Japan Without Travel

Stephen Fenimore, College of Engineering undergraduate, and Andrew Kaiser, DAAP graduate student, have films and memorabilia from their visits to Japan. But travel to Japan isn’t necessarily a prerequisite to learning about Japanese culture and language. Japanese Hour, held every Wednesday afternoon, also has a lot of information to offer.

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That’s when elementary to advanced students of the language are encouraged to meet and participate for half an hour in the Japanese Language Table and for another half hour in a variety of activities that teach them what life in Japan is like. For example, during their presentation, “Experiences in Japan,” Fenimore and Kaiser, were able to give participants an “up close” look at the people and places they had visited

Sachiko Mishma, adjunct instructor in the Japanese program, summarized the theory behind Japanese Hour: “I believe culture is directly related to language, and understanding culture is helpful to students learning the language. Some students may have few opportunities to get to know Japanese culture, so I would like to share it and create a time for students learning Japanese to meet students from Japan and other Japanese speakers from the local community.”

For participants, “understanding culture” can mean everything from making origami to “playing” with traditional Japanese toys like board games, the Kendama (a cup and ball game), or Koma (a spinning top). One week McMicken undergraduate Daniel Carney demonstrated Kendo, the martial art of Japanese fencing that uses bamboo or wooden swords. The traditional Japanese tea ceremony and wearing of Japanese clothes are staples of the events that students describe as “fun and interesting.”

Mishma and Noriko Fujioka-Ito, an adjunct assistant professor who helped her organize the program, have discovered a way not only to bring Japan into the classroom but also create an atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm for learning. The best proof of that came from one of their students, who wrote, “I’m learning so much! I absolutely love it. Thank you very much for this opportunity. Always offer this, please. I wish similar opportunities were offered everywhere. I really love Japanese language, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. All of it! Japanese culture….I can’t get enough of it!”