The detection and monitoring of children with magic begins at an early age, for some, as young as three- or five-years-old when girls and boys are brought to shrines for Shichi-Go-San. Early detection and assimilation to the magical world has been proven to result in better educational and emotional outcomes in wixen children, and thus, Nagumo Academy’s tradition of educating the young has persisted to the present.
Children in the program, from the age of seven- to ten-years-old, attend classes throughout the day five days a week. These classes, a list of which is given at the end of this brochure, are designed to give a well-rounded education with an emphasis on intellectual and socio-emotional development, independence, and community.
Activities, supervised by our highly qualified educators who graduated from Nagumo themselves, include the second day of the Gion Festival in Heian-kyō, the Awa Dance Festival in Awa, cherry blossom festivals (location varies), and the Wakakusa Yamayaki Festival in Heijō-kyō*.
– Start Early at Nagumo Academy of the Magical Arts - An educational brochure
As you can seen in the images, the youngest children (seven- and eight-year-olds) are allowed to wear whatever they want. As they get older, they start wearing traditional clothes, though they don’t have a set uniform. The school can provide spare clothes that were donated if the family cannot afford them.
They have a whole mix of activities, from recitation and regular book learning to learning to play instruments and other fun activities designed to introduce them to magic and how to be a contributing member of society.
The wixes who work at shrines around the country usually help transport the kids to Nagumo. No, they don’t all fly in on giant birds. Why? Do you know how densely populated Japan is if you aren’t in the mountains? Harry and Ron were seen by muggles when they were flying the car to school, after all. Isn’t it much easier to find some other mode of transportation than on the back of a giant bird?
There are a few remote places where this is feasible, but the majority have other means of transportation.
It is actually quite difficult to become a teacher for this program, as you typically have to take a year-long intensive course about dealing with and managing accidental magic; it has a small pass rate and the interview process is likewise stringent.
Details:
Heian-kyō was the name of the old capital before it was changed to Kyōto. Heian-kyō remains the capital of the Japanese wixen community.
Heijō-kyō is the old name of Nara, when the seat of the government was in Nara instead of Kyōto.
Awa Province is the old name of Tokushima Province.
Japanese cuisine and relaxation is frugal and minimalist. The eating practice of Mahoutokoro follows some specific rules.
1. Day to Day meals: The recipe of the meals are specially prepared by the House of Matsuyama to ensure health and safety of the people in the house.
For Breakfast (Asa-Gohan) a bowl of rice, tsukemono (pickled vegetables) of at least three kinds, Nori Tsukudani (seaweed boiled in soysauce), Sakana (grilled fatty salmon), Miso soup with beansprouts and Tamagoyaki (rolled omelette with vegetables, often carrot and soy-bean) are offered. Natto (Fermented soybean) is a popular breakfast food, that has been on the menu for centuries.
For Lunch (Gohan/ Hirugohan) along with a bowl of rice, tsukemono a side of Grilled Fish or any other seafood is served. Sunomono or raw salad with vinaigrette dressing and Ohitashi or stir fried vegetables are served. In Three days a week, roasted Wagyu-niku or Roasted beef with potatoes are served. Fried tofu, yakitori or chicken is also common.
After the meal, students are given desserts, with an assortment of fruits.
Ammitsu is a common Japanese fruit salad bowl that is often served, it is comprised of three to five seasonal fruits, organic vegetarian jello cubes (introduced by the 20th century Muggleborns), and anko (sweet red bean paste)
Afternoon tea : In the afternoon, students practice tea-ceremony, and after it is over, for evening snack they have an assortment of desserts with the tea they had made. Some of the snacks that are eaten are manju (steamed buns with sweet filling), dango (tri-colored rice cake on a stick),and Sakura shaped Wagashi (sweets made out of rice flour with elaborate craftsmanship) Any two or three types of snacks are given, to balance the level of sugar intake. The portion is very small and not overpowering. In Special occasion, such as New Years, Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival March 3), Hanamatsuri(Flower festival, April 8)and Tanabata (Star Festival, July 7) a wider range of Wagashi and Yokan Are given.
The snacks change according to the season, such as
Note: The New Academic session Of Mahoutokoro begins on the day of Hinamatsuri, at the cracking of dawn. The entire day is celebrated with food and merriment, celebrating the blooming of Sakura and a new beginning of magic.
For Dinner (Yushoku/ Bangohan) : A lighter meal is prepared, similar to lunch. Sometimes Sashimi (sliced raw fish), Tempura (batter fry prawn), and a type of stew (Western influence) is served. Dinner is often kept lighter than the other meal, serving more rice and vegetables. In colder days, warm bowl of ramen, udon or soba is given with heavier and more comforting broth. In those days, Amazake (a sweet light alcoholic rice wine) is given to the students after dinner.
2. Etiquette:
Etiquette is strictly observed in Mahoutokoro. Teachers and Students eat together, and they all sit on the tatami mat on either side of the low table. Each student is given their own four legged tray which sits in front of them as they eat. Feet should be politely tucked in, and a brief prayer before meal (”Ittadakimasu”) must always be said. Wasting food is frowned upon, but one can return the food if they think it is too much for them. Teachers will leave the room first after dinner then the students from youngest to the eldest shall leave.
General Japanese dining etiquette is followed.
a. No one shall pass food chopstick by chopstick.
b. Before leaving the table, one must ask the neighbors, and bow to the teachers before leaving, if this is especially without the queue.
c. chopstick stand are given to place it after dinner, or else, leaving it on the rim of the rice or soup bowl is also acceptable.
d. During mealtime, no school appliances are allowed in the dining hall.
d. Placing the chopstick upright on the bowl is a taboo. It means giving incense to the deceased.
e. Disturbing anyone during the mealtime, (pulling a prank etc.) is punishable; because Matsuyama believed that peace is deserved during sleep and mealtime, even for the worst enemy.
Matsuri no Shokuji (The meals for festival)
New Year: The feast of New Year mainly consist of Osechi-ryori, a meal traditionally eaten by the Japanese in the new year. Mahoutokoro customized a meal of Osechi that has being eaten since it’s inception.
Datemaki :
“Date“ means “illustrious”, and “maki” comes from conjoining the “yaki” of “tamagoyaki” or omelette. It is a complex roll of omelette mixed with fish paste or mashed shrimp. It symbolises the wish for many auspicious days.
Kamaboko : a loaf of pureed white fish that is finely sliced and decorated on the plate. The outer layer is often Cherry Blossom Pink in the school symbolizing the eternal existence of the school
Kazunoko : “Kazu“ means number and “ko“ means child.
Kazunoko is roe of herring, or it is basically Japanese fresh caviar. This dish is only eaten by the students.
Konbu: a dish made of seaweed that means “yorokobu” or joy.
O-zoni: Is a special new year soup made with vegetables, meat and Mochi (rice cakes), The number of vegetables, to the variety of meats and spices, everything comes in number ‘five’, symbolising the harmony of five houses.
Ebi: Essentially means “shrimp”. It’s bent shape symbolizes a old bent body, therefore it is a way wishing for the long life. As Mahoutokoro is a Seaside school, Seven types of seafood are served in the Osechi, Including Squid, lobster, octopus, abalone, tiger prawns, grilled herring and otoro (fatty salmon)
Hinamatsuri: Hinamatsuri is the Japanese Doll Festival celebrated in March 3rd every year. In the Non-magic world it is a girl-center festival where parents buy traditional dolls to their girl children. The displaying of Hina dolls began in the early 1600s as a way to ward off evil spirits. It was thought that the dolls would act as good luck charms.
Wizards celebrate it quite differently. They hand carve dolls in impressive shapes of monsters and display them on their doorways and while in the evening, they burn it, by often attaching fireworks or hanabi to them. The fireworks are enchanted: they burn and cast a protective charm at the atmosphere to ward off dark magic. After the fireworks, students dine. They are served
shiro-zake (white fermented rice wine) and hishi-mochi (diamond-shaped rice cakes)
Hishi-mochi are colored pink representing peach flowers, white representing snow, and green representing new growth. Then they are given edamame maze-gohan, (
brown rice and soybeans
),
inarizushi (tofu stuffed with rice) with
with miso grilled salmon and cabbage ramen salad.
Hanamatsuri: Hanamatsuri is a great deal in the Japanese wizarding community, especially in Mahoutokoro. The new term opens at Hanamatsuri; and as the first ray of sun falls on the Uzuzakura (Eternally blooming cherry blossom tree), sorting ceremony begins, and throughout the day the feast lasts and in three terms students are fed. In the first term (early morning) they are served 5 types of gyoza dumplings, and Hoto (very complecated udon noodle soup), In the second term (at twelve pm) a five course suikiyaki (Japanese style hot pot) is served, where students can cook and eat their meal on the tabletop. In the third term, which actually coincides with tea-ceremony hour, Students are given 88 types of wagashi. 88 because, it is the sacred evil repelling number of the Wizarding community.
Tanabata: Tanabata or Star-festival is a night festival, where Mahoutokoro celebrates spectacularly with food and fireworks. This is the day when the Quidditch Festival of the Summer ends, after a week of all-school interclass house-neutral Quidditch competition. At night at the end of Bunkasai (school festival), waste products are burned, fireworks are lit and all-nighter food stalls are opened by the students. This is the night of fried food, and nightly outdoor fun. The students sell and eat Takoyaki,(
fried round dough balls with small pieces of octopus
) yakisoba (fried soba noodles) yakitori (chicken kebab), kaarage (fried chicken) okonomiyaki (mixed fried pancake) etc.
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