Clark College Hosts 9th Annual Japan Bowl

High school students compete in a celebration of Japanese language, culture, and community

Cheers from more than 100 high school students echoed through Gaiser Hall on Feb. 28 as Clark College hosted the 9th annual Pacific Northwest Japan Bowl, a trivia competition that brought high schoolers from across Washington together to test their knowledge of Japanese culture and language. 

Organized by the Japan-America Society of Oregon (JASO), the event challenges students with questions spanning geography, history, art, pop culture, society, verbal skills, idioms, and kanji (the Japanese writing system). This year, students from 13 schools participated, with each school allowed to enter two teams per level in the competition. First-place teams in Levels 3 and 4 advanced to compete at the national level.  

Only the highest-scoring teams from the morning’s preliminary rounds moved on to the championship rounds, where competitors took the stage to answer questions in front of their peers and a public audience. 

The crowd was fully invested in their fellow students. With every question, audience members roared to life — cheering when answers were correct or groaning when teams narrowly missed the mark. 

Student competitors Felix, Carter, and Soren from Bothell High School said they look forward to both the challenge and the community aspect of the event.  

“The organizers do a good job at keeping it a fun environment,” Carter said.  

While two of them already have clear plans for their futures, Soren appreciated the opportunity to explore options at the college exhibit, where universities, community colleges, and educational programs from across the region hosted information booths.  

The excitement extended beyond the competition itself. Before the championship rounds, the audience enjoyed a musical performance by Takohachi, a Portland-based traditional Japanese drum and dance ensemble, which performed energetic pieces using traditional instruments.  

More than 60 partners from the community helped bring Japan Bowl to life this year. It’s been held on Clark’s campus since 2019, with the exception of 2021 and 2022, when the event was unable to take place in person due to the COVID pandemic. 

Michiyo Okuhara (pictured left), a Japanese professor at Clark, has been instrumental in the college's partnership with JASO, hosting the event on campus with support from Carolyn Stark and Clark's Event Services team. 

“Each year, many high school students visit Clark College to participate in the Japan Bowl,” Michiyo said. “This not only gives them the chance to experience a college campus, but it also allows them to connect with our Japanese program and the broader cultural community here. In that sense, the event also serves as a meaningful form of outreach and helps introduce Clark College to future students." 

She also emphasized Clark’s role in promoting Japanese culture in the region. 

“Compared to Portland, there are relatively few organizations in our area that actively promote Japanese language and culture,” she said. “I believe Clark College plays an important role in supporting and sharing Japanese culture with the local community. 

“For example, Clark hosts the annual Sakura Festival, which has become an important cultural event for the region. Hosting the Japan Bowl on our campus is another valuable opportunity to highlight Japanese language and culture and to share that with the community.” 

Volunteers also played a key role in supporting the event. Sharon Carsten, a member of Clark’s Japanese Club, helped staff the competition alongside her son Davin (pictured right). Sharon has been exploring her Japanese ancestry in recent years, including traveling to Japan and participating in cultural events like Japan Bowl. Davin, a former Running Start student, is currently studying Japanese through the Japanese Community and Cultural Center of Washington. 

For organizers, the goal of the event goes beyond the competition:

“We want to encourage students to keep learning Japanese and increase the visibility of the Japanese culture in the community,” said Satomi Newsom from JASO. “It’s important to show we’re doing good things here. Hopefully, students are encouraged and become advocates for the Japanese community.” 

After a day of close scores and tough competition, this year’s winning teams were announced: 

Level 2 

1st place: International School of Beaverton Team #1 

2nd place: International School of Beaverton Team #2 

3rd place: Woodinville High School Team #2 

Level 3 

1st place: Woodinville High School Team #2 

2nd place: Roosevelt High School 

3rd place: International School of Beaverton Team #2 

Level 4 

1st place: Churchill High School 

2nd place: International School of Beaverton Team #2 

3rd place: Kamiak High School 

Celebrate Japanese Culture at Clark's Sakura Festival

Clark College and the community will continue celebrating Japanese culture this spring with our annual Sakura Festival on April 16, 2026, at 1 p.m. 

Over 25 years ago, the City of Vancouver received a gift of friendship: 100 Shirofugen cherry trees, which were planted at Clark College as an enduring reminder of the bonds between our region and Japan. Over the years, those trees have grown and blossomed, as has that friendship. Learn more about the history of the Sakura Festival. 

Photos: Clark College/Malena. Group photo courtesy of JASO.

Story by Malena Goerl, Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing