Japanese language and culture competition
On 1 February 2024, as part of “Pomeranian Linguists” Student Research Club , in collaboration with our partner Jiyu Gakuen College in Tokyo, we held a Japanese language and culture competition.
The competition consisted of thirty questions prepared by the organiser, a lecturer from the Department of English Studies, Mr Władysław Miciński with the help of students from Japan currently enrolled in courses at our University - Fidayuto Ichikawa and Yuta Naito. The questions spanned a wide array of topics pertaining to the Land of the Rising Sun, such as kanji characters, polite expressions, numerical data, as well as cultural and historical curiosities.
Participants included students from Pomeranian University in Słupsk as well as students from the Erasmus+ exchange programme, graduates and enthusiasts of the Japanese language and culture. Before the competition, participants were treated to various Japanese delicacies, sampled local teas and learned a little more about Jiyu Gakuen. A short film featuring students from Jiyu Gakuen wishing all the participants good luck in the competition, was played to all competitors
The grand prize was a voucher to the Sayuri Sushi restaurant as well as handfuls of Japanese snacks, goodies and postcards from the partner university. In addition to the grand prize, participants had the chance to win other gift, such as sets comprising Japanese teas, sweets, art supplies, and unique Japanese Kit-Kats generously donated by Professor Akitsugu Sakihan of Jiyu Gakuen College.
The whole event ended with the official farewell of a student from Jiyu Gakuen - Yuta Naito - for whom this was the last week within the walls of our University. Yuta is the first student from Japan who, thanks to our cooperation with Jiyu Gakuen, had the opportunity to spend an entire semester in Poland studying at the Department of English Studies.
The primary objective of the competition was to promote cooperation between Pomeranian University in Słupsk and Jiyu Gakuen in Tokyo and strengthen Polish-Japanese ties. Additionally, the competition sought to broaden the knowledge of the language and culture of Japan and enable students from our University to engage with, and forge, closer relations with their Japanese colleagues.