Chiyo Junior High School

Kim’s laughter echoed in the hallways of Chiyo Junior High School. It wasn’t the laughter of a child, but the joyful sound of a woman who had found her purpose late in life. Kifun Kim, at the age of 74, joined the night classes at Chiyo Junior High. She embarked on a journey to learn to read and write Japanese. Chiyo Junior High School, located in Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward, offered these classes to individuals like Kim. People who, for various reasons, were denied the opportunity of education earlier in life. Kim quickly became a beloved fixture at Chiyo Junior High. She always sat front and center, eager to absorb every lesson. For nearly 20 years, she rarely missed a class. Kim’s dedication was evident in her meticulously filled notebooks. Pages covered in hiragana, and countless repetitions of kanji characters, demonstrated her perseverance. One day, she deciphered a street sign she passed daily. “This road comes to a dead end.” It may seem trivial, but for Kim, it was a triumph. She practiced reading it every day. Her ultimate dream was to read a newspaper, a challenging feat due to the complexity of kanji. Kim’s presence at Chiyo Junior High School wasn’t just about learning to read and write. It was about finding a sense of belonging and purpose. She often referred to the class as her “pair of glasses,” allowing her to see a world previously hidden. Sadly, Kim passed away in November 2020, just shy of her 100th birthday dream. A memorial, delayed by the pandemic, finally took place in her cherished classroom at Chiyo Junior High School. Photos and notebooks, testaments to her vibrant spirit and unwavering dedication, filled the room. Kim’s laughter may no longer echo in the halls of Chiyo Junior High, but her story continues to inspire. A story of perseverance, the pursuit of knowledge, and the transformative power of education, all found within the walls of Chiyo Junior High School.