Curriculum Contents

Course Overview

This program offers 6 credits in 6 weeks conducted entirely in Japanese. The coursework will progress at a fast pace, so a strict attendance policy is in place. The workload is heavier than in a regular semester, and students are required to participate in classes and activities including field trips fully.

Curriculum Contents

Akita is emblematic of Japan’s rural areas:  Dependent for a long time on agriculture as the core of its economy, Akita was one of the first prefectures to experience population decline, long before Japan experienced it at a national level. As such, it has been a case study for the effects of rural depopulation and rural rehabilitation efforts.

Students in this program study Akita’s unique circumstances, current issues, and cultural assets in the classroom, then interact directly with their subject matter through research visits and excursions. 

This course is based on the concept of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and aims to help students learn about Japan and Akita by integrating the 4Cs – content, communication, cognition, and community/culture.

Four Elements of CLIL

Japanese Language Ability

The program makes heavy demands on students’Japanese language skills, particularly speaking and listening. Thus, this course is limited to students with ?intermediate-advanced Japanese language proficiency. The program offers additional language instruction, such as courses and practice in the most polite keigo forms of speech. Throughout the course, students have the opportunity to develop their abilities in all four language skills – and learn to speak the local Akita dialect, as well!

Field Trips

This program features weekly onsite research, allowing participants to explore various parts of Akita Prefecture each week. Destinations include central Akita City, Oga City, Yuzawa City, and Gojome Town. These visits provide the opportunity to engage with areas facing social challenges, and immerse in Japan’s and Akita’s traditional culture, lifestyle, and customs.

Through these site visits, participants will gain a deep understanding of Akita through direct interaction with various issues and cultural aspects, from contemporary challenges to traditional and modern culture. Additionally, participants will contemplate the problems of population decline and depopulation facing Akita, and consider potential solutions.

Interaction with Local People in Akita

The main feature of this program is community interaction. During the program, participants will visit the Shiraiwa district in Akita Prefecture’s Daisen City.

Participants will also help the Shiraiwa community set-up and hold its annual winter festival. Through the festival, they will interact with local residents and experience the strong sense of community and connection that characterizes the area. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the region’s lifestyle, habits, customs, traditions, and community preservation.

Through conversations with people of all ages in the community, participants will deepen their understanding of the local area and improve their Japanese language skills.

Past Participants’ Voices

The original text is in Japanese.

The breathtaking scenery of the Shiraiwa area.