BPS teacher to lead local educators on historic trip to Kyoto, Japan

BOSTON - Boston Public Schools (BPS) teacher Timothy Nagaoka will embark July 25 on a multi-city trip to Japan with nearly two-dozen local teachers.

While in Japan, Mr. Nagaoka and the educators on his tour will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Boston’s “Sister City” relationship with Kyoto. As part of this historic trip, Mr. Nagaoka will hand-deliver a greeting from Superintendent Carol R. Johnson to Mr. Mitsuo Takakuga, Superintendent of the Kyoto Board of Education.

“Our partnership continues to help strengthen educational opportunities for students here in Boston and in Kyoto, as evidenced by the thriving exchange program between Boston Latin Academy and Horikawa High School,” Dr. Johnson wrote in the letter.

Six Boston Public Schools – including two elementary, two middle and two high schools – now offer Japanese language instruction. 

“We look forward to continuing and expanding these and other programs to help our students become fine citizens of the world and perhaps the diplomats, translators and international scholars of tomorrow,” said Dr. Johnson.

The Japan Society of Boston recently honored Mr. Nagaoka with the prestigious John E. Thayer Award for outstanding leadership and service. Mr. Nagaoka teaches Japanese in the Advanced Work Class (AWC) program at the Bradley Elementary School (East Boston), Taylor Elementary School (Mattapan), McCormack Middle School (Dorchester) and Timilty Middle School (Roxbury). 

This educational trip is organized by Primary Source, a Watertown-based non-profit that provides seminars and study tours for 1,800 teachers each year. Primary Source works with educators in Boston and across Massachusetts, bringing international perspectives and resources into K-12 classrooms and helping young people to develop a global mindset.<?xml:namespace prefix =" o" />

The group will also have opportunities to visit historic and cultural landmarks including the Toji flea market, Sanjusangendo Temple, Kyoto National Museum, Philosopher's Walk, Ryoanji Temple, Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), and Kyoto Museum for World Peace.

The tour will also include a stop in Hiroshima, where the group will visit Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. Educators will have opportunities to meet with bomb survivors and a professor from Hiroshima University and participate in educational exchanges. The tour will end in Tokyo.