What makes Tarragindi a meeting point for Japanese language and culture? Across the suburb, Japanese language and cultural activities can be found through the local school, a Japanese-language playgroup and community groups, giving children and families opportunities to connect with Japan close to home.
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One of those connections will come into focus again in Term 4, when students from Kudan in Japan return to Wellers Hill State School during Week 6 to experience school in an Australian context. The school is also seeking families who would welcome Japanese students into their homes during the visit, with interested families asked to contact the Australian Japan Study Programme (AJSP) to register their interest.
A Japanese Connection At Wellers Hill
Wellers Hill State School has developed Japanese language and cultural programs that extend beyond the classroom. Wellers Hill began its Japanese Bilingual Program in 2014, with the program initially offered to Year 1 students. The school now offers an Australian Curriculum Japanese pathway from Year 1 to Year 6, alongside its Australian Curriculum English pathway.
The school also has international links through its Japanese program. Its current friendship school is Shiwasuda Elementary School in Saitama, Japan, with Year 3 students involved in postcard writing and Year 6 students taking part in Teams meetings.
Wellers Hill also offers students the opportunity to take part in a Japan Study Tour. The tour involves attending school in Japan as well as visiting cultural sites and participating in cultural activities.
The Kudan exchange brings Japanese students into the Tarragindi school environment, giving them an opportunity to experience an Australian school. Wellers Hill’s parent handbook identifies Kudan Junior High School among the Japanese schools it hosts, with visiting students attending Wellers Hill and participating in classroom activities and explicit English lessons.
For the returning students, the visit will provide an opportunity to experience everyday schooling in Australia, as the school has described it.
From Playgroups To The Bowls Club
The Japanese connection in Tarragindi is not confined to the school grounds. The Southside Japanese Playgroup provides another gathering point for Japanese-speaking parents and young children, offering a mix of organised activities and free play. Sessions include Japanese book reading, songs, movement, outdoor play and seasonal craft and cultural activities.
The group describes its emphasis as fun and cultural experience through the Japanese language, while also giving families a chance to make new friends and become part of a community. The current Play Matters listing places the playgroup in Tarragindi.
At Wellers Hill Bowls Club, meanwhile, Little Japan provides another avenue for Japanese language and cultural activities. Little Japan describes itself as a Japanese language and cultural community based in Brisbane, with Japanese lessons, tutoring and cultural workshops including calligraphy.
Its services also include an after-school Homework Club based at Wellers Hill State School, providing tutoring and homework support for students from Year 1 to Year 6. Taken together, these activities create several entry points into Japanese language and culture around Tarragindi.
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At school, students can encounter Japanese through the curriculum, while younger children can experience the language through playgroup activities. Families can also find Japanese cultural programs outside school, while visiting students from Japan take part in activities at Wellers Hill.
The return of the Kudan students in Term 4 adds another chapter to Wellers Hill’s established connection with Japan. For Tarragindi, the story is less about a single exchange and more about the range of ways Japanese language and culture have become part of community life.
Published 21-September-2026
