. This inspiring initiative shows how authentic language experiences can build students’ confidence, collaboration skills and engagement with real-world issues.
See how students used their language skills to shine on Harmony Day 2018, showcasing their learning through an engaging video celebrating language and culture. Hear how this creative initiative surprised and inspired parents and teachers, boosted students’ confidence, and demonstrated the power of letting students’ achievements speak for themselves to build support for language education across the school community.
What happens when parents become Japanese language learners alongside their children? Discover how an innovative eight-week course brought families and teachers together through shared learning, Japanese cooking and fun at-home activities. This highlights how empowering parents to understand and support their children’s language learning can strengthen family connections and build wider community advocacy for Japanese education.
Step into Tina-sensei’s Japanese sanctuary, a welcoming and colourful classroom where seasonal displays, authentic cultural materials and a peaceful tatami corner bring Japanese language and culture to life. Discover how this thoughtfully designed space supports student learning, encourages curiosity about Japan and creates a calming environment where every student can feel at home.
Discover how a dedicated Japanese classroom can inspire students, bring the language to life and promote Japanese learning across the wider school community. Nathan-sensei shares how thoughtful displays, authentic cultural elements and inviting learning spaces can create an immersive Nihongo environment and offers ideas for teachers looking to establish their own Japanese learning space.
Find out how one Japanese teacher is building a lasting community of language learners through student-led HSC study tip workshops. Former students return as sempai to share practical study strategies, personal experiences and their passion for Japanese, inspiring the next generation while strengthening connections that continue beyond graduation.
Discover how one teacher brought Japanese language and culture to life in rural Western Australia through a student-led Language and Cultural Transition Day. By embracing the sempai–kohai (senior–junior) system, Year 7 students became teachers and cultural ambassadors, inspiring incoming Year 6 students through hands-on activities while championing the value of language learning across the school community.