Japan Bowl

Today was day 1 of this event -- a Japanese language competition created by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC in 1992. The Japan Bowl tests the achievements of Japanese learners throughout the US and other countries. In the United States, it focuses on high school students.

What makes the Japan Bowl unique is that it goes beyond language and asks students about their knowledge of Japanese culture, society, daily life, history, geography, and current events. Participants compete as members of 3-person teams, based on how many years they have studied Japanese. Featured here is a pic of some of the participants.

The Japan Bowl is not an exam; it uses a “quiz bowl” format. Students hear the questions and are given 30 seconds within which to respond. The questions are asked in both Japanese and English and answered in a variety of ways. 

Interesting mixture of fun and anxiety for the kids participating :)