Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®
What is Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl?
The Japan Bowl® is a Japanese language and culture competition for high school students who are studying Japanese. The Japan-America Society of Washington DC organized and hosted the first Japan Bowl in 1992. The competition has since been expanding overseas and is now held in Poland, England, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, Bulgaria, France, etc. The inaugural Canadian Japan Bowl® was held in Vancouver in 2018.
Teams comprise of 2 to 3 members. During the competition, questions are read out verbally in both English and Japanese. The top three teams from the Preliminary Round will proceed to the Championship Round.
Check out these two videos to get an overview of the Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl: Introducing MVJB and Scenes from MVJB
Where and when does this take place?
The Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® is usually held the second weekend of March at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Center in Burnaby, BC.
How to join?
Team Applications are to be submitted by the teacher.
Eligibility
Canadian students who study Japanese at the high school level are eligible to compete at the Japan Bowl.
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- Students who are native speaker of Japanese or who use Japanese at home are not eligible to compete.
- Students who have had significant exposure to Japanese language and/or culture outside the high school curriculum are not eligible to compete. For example, students who have spent a cumulative total of three months or more in Japan might not be eligible to compete.
Application Process
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- Students form teams of two or three.
- Applications are submitted by teachers on behalf of students.
- Schools may register up to a maximum of TWO teams. Each team will need to be registered separately.
- Registration opens in early January.
- Application deadline: Last Friday in February
2025 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®
The 2025 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® will be held Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Center.
Please register here if you are interested in pre-event or day-of volunteering. These opportunities are open to all JET alumni and friends of JET.
Go to the 2025 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl event page for more details.
Previous Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®
7th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – March 9, 2024
For the 7th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl, over sixty students from 12 schools faced a diverse range of questions covering Japanese language, history, regions, green technology, and manga. The event began with energetic “Rajio Taiso” warmups and attendees were treated to mesmerizing cultural performances, including the elegant Tomoe Kai dance, vibrant Southern Wave Okinawan music and dance, and an exhilarating Kengido samurai showcase by Yusei Uchida and his brother Shosei. The Championship Round saw three teams—LARGE FRIES from R.A. McMath Secondary, Ebi from Eric Hamber Secondary, and Point Grey Hounds from Point Grey Secondary—compete fiercely, with LARGE FRIES emerging victorious.
6th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – March 11, 2023
For the 6th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl, over 70 students from 14 schools competed on 27 teams. Students answered challenging questions on a wide range of topics that went beyond Japanese language and grammar, such as history from 800 CE to 1600 CE, the Shikoku and Chugoku regions, green technology, and manga. Throughout the day, students enjoyed different cultural activities including a koto performance by Pico Masaki, a traditional ‘rajio taiso’ warmup, a captivating kyudo (Japanese archery) demonstration by Stephanie Mathura, a lively performance and workshop by APPARE Yosakoi group led Yuehi Shimada, and an exciting round of anime trivia. Steve Chevalier from the Consulate also introduced various work and study programmes opportunities supported by the Government of Japan. Ultimately, ‘Katsudon’ from Centennial Secondary School in Coquitlam won the competition. The day ended with Consul General Kohei Maruyama of the Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver offering his own humourous mini-quiz about the Consulate’s history before congratulating the participants and expressing his gratitude to the event organizers.
5th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – March 12, 2022
The 5th Annual Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® (MVJB) offered a fun day of Japanese language and culture for high school students at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre (Burnaby, BC). Abiding by provincial COVID-19 restrictions, over 85 people attended, including 14 teams representing seven schools from around the Lower Mainland. Special guests included the Consul General Takashi Hatori and Consular staff Steve Chevalier and Ryosuke Nakazawa; Vancouver Okinawa Taiko; and Urasenke Tea instructor Yasuko Takahashi. “The Pillar Men” from Coquitlam’s Centennial Secondary School took first place for the 2022 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®.
4th Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – March 13, 2021
3rd Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – February 23, 2020
The 3rd annual Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® was held at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre in Burnaby, BC. It was a year of new records with 66 students from 10 secondary schools forming 23 teams. Special guests included Consul General Takeshi Hatori, Canada Miyake Kai, Ms. Yurie Hoyoyon, and Sasuki Kai. Team 釣り人 from Port Moody Secondary was crowned the winner of the 2020 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®.
2nd Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – March 9, 2019
In a celebration of Japanese culture, the second Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® was held on March 9, 2019. Coming from across Metro Vancouver, 34 students formed 12 teams from six different secondary schools. In addition to the competition, attendees enjoyed performances by Dahaza Taiko and Kumori, as well as an aikido demonstration by Shomonikai. 華麗なカレー from Port Moody Secondary was the winner of the 2019 Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®.
Inaugural Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl® – February 24, 2018
In spite of a snowstorm the day before, over 60 people gathered at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre for the first-ever Japan Bowl® in Canada. 32 students formed 11 teams from five schools. In addition to the competition, students enjoyed an energetic mid-day taiko performance by Taiko 55 from Richmond, which included an interactive component where student volunteers were invited to join in the performance. A team from Killarney Secondary School delivered an outstanding performance and won the inaugural Metro Vancouver Japan Bowl®.
