Kai Davis '26 Spends Summer in Japan
Both the adult and scholar community has advocated for greater experiential learning opportunities. Gratefully, donations from generous alumni have helped fund some of these experiences, including two students who attended a summer program at the University of Pennsylvania, a student who spent a summer term at The Island School in Eleuthera, Bahamas, and one who was able to travel to Japan. Kai Davis ’26 was the lucky Griffin who participated in the Student Diplomacy Corps Japan: Drums for Peace - Taiko Drumming and Traditional Culture summer program. Kordell Tate-Roberts '26 interviewed Kai about the experience.
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Rate your experience in Japan out of 10.
Like 100 out of 10. It was amazing.
Like 100 out of 10. It was amazing.
Where did you travel to in Japan?
I went to Tokyo, Sado Island, Sapporo, Nibutani, Kamaishi, Tono, Hiroshima and then back to Tokyo. All the places had their own unique scenery and feeling which made the overall experience so great.
I went to Tokyo, Sado Island, Sapporo, Nibutani, Kamaishi, Tono, Hiroshima and then back to Tokyo. All the places had their own unique scenery and feeling which made the overall experience so great.
What was the most breathtaking place, monument or artifact that you saw?
Probably the Hiroshima Memorial Museum because it did a great job showcasing how much the people were put through, the desperation and the amount of sorrow that the victims went through. It kind of reminded me of the Holocaust Memorial. The museum consisted mostly of stories from the victims and their families.
Probably the Hiroshima Memorial Museum because it did a great job showcasing how much the people were put through, the desperation and the amount of sorrow that the victims went through. It kind of reminded me of the Holocaust Memorial. The museum consisted mostly of stories from the victims and their families.
What food did you eat?
Japanese curry, sushi and the convenience stores had a lot of ready-made meals; there were ice cream vending machines where you could get ice cream any time you wanted even if it was hot. I ate rice almost every day. I ate more vegetables in one month than what I normally eat at CFS. My host family made a lot of homecooked meals such as gyoza and octopus remains.
Japanese curry, sushi and the convenience stores had a lot of ready-made meals; there were ice cream vending machines where you could get ice cream any time you wanted even if it was hot. I ate rice almost every day. I ate more vegetables in one month than what I normally eat at CFS. My host family made a lot of homecooked meals such as gyoza and octopus remains.
What part of Japanese culture stuck out to you the most?
I guess how modest everyone was. There was a sense of uniformity. It's so different from America. Everyone walked on their side of the road. People are very quiet compared to America. In Japan, it's silent in the train stations. Everyone is also very kind, they don’t really tend to be rude. They try their best to deal with us foreigners, but for the most part it was how people acted and how people carried themselves. It’s so different from what I’m used to.
Currently traveling this semester is Oscar Lu '26, to the High Mountain Institute in Colorado (his twin brother, Victor, heads to the Bahamas for the second semester)I guess how modest everyone was. There was a sense of uniformity. It's so different from America. Everyone walked on their side of the road. People are very quiet compared to America. In Japan, it's silent in the train stations. Everyone is also very kind, they don’t really tend to be rude. They try their best to deal with us foreigners, but for the most part it was how people acted and how people carried themselves. It’s so different from what I’m used to.
Church Farm School | 1001 E. Lincoln Hwy. | Exton, Pennsylvania 19341
Phone: 610.363.7500 | Fax: 610.363.5367 | Admissions: admissions@gocfs.net
Phone: 610.363.7500 | Fax: 610.363.5367 | Admissions: admissions@gocfs.net
The Church Farm School is an independent boarding and day school for boys in grades 9-12 located in Exton, PA. Founded in 1918 to provide an excellent education to young men from limited means, Church Farm School now serves boys from a range of socio-economic circumstances who are seeking an extraordinary educational opportunity. The school offers a challenging college preparatory curriculum and an exceptional level of personal attention, with class sizes averaging between just 7 and 12 students.
