Thinking Day is quickly approaching and we decided to focus the whole month of February on WAGGGS countries and our sisters around the world.
This week, we looked at Japan. Japan joined the Girl Guiding movement in 1919 and was a founding member of WAGGGS. We had the girls dress in "mock-Kimonos" using bathrobes and flip-flops.
We started the night with a chopstick challenge. The girls were all given a set of chopsticks and then divided into two teams. One member of each team raced up the floor to where two plates were waiting for them. Using their chopsticks, they had to transfer five grains of rice, one at a time, and a piece of spaghetti to the other plate before returning to the line allowing the next member of the team to go. The race illicited a lot of laughter as the girls struggled to pick up the food and transfer it. Somehow, we managed to get rice everywhere but on the plates.
Next, we made dolls from clothes pins in honour of Doll's Festival.
"Hinamatsuri (Doll's Festival)" is held on March 3rd. This is a day to pray for young girl's growth and happiness. It is also called "Momo no sekku (Peach Festival)" because of the peach blossom season on the old lunar calendar. - WikipediaIt always amazes me at how creative the girls can be. We had girls with buns, girls with chopsticks in their hair and more.
After our craft had been cleaned up the girls figured the fun part of the night was over. Little did they know that the fun was just beginning. Sunflower learned how to say the Promise in Japanese, which made the girls giggle. Somehow, she made it sound far too humorous. The girls then had a laugh playing Janken, the Japanese version of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
English
| Romaji | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Rock | Guu |
グー
|
| Paper | Paa |
パー
|
| Scissors | Choki | チョキ |
Finally, we ended the night with a sampling of Japanese Sencha green tea and sushi...candy style! The girls made their own sushi using fruit strips (seaweed), rice cereal treats (rice) and gummy fish. I think they liked it!
Next week, we're focusing on Ireland...can you say One Direction Karaoke party?
