JAIST organizes Japanese Cultural Excursions for international students to deepen their understanding of Japanese and local culture, while also deepening their exchanges with Japanese students.

Excursion 1: Yamanaka-nuri experience

This fiscal year’s first Japanese Cultural Excursion was held on July 4, 2011. The theme for this excursion was “Creation and Experience”. Students experienced decorating Yamanaka-nuri, which is one of the famous lacquer wares in Japan and traditionally created locally, and intended to understand Japanese traditional art and craft. Many students　participated in this event in despite of heavy rain.

Students received explanations how to decorate Yamanaka-nuri by a specialist and started decorating trays, dishes for sweets, lunch boxes and wall clocks which each student had chosen. They had a good time to work on decorating their own Yamanaka-nuri with lacquer and metallic powder then finished up with painting and drawing. They happily brought back their finished works as souvenirs.

Participants could learn the creation and the beauty of Japanese traditional art and craft. And they deepened their affections for the regional community through this experience.

Excursion 2: Coca-Cola Factory Tour and Trail in Tateyama Syomyo Fall

We held the second Japanese Cultural Excursion of this fiscal year on August 22, 2011. The theme for this time was “Industry and Observation”. We intended to deepen understandings of international students for a cutting-edge manufacturing and distribution company through this tour at Hokuriku Coca-Cola Tonami Factory.

Many students participated in despite of a rainy day. They received explanations of its business deployment and state-of-the-art technology at first. And they saw the whole processes which started from an internal manufacturing including beverage and container productions and sealing beverage containers to packaging and product control. Moreover, they had an opportunity for an aggressive Qs & As session about a numerical control of the taste of beverages and so on.
After the factory tour, they visited the foot of Mt. Tateyama to see the Shomyo Fall, the tallest waterfall in Japan.

Students could learn the world’s leading manufacturing and distribution technologies and also could get in touch with the great nature of Mt. Tateyama on this excursion.

Excursion 3: Gathering of International Students in Ishikawa

This fiscal year’s third Japanese Cultural Excursion “Gathering of International Student in Ishikawa” was held on October 1. International students from Kanazawa University, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa Seiryo University and JAIST gathered in this event. 6 international students made presentations about things they learned and felt through their lives in Ishikawa.

Reports from international student participants

Suwantaweekul, Lalitta / Information Science M2
I was one of speakers on this excursion. I made a presentation about a comparison between Thai culture and Japanese culture. I got nervous at that time but it was a good experience. I also listened to the other presentations about the cultural differences from Chinese, Vietnamese and Bangladeshi students. I could get to know the countries such as China and Bangladesh which I had not quite known of. When I was listening to them, I thought they spoke Japanese fluently even though they were international students. I will make an effort to speak Japanese better.

Cai, Yu / Information Science M2
I attended “Gathering of International Students in Ishikawa” on October 1. I discussed with students from universities in Ishikawa about international students’lives on this gathering. Students from Hokuriku University, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa Seiryo University and JAIST made presentations about things they learned and felt through their lives in Ishikawa. I was impressed that they were having very interesting days in Ishikawa. We could deepen our understandings of each of cultures and learn a lot through this gathering.