They fidgeted with chopsticks and enjoyed an array of exotic foods from Japan, but these weren't Japanese pupils.

They were Tubman Middle School pupils who are taking a Japanese class, one of the few such classes offered in Georgia.

Through a Communities in Schools grant, about 70 pupils left the school cafeteria behind to experience the culture and cuisine of Mikoto of Kurama Japanese restaurant on Washington Road on Thursday and Friday.

"Many of the kids say 'This is the first time I've eaten at a Japanese restaurant,'" said Mary Crawford, the executive director of Communities in Schools of Augusta/Richmond County.

"It's an opportunity for me to try something new," eighth-grader Stephen Brinson said.

Stephen said he chose to take the class to learn more about Japanese culture.

He has since discovered several differences between Japan and the United States.

Classes begin with the traditional bow from the pupils to the teacher and from the teacher to the pupils, and meals follow the formality of Japanese culture.

"Gochisosama," Stephen said, explaining that the Japanese give thanks for a good meal after eating.

Pupils also are learning how to greet someone and order food in the foreign tongue, 13-year-old Janelle Jasper said.

"We learn something other than what we see every day," she said.

The purpose of the class is to do that and more, said Greg Davis, a Tubman Middle counselor, who helps with the grant.

The purpose is also to increase pupils' self-esteem, address attendance problems, decrease the number of discipline issues and boost academics.

"We're just trying to knock their socks off and make learning neat," Mr. Davis said.

Kimi Orr, a native of Osaka, Japan, has taught English in Japan, Korea and Germany and is teaching the class at Tubman Middle.

At first, the pupils looked at the Japanese language and didn't know which direction to read and didn't know which way was up on the letters, Ms. Orr said.

The Japanese language uses three different alphabets, all different from the English alphabet.

Through the class, pupils learn to think differently, she said.

Only 11 schools in the state offered Japanese classes last year, according to the Georgia Department of Education. Of those, two were middle schools.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.