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With autumn bringing cooler temperatures, more than 1,500 people attended the 36th Tohoku University International Festival, held at Kawauchi campus on October 8.

This year's theme was "The World on a Plate," with the focus very much on food as a universal language. Twenty food stalls serving international delicacies prepared by Tohoku University students, attracted large crowds and long lines.

"This International Festival is always very important, as it allows us to celebrate the diversity and different cultures at our university," said Masahiro Yamaguchi, Vice President for Global Engagement. "There are cultures represented here that people in our community might not know much about, or countries that they have not had a chance to visit. So this is also a good opportunity to interact with our students and enjoy some delicious food."

Various foods and beverages from 19 countries were on sale, with many international students keen to introduce their favourite dishes from home. These included placinta from Moldova, joojeh kebabs from Iran, kuushuur from Mongolia, empanadas from Venezuela, fried spring rolls from Vietnam and American burgers.

"I really like the concept of this festival," said Elena Nehse, an exchange student from Germany who had just arrived in Sendai. "It's really easy to connect with people from different countries. When you're standing in line waiting for your food, everyone's talking to each other and there's a really nice, friendly atmosphere."

"I enjoyed meeting the students and trying their food. I am also surprised to see so many community members here," said Etsuko Sakamoto, a visitor from Nara prefecture.

Unlike previous years, there was no main stage, and several festival-goers said they missed the live entertainment.

"I was here last year and I remember we had a lot of live singing and dancing which I enjoyed," said Yanguo Li, a PhD student from China. "It's still fun to eat the food and talk to people, but I hope next year we get back the cultural performances."

This year's festival was organized by a committee led by members of the Tohoku University Foreign Students Association (TUFSA), with the help of more than 80 student volunteers.

"It was a lot of hard work these last three months, but it's very satisfying to see everyone enjoying themselves," said Syamil Husna, leader of TUFSA. "I hope the success of this festival will help to create new and meaningful bonds, not just among Tohoku University students, but also with the community."