Week Without Walls 2023

If we asked our secondary students, ‘What was the highlight of this school year?’ many of them would probably answer, ‘Week Without Walls!’ This year’s Week Without Walls, residential trips organized by grade levels, took place from the 16th to the 19th of May. 

The trips aim to provide an environment where students can develop skills such as teamwork and dealing with unfamiliar situations, as well as lifelong friendships.

At the same time, the trips are an excellent opportunity for our students to explore different areas in Japan; each area has beautiful nature and unique features. 

Here are highlights of the exciting trips this year. The trip destinations and activities may vary every year, but this article will give you a general idea about Week Without Walls at Canadian Academy.

 

Grade 6 stayed in Anan, Tokushima. They enjoyed marine activities, such as stand-up sailing, kayaking, and raft-making. In the evening, campfire and night hiking made the trip even more special for the students.

Grade 7 traveled to Lake Biwako in Shiga. Alongside the biggest lake in Japan, the students had a chance to experience various water activities, such as sailing and canoeing. The trip also included some crafting; did you see a beautiful Magatama (glass bead pendant) that our students made?

Grade 8 went camping on Ieshima Island, located in the Southwest of Hyogo. Surrounded by the stunning ocean, the students happily learned how to sail and build a raft. Not only these activities but also outdoor cooking was a fun part of the trip!

Grade 9 traveled to Wakayama to visit the World Heritage area, including the Kumano Kodo trail and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine. The trail was not easy to complete, with many steps and steep slopes, but the students enjoyed challenging themselves and made it!

Grade 10 and 11 mixed up and split into three groups; Shimanami Kaido cycling, rafting in Naganogawa river, and Nakasendo trail hiking.

The cycling group traveled across the bridges from island to island on the Seto Inland Sea. The weather was perfect, and the views from the bridges were absolutely breathtaking! The rafting group enjoyed going down the river while taking in the cultural scenery of Nakasendo. Nakasendo is known as the old postal route, originally from Kyoto to Tokyo, and this is where the hiking group explored. They also had a chance to enjoy the view of traditional buildings and the Zen meditation experience in between walking. 

Now, you might be thinking - what a variety of trips! At Canadian Academy, we embrace the uniqueness of the environment in Kobe and Kansai, and we are extremely proud of how we integrate the rich environment into our learning program.