About 20 students from around the world experienced traditional Japanese culture at an exchange program held in Tokyo last month.
The event was organized by Soroptimist International of Tokyo-Azuma. Invited students are registered with the JUSCO program, which has been run by the Japan National Student Association (JNSA) Fund for nearly 60 years to promote cultural exchange among younger generations, and improve understanding of Japanese culture among foreign university students studying in Tokyo.
This year’s event took place at the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, on Oct. 18, with 24 students from countries including China, Pakistan and the United States participating. About 40 Japanese university students also joined the event as representatives of the fund.
During the event, students were divided into four groups, and each group took turns experiencing tea ceremony, flower arranging, origami and calligraphy. Experts in the fields introduced the basic skills of each discipline except for calligraphy, which was explained by a student who has a lot of experience with the art.
These activities included writing kanji with a brush on Japanese paper. Participants said they enjoyed the activities, but wished they had more time for each discipline.
The JNSA Fund also organizes the annual Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest with The Yomiuri Shimbun.(The Japan News)
Link: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002553543
20
