Celebrating Tanabata on Campus!

An event celebrating Tanabata, a Japanese summer festival, was held at the Self-Access Center (SAC), a self-study space for students in our Central Information Center on June 28th (Wednesday). The purpose of the event was to familiarize international students with Tanabata and provide them with a firsthand experience. Approximately 50 Japanese and international students, as well as teachers, participated in the event.

Initially, a student from the Faculty of International Studies explained the origins and customs of Tanabata in English, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation showcasing the three major Tanabata festivals in Japan and fireworks displays held in Aichi Prefecture. They also introduced other summer festivals that international students could enjoy. Following this, the participants engaged in crafting bamboo branch decorations using origami and writing their wishes on tanzaku strips.

The students wrote their wishes in multiple languages, including Japanese, English, Urdu, French, German, Chinese, and Hindi, adding an international touch that reflects our diverse student community.

International students were also given the opportunity to try on yukata, a traditional Japanese garment. One international student, experiencing wearing a yukata for the first time, expressed their joy, saying, "I am extremely happy to wear this vibrant yukata. It feels exactly like how I imagined spending the summer in Japan. I would love to attend a festival dressed like this."

With students from 37 countries and regions studying at the university, there are numerous on-campus and off-campus events that facilitate interactions between Japanese and international students. These events contribute to the students' cross-cultural understanding and the development of an international mindset as they become exposed to the customs and cultures of various countries throughout their student life.