Job Discussion Forums

Michael188 · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 16

I found this on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News website. Once again the Japanese leave me speechless.......

Report: Japanese school to test chopstick skills as part of entrance exams
Published: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 | 5:31 AM ET
Canadian Press

TOKYO (AP) - Math whizzes and other prodigies need not apply unless they can demonstrate dexterity with a pair of chopsticks under new entrance requirements announced by a Japanese girls' school on Wednesday.

Successful applicants to the Hisatagakuen Sasebo Girls' High School in south Japan must be able to transfer marbles, beads and beans from one plate to another using just a pair of chopsticks, Kyodo News agency reported citing the school's principal Junko Hisata.

The test aims to judge applicants' lifestyle habits through their handling of chopsticks and must be taken by all candidates - aged 15 or 16 years - starting with those wishing to enroll in April, the start of Japan's academic year, the report said.

The high school caters to girls aged 16-18 years.

The move comes amid concerns that Japanese youth are losing touch with their traditional culinary culture and table manners. Youngsters increasingly wolf down burgers and fried chicken instead of the fish, rice and miso soup of their grandparents' generation.

Flower arrangement and a traditional Japanese tea ceremony are also part of the required curriculum at Hisatagakuen, founded in 1902 and known for its emphasis on discipline.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

Why does this surprise you? It's a girl's finishing school, not Tokyo University. Besides, I know a fair number of Japanese people who could really use some schooling on using chopsticks. It's no different from a school interviewing students and judging them based on, say, how politely they speak or their table manners. Again: girl's finishing school.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Hey. What can I say?

O-hashi ga JOUZU desu ne!!!!

Laughing

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Marbles? Glass marbles???

Shocked

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

a ploy to keep the gaijin out? after all, it is in sasebo -- there could be some gaijin gene contamination. and everyone knows gaijin cannot use chopsticks.

Sherri · Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:29 am Post subject:

Believe it or not, this was the first story I heard on the radio as I drove to work this morning. It was covered on National Public Radio, All Things Considered.

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

When I was 18 my college roommate was from Hong Kong. She took one look at the way I used chopsticks and said, "What are you doing??? That's not how you hold them!" She immediately showed me the right way and told me to practice. So I ate top ramen every night for a week, and I got it down.

I was so surprised when I went to Japan to see that Japanese people did not hold them the right way anymore. I asked a Japanese teacher what happened. She explained to me that since the 70s, Japan decided they needed to give their students more "freedom for creativity" This included allowing them to hold the chopsticks anyway they wanted, even if it meant they couldn't pick up their food very well.

VanKen · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 139 Location: Calgary, AB Canada

That girls school isn't the only place that wants to tell their students how to eat.

http://www.philnews.com/2006/014a.html