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Japan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
Kindred spirits, kindergarten connections: From Buenos Aires to east Tokyo
A year and a half after moving to Tokyo, I found Buenos Aires in the shitamachi. The working-class districts in the eastern part of the city seemed so familiar. There was something about the dirty stairs from the South Exit of Uguisudani Station that reminded me of Avenida Rivadavia on a Sunday morning. I thought of the smoke of Argentinian asado, the barbecues that we had for every holiday, when I passed the smoky yakitori place on the street. The bright lights from the love hotels in Taito Ward gave me flashbacks to Flores, the neighborhood where I grew up. And these discoveries quickly made me feel at home. I was born and raised in Buenos Aires and lived 29 years of my life more or less in the same area. In 2014, I joined the Teacher Training Program run by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. After I finished, I ended up living in Uguisudani, Taito Ward, and commuting an hour and a half each way to teach at an international school in the Kawasaki area. Most of the people I've gotten close to in life are connected to me through my identities as a teacher or a writer. I was an avid reader of J.R.R. Tolkien and Arthur C. Clarke in my youth, and was drawn to writing around the same time. Once I became an adult, I naturally gravitated to teaching as well, becoming the third generation in my family to pursue this occupation. You could say it's more than just a career to me. In 2018, through the introduction of a friend, I started working at Koganji Kindergarten in Kiyokawa, a neighborhood northeast of Asakusa. It wasn't an international school, but rather a kindergarten founded in the postwar period and operated by a historic Buddhist temple. A much shorter commute — from one east Tokyo neighborhood to the next — was a big perk of the job. But beyond that, Koganji opened its doors to me as not just a teacher but a human being, allowing me to find common ground with the community while bridging the gap between our differences. Lay of the land This didn't happen all at once, of course. Part of the adventure was the literal path I took to get there. Instead of my hour-and-a-half commute, I went to Koganji Kindergarten by bike or on foot, discovering places and people along the way. Whereas in Flores, I'd been surrounded by the houses of writers like Roberto Arlt and Alejandra Pizarnik, my favorite poet, here I found traces of Kafu Nagai and Ichiyo Higuchi. In Flores, I'd been obsessed with the former residence of the poet Baldomero Fernandez Moreno; in the shitamachi, I was invested in learning about the histories of the Kappabashi kitchenware district and Jokan Temple. The characters of Edogawa Ranpo and Yasunari Kawabata reminded me of 'The Chronicles of the Grey Angel' by Alejandro Dolina, a fictional portrait of my childhood neighborhood, with its odd characters and mundane yet peculiar landscape. All of these writers filled my head with myths and made-up historical characters, maps and secret societies. The shitamachi is one of the few areas of Tokyo where people usually reside their whole lives, where people make a life from their surroundings. A few of my co-workers at Koganji had gone to this same kindergarten and, nowadays, some of my students are the third generation in their families to attend. How could a foreigner ever belong here? It all started with a group of parents who love soccer. As soon as they heard I was Argentinian, they invited me to join them — and the embrace was mutual and absolute. Over hours of soccer, ramen and beer, we became fast friends. Soccer was just the beginning. The shitamachi spirit brought me into the fold, whether over beers after school events and birthday parties, or during random run-ins at the neighborhood matsuri (festival). I returned the favor by introducing my friends to a ramen shop owned by one of the parents. The empty streets of east Tokyo at night suddenly felt like the same streets where I'd spent Saturdays as a teenager, now that I was armed with intimate knowledge of the neighborhood's hidden gems and tucked-away corners. I made mental connections with every step I took, comparing my eagerness to walk down Senzoku-dori to the comfort I felt at the tiny SportsCenter on Calle Condarco back home. Joining the crowd The working class in Tokyo is not the same as the working class in Argentina, but both groups value a sense of community. I wanted to know the people of Koganji as much as they wanted to know me. What had been love at first sight has, by now, blossomed into a years-long relationship. Students made me part of their lives, inviting me to their band concerts or end-of-year ballet performances. Parents asked to see the tattoos I can't show during working hours. Kids who saw my tattoos by accident promptly forgot about them, because this didn't matter as much as whether I had time to play. Francisco Villarreal was invited to participate in Asakusa's famed Sanja Matsuri by a local family he had befriended. | KENICHI OTANI Exactly 18,358 kilometers separates my house in Tokyo from the one I grew up in. And as much as I miss my friends and family, I've been lucky enough to find people who care for me — and allow me to care for them — on this side of the world. A year into the job, a co-worker called me the yōchien no papa (kindergarten dad) of a girl in my class. It wasn't like she didn't have a dad; it was about the connection — the love and admiration of a real 3-year-old. And I steadily became the yōchien no papa for a bunch more kids, loving every single minute, cherishing every smile, saving every drawing and letter in a box at home. Some kids wanted to spend their entire lunchtime with me, or repeatedly invited me to their houses. The mother of a 3-year-old girl told me how her daughter said she wanted to be Fran — not 'an English teacher,' just Fran — when she grows up. A father sent me a picture of his daughter crying her eyes out with a sign that said 'Thank you' right after the last day of school. My co-workers introduced me to their families. They brought me food when I got COVID and was stuck at home alone; they gave me little Valentine chocolate hearts their daughters made for me. My biggest motivation to go to work was, and still is, the people — and seeing what new adventure lies in store each day. Writers, teachers and most people in this world want the same thing: to be remembered. I don't know if I will ever write something to be remembered by, but teaching, both in Buenos Aires and at Koganji, has given me the opportunity to live forever in these little places, and in the little lives of the children who pass through them. In May this year, a family invited me to join them for Sanja Matsuri, the biggest annual event in the area. And I even managed to do one of the things I'd always dreamt of: carry an o-mikoshi (portable shrine). My days as a spectator were over. The dad led me through the crowd and I quickly became one of them, one of the many. It was such hard work on a hot day. It reminded me of concerts and soccer matches in full stadiums back home. I felt comfortable enough to move, to shout. And it will last in my memory. Even when I rode my bike home later, I kept thinking that I had found some Flores in the streets of the shitamachi.
NHK
04-08-2025
- Politics
- NHK
August 4 NEWSROOM TOKYO Bangkok Live
Lineup: 1. Thailand, Cambodia discuss team to monitor ceasefire 2. Myanmar military stages airstrikes after lifting emergency 3. Teacher supports Rohingya children in Malaysia
Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Midsomer Murders star to take over from Sheridan Smith in 'gripping' thriller
The lead role for the thriller's third season has been revealed. The Teacher season 2 trailer Midsomer Murders and The Crown actress Victoria Hamilton has landed a role in the third series of The Teacher. The thriller anthology programme, which broadcasts on Channel 5, has previously starred Sheridan Smith and Kara Tointon in lead parts. The compelling first series tracked a teacher accused of sleeping with a student, whilst the second instalment centred on a teacher's lies and deception to hide her affair with a colleague after a pupil vanishes. Victoria, 54, is set to play drama teacher Helen, who is "struggling to keep up with modern social expectations in a reputable private school", according to Radio Times. The plot summary reveals: "Recently promoted to Head of Drama, Helen finds herself being challenged by outspoken pupil Cressida when she stumbles over student Dee's correct pronouns and insists that her class study Shakespeare as opposed to more modern progressive works," reports the Manchester Evening News. "A sinister grudge match quickly develops between teacher and pupil and, when Dee commits suicide following an argument with Helen, Cressida resorts to blackmail to make Helen pay for her 'outdated' views. "As the war intensifies and her world comes crashing down around her, Helen must fight to hold on to both her family and her career before she loses everything." Victoria has formerly appeared in shows including Doctor Foster and The Crown, appeared in Cobra and Life alongside Alison Steadman, and starred in episodes of Midsomer Murders, Call the Midwife, and Jericho. In a 2020 chat with The Times, she discussed the different positions she'd occupied throughout her career, remarking: "I remember in my twenties dreading hitting 40, not because I was worried about ageing, but because I thought, 'Well, that's when careers end, isn't it?' "There was a very real sense in the industry that if you hadn't made it by the time you were 30, forget it. That's changed dramatically, thank God." Additional casting reveals and information for The Teacher, including its anticipated broadcast date, are yet to be announced. When The Teacher initially premiered in 2022, it received outstanding praise from viewers and reviewers alike. The series has also featured stars such as Cecilia Noble, Kelvin Fletcher, Will Mellor and Emmett J. Scanlan. One viewer commented: "I thought this was an extremely good series, with an interesting plot, unexpected twists and turns, and professionally delivered by all involved." "Sheridan is never better than when playing complicated, flawed women with hearts of gold. She is relishing this role, making us believe that Miss is a dedicated and talented teacher with a gift for bringing literature alive," a Daily Mail critique stated. A reviewer from The Sunday Independent noted: "Sheridan Smith was terrific as always, and The Teacher did exactly what it said on the tin." The Teacher is available to watch on 5.
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘She felt people had become hypersexualised – I don't think the solution is to go completely the other way'
Occupation Teacher Voting record Green in one election while at university; otherwise, has voted Labour Amuse bouche Has two children and one on the way, and plans to start a family band when they're old enough, singing close-knit harmonies of mainly 90s pop songs Occupation Student Voting record Labour in 2024 Amuse bouche Has just done hairdresser modelling – went in for a normal haircut, was asked to model, and came out blonde, with a pixie cut Jo She seemed very cool. I was worried about being early – she was even earlier than me. Ruby She came across as warm and friendly, even from the first minute. She had a nice pink dress on. Jo We had lots of very delicious small plates. Both of us are vegetarians. We had curried cauliflower and hash browns with confit egg. Ruby The egg was so good, we ordered it again. Plus watermelon and feta salad, and whipped Marmite butter and sourdough. Jo I'm very much in favour of sex before marriage. The foundations of a solid marriage are having total communication, honesty and transparency – being aligned in lots of areas, knowing that you're going to grow together. Sex is a big part of your identity, not huge, but to hold that back would be not to reveal all your colours. And, while I think people do change as couples, if your libidos are misaligned, or you have very different niche interests, these are things partners should know. People may have waited in the past and still made the marriage work, but often people just stayed together even though they were very unhappy. Ruby I totally take the point that testing out your sexual chemistry is important. I want to be careful not to misrepresent myself as a puritan in this regard. But the flip side is, if you're having sexual partners without any meaningful connection, that's not sexual exploration either, really. More meaningful sex should be sought after; that doesn't necessarily come from waiting until marriage, but we don't live in a culture that promotes sexual learning. Jo She felt that people had become hypersexualised, very focused on sex and not considering anything else. I don't think sex is such a big deal that it needs to be shut off, and I don't think the solution to a hypersexualised culture is to go completely the other way. Ruby Lots of young people suffer from a lack of freedom in the role they're expected to perform. There's a huge range of diverse attitudes to sex and equality, but the hypersexualised, Sabrina Carpenter brand of feminism is quite dominant, which is a homogenising experience for people who don't buy into it. I think it's quite a plastic form of sexual liberation. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Jo We talked about feminist sex parties, masturbation, self-awareness and pleasure. It's a gendered stereotype to suggest that girls can't enjoy sex without connection or can't enjoy sex without intimacy. And, on sex work, we didn't completely disagree – we both think it should be decriminalised and agreed that, for the majority of sex workers, it's not the first thing they'd choose if they had other options. But we have to be very careful of saying to women: 'You think you're autonomous, but you're not.' Ruby I find it hard to see how sex work is liberating. Just as pornography is through a male lens, buyers of sex are predominantly men. It relies on a world where women's sexual presentation is distorted to meet a male gaze. It fetishises white, thin women, and we know men's sexual preferences aren't described by that. I think women have a responsibility not to meet these expectations. Ruby Women do have agency to resist the expectations that are put on to us. For every woman who gets plastic surgery, it only deepens the divide and entrenches the gendered expectation. Jo She was really open to hearing about my experience of having children, and how that morphs your body in ways you're not expecting. It's not just that you put on weight, it's that it feels unrecognisable. Sometimes surgery is giving you the confidence to feel like yourself again. Ruby I thought she was lovely. She is definitely dedicated to improving education for women – I thought that was really a noble cause. Jo My last impressions ended up the same as my first – she was really smart and wise beyond her years. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Jo and Ruby ate at Little Bat, London N1. Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘She felt people had become hypersexualised – I don't think the solution is to go completely the other way'
Occupation Teacher Voting record Green in one election while at university; otherwise, has voted Labour Amuse bouche Has two children and one on the way, and plans to start a family band when they're old enough, singing close-knit harmonies of mainly 90s pop songs Occupation Student Voting record Labour in 2024 Amuse bouche Has just done hairdresser modelling – went in for a normal haircut, was asked to model, and came out blonde, with a pixie cut Jo She seemed very cool. I was worried about being early – she was even earlier than me. Ruby She came across as warm and friendly, even from the first minute. She had a nice pink dress on. Jo We had lots of very delicious small plates. Both of us are vegetarians. We had curried cauliflower and hash browns with confit egg. Ruby The egg was so good, we ordered it again. Plus watermelon and feta salad, and whipped Marmite butter and sourdough. Jo I'm very much in favour of sex before marriage. The foundations of a solid marriage are having total communication, honesty and transparency – being aligned in lots of areas, knowing that you're going to grow together. Sex is a big part of your identity, not huge, but to hold that back would be not to reveal all your colours. And, while I think people do change as couples, if your libidos are misaligned, or you have very different niche interests, these are things partners should know. People may have waited in the past and still made the marriage work, but often people just stayed together even though they were very unhappy. Ruby I totally take the point that testing out your sexual chemistry is important. I want to be careful not to misrepresent myself as a puritan in this regard. But the flip side is, if you're having sexual partners without any meaningful connection, that's not sexual exploration either, really. More meaningful sex should be sought after; that doesn't necessarily come from waiting until marriage, but we don't live in a culture that promotes sexual learning. Jo She felt that people had become hypersexualised, very focused on sex and not considering anything else. I don't think sex is such a big deal that it needs to be shut off, and I don't think the solution to a hypersexualised culture is to go completely the other way. Ruby Lots of young people suffer from a lack of freedom in the role they're expected to perform. There's a huge range of diverse attitudes to sex and equality, but the hypersexualised, Sabrina Carpenter brand of feminism is quite dominant, which is a homogenising experience for people who don't buy into it. I think it's quite a plastic form of sexual liberation. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Jo We talked about feminist sex parties, masturbation, self-awareness and pleasure. It's a gendered stereotype to suggest that girls can't enjoy sex without connection or can't enjoy sex without intimacy. And, on sex work, we didn't completely disagree – we both think it should be decriminalised and agreed that, for the majority of sex workers, it's not the first thing they'd choose if they had other options. But we have to be very careful of saying to women: 'You think you're autonomous, but you're not.' Ruby I find it hard to see how sex work is liberating. Just as pornography is through a male lens, buyers of sex are predominantly men. It relies on a world where women's sexual presentation is distorted to meet a male gaze. It fetishises white, thin women, and we know men's sexual preferences aren't described by that. I think women have a responsibility not to meet these expectations. Ruby Women do have agency to resist the expectations that are put on to us. For every woman who gets plastic surgery, it only deepens the divide and entrenches the gendered expectation. Jo She was really open to hearing about my experience of having children, and how that morphs your body in ways you're not expecting. It's not just that you put on weight, it's that it feels unrecognisable. Sometimes surgery is giving you the confidence to feel like yourself again. Ruby I thought she was lovely. She is definitely dedicated to improving education for women – I thought that was really a noble cause. Jo My last impressions ended up the same as my first – she was really smart and wise beyond her years. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Jo and Ruby ate at Little Bat, London N1. Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
