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: Zazen Experience at Daijoji

Date　　：　June 17, 2016 (Friday) 12：40　-　16：40
Place　　：　Daijoji (Kanazawa City)
Participants ：15 International students , 3 Japanese students , 3 JAIST staff members
Itinerary 　： 12：50　JAIST dept. →　13：30　Daijoji arr. (Zazen Experience)
　　　 　　 　 15：50　Daijoji dept. →　16：40　JAIST arr.

We hold the first Japanese Cultural Excursion of this fiscal year on June 17 and 15 international students and 3 Japanese students visited Daijoji in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa.
Participants got lectured about Zazen by a priest and then they experienced Zazen for 30 minutes. Most of students were confused by many manners at first, but some students were hit on their shoulders by kyosaku (wooden stick) with their own volition. The moment they spent serenely far from the madding crowd seemed to have been very new to them. All the students concentrate on doing Zazen perfectly, the priest expressed his feelings that he couldn’t believe this was the first experience for them because all the students could keep a good posture. After Zazen, they asked questions earnestly and it showed their high interests of the religious culture.
During the excursion, participant students, which were very international such from India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Tanzania and Japan, could communicate with each other. It was a meaningful opportunity for them to deepen their understandings of Japanese Buddhism culture.

Excursion 2 : EIZO Corporation, Hokuriku Confectionery

Date ：　August 26, 2016 (Friday) 12：40　-　17：10
Place ：　EIZO Corporation (Hakusan City)
　　　　 Hokuriku Confectionery (Kanazawa City)
Participants　： 17 International students, 3 JAIST staff members
Itinerary ：　 12：50 JAIST dept.
　　　　　　 →13：20 EIZO Corporation arr. (Observation tour)
　　　　　　 　15：00 EIZO Corporation dept.
　　　　　　 →15：40 Hokuriku Confectionery arr.　(Rice cracker Hand-baking experience)
　　　　　　 　16：30 Hokuriku Confectionery dept.
　　　　　　 →17：10 JAIST arr.

We held the second Japanese Cultural Excursion of this fiscal year on August 26 and 17 international students participated in this event. First, the participants visited EIZO Corporation in Hakusan City, Ishikawa. After receiving an explanation of corporate profile, they observed its showroom. Some LCD monitors displayed there are used at JAIST, and the students were listening to the details of the product features with great interest. At the factory tour, they were able to observe the production line closely. Some students asked various questions about assembling and testing processes. They seemed to be highly interested in industrial technology of Japan.

Next, they visited Hokuriku Confectionery in Kanazawa city to experience baking rice crackers. There are approximately ten ovens at its factory-direct outlet called SAISHO, and all the students were baking rice crackers in earnest. After that, they tried many different kinds of rice crackers with explanation given by the staff. Most of the students bought their favorite ones as souvenirs. The excursion became the great opportunity for the students to deepen their understanding of industrial technology and food culture of Japan.

Excursion 3 : Gold Leaf Experience and Stroll around the Higashi Chaya District

Date 　 　 ： February 24, 2017 (Friday) 12：00　-　17：10
Place 　 　 ： Gold Leaf Sakuda and Ochaya Shima (Kanazawa City)
Participants ： 17 International students
Itinerary ： 12:00 JAIST dep. → 13:00 Sakuda arr. (Gold Leaf Experience)
　　　　　 14:00 Sakuda dep. Stroll Higashi Chaya District and visit Ochaya Shima
　　　　　 16:30 The district dept. → 17:00 JAIST arr.

The 3rd Japanese Cultural Excursion in this year was taken place on February 24, 2017. 17 JAIST students left JAIST to visit one of the popular tourist areas in Kanazawa to experience cultural aspects of the historical city. To see and handle some 1/10,000 mm thin delicate gold leaf was a rare occasion and the students enjoyed it immensely. About a half later, they all created their own original gold leaf work. After that, they had tea with gold leaf frakes in it and looked around the store where the various gold leaf merchandises were sold.
Next, they strolled around the Higashi Chaya District. A visit to one of the national important cultural assets, the Ochaya Shima gave the students a chancec to glance at the lives of the people of the time who were actually in the house entertaining and being entertained. It was impressive to be inside the building which remains the same as it was built in 1820. The students who tried the Shamisen, a three-stringed instrument and the Taiko drums and those who watched their friends enjoy the Japanese musical instruments surely made a special memory to bring home with.
It was a great opportunity for the JAIST international students to experience a small part of the Kanazawa's well known historical cultural heritage together.