ANJIN = Anglo-Japan International Network

 

Message from the President

In 1600 the ship with William Adams or “The Blue Eyed Samurai” (Japanese name Miura Anjin) aboard was shipwrecked off the coast of Usuki, Oita prefecture, Japan after a tough 2-year-long voyage. He went on to become a diplomatic advisor to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Shogun of the Tokugawa era which lasted for 265 years.  Adams, who was born in Gillingham, Kent (now part of Medway),  spent 20 years in Japan never realising his dream of returning to England.

In the same way that Anjin (William Adams) reached Japan led by fate, in 2002 I started working at Chatham Grammar School for Boys in Chatham (now also part of Medway), unknowing at the time that Gillingham was Anjin’s hometown.

After having lived in the UK for almost 20 years, I founded ANJIN Co., Ltd (Anglo Japan International Network) in 2013, and returned to Japan the following year with the desire to “get as many people as possible to know about Anjin’s hometown and its rich history and nature” whilst also “helping both British and Japanese people”.

By making the most of the network I had built up whilst living in Medway, and with the co-operation of the Honorary Mayor of Yokosuka, Mrs Susan Haydock, one of the services we offer is the co-ordination of both adult and student trips to Japan which incorporate meet-and-greets with locals as well as “Study Trips to England” for Japanese.

 

An Experience-based History/Culture ANJIN Study Tour

William Adams known as the “Blue Eyed Samurai” is considered to be the first ever Englishman to set foot in Japan after a long and hard sea voyage in the late 16th century. Working as a diplomatic advisor for Tokugawa Ieyasu, Adams made an enormous contribution to Japanese history including building western style sailing ships, teaching, amongst other things, geography, mathematics and gunnery.

Here at ANJIN Co., Ltd (Anglo-Japan International Network) we carry out experience-based Anjin (William Adams) Study Tours both in the cherry blossom season as the SAKURA TOUR, and again in the autumn leaves season as the MOMIJI TOUR. Starting with places that have a deep connections to William Adams, our tours entail visiting towns that will allow you to truly feel Japanese history and culture whilst also implementing the mutual learning of both culture and language through interactions with Japanese locals.

Who can join the tour?

Anyone with an interest in Japanese history and culture can join the tour.

What places will you visit?

Places such as:

  • Tokyo – a city combining “old” and “new”
  • the historical towns of Kamakura and Kyoto
  • Miyajima (island) with the plentiful nature
  • the famous atomic bomb site in Hiroshima city
  • the sister cities of Medway, either Yokosuka city (Kanagawa prefecture) or Ito city (Shizuoka prefecture)

What kind of experiences can you expect?

  • Sushi making with a professional Sushi chef
  • Japanese flower arrangement
  • Basic Japanese language lessons
  • Homestay with a Japanese family

How to apply

Please apply with your deposit for either the SAKURA Tour (spring) or MOMIJI Tour (autumn) when advertised.

※Please do not hesitate to contact us with regard to any queries you may have about the Study tours.

 

<Profiles>

President: Yuki Kushida


<Qualifications>

  • Master’s Degree in Drama/Musical Theatre from the University of East Anglia, UK.
  • British Teaching Licence (Secondary School・Sixth Form (College))
  • Certificate: Teaching Japanese as a foreign language
  • Diploma: Acting and Musical Theatre course from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, UK

<Personal/Work History>

Lived in Bangkok, Thailand for 9 years. After having worked as a Japanese language teacher at British International School (Bangkok Patana School) in Bangkok, Yuki went on to achieve a PG (Post Graduate) Diploma studying Drama and Musical Theatre at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in the UK, where she was a resident of the UK for 20 years.

After having obtained PG Diploma Yuki then started working as a Japanese teacher at Chatham Grammar School for Boys (secondary school and sixth form/college) in Medway, Kent, UK , where Yuki started to co-ordinate ‘the Japan Trip for students’ and has been coordinating and accompanying the tour since 2004. Furthermore, she devoted herself to international relations as a member of the UK-Japan Friendship Society, connecting Medway with its sister cities of Ito city and Yokosuka city in Japan. Throughout her time in the UK Yuki assisted with Japan-related events in Medway as well as other events which connected the UK and Japan.

In addition to her teaching career Yuki also worked as an actress on stage (off West End production ‘King & I’), on TV (appeared in “Little Britain” series in the role of Gita), and several commercials.

 

Company Information

Name: ANJIN Co., Ltd (Anglo-Japan International Network）
Address: 3-29-36 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka city, Kanagawa-pref, 259-1207 JAPAN
TEL: ＋81 463-58-3949
Mobile: +81 80-3441-3449 (Kushida)

UK contact
Ms Susan Haydock  (Rochester, Kent, UK)
TEL: +44-1634-811-172 / +44-7931-286-259
URL: https://anjinworld.com/company/

<Our Services>

  • Running English language study classes
  • Other Foreign Language Programmes:Thai
  • Co-ordination of various British culture experience programmes
  • Co-ordination of study abroad programme to the UK (short term and long term)
  • Planning/Management of various events
  • Translation/Interpretation (English/Thai)
  • Dispatch a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter (English)
  • Co-ordination and accompanying British students’ tours to Japan (the JAPAN TRIP)
  • Co-ordination and Accompanying History/Culture Experience Study Tours from the UK

<Events/Workshops we have done so far>

  • JAPAN TRIP by British school students (in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
  • SAKURA TOUR/ MOMIJI TOUR (in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
  • Study trips to England by Japanese (in 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019)
  • English Kitchen workshop (for British home-cooked meals)
  • English Summer Class for children
  • Translation/Interpretation
    – for Hiratsuka-south Rotary Club
  • Language (English) workshops for local business groups
    – Hiratsuka-south Rotary Club
    – Oiso Chamber of Commerce Women’s department)