5th Cross-Cultural Exchange on "Mochi-Tsuki & Japanese Calligraphy Ceremony"

The "Mochi-Tsuki & Japanese Calligraphy Ceremony" was held at Student Commons of the university on January 24. This is conducted to deepen mutual exchange through the introduction of Japanese culture covers all faculty members, employees, and students with a focus on international faculty members and employees of the university and their families under the auspices of the International Support Office and Campus Globalization Division of Global Commons. This year, under the cooperation of students who conduct international exchange activities on a regular basis and students majoring in calligraphy in the School of Art & Design, there was an extensive presentation of the customs of rice-cake pounding and the first writing of the New Year. On this day, the venue was filled with excitement including a huge line in a quest for freshly-made rice cakes as a large number of international students and Japanese students challenged the traditional rice-cake pounding using a mortar and pestle. Furthermore, participants who finished eating the rice cakes interacted as they put their thoughts down on Japanese writing paper in the Japanese custom of practicing calligraphy at the beginning of the year and took home their creations with a smile. Global Commons is scheduled to regularly hold cross-cultural exchanges like this. Furthermore, we would appreciate your comments or preferences on themes handled at the cross-cultural exchanges.

■International Support Office, Global Commons
kasugakokusai#@#un.tsukuba.ac.jp
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