On January 11 and 12, 2018, we invited our international students on an excursion to further their understanding of Japanese culture, industry and the natural areas in Kyoto, as well as to help them further their relationships with each other.
Twenty-seven international students from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Finland, French, Germany, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore, Swaziland, Madagascar, Israel and Korea participated in this tour. We also had the cooperation of 3 members from KITICO, an international student support organization at KIT.

The tour was all the more meaningful thanks to their interpretation and other assistance. The students came in contact with traditional Japanese sites during their visits to Ama-no-hashidate (a popular scenic site), Kono Shrine (a site with a history of more than 1,200 years) and Kayabuki-no-Sato (a village of thatched-roof houses) in Miyama. They spent time with children at a combined lower and upper secondary school of Kambayashi, took part in mochi (rice cake) making, visited a hot spring and experienced Kurotani-washi (traditional Japanese paper) making.
Participants said:
“The school pupils were very cute! It’s amazing that they prepared lunch by themselves.”
“The paper making methods were very unique.”
“I can say that this school trip is the best thing to happen to me since I arrived in Japan.”
We were glad to have such positive feedback from the international students and to hear they found the tour beneficial to their further understanding of Japan.

• In the bus
• Amano-Hashidate
• Mochi (rice cake) making
• Dinner at Ayabe-Yamano-Ie
• Chatting in a room with a fireplace
• Kurotani-washi: Paper making
• Calligraphy at the combined lower and upper
  secondary school of Kambayashi
• Kayabuki-no-Sato