Bunya Seminar at the Insittute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University


Hi there. I am Houken from the Institute of Fluid science, Tohoku university. Two years ago I applied for the IMAC-G program and entered the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The Research and study environment in Japan may be different from your country. Bunya-seminar is one of thing you might not experience in your country. Let me introduce it briefly first.



Houken Presenting at Bunya Seminar


 n  What is Bunya Seminar?

In the Tohoku university Department of Mechanical Engineering we have this special seminar for first year master degree students. Every student is asked to prepare a one-page printout to simply introduce his/her research and give a 10min presentation which is open to all master and doctor students. Especially in recent years, since the number of foreign students is increasing, presentations in English are very common and popular as you can see in the photo. Furthermore, many Japanese students start to prepare presentation and printout in English in order to enhance their English communicating skills.  

n  My experience during Bunya-seminar

Although foreign students can choose their presentation language freely, I chose to speak in Japanese. It was really hard to prepare because using technical language properly in Japanese is even more difficult than daily communication. However I believe it is especially meaningful for foreign students to learn how to communicate with Japanese not only in daily life but also in their work or research. Communication skill in Japanese is absolutely important to live and work in Japan. Bunya-seminar is just a wonderful chance to learn and practice!

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Text and photos by Houken

Short Trip Program for International Students of Tohoku Amamiya Campus: Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium of “Jelly Fish”

Greet all! My name is Bayu, allow me to share one of our activities as an International student of Tohoku University. Obviously, as an International student we have opportunity and advantages to learn more about Japan, which is not only well-known for its interesting culture and landscape but also technology and nature conservation. Moreover, the Japanese has awareness of the environmental damage and the sustainable of natural resources. It made them seriously concern to the nature conservation.

Anyway, every year faculty of Agriculture and Graduate School of Agricultural Science invite us to a short trip program. The main aim is to provide the International Student, not only to know each other during our busy activities but also increase our knowledge about Japan. This year, the committee decided to visit the Kamo Aquarium (加茂(かも)水族館(すいぞくかん)) in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Pref., which exhibits the highest number of species for jelly fishes in the world.

The group departed from the Amamiya campus gate at 08:30 by bus. The first destination is Shonai Kanko Bussankan Furusato-Honpo (庄内(しょうない)観光(かんこう)物産館(ぶっさんかん)ふるさと本舗(ほんぽ)). The restaurants and fish market among its rest area, making it more interesting as a transit area.

Shonai Kanko Bussankan Furusato-Honpo rest area

From Shonai Kanko to Kamo Auqarium takes 30 minutes, and we arrive in second destination at 13:30. Mr. Kazuya Okuizumi as Sub-Director of Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium welcomes us and gives us brief explanation at once. He explained that the number of visitors has been on the increase, particularly since Japanese scientist Osamu Shimomura, professor emeritus at Boston University got Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008, for his discovery of the mysterious green glow of a jelly fish – the green fluorescent protein (GPF). Now, the aquarium displays around 40 varieties, claimed to be one of the biggest in the world.

From Shonai Kanko to Kamo Auqarium takes 30 minutes, and we arrive in second destination at 13:30. Mr. Kazuya Okuizumi as Sub-Director of Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium welcomes us and gives us brief explanation at once. He explained that the number of visitors has been on the increase, particularly since Japanese scientist Osamu Shimomura, professor emeritus at Boston University got Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008, for his discovery of the mysterious green glow of a jelly fish – the green fluorescent protein (GPF). Now, the aquarium displays around 40 varieties, claimed to be one of the biggest in the world.

Tsuruoka Kamo Aquarium of “Jelly Fish”

It was a good time for us, unfortunately we had limited time. It’s a new thing for many of us, and still we couldn’t figure yet about the Jelly Fish breeding. It has proven by so many questions that we asked during Okuisumi-san’s brief class of. Luckily, we still got an opportunity to observed jelly fish by the microscope. Hence, the field trip is very interesting, enjoyable and useful. We hope that this program could conduct frequently, not only once but at least twice a year. Mina-san, otsukaresamadeshita!

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Story and Photos by

Prasojo Bayu

Beauty and Talent Festa in the middle of February!

On February 12, Tohoku University Ko-Haku 2012 Winter Festival was the hottest event of the winter. The most talented and creative students of the University performed on the stage, singing, dancing, acting, and posing to celebrate the New Year, to heat up Sendai winter, dedicating their performances to everyone, who had gone through the tough year after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and, shouting out to the world, that we, in Tohoku, are here, living, studying, and having fun!

This is the second year of the Festival and the name of the event "Ko-Haku" is similar to one of the most popular New Year's TV Shows in Japan, a concert-battle between the brightest stars of Japanese show industry with the ladies performing in the Red Team (KO) and men performing in the White team (Haku). The Tohoku University Ko-Haku Festival was more than a singers battle, although it was also judged by the professional judges – the University professors (how much more professional could it get J ). It was a complete Talent Show, reflecting what the students of one of the top Universities in Japan can do besides studying. The show was spiced up by the traditional Japanese, Indonesian, Malay dances, street dance , musical shows, A-capella concert, crazy Vocaloid family cosplay, and finalized by the international fashion show, representing 15 countries and five continents.

The event was organized by the Tohoku University Graduate School of Economics and Management, Division of International Education and Exchange  (DIEE) and the Center for International Exchange, Global 30 office.

The pictures from the event are available at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/108223979894431885504/February122012?authkey=Gv1sRgCN3OutuSo-2c_QE#


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Text and Photos by Aysenem
FGL FB/Blog Team