On August 3, The Center for International Relations hosted Summer Culture Festa 2023 where students from Japan and other countries share their cultures through performances such as Japanese musical instruments, dance, food experiences and calligraphy.
Students and staff were encouraged to wear their traditional costume, and everyone listened eagerly to the explanation of the significance of the costume.
After that, international students introduced the cuisine of their countries, followed by a tasting and a Chinese calligraphy experience.
During the event, University Chairman, Dr. Hoshinaga and University President Dr. Yuzawa made appearances as surprise guests. They donated watermelons for being used in watermelon splitting game.
It was the first experience of doing the watermelon splitting game for some international students and all participants were cheering for them. When they finally succeeded in breaking the watermelons, everyone cheered with joy.
The event ended with a Bon Dance, in which they danced to "Dancing Hero". It took them a while to remember the step, but soon they found themselves dancing together. More than 70 students, faculty, and staff participated in the event. It was a very valuable opportunity to experience not only Japanese culture but also the cultures of other countries while having so much fun.