The Japan Society
Education Teach about Japan

Teaching Resources

Kamishibai: The Moon Rabbit

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Kamishibai: The Moon Rabbit

In Japan, it is said that a rabbit lives on the moon and this folktale explains how that came to be. This kamishibai can be used to teach about Otsukimi, the autumn moon viewing festival. Visit the O Tsukimi page for more teaching resources.

Otsukimi (September/October)

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Otsukimi (September/October)

Otsukimi literally means “Moon Viewing” and is an autumn festival in Japan celebrating the Harvest Moon.

Video: How to Make an Origami Rabbit for Tsukimi

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Video: How to Make an Origami Rabbit for Tsukimi

According to an old Japanese folktale, rabbits are associated with the Tsukimi festival in autumn. Follow this video to make your own moon rabbit!

Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 3

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Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 3

In this lesson, students will explore the impact of different tenses in creative writing by writing prose about their journey to school and editing their own work.

Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 2

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Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 2

In this lesson, students will learn about the key elements of haiku: that they are seasonal poems which contain a ‘phrase’ and a ‘fragment’. Students will also have a chance to write their own haiku and read it aloud. 

Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 1

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Journeys with Haiku: Lesson 1

In Lesson 1, students will respond creatively to images of Japan, using sensory language to write a description of a scene and will reflect on the concept of journeys. 

Journeys with Haiku: Beyond 5-7-5

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Journeys with Haiku: Beyond 5-7-5

Haiku are a part of Japanese culture. Often mistakenly taught as just a three-line, 5-7-5 syllable poems, these lessons introduce students to the true essence of haiku.

Kamishibai: Additional Resources

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Kamishibai: Additional Resources

For students at KS 1, or those who do not have time to pursue the whole Scheme of Work, these resources can be used to make Kamishibai using a story completely made up by the students. 

Kamishibai: Lesson 10

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Kamishibai: Lesson 10

In this lesson, students will practice how to read and write their kamishibai story.

Kamishibai: Lesson 9

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Kamishibai: Lesson 9

Students will practice their public speaking skills by using the illustrated cards they produced in the previous lesson to perform their own kamishibai. They will also give constructive feedback to peers and improve their performance based on feedback they receive.