Japanese Culture Course Annual Report (2019) part1

The U.S.-Kagoshima-Asia Triad Program in a Multi-Polar World

 Inter-University Exchange Project

1. Taiwan National Cheng Kung University（NCKU）→ Kagoshima University（KU）

From July 8^th to July 16^th, 2019, students from Taiwan National Cheng Kung University came to Kagoshima University to participate in the US-Kagoshima-Asia Triad program’s Japanese Culture Course.

Lecture: Professor Takatsu Takashi gave a lecture about the rare historical books in KU library. Students had a precious experience to see these rare books in person at the library after the lecture.

Farm stay in Izumi: Izumi city is in the north-west part of Kagoshima prefecture. KCKU students were divided into groups and each group stayed one night at farmer’s residence. They were able to experience authentic Japanese way of life, eat delicious Japanese foods with fresh vegetables they harvested on that same day.

Fieldwork with KU students: NCKU students prepared to make a short film presentation about Kagoshima with KU students. The NCKU students shared the experiences in Kagoshima and discussed about differences between Taiwanese and Japanese cultures with KU students. With the KU students as their guides, they then started to shoot video footage in various places around Kagoshima. They then edited the videos and each group showed their short film that highlighted the differences between Japanese and Taiwanese culture.

Library in KU

Senganen: Stately home and gardens of the Shimadzu family

Kimono Experience

Student voice1: We had an amazing life experience with the local family in Izumi. Especially got along well with the grandparents in farm stay and made me feel impressive about their kindness. Just like the TV show “Stay in Farm One Night”, it was really interested. Grandpa took us to walk in the evening, and then lay on the road, feeling the warm ground and counting the stars in the sky. That place is full of nature and really remote, so everything there needs to be made by themselves. Not only for things of life, but also for foods. And it was most fortunate that we saw the wild deer there! We were so surprised!!!

Student voice2: Inside the core of cultural exchange, people who are involved undoubtedly play a great role. The possibility of communications, dialogs, and interactions give participants a bigger heart with greater tolerance. Within this program, several people who introduced things to us and who interacted with us enriched my mind and deepened my thoughts.

Student voice3: On the day of presentation, the topics each group have chosen were so diverse and stimulating. Students growing up in different backgrounds provided distinct observations and opinions. For example, if you grow up getting used to child pick-up, you will surely be shocked by how “brave” Japanese parents let their children go to school alone. Without the chance of this discussion and cooperation, we wouldn’t have known the difference.

2. KU→NCKU

From 20^th to 29^th 2019 students from KU participate the study tour to Taiwan to understand Taiwan’s history and diversity and had an exchange program with NCKU students 25^th and 26^th July.

Tainan: NCKU is in Tainan city, Taiwan. This is a very historical city where KU students visit very old mausoleums and Fort Provintia and so on with NCKU students. KU students specially enjoyed visiting the old incense factory and embroidery factory which Professor Lee introduced them.

Exchange program: KU students joined Professor Lee’s class at NCKU and a KU student made a presentation about the Japanese and Taiwanese traditional events and discussed about the both cultures.

Embroidery factory

Incense factory

Fort Provintia

Student voice1: Apart from Japan, I could see my country objectively. I thought Japan is the developed country, but I often found that Taiwan was more advanced in terms of their policies concerned with foreign labor issues and so on. If we look at the problem from a global perspective, we could discover a new and different solution.

Student voice2: I found the mistakes made during the war were not transmitted through education or the media in Japan. I thought that the problem of “the comfort women” have been solved already, but I could get a new perspective about the problem in Taiwan. I was able to learn history and problems which I couldn’t know if I was just in Japan.

Student voice3: We hear about Taiwan from a Japanese journalist who live in Taiwan, I was most interested in the environment problem. For example, in Taiwan these days straws and toothbrush handles are made of different materials, like paper, stainless steel, bamboo, etc., to reduce the amount of plastic used. After I came back to Japan, I found the stainless-steel straw, I think I would not have been as concerned about it if I hadn’t heard this story.