91³Ô¹Ï

I first learned about Sayama City, located in Saitama Prefecture, through its Sayama-cha¡ªone of the three most famous teas in Japan. A thoughtful gift from an owner of a manufacturing company in Sayama City introduced me to this delightful tea, which quickly became a regular part of my daily life. Sayama¡¯s vibrant tea culture, enriched by its lush plantations and lively festivals, reflects the city¡¯s deep pride in this heritage. Never did I imagine that, a few years later, I would be working with a high school in this remarkable city.

In the spring of 2024, 91³Ô¹Ï launched the Stanford e-Bunri course in partnership with Seibu Gakuen Bunri Junior and Senior High School (Seibu Bunri) in Sayama City. Under the leadership of the newly appointed principal, Dr. Pedro Marques, Seibu Bunri is dedicated to nurturing young Japanese leaders to be ready to thrive on the global stage. Principal Marques envisions the school as more than just a place for academic excellence; he sees it as a dynamic environment where students actively engage in their learning and tackle complex challenges. I was thrilled to contribute to this vision by bringing 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s educational philosophy to Seibu Bunri by underscoring the importance of diverse perspectives, critical thinking, and innovation. Principal Marques commented:

In today¡¯s rapidly changing world, education must go beyond the classroom and traditional academic boundaries. It is essential to provide students with real-world experiences that connect them deeply to the communities they live in and serve, while fostering their understanding and bonding with international communities. Partnerships like the one we have established with 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s 91³Ô¹Ï program are critical to achieving this vision. They not only expose our students to global perspectives but also challenge them to apply their learning in meaningful ways that can make a difference locally and globally.

Modern education needs to equip students with the tools to navigate complexities and to build bridges between cultures, ideas, and communities. By integrating diverse topics such as diversity, women¡¯s rights, and entrepreneurship into our curriculum, we aim to nurture empathetic leaders who are grounded in their heritage yet inspired to innovate and collaborate on a global scale.

This partnership is not just a program; it is a cornerstone of our mission to redefine education at Seibu Bunri. Through such initiatives, we are building a resilient community of learners and leaders who are prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and a strong sense of purpose.

In September, we successfully concluded our inaugural Stanford e-Bunri course. Building on discussions with the school staff to address critical challenges in shaping a more inclusive, equitable, and innovative future in Japan, Stanford e-Bunri focused on three key topics: diversity, women¡¯s rights, and entrepreneurship. Over the course of four months, 30 students participated in the virtual classrooms, completed reading and writing assignments, engaged in online discussions, and delivered group presentations on these topics.

Diversity

During our diversity-focused lessons, students were treated to lectures from Dr. Gary Mukai and Dr. Ignacio Ornelaz Rodriguez from 91³Ô¹Ï, focusing on diversity in the United States. Dr. Mukai explored the history of Japanese American experiences during World War II, while Dr. Ornelas shed light on the lives of Mexican workers through an overview of the Bracero Program. These topics, which represent significant yet often overlooked aspects of American history, provided students with valuable perspectives not typically covered in Japanese curricula.

The word ¡°empathy¡± deepened my understanding of diversity. Both lecturers mentioned that empathy is really important in this diverse society; I felt that empathy will be the key point to building good relationships with people with different cultures and backgrounds.
¡ªRina Nishimori

In the last session of the diversity module, students considered the lessons learned about diversity in the United States and applied them to the issues in a Japanese context. They conducted research and delivered group presentations on various aspects of diversity, including race, gender, LGBTQ+ rights, socioeconomic status, disability, and age-related issues. These presentations offered valuable insights into the complex and multifaceted challenges surrounding diversity in Japanese society, encouraging students to recognize that diversity is not just a global concept but also deeply significant and relevant within Japan.

Women¡¯s Rights

During the lessons on women¡¯s rights, students learned from Dr. Mariko Yang-Yoshihara from 91³Ô¹Ï, who discussed the current state of STEAM education and her initiative to empower girls with STEAM education in Japan. Another lecture was given by Ms. Yukiko Kimura, former Founder and CEO at Genic Lab Inc. and Senior Product Manager at Amazon Web Services, who shared her personal journey as a female entrepreneur in Japan, including the challenges she faced and the resilience required to overcome them. Both sessions offered students a deeper understanding of the systemic and cultural barriers women encounter, while inspiring students to think critically about ways to foster equity.

Ms. Kimura¡¯s quote made a lasting impression on me: ¡°It is important to become the person you want to be, not the person others want you to be.¡± I will try to be who I want to be from now on, because limiting myself by other people¡¯s expectations may change my life.¡ªSeiji Yamakawa

In the final session of the women¡¯s rights module, students researched gender-related issues and challenges in Japan and proposed solutions in group presentations. This exercise encouraged students to reflect on how they, too, could contribute to fostering greater gender equality in their own communities and beyond.

Entrepreneurship

The entrepreneurship module featured engaging and inspiring lectures from Mr. Kenji Niwa, Co-founder and CEO at Firstcard Inc., and Ms. Min Zhu, Co-founder and CTO at EnChannel Medical, both of whom shared their personal journeys and deep insights into the entrepreneurial mindset. Through their stories and expertise, the students gained a deeper understanding of the mindset needed to overcome challenges and failures, embrace innovation, and cultivate resilience¡ªqualities that are essential not only for entrepreneurial success but also for thriving in any endeavor.

The lectures showcased inspiring stories of people who overcame obstacles to achieve their goals, highlighting the importance of resilience and continuous learning. I also realized that success is deeply personal, shaped by individual values rather than societal expectations. ¡ªSora Ikeda

To conclude the entrepreneurship module and the entire course, students identified pressing social issues in Japan and proposed innovative solutions in a business pitch format. Their presentations received feedback from guest observer Mr. Christopher Chang, Strategic Advisor at Beenext Capital Management, providing students with valuable insights into real-world problem-solving. This interactive session not only encouraged creativity and critical thinking but also provided students with a glimpse into the practicalities of turning ideas into actionable solutions.

My experience working with Seibu Bunri and the students of the Stanford e-Bunri course has been both inspiring and rewarding. Through thought-provoking lectures, discussions, and hands-on projects, the students not only expanded their understanding of critical global topics but also delved deeply into examining key issues within their own society. This process challenged them to reflect on how they can actively contribute to creating positive changes.

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my collaborators at Seibu Bunri for their amazing support and partnership. They are Dr. Pedro Marques, Mr. Toshiyuki Shijima, Ms. Tamaki Komaeda, Mr. Hiroshi Inoo, Mr. Joshua Moon, Mr. Opaon Cleo, Mr. Toshikazu Ishizaka, and Ms. Kayo Imanaga. I would also like to thank our guest lecturers who generously dedicated their time and expertise to speak for the Stanford e-Bunri course. Their contributions played a crucial role in bringing the course content to life, offering students a unique perspective on the topics of diversity, women¡¯s rights, and entrepreneurship. Last but not least, I¡¯d like to congratulate the dedicated students who participated in the course.

In closing, I have learned that Sayama-cha¡ªcompared to other tea plants¡ªis characterized by its thick leaves. This is because the region¡¯s cold climate sometimes causes frost in winter, making plants sometimes unable to survive without thick leaves. I am excited to see how the students will apply the insights and skills learned from Stanford e-Bunri to become resilient leaders who can thrive on the global stage despite inevitable ¡°weather changes¡± in their lives.

Stanford e-Bunri is one of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s local student programs in Japan.

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Nestled along the coast of Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan, the city of Minamata is a remarkable place in many ways. This September, I had the privilege of visiting for the first time to celebrate the launch of the Stanford e-Minamata Program, which is made possible by the support of the Minamata Municipal Government. As my trip came to an end, one word echoed in my mind: resilience.

A brief search into Minamata¡¯s history reveals a poignant chapter from the 1950s and 60s, when the city became synonymous with Minamata disease¡ªa devastating neurological condition caused by mercury poisoning due to industrial wastewater pollution from a group called Chisso Corporation. Visiting the Minamata Disease Municipal Museum with Mr. Hiroki Hara, Director General of the General Affairs Planning Department at Minamata City Hall, and Mr. Minoru Koga, Director General of the Minamata Environmental Academia, I gained a deeper understanding of the community¡¯s struggles. What struck me most, however, was how Minamata has reclaimed this painful history, transforming it into a source of strength and a commitment to protecting human and environmental well-being.

Today, Minamata is a leader in sustainability, recognized by the Japanese government as an ¡°SDGs Future City¡± in 2020. The launch of the Stanford e-Minamata Program, a new 91³Ô¹Ï initiative in collaboration with Minamata High School, marks a pivotal step forward in the city¡¯s ongoing revitalization efforts. Rooted in Minamata¡¯s values of sustainability and local innovation, the program focuses on three key themes: the environment, emerging technologies, and U.S.¨CJapan relations. These themes aim to equip the next generation of leaders with the tools they need to address critical global challenges. 

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A student from Minamata High School providing opening remarks; photo courtesy Minamata High School. 

At the opening ceremony, Minamata City Mayor Toshiharu Takaoka shared words of inspiration with the students:

This is a very remarkable collaboration between Minamata City, located in the small island nation of Japan, and 91³Ô¹Ï, located in the state of California in the United States. We hope this course will share the international outlook and the atmosphere of a top American university with high school students, and contribute to the development of the next generation of Minamata City¡¯s human resources.

For me, launching this program in Minamata is particularly meaningful. As the child of parents from rural Louisiana and the second person in my family to travel outside the United States, I often sought opportunities to experience the world as a young person, but didn¡¯t know where to start. A life-changing moment came at age 16 when I received a scholarship to live with a host family in Hiroshima for six weeks. Speaking no Japanese and having never flown alone, I truly embraced the unknown. That experience profoundly shaped my life, leading me to minor in Japanese during my university years, study abroad at Kansai Gaidai University, and later complete a Fulbright research grant in Okayama Prefecture focused on rural revitalization.

Working with the students of Minamata High School now feels like coming full circle. Their curiosity and determination to learn about the world remind me of my own journey. Providing rural students with opportunities to engage with global challenges is more critical than ever, and I am inspired by their potential to lead.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mayor Takaoka, Mr. Hiroki Hara, Dr. Minoru Koga, Secretary General Kayo Fuchigami, Principal Yasunori Takaki, Vice Principal Fumiko Niibu, Planning Manager Saho Yagyu, and many others whose tireless efforts brought the Stanford e-Minamata Program to life. It is an incredible honor to support this initiative, and I look forward to seeing how it will continue to inspire and empower the next generation of Minamata leaders.

Stanford e-Minamata is one of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s local student programs in Japan.

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FC Imabari is a soccer team in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. ¡°FC¡± stands for ¡°football club.¡± Takeshi Okada¡ªa former soccer player and the former head coach of the Japan National Team who led the Japan men¡¯s national soccer team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 1998¡ªis the owner of FC Imabari and Masafumi Yano is the Chief Operating Officer. During my first visit to Imabari City in March 2024, I was invited to watch an FC Imabari game and met with Okada, Yano, and others affiliated with FC Imabari. During the game and while strolling around Imabari City, I could sense the excitement that the team has brought to the city. FC Imabari High School, a private school in Imabari, was conceptualized by Okada and enrolled its inaugural classes this year. In a May 13, 2023 article, ¡°Ehime: Ex Japan Soccer Coach Okada Tackles New Challenge in Field of Education,¡± in The Yomiuri Shimbun, he stated, ¡°I want to foster autonomy and independence that survive an era that humanity has never experienced.¡± (Photo of Takeshi Okada below; courtesy FC Imabari.)

With Okada¡¯s educational priorities in mind, FC Imabari Advisor Yukari Hara took the initiative to discuss the possible development of Stanford e-FC Imabari to support the mission of FC Imabari High School. Stanford e-FC Imabari was launched in fall 2024 to help encourage students at FC Imabari High School and from three public schools in Imabari City to not only consider the importance of autonomy and independence but also their roles in the local community and the world at large. Stanford e-FC Imabari focuses on the three key themes of (1) diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI); (2) entrepreneurship; and (3) community building. During conversations with FC Imabari High School teachers Nozomi Echigo (social studies) and Yoshikazu Nakashima (English), I came to highly value the importance that the FC Imabari teachers place upon engaging students through their multiple intelligences, including kinesthetic, artistic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences as well as linguistic and quantitative intelligences. I have had the privilege of visiting many schools in Japan, and FC Imabari High School is the only high school that I have visited that was inspired by how lessons¡ªlike teamwork, collegiality, and cooperation¡ªin team sports such as soccer are critical to the education of youth.

Stanford e-FC Imabari is taught by 91³Ô¹Ï instructor Alison Keiko Harsch, who used to be an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program in Kagawa Prefecture, a neighboring prefecture to Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan. Harsch will be returning to Shikoku later this year to make her first visit to FC Imabari High School. She reflected,

My years as an ALT on Shikoku significantly shifted the course of my life. It was in Shikoku that I fell in love with teaching, and in particular became passionate about engaging students in rural areas of Japan. The opportunity to work with students through Stanford e-FC Imabari has been hugely rewarding as it brings my work full circle back to my second home, Shikoku. It is an honor to contribute to the mission of FC Imabari High School.

During a recent visit to Imabari City on October 7 and 8, 2024, I had the opportunity to meet Stanford e-FC Imabari students not only at FC Imabari High School (Principal Shota Tsuji) but also at the three public high schools that have students who are participating in Stanford e-FC Imabari. These public high schools include Imabari West High School (Principal Teruo Koike), Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch (Branch Principal Hiroki Yano), and Imabari East High School (Principal Hiroyasu Watanabe). 91³Ô¹Ï and FC Imabari High School are grateful to Ehime Prefecture¡¯s Board of Education for its support of the engagement of these three public schools. Through my four meetings with students, I could see the bonds that have already developed between the four schools.

Principal Tsuji noted that ¡°Through Stanford e-FC Imabari, we hope to not only provide unique learning opportunities for FC Imabari High School but also to build synergy between our school and local public schools. As the FC Imabari soccer team has strengthened our sense of community in Imabari, I would like to see greater community building between FC Imabari High School and local public schools.¡± Also, Hinako Tamai, English teacher at Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch, commented, ¡°Being on a remote island, Hakata Island, in the Inland Sea, I feel fortunate that our students have this opportunity to work with 91³Ô¹Ï. Hakata Island now not only has physical bridges with Shikoku but also intellectual bridges with 91³Ô¹Ï and other schools in Imabari City.¡±

91³Ô¹Ï looks forward to continuing its work with Stanford e-FC Imabari to help cultivate students¡¯ autonomy and independence¡ªMr. Okada¡¯s goal¡ªand underscore the importance of their roles in the local community and the world at large.

Importantly, 91³Ô¹Ï would like thank Yoshihisa Ozasa, the founder and Chairman of Link & Motivation, Inc., for generously providing the necessary funding to make Stanford e-FC Imabari possible. 

Stanford e-FC Imabari is one of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s local student programs in Japan.

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In 2015, 91³Ô¹Ï launched Stanford e-Japan, a national online course that enrolls high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture and U.S.¨CJapan relations. In 2016, 91³Ô¹Ï launched Stanford e-Tottori, 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s first regional program in Japan that enrolls high school students from across Tottori Prefecture. As of this fall, 91³Ô¹Ï now enrolls approximately 230 students from nine regional programs in Japan. Six programs are prefectural programs (Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Oita, Tottori, Wakayama, Yamaguchi), and three are municipal programs (Kagoshima, Kawasaki, and Kobe). 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s newest course, Stanford e-Yamaguchi, was just launched last month.

In August 2024 91³Ô¹Ï held four award ceremonies for honorees of the 2023¨C2024 regional programs in Japan. Two honorees from each program were recognized.

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The first ceremony was held virtually on August 6, 2024 for Stanford e-Hiroshima¡¯s top students. Inspirational opening comments were delivered by Consul Mayu Hagiwara, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Hagiwara¡¯s comments were followed by remarks by course instructor Mia Kimura and the honorees¡¯ presentations. (Student honorees with their instructor Mia Kimura and Consul Hagiwara and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Hiroshima (Instructor Mia Kimura)

Student Honoree: Aika Ono
School: Kindai University Fukuyama High School
Project Title: Navigating the Barrier: Immigrant Children in Japan

Student Honoree: Wakana Tsukuda
School: Fukuyama Akenohoshi High School
Project Title: How to Move Upstream: What Japan Can Learn from the U.S. 91³Ô¹Ï Mental Health

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In the second ceremony, four top students from Fukuoka and Oita were honored on August 12, 2024 at 91³Ô¹Ï. Following opening comments, instructor Kasumi Yamashita introduced her honorees. (Student honorees from Fukuoka and Oita with their instructor Kasumi Yamashita and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Niko Ito
School: Hakata Seisho High School
Project Title: Sustainable Fashion: Thrifty Ideas from 1000 Years Ago

Student Honoree: Nanako Shimura
School: Yame High School
Project Title: Sharing War Stories: What My Grandmother Taught Me 91³Ô¹Ï Peace

Stanford e-Oita (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Chiko Kawashima
School: Oita Hofu High School
Project Title: Language Access During Natural Disasters: How Can We Help Foreigners?

Student Honoree: Rintaro Tokumoto
School: Takada High School
Project Title: Let¡¯s Change How We See Our Food, One Vegetable at a Time!

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During the third ceremony, six top students from Kawasaki, Kobe, and Wakayama were honored on August 21, 2024 at 91³Ô¹Ï. The ceremony began with insightful opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara¡¯s opening comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Dr. Makiko Hirata, Maiko Tamagawa Bacha, and Alison Harsch, and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kawasaki (Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha)

Student Honoree: Rio Enomoto
School: Tachibana High School
Project Title: Is K-Pop Necessary in America?

Student Honoree: Kaede Suyama
School: Kawasaki High School
Project Title: What Do You Think 91³Ô¹Ï the Homeless Program?

Stanford e-Kobe (Instructor Alison Harsch)

Student Honoree: Moeka Urata
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems of the School Counselor System in Japan

Student Honoree: Mayuko Hara
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems that Voters with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities Face in Japan and the U.S.

Stanford e-Wakayama (Instructor Makiko Hirata)

Student Honoree: Sumire Inaba
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Solutions to Global Hunger

Student Honoree: Niina Ohashi
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Self-Management Skills

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During the fourth ceremony, four top students from Kagoshima City and Tottori were honored on the Stanford campus on August 23, 2024. The ceremony began with stimulating opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara¡¯s comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Jonas Edman and Amy Cheng and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kagoshima City (Instructor Amy Cheng)

Student Honoree: Keima Kawagoe
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: Revitalizing Kagoshima with the Power of Bamboo

Student Honoree: Kenshiro Matsunaga
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: ¡°Omotenashi¡± Has a Dark Side

Stanford e-Tottori (Instructor Jonas Edman)

Student Honoree: Funa Bannai
School: Yonago Higashi High School
Project Title: Same-Sex Marriage: Reducing Inequality Within and Among Countries

Student Honoree: Soichiro Takagi
School: Tottori Nishi High School
Project Title: Thinking 91³Ô¹Ï the Importance of Reading in Education

Following each of the three in-person ceremonies, the students enjoyed a luncheon, a campus tour, and a dinner. Many students commented that one of the highlights of their visit to Stanford was having the chance to meet high school students from other regions of Japan. Many guests commented on how impressed they were with the student presentations and the poise that the students exhibited in particular during the question-and-answer periods.

Importantly, 91³Ô¹Ï is grateful to the Board of Education representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Hiroshi Suzuki (Fukuoka Prefecture); Takayuki Nishinakamura and Chiemi Hamada (Kagoshima City); Kei Sakamoto and Miho Anraku (Kobe City); Hironori Sano and Toshiyuki Yamamoto (Oita Prefecture); Tomoya Minohara (Tottori Prefecture); and Rika Katsumoto (Wakayama Prefecture). Also, 91³Ô¹Ï wishes to thank Sabrina Ishimatsu, 91³Ô¹Ï Event Coordinator, for planning all four ceremonies.

91³Ô¹Ï also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on Japan (Reischauer Scholars Program), China (China Scholars Program), and Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and online courses to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China) and to Japanese high school students on the United States and U.S.¨CJapan relations (Stanford e-Japan) and on entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).

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Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.¨CJapan relations.  is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 5, 2024, an award ceremony was held at 91³Ô¹Ï to honor 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s Spring and Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and the 2024 RSP student honorees. The honorees performed at the highest levels of their courses as determined by Stanford e-Japan Instructors Waka Takahashi Brown (spring course) and Meiko Kotani (fall course), RSP Instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees. The honorees are:

Spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Asumi Kato, Matsumoto Fukashi High School; home prefecture: Nagano
Luna Kihara, Osaka Jogakuin High School; home prefecture: Osaka
Satoshi Yamamura, Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Takuma Kawaguchi, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo
Kanako Miyazaki, Saikyo Municipal High School; home prefecture: Kyoto

Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Hisataka Kadota, Okayama Prefectural Okayama Asahi Senior High School; home prefecture: Okayama
Shoma Nishida, Canadian Academy Kobe; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rei Ozawa, Keio Girls Senior High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Mayu Anzai, Seiun High School; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rihito Kotani, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo

2024 Reischauer Scholars Program
Sophie Ankeles, Polytechnic School; California
Annamika Konkola, West Linn High School; Oregon
Vivian Luo, Mt. Lebanon High School; Pennsylvania

Honorable Mentions:
Maya Swaminathan, Lynbrook High School; California
Catherine Fisher, The Nueva School; California

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The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Yo Osumi, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He commented that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are very important for our two nations and noted that the education of youth has been one of his highest priorities since he assumed his post at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. He extended high praise to the honorees.

Also in attendance from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco were Mayu Hagiwara, Director and Consul, Japan Information and Culture Center; Asumi Chikae, Consul for Education, Science, and Technology; and Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs.

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Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave overviews of their courses. The student honorees made engaging presentations based on their research papers and were very poised while fielding questions from the audience. Each honoree received a plaque from their instructor. (Photo above: student honorees and their instructors taken at Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center; Consul General Osumi, seventh from the right.)

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Among the audience members were Stanford student Anna Matsumoto (photo above), a Yanai Tadashi Scholar from Tokushima Prefecture, and Keio Girls High School English Teacher and Global Partnership Coordinator Leon Mueller. Mueller commented,

It was such an honor to see the amazing presentations by this elite group of high school students. The Stanford e-Japan program provided them the opportunity to apply their drive and intellect in a highly academic environment, resulting in a stronger understanding of the U.S.¨CJapan partnership. It was also encouraging to see the many friendships being forged among the Japanese and American students and the desire to take what they had learned and share it with their peers back in their communities. I think this type of ripple effect is what makes the program so inspiring and unique.

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Also in the audience were 91³Ô¹Ï supporters, Adrian and Monica Yeung Arima. 91³Ô¹Ï is grateful to them all for their unwavering support of 91³Ô¹Ï. (Photo above: Mueller standing next to Kotani.)

The RSP is about to enter its 22nd year and Stanford e-Japan is currently in its 10th year. Many of the alumni are engaged in various fields related to U.S.¨CJapan relations and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers or mentors to the current students.

Following the formal event, the student honorees¡ªmost having just met each other in person for the first time¡ªhad the chance to enjoy lunch and a Stanford campus tour together. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will continue to strengthen their budding friendships and ensure that the U.S.¨CJapan relationship remains strong.

91³Ô¹Ï is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to Chikano Shiroma of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for her regular correspondence and encouragement. 91³Ô¹Ï is also thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not be possible without them.

The Reischauer Scholars Program is currently accepting applications until October 18, 2024. Stanford e-Japan¡¯s spring 2025 application period will be from November 15 to December 31, 2024.

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The 91³Ô¹Ï Scholars Program for Japanese High School Students or ¡°Stanford e-Japan¡± is an online course sponsored by the  and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (91³Ô¹Ï), 91³Ô¹Ï. This online course teaches Japanese high school students about U.S. society and underscores the importance of U.S.¨CJapan relations. Through Stanford e-Japan, ambassadors, top scholars, and experts throughout the United States provide web-based lectures and engage Japanese high school students in live discussion sessions called ¡°virtual classes.¡± Stanford e-Japan is now in its 10th year and about to begin its 19th session overall.

91³Ô¹Ï courses almost felt like my high school entrance and graduation ceremonies: I joined Stanford e-Entrepreneurship right after entering high school and started Stanford e-Japan just before graduating. It¡¯s perhaps no surprise that my journey with 91³Ô¹Ï reflects my growth as an English learner and an aspiring researcher.

Four years ago, the first 91³Ô¹Ï course turned out extremely challenging for me at the time. I still remember, after the first session of Stanford e-Entrepreneurship, I sent a message to the course organizer with tears that the program was too difficult for me to keep up. My English skills were just very poor back then. It might be only natural, as I grew up in the countryside of Nagano Prefecture, Japan and rarely had opportunities to practice English.

Time flew by fast, and in the winter of 2022, I saw the website where Stanford posted an application form for the spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan course. As I was about to graduate from high school, it was my last chance to apply. I knew my English had improved, and I had a feeling that I could do significantly better than the last time. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no harm in trying,¡± I thought and submitted my application, not knowing it was going to bring me many new opportunities.

In the e-Japan course, I felt much more comfortable with learning and discussing something in English. Still, when I received the email that I was selected as one of the award winners, I felt as if I were dreaming. An overwhelmed 10th grader crying about the e-Entrepreneurship course would have never imagined such a plot twist.

In early August of 2024, I traveled to California for a week to participate in the Japan Day ceremony. I had the chance to present my final paper and explore the beautiful campus of Stanford. I met so many amazing people too, including the 91³Ô¹Ï director Dr. Gary Mukai and the e-Japan manager Ms. Waka Takahashi Brown. Also, I was fortunate enough to meet Consul General Yo Osumi and other consuls and staff from the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco and my sempai Anna Matsumoto, who is currently studying at Stanford.

The e-Japan course was also the first time I shared my academic interests with others. As a final assignment, I wrote a research paper titled ¡°The United States and Capitalism: How the U.S.-Led Economic System Has Affected the Planet.¡± It described the environmental impacts of capitalism and how it is intertwined with American history, ultimately suggesting the need to search for more sustainable economic models. Such research themes are something I¡¯m truly interested in, and I aim to explore more of this in academia in the future.

As an advocate for sustainability, I honestly have mixed feelings about praising individual material success like winning an award. Related to my research, I don¡¯t think materialism in general leads to human and planetary well-being. But this whole experience with 91³Ô¹Ï is worth sharing, as it holds enormous intrinsic value to me regardless of any outside factors. It symbolises my personal growth and the new meaningful connections I made.

I¡¯m glad that I kept pushing myself to improve my English and taking new opportunities. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t be more grateful for the people who helped me with this journey. I¡¯m excited for more opportunities to come and can¡¯t wait to dive deeper into my academic interests in my undergraduate studies and beyond. 

For more information about the Stanford e-Japan Program, please visit . The application period for the spring 2025 session will begin November 15, 2024.

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On May 24, 2024, Satoshi Yamaguchi, drummer (RADWIMPS) and Visiting Researcher at Keio University, gave an inspiring talk to alumni and students of all of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s 2023¨C2024 courses in China, Japan, and the United States. This was the first time that a special online session was held for all of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s courses. Rylan Sekiguchi facilitated the session, and Dr. Makiko Hirata served as an interpreter.

Drummer Satoshi Yamaguchi joined the rock band RADWIMPS as a freshman in college. When he was 20 years old, the band made its major label debut and quickly grew in popularity, earning multiple #1 hits, awards, and recognitions. According to Satoshi, ¡°Everything was smooth sailing.¡± However, in 2009 Satoshi began to suffer from musicians¡¯ dystonia, a condition that made it increasingly difficult for him to play the drums. According to Satoshi, ¡°in 2015, in the middle of creating music for the megahit anime movie Your Name that would catapult RADWIMPS to worldwide fame, I made the difficult decision to leave the band on an indefinite hiatus. It was an extremely emotional and painful time for me.¡± Today Satoshi is a small business owner in a town called Hayama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan¡ªgrowing rice and running an ice cream factory¡ªand is also a Visiting Researcher at Keio University, where he conducts research on musicians¡¯ dystonia with Dr. Shinya Fujii, Director of  at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus. He is also collaborating with Dr. Takako Fujioka, Professor of Music at 91³Ô¹Ï, who is a neuroscientist investigating brain functions related to music. Together they work on a research project that focuses on physical and psychological health issues in drummers in the United States. Satoshi hopes to understand his condition better and eventually return to the stage.

In the special online session, Satoshi shared his unique life experiences¡ªboth successes and setbacks¡ªand how they have shaped his attitude and perspectives on life. In his opening comments, he noted, ¡°I would be very happy if I could share with you some insights that I have gained through my experiences and words that have supported me during difficult times, and if they could provide some hints for your future life.¡± As students and alumni of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s courses reflected upon his talk, multiple insights that he shared especially stood out and are important lessons for youth. These insights are shared below through eight excerpts from his talk.

First, while reflecting on his youth, Satoshi noted,

Not long before I joined RADWIMPS, when I was in high school, I formed a metal rock band with my music-loving friends in my hometown of Yokohama and played the drums. I was so busy with my band and part-time job that I didn¡¯t study much, especially English, which I was very bad at. It is hard to believe that I am speaking in English in front of you today.

Satoshi¡¯s presentation in English to the biggest audience of students 91³Ô¹Ï has ever convened was an inspiration for students who are studying English in Japan and China, and English language learners in the United States.

Second, while reflecting upon a band competition as a high school student, he noted,

¡­ our [metal rock] band¡¯s goal was to participate in a national high school music festival held once a year at Yokohama Arena! How fascinating to have the chance to perform on a stage big enough to hold 10,000 people, isn¡¯t it? Of course, the auditions were tough, and we were unsuccessful in our first and second years, but in our third year, we finally made it to the finals. On the day of the show, we were full of confidence. After successfully completing our performance as the first band, we listened to our rivals, saying ¡°None of the other bands were that good.¡± However, when I heard the last band¡¯s song, I was shocked beyond belief. It was RADWIMPS. Some of the lyrics of one of their songs made me think that someone else seemed to know my heart better than I. RADWIMPS won the competition, my band lost.

Satoshi ended this segment of his talk by noting that ¡°Perhaps the day will come when your biggest rival today will become your best friend.¡± This statement really seemed to have resonated in students, as they all knew that Satoshi eventually joined RADWIMPS.

Third, Satoshi reflected upon a life-long lesson that he learned from one of his fellow RADWIMPS band members. Satoshi recalled,

Toward the end of my first year of college, my [metal rock] band broke up and RADWIMPS was looking for a new drummer, which led to me joining. We were creating new songs, but at the time I could only hit a simple 8-note beat, which is often played in rock music. One day, Yojiro, the songwriter, said to me, ¡°Satoshi, you are not allowed to play an 8-note beat without a reason.¡± When I was confused, he said, ¡°We are going to make music that has never been made before. We are aiming for a future where a genre called RADWIMPS will be born, just like rock, pop, and jazz. To do that, you can¡¯t just play the beats that have been around before, can you? You have to pursue your own new beat.¡± At another time, he said, ¡°Your children and grandchildren will one day listen to the beats you play. Are you sure that¡¯s the best beat?¡± It is embarrassing to look back now, but at the time I did not have his kind of vision at all.

Throughout his talk, Satoshi underscored the importance of creativity. I believe that his statement, ¡°You have to pursue your own new beat,¡± has remained in the minds of many students. Another insight that he shared was that ¡°Out of limitations come innovations. Being forbidden to play the 8-note beat, which I was most familiar with, allowed me to use my imagination, which had been dormant inside me, to ask, ¡®What can I do then?¡¯¡± One beat that was created at that time became the basis for the theme song of Your Name.

Fourth, while Satoshi openly shared his experience with musicians¡¯ dystonia, I witnessed the very serious looks on the faces of the students and alumni. He reflected,

¡­ when I was 24 years old, my right foot suddenly stopped moving while playing the drums. This was a symptom called musicians¡¯ dystonia, as I later found out. The bass drum, played with the right foot, is the foundation of music. The dystonia made it impossible for me to express myself musically as I had imagined. For the next six years, I continued to perform, trying to do the best I could. However, the symptoms gradually became worse, eventually spreading to my left foot, and I no longer found pleasure in playing music. Then in 2015, I made the decision to give up being the drummer of my favorite band in the world and take an indefinite hiatus. It was one of the heaviest and most painful moments of my life.

I am confident that Satoshi¡¯s reflections prompted many students to think about the ¡°heaviest and most painful moments¡± in their lives and ask themselves, ¡°What can we learn from these moments, and how can we use these lessons as we go through our lives?¡±

Fifth, Satoshi reflected upon the continued success of RADWIMPS and noted,

When I was exhausted both mentally and physically, I came across this town, Hayama¡­[with a view of] Mt. Fuji over the sea. When I saw this scenery, for the first time in a long time, I felt a sincere emotion. I loved the state of mind I was in when I was looking at this mountain. I felt that this town was calling me. Trusting this intuition, I decided to move to Hayama with my family. Shortly after I started living in Hayama, I encountered these rice terraces¡­ as I deepened my relationships with local farmers, I learned that rice terraces were facing a number of difficulties and their survival was at risk. I began to wonder if I could do something about this place that had saved my life.

Hayama¡¯s rice terraces are visited by Silicon Valley Keio International Program (SKIP), an international exchange program between Keio and Stanford students. Through such programs, Satoshi is giving back to his community by ¡°respecting tradition while innovating it,¡± and Satoshi hopes that all students will consider this as well for communities that have made a difference in their lives.

Sixth, 20 years later, RADWIMPS has become one of Japan¡¯s leading bands, and Satoshi commented that ¡°my three sons sing our songs every day! I am now once again feeling the amazing power of having a vision.¡± Satoshi urged the audience to ¡°imagine what the future looks like, and then truly believe that it can be realized,¡± which is such a powerful message for youth. Also, about half a year into his farming life, the film Your Name was released in September 2016. Satoshi was impressed with the film but felt that,

¡­ the whole world was telling me, ¡°You made the wrong choice.¡± And I couldn¡¯t even listen to the past songs of RADWIMPS anymore. I was also disappointed in myself for not being able to honestly be happy about the success of a band without me. But it was also music that saved me from such feelings¡­. If success is all there is to life, then it might mean that I, who could not share in the worldwide success of Your Name, would be unhappy for the rest of my life. But is that really true? There might be other ways to find happiness. That¡¯s how I came to think of it.

Following this reflection, Satoshi decided to seek his ¡°own kind of honest enjoyment¡± and encourages students to seek theirs as well.

Seventh, during a recent research visit to 91³Ô¹Ï, he was introduced to  through a student whom he met through SKIP, and also met Roy and PJ Hirabayashi, founding directors of . Sekiguchi, who moderated the seminar by Satoshi, used to be a performer with both Stanford Taiko and San Jose Taiko. Reflecting on a San Jose Taiko performance, Satoshi stated,

I have seen many shows in my life, but this was the first time I had ever seen an encore that not only involved all of the performers but the audience as well dancing in a circle. It made me rethink the essence of what music is. And as I played with people who truly love taiko and music, I gradually remembered the joy of playing instruments. After all, I want to play drums again¡­ [While observing taiko and talking with PJ, Satoshi realized that] It is ¡®using the voice to make the real bass drum sound.¡¯ It happened while I was learning a new beat for taiko. In the taiko community, there is no musical score, and rhythmic patterns are taught orally.

He commented to students that ¡°singing and the voice are the most fundamental instruments that humans have,¡± and that ¡°other instruments are an extension of them.¡± He is currently working on the research and development of a new instrument using the voice. He believes that he will find his own ¡°new sound¡± and the day will come when he will once again stand on stage as the drummer of RADWIMPS.

Eighth, Satoshi concluded his talk with two reflections on his life. The first was ¡°Difficulties can be a catalyst to create new value.¡± He stated, ¡°In life, difficulties are inevitable¡­ No one in this world can live alone. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask for help. Likewise, if someone asks you for advice, please listen intently with the attitude, ¡®What can I do for you?¡¯¡± The second was ¡°What has been does not determine what will be, but what will be gives meaning to what has been.¡± He stated, ¡°In the future, when you are choosing a career path, a place of employment, or anything else, you may be wondering, ¡®Is this really the right choice?¡¯ Or, after you have made your choice, you may feel that ¡®This is not how it was supposed to be.¡¯ I believe that the important thing is not what you choose, but what you do after you choose. I was on the verge of great global success but was unable to witness it. But I have been valuing what I enjoy, what I like, what I want to do, and as a result, I am living very happily now. If you ever lose your way in the future, I would be happy [if you] remember that there is someone living life like this.¡±

91³Ô¹Ï is grateful to Sabrina Ishimatsu for organizing this special online session. 91³Ô¹Ï hopes to feature another musician in a second special online session in 2025.

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To learn more about 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

The year 2024 is a milestone year for Kawasaki City as the city celebrates its 100th anniversary. Mayor Norihiko Fukuda kindly shared the following comment about the Stanford e-Kawasaki Program on this special occasion. (Photo below: 100th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony at MUZA Kawasaki Symphony Hall on July 1, 2024; photo courtesy City of Kawasaki.)

Stanford e-Kawasaki, jointly offered by Kawasaki City and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (91³Ô¹Ï) at 91³Ô¹Ï, aims to empower the youth in Kawasaki City to take on a new challenge towards their dreams and goals. Given that Kawasaki City¡¯s remarkable growth has been driven by diversity and entrepreneurship, students in this course learn about these two important topics in depth. July 1, 2024, marks Kawasaki¡¯s 100th anniversary, and I believe that diversity and entrepreneurship will continue to be the key to Kawasaki City¡¯s further progress. It is my hope that Stanford e-Kawasaki will continue to equip students with knowledge and skills, and help them grow to become agents of change. I look forward to our continued cooperation with 91³Ô¹Ï to achieve this goal.

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As reflected in Mayor Fukuda¡¯s comment, Kawasaki City highly values diversity. The city¡¯s logo uses the Chinese character for ´¨ or ¡°kawa¡± (river) for ´¨Æé (Kawasaki), and it is colored in red, green, and blue, symbolizing the commitment of Kawasaki City to creating new values, opportunities, and possibilities by embracing diversity. 

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I have visited this vibrant city to see my relatives and friends who live there, but I never knew why Kawasaki places such an importance on diversity. This made me curious about the city¡¯s history.

Kawasaki first became an important place in the 17th century as a station on the Tokaido route connecting Kyoto with Tokyo (then ¡°Edo¡±) where people from near and far gathered. Later in 1924, Kawasaki City was born with a population of approximately 50,000. Although the city suffered extensive destruction during World War II due to heavy air raids by the U.S. military targeting industrial facilities, Kawasaki developed rapidly after the war as one of the major industrial cities in Japan, attracting people not only from across the country but also from overseas. Today, its population is over 1.55 million, making it Japan¡¯s sixth most populous city. Its neighboring city, Tokyo, is the most populous. Kawasaki is also one of Japan¡¯s most ethnically diverse cities. More than 50,000 foreign residents live in Kawasaki, making up 3.3 percent of the city¡¯s population.

With people constantly coming from across and outside of Japan, it is not hard to imagine what Kawasaki has experienced in terms of both the benefits and challenges of diversity. I admire Mayor Fukuda¡¯s commitment to valuing diversity as the city¡¯s strength and his efforts to encourage young people in Kawasaki to learn about this core value. I feel honored to support this important mission through the Stanford e-Kawasaki Program. As I prepare for the sixth year of the program, I took another look at my students¡¯ reflections from last year¡¯s course. Two students noted the following:

When I wrote my thoughts on the discussion board, other students who had the same or opposite opinions gave me some comments. It was very rewarding for me because some comments had the power to change my opinion or make my thinking deeper.

I still remember the time we talked on the discussion board. We talked about many topics, and I can¡¯t count how many times I was impressed and inspired by my friends. I enjoyed the moment every time.

Every year students surprise me with how willing they are to share their thoughts and listen to different opinions. Although conformity is often described as a central feature of Japanese society, I learned from e-Kawasaki students that they feel joy and excitement when they learn something new. As one of my colleagues, Mia Kimura, mentioned in her article on e-Hiroshima, students are hungry for diversity. Therefore, one of my goals in this program continues to be providing a space where students see each other as unique individuals and feel encouraged to express themselves. Like the logo of Kawasaki City, I look forward to what shades of color each student will bring to future courses, and how they will change as they influence and learn from each other.

Two other students described their feelings at the end of last year¡¯s course as follows.

¡®I feel in my heart / That it¡¯s the start of something new.¡¯ This is a line from the song ¡®Start of Something New¡¯ in High School Musical. I feel that I can unlock my potential thanks to this program!

Thanks to the Stanford e-Kawasaki program, I realized that the future is hopeful, and we are free to take on a challenge and achieve our dreams to make a better world!!!!!

I hope that Stanford e-Kawasaki will continue to help empower students who will build the next 100 years of Kawasaki City.

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On June 17, 2024, 29 Stanford e-Fukuoka students gathered at the American Center, a division of the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, to engage in a Q & A session with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. The Japanese high school students were curious: ¡°What challenges did you face as Mayor of Chicago?¡± ¡°Did you study abroad when you were a student?¡± ¡°How can I find a job in international relations?¡± They also wanted to know more about the works of art that were, until recently, exhibited at his residence and at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. 

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The 18 pieces of art were created by Japanese and Japanese American artists during their imprisonment in U.S. incarceration camps during World War II. The paintings (reproductions) are part of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) collection and were exhibited as an acknowledgement of the past, a way of learning from our mistakes, and a means to build a more inclusive future. They were loaned to the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka earlier this year, thanks to Chie Inuzuka, Director of the American Center. I had the opportunity to incorporate them into my Stanford e-Fukuoka course this past spring, for a lesson on U.S.¨CJapan relations through an art history lens. (Photo above courtesy U.S. Consulate Fukuoka.) 

Using digital images and outside resources, my students and I explored the artwork in our virtual classroom. For many, this was their first time to look at art closely and critically. It was refreshing to see them express themselves knowing that there was no right or wrong way to look at art and that there could be infinite interpretations of a given work. The paintings were a prompt to practice critical thinking and communications skills by sharing observations, asking questions, and exploring perspectives made by others. 

Upon arriving in Fukuoka, I worked with Inuzuka-san and contractors to install the exhibit in the atrium of ACROS Fukuoka (a cultural center and exhibition space in downtown Fukuoka City). On the exhibit¡¯s opening day, each student selected a painting that resonated with them. They stepped out of their comfort zones and stepped into the shoes of the artists and the Japanese and Japanese American subjects of the paintings. Visitors paused to take a look at the artwork and listened to the impassioned high school students describing the works in English. The following are comments that my students shared with the public or made later during class. Their comments addressed themes of empathy, resilience, and gratitude and reflected the power of art in self-reflection and cross-cultural understanding. (Photo below courtesy Kasumi Yamashita.)

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Empathy

Many students were drawn to a painting by Henry Yuzuru Sugimoto (1900¨C90) titled ¡°Fresh Air Break from Fresno to Jerome Camp.¡± In the foreground, military police point guns at men, women, and children en route to a concentration camp in rural Arkansas, nearly 2,000 miles away. Family members, young and old, step off the train to stretch in a fenced area along the tracks. A locomotive pulling a load of coal and passenger cars stands still, momentarily, in the background. The colors are sandy and somber.

¡°I was inspired by this painting. We see many children and adults resting while under the watch of the armed guards. I used to think that wartime conditions were different, but I realize that they were similar to ours: they exercised, played catch, and jumped rope just like us. Now, I feel closer to them more than ever because I can imagine their pain. Before seeing this picture, I thought that paintings by Japanese American artists only showed the tragedy of war. However, this picture changed my view. I think that wars limit possibilities, which is very sad. I'll continue studying Japanese American history because it is our history and it¡¯s necessary to build better relationships between our two countries.¡±  ¡ªAoi

¡°Seeing this painting, I felt that we must not forget that it is not only the people who fight, but the everyday people who are affected by war. There are many innocent people who are deprived of their freedoms and their lives. I think that I shouldn¡¯t look away from these facts and should be thankful that we can live our daily lives in a safe environment.¡±  ¡ªKano

Resilience

Students interpreted the artwork in many ways. Some reacted to the colors on an emotional level while others identified with the subjects of the paintings. Some explored underlying narratives while others questioned their assumptions and offered alternate readings. One student described how art leveraged a ¡°soft power¡± and had the potential to move the public and influence the world.

In ¡°Study,¡± Hisako Hibi (1907¨C1991) painted a young girl of four or five with a short bob and trimmed bangs. She rests her head on her arm, outstretched over a table, and grips a pencil with her other hand. Her eyebrows are slightly furrowed as she gazes upon a large, blank piece of paper. 

¡°At first, I wasn¡¯t sure why I was interested in this picture. Now, I think there are two reasons for my interest. First, I feel that the girl in the painting looks like me. Her hair, her round face, and her expression when she is studying really looks like me! Second, I felt the importance of studying. Even in tough situations, we can always improve ourselves. I was impressed that her parents made her study in the camp.¡±  ¡ªYuna

Tokio Ueyama (1889¨C1954) painted his wife gently leaning back on a folding chair. She is knitting and biding time. Her back faces a doorway to the outside where tar paper barracks of the Santa Anita Assembly Center stand in rows. Curtains, tied back, are all that separate her from the dusty ground and scorching heat. 

¡°I was surprised when I found out that even though the Japanese Americans in the camps lived hard lives, they found small joys and pleasures and found the hope to live. In other words, they lived their lives without losing their humanity. We can express our thoughts to people through art as well as through literature and music. Today, science and technology are popular, but I¡¯m sure that ¡®soft power¡¯ such as art is an important tool to connect people all over the world.¡± ¡ªNanako

¡°Looking at this picture, I imagine that this woman does not enjoy knitting. Is she trying to make something, or is she just keeping busy? I paid attention to the contrast between the outside scenery and the atmosphere inside the house. The woman¡¯s facial expression shows that she doesn¡¯t care about the sunny weather. I thought the painter of this picture wanted to express how the Japanese Americans lived their lives, without any big changes, and how they entertained themselves as much as they could.¡±  ¡ªAyame

¡°This painting is not a scene from a home but from an American incarceration camp. The woman is knitting. It¡¯s a scene that could be found anywhere, but it is interesting because the artist chose this one. Why was he trying to record this daily activity? Was he afraid that the routine would soon disappear? The more I look at this picture, the less I think I know what the artist was thinking.¡± ¡ªNiko 

The Power of Art

Stanford e-Fukuoka students experienced the transformative power of art. Taking the time to explore the 18 works of art in depth gave them space to understand and empathize with people in contexts very different from their own. It allowed them to acknowledge common ground in light of cultural differences and historical conflicts.

¡°I think art is a common language because it can teach us about a lot of things without using any words. We don¡¯t learn about these things in school but students in Japan should know about this. I would like to tell my family and friends about learning about history through art.¡± ¡ªMai

¡°Looking at the art in ACROS Fukuoka changed my view of art quite significantly. It made me think about the stories behind art pieces. Art is such a wonderful and powerful way of sending a message.¡±  ¡ªTomoyuki

¡°These stories must be told to future generations. I want to tell my classmates and my family to imagine that time. This class was so important for me to learn about immigration history and about Japanese American people.¡± ¡ªShunya

Gratitude

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Students found abstract concepts like ¡°U.S.¨CJapan relations¡± easier to understand and more meaningful through an art history lens. The idea of diplomacy through culture and soft power broadened their understanding of the responsibilities of governments and the role of ambassadors. Stanford e-Fukuoka students sent letters to Ambassador Emanuel to thank him for his visit to Fukuoka and for encouraging them to make ¡°new discoveries.¡± (Photo above courtesy U.S. Consulate Fukuoka.)

¡°Dear Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, thank you for sending the paintings to Fukuoka. This exhibition was very shocking to me, and I felt that we should learn about the history of Japanese Americans. The picture that impressed me most was of the child studying (¡°Study¡± by Hisako Hibi). It was very hard to imagine children younger than us studying diligently even though they probably didn¡¯t understand the changes that were taking place in the world during the war. I think it¡¯s important to understand what¡¯s happening in the world. After all, we often don¡¯t have the opportunity to learn about wartime history and about people¡¯s lives from perspectives other than our own. There were a lot of new discoveries for me in this exhibition. Thank you very much!¡± ¡ªSota

Stanford e-Fukuoka was launched in spring 2022 and is made possible through a partnership between 91³Ô¹Ï, the U.S. Consulate Fukuoka, and the Fukuoka Prefectural Government. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Honorable Seitaro Hattori (Governor, Fukuoka Prefecture), Akie Omagari (Deputy Governor, Fukuoka Prefecture), and Chie Inuzuka (Director, Fukuoka American Center) for their collaboration and support in making Stanford e-Fukuoka possible. Special thanks to Inuzuka-san for arranging my students to meet with Ambassador Emanuel. This course offers students throughout the prefecture with an opportunity to learn about U.S.¨CJapan relations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and entrepreneurship. Stanford e-Fukuoka is one of 91³Ô¹Ï¡¯s local student programs in Japan.

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