Japan is a lively, highly populated country. Walking in the streets, we were surrounded by characteristic signs, menus, and colourful advertisements.
Conversations with locals and students during school visits helped us practice useful, day-to-day vocabulary, and tested us in deciphering the rapid ‘native speaker speed’.
The Japanese students were all so friendly in introducing customs and giving us a tour of their school life. They taught us about fun traditional games and popular anime.
Japanese schools are a bit different, with a stronger academic focus. There’s even an entrance exam for Kindergarten! It was interesting to learn that students have to wear indoor slippers in classrooms and the gym, and they typically clean the school grounds themselves.
We got to try out unique co-curriculars such as kendo (bamboo-sword fighting), calligraphy and tea ceremony. The kendo students were especially energetic and happy to watch us stumble around and left us in awe with a traditional and safe fight.
We found ourselves indulging in ramen and okonomiyaki and sushi, with perfected flavours. The scenery was something else, too. Mt Fuji dwarfs Australia’s highest point, the Torii gates stand majestically leading to the top of Mt Fushimi. The bustling life of streets such as the Osaka Shinsaibashi markets represent the daily rush of modern society. We drove past lush greenery surrounding dense urban centres and mountainous landscapes formed from plate tectonics. We also experienced an earthquake simulation.
With thanks to Linden (Year 11) for his reflections.
15 October 2026
On Thursday 15 October, we welcomed parents, students and staff to the Great Hall for our Respectful Relationships Education community event, 'Growing Up in the Age of Algorithms'. The evening reflected the School’s commitment to partnering with families on some of the most significant issues facing young people today, creating space for informed discussion, shared learning and meaningful engagement around the challenges and opportunities of life in an increasingly connected digital world.
15 October 2026
Participants of the Knox Leader Development Program recently gathered in the Bryden Room to present their leadership projects and reflect on their development as leaders. It was an inspiring occasion, with staff sharing their vision and purpose, achievements and future goals, leadership journey, and key learnings gained through the process.
08 October 2026
Year 12 student Nathan represented Australia for the third time in the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), travelling to Uzbekistan in Term 3 to compete with hundreds of students from dozens of countries across the globe.
