Japan & HK Tsunagaru Design Project: A Nine-Day Tour to Japan

In May 2022, the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies (LML) was invited by Shiga University in Japan to jointly organise an international exchange seminar, and 15 EdUHK students were selected to participate. However, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seminar had to be conducted online through monthly webinars until the quarantine regulations for travellers were relaxed. In December 2022, the tour to Japan was finally made, marking the first time in seven years that LML arranged an overseas student tour to Japan. Under the guidance of Charles Chen, Jr., the coordinator of LML's Japanese Studies Programme, the students embarked on their journey to Shiga Prefecture, braving the frigid winter weather.

The first three days of the tour were spent at the picturesque Hikone campus, adjacent to the 17th Century national treasure, Hikone Castle. The group participated in a two-day seminar that focused on the future of education in Asia, before travelling to Ootsu city where the Faculty of Education was located. The students attended a lecture on Japanese teaching methods and visited a local primary school. They also took a guided tour of the Kyoto Municipal Museum of School History, during which they gained insight into the early development of the education system in Kyoto prior to its adoption as a national standard.

The final leg of the tour was in Kyoto, where the students were engaged in a range of cultural activities. They experienced making a traditional dessert, Yatsuhashi, and visited a Japanese sake brewery. The students also had the opportunity to attend a year-end Kabuki theatre performance, known as "Kaomise", which marked the opening of the new theatrical year and featured a new troupe.

The tour provided a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the Japanese language and culture. It served as a platform for strengthening educational partnerships between institutions and promoting cross-cultural understanding among students.

Visiting the national treasure Hikone Castle

Group Photo at the end of the second-day seminar

Visiting Kawashima Japanese sake brewery