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: International/Japanese students of JAIST experienced Zazen

JAIST made the 1st cultural excursion 2013 on June 28, 2013. Fourteen (14) international students and one (1) Japanese student visited Eiheiji in Fukui prefecture and experienced Zazen. Eiheiji (the "temple of eternal peace”) is one of Soto Zen's two head temples.

All the participants could concentrate on doing Zazen perfectly without a hit on their shoulders (kyosaku) for 40 minutes (including the time of instruction given by a priest) in spite the fact that it was their first experience. The moment they spent serenely far from the madding crowd seemed to have been very new to them, and most of the participants said that they wanted to do zazen for a while longer. Besides, some of international students said that it was also a privilege to join a religious event like this from their religious point of view. After Zazen, they spent their free time in looking around or taking pictures in the grounds of the temple.

Participants were from various countries such as Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, India, Fiji, Germany and Japan, so it was a very fruitful cultural excursion in the study of the Buddhism culture in Japan.

Excursion 2: Japanese Sweets Making and visit Karakuri Museum

JAIST made the 2nd cultural excursion 2013 on August 30, 2013. Four (4) international/Japanese students visited Ishikawa Souvenirs and Gifts Shop and made Japanese sweets with coaching from a professional confectioner. They made high-grade Japanese fresh confections in the shape of summer-flowers such as Japanese morning glory and sunflower. They were kneading bean paste in a serious manner and expressed their own summer flowers. Some Japanese students explained how to make Japanese sweets or what Japanese summer-flowers are like to international students in English, all the participants seemed to have enjoyed each other's company all the time.

Then they visited Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa Port Ohno Karakuri Museum located in Ohno, kanazawa and learned about the structure of the mechanical doll or about BENKICHI OHNO, scientist in the end of EDO era through the demonstration and lecture of the mechanical doll performed by a staff of the museum. The museum displays and preserves various kinds of mechanical toys, so all the students were totally absorbed in trying to find out such a complicated structure. Some international students were obsessed with the magic of the mechanical objects, and wanted to get one. It was a very fruitful cultural excursion with a hands-on experience of Japanese culture.

Excursion 3 : Visit Asano Taiko Drum Exhibit and EIZO Corporation

JAIST made the 3rd cultural excursion 2013 on February 20, 2014. Eleven (11) international students participated in the excursion. First, at Asano Taiko Drum Exhibit, they saw over 100 different types of drums from all over the world, and actually hit Japanese drums varied in size from small to large (up to 180 cm in diameter) and enjoyed their notes. At EIZO Corporation, they took a tour of the LCD Monitor factory and visited their showroom, being amazed at their highly skilled manufacturing. Some students asked various questions and it showed their high interests of technology of Japan.
One of students was considering purchasing a LCD Monitor of the company in the showroom. It was a fruitful opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of manufacturing and technology of Japan.