Japanese Culture Course Annual Report (2019) Part 2 SJSU

Japanese Culture

Students of San Jose State University, U.S. visited Kagoshima University in January 2020, and vice-versa, students of Kagoshima University visited San Jose in February-March 2020.

Eight San Jose State University (SJSU) students and their professor visited Kagoshima, Amami, and Okinawa from 5^th to 18^th January 2020 as part of the course: “Local and Minority Culture in Japan” organized by Kagoshima University (KU) in collaboration with SJSU. The course examines how identities and cultures of the ethnic minorities of Japan, such as Okinawans and Amamians, changed over time from Edo era to present, interacting with majority groups in mainland Japan and the U.S. under their political controls.

SJSU students participated in an American literature class in Kagoshima University (KU) and had discussions with KU students. They made research trips to Sakurajima island, Japanese gardens of Sengan’en, and Chiran Samurai Residence Complex. They identified traditional Japanese garden style and enjoyed local foods such as Ramen, Shochu, and the largest radish variety in the world, the ‘Sakurajima Daikon’ grown in ash fields at the foot of the active Sakurajima volcano. Also, whilst in Chiran, they visited the Chiran Peace Museum where they learned about the experiences and memories of the young Kamikaze suicide pilot corps in the second World War. In Amami and Okinawa they discovered how local folk culture differs from “Japanese Culture.” A field research in Amami was made collaboratively with KU students who major in anthropology and archeology. They interviewed local elderly people on whether they identify themselves either as Amamian or/and Japanese.

A month later, a group of Kagoshima University students visited California to participate in a course consisting of a leadership workshop and hands on training at educational institutes and business companies in San Francisco Bay Area. KU students visited SJSU campus where SJSU students made a poster presentation about their research findings during their Kagoshima, Amami, Okinawa trip and shared their experiences in Japan with KU students. It was an exciting event in which both student bodies confirmed their friendships and enjoyed interactions.

Sumie Nakatani

Course Schedule: San Jose University