The Welcome Ceremony

Today, the welcome ceremony for the new students was held in the gym. As per usual, the ceremony was full of bowing and speeches. There were even 24 VIPs present, including the mayor (who gave one of the speeches).

Every ceremony in Japan, no matter how small or unimportant, begins with a few opening words and ends with a few closing words. In the case of the welcome ceremony, that means that the junior-high-school vice-principal basically just says, "The ceremony will now begin." and "The ceremony is now over," respectively.

But it's not quite that simple. You see, first everyone present stands up. Then the VP bows a bunch of times before finally reaching the podium on the stage. Then he bows to everyone in the audience and everyone in the audience bows back. Then he says the magic words and bows again, everyone else bows back again, and then the VP bows a bunch more times before he finally takes a seat, along with everyone else. All that just to get the party started.

Today's other noteworthy events: Shortly before the welcome ceremony, the new kids went to their classroom (which was decorated for them) for the first time (the boys entered first, of course!) and got most of their books; after the welcome ceremony, each grade, as well as the faculty members, had a group picture taken; lunch was a "family meal;" and in the afternoon, some of the students actually had a regularly-scheduled class for the first time in the school year.