雷速体育_中国足彩网￥在线直播

The Winter 2025 Tohoku University Japanese Programme (TUJP) welcomed 62 students from 19 partner universities worldwide for an immersive two-week experience from January 15-28. Participants engaged in intensive Japanese language classes and traditional culture workshops, supported by Tohoku University students who served as buddies and teaching assistants.

For the language classes, students were divided into four groups according to their proficiency levels. Lessons ranged from simple conversational skills to deeper discussions about complex issues like the impact of natural disasters. The curriculum included hands-on activities such as calligraphy and haiku writing.

"I came on this programme expecting to learn Japanese and I did, but I didn't expect to have so much fun in the process," said Demi Chen Ying Qi, a student from Hong Kong. "I got to meet a lot of Tohoku University students and everyone was really friendly and welcoming. I was able to learn about life in Japan from them whilst also practicing my Japanese."

"The buddies are great," agreed Alangkarn Suksudet from Thailand. "They often meet us after class and spend time with us and show us around. It's hard for some of us to speak Japanese in public, like in a restaurant, but our buddies encourage us and make us feel comfortable."

For the workshops on Japanese culture, the students tried their hand at decorating "wagashi," a confectionery made with bean paste, which they ate with green tea.

They also experienced putting on a yukata - traditional clothes usually worn at festivals in the summer - and even had fun posing for pictures despite the cold winter weather.

As many of the participants in this group were from East Asia, there was a visit to the original lecture hall of influential Chinese writer Lu Xun who, in 1904, was one of the first international students to enrol at Tohoku University.

"The exhibition was interesting because I got to know more about Lu Xun's life in Sendai," said Chinese student Zhang Shuhao. "I could see how much Professor Fujino cared about Lu Xun and wanted to help him with his notes. He seemed like a very good teacher and I can understand why Lu Xun loved him so much."

Beyond campus activities, the students also went on a field trip to the Nobiru sea shore and the Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum where they learnt about the impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami; and visited Matsushima Bay, famous for being one of Japan's three most scenic views.

"I knew about the earthquake in 2011, but wasn't aware of how truly devastating the tsunami was," said Minji Ryu from South Korea. "It was interesting to learn about what happened and it really made me think about the impact of the disaster on the communities and the reconstruction efforts."

On the last day, the students gave their final presentations, using their improved Japanese skills to share some of their favourite moments of the past two weeks.

"This programme is a good combination of visiting sites around Sendai, getting to know the city and meeting new people," said German student Paul Pillsticker. "I was also able to improve my Japanese because the classes were very well suited to my level. So this has just been a very, very nice experience."

For some participants, TUJP also offered transformative first-time experiences. "This is my first time in Japan and my first time travelling abroad alone, so I'm doing many things for the first time and trying a lot of new things," said Zahwa Aindrea Kusuma from Indonesia. "It's been very cool!"

Sinah Fingerhuth from Germany echoed the sentiment. "To be honest I was homesick at the beginning, because this is my first time travelling alone and it was a bit scary. But everyone was so nice, and the activities were so engaging that I got over that really fast. And now I have new friends and many fantastic memories."

Originally a popular summer programme, TUJP now runs multiple times throughout the year due to growing demand. To find out more about future TUJP sessions and other exchange programmes at Tohoku University, visit the Global Learning Centre's website.