Youkoso: Blackfriars welcomes Japanese students

For the first time in eight years, Blackfriars is hosting a group of students from our sister school in Japan.

The eight girls and four boys, from Nagoya Otani High School, arrived at Blackfriars yesterday (30 July) for their 13-day visit.

Blackfriars and Nagoya Otani High – which was originally an all-boys’ school – have enjoyed a sister school relationship for 27 years.

Leader of Learning – LOTE Chikako Oguma said the visit would benefit the Japanese students, as well as their Blackfriars host families.

Year 1 student Oliver Torres Carman and his family are hosting Aika.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our boys and the Japanese students to learn about each other’s cultures and languages and to broaden their perspectives,” Oguma Sensei said.

“I also believe it will be an eye-opening experience for the Japanese students to see young people from diverse cultural backgrounds learning together in one school – especially as Japan is a relatively monocultural society.”

Last year, a group of Blackfriars students visited the southern part of Honshu – the Japanese mainland – where they spent time at Nagoya Otani High School. It was the school’s first overseas trip since the covid pandemic.

Dante and Aleksander Radetti with their host student, Anna.

“Welcoming students from Japan into our school and homes – and vice versa – brings language learning to life,” Oguma Sensei said.

“Suddenly, it’s not just about grammar and vocabulary, but about understanding people, traditions and perspectives that are different from our own.

“For our boys, it’s a chance to put their Japanese skills into practice in real, spontaneous conversations. They often discover they’re more capable than they thought and it’s a reminder that language is meant to be lived, not just learnt.”

Brothers Mark (Year 10) and Luke Tsavdaridis (Year 12) were among those opening their doors to the Japanese visitors.

Mark and Luke Luke Tsavdaridis with Toga. Luke was among the Blackfriars students who travelled to Japan in 2024.

“After visiting Japan last year and experiencing the incredible hospitality of the students at Nagoya Otani, our family was excited to return the favour by hosting a Japanese student,” Luke said.

“I’m really looking forward to experiencing the enthusiasm and energy of my buddy, Toga, and, at the same time, showing him what life in Australia is like.”

Luke liked learning Japanese because it helped him “feel part of a global community”.

“It shows that distance doesn’t stop meaningful connections. I also enjoy it as a way to experience and appreciate Japan’s rich culture.”