What is Golden Week in Japan?

Golden Week is Japan’s version of Easter. 

But there’s nothing holy about it – it’s more about having a good time! 

The name was coined by Masaichi Nagata – the Managing Director of the now-defunct Daiei Film Co., Ltd. – because he noticed in 1948 that business picked up during a string of public holidays between April & May. The term was based on Japanese radio slang at the time!

I love the name myself. I remember one foreign teacher visiting Japan, feeling slightly outraged that I had called her workshop “Golden Week” without checking with her!

When it was residential, we used to meet in the region of Japan where Mt Fuji lives. It starts getting warm again, and every day we’d run up the hill to check if Mt Fuji was visible that day…

For the last two decades, BodyChance teachers and trainees have used this time to come together as a community. Many Japanese also use Golden Week as a time to be with their family. One of our trainees was once told by his wife: “If you go to BodyChance Golden Week residential instead of coming home, I will divorce you!” 

Luckily, he stayed married – but still came!

Well – one of the brighter aspects of the pandemic is that you can stay at home AND come to Golden Week. This year, I call our event a “Symposium” - rather than a “Residential” - as we will all meet together virtually, and each teacher will explore the same theme.

This event is one of the first times the international Alexander community gets to peek in on the Japanese Alexander community – and the Japanese get to meet more overseas teachers than ever before.

Everything is spoken in English and translated into Japanese – and the week is held together by exploring teaching methods online. Tommy Thompson, Lucia Walker, Jeremy Chance, Sarah Barker, Greg Holdaway and Cathy Madden will offer up to three sessions each during the nine days. If you miss a session – the recording will be available to watch later.

You can read more about it by clicking on the link below:

https://bodychance.mykajabi.com/how-to-teach-alexander-online