The 1,300th Anniversary of the Founding of Nara’s Heijo-kyo Capital

Kyoto is well-known as the seat of the ancient capital of Japan, Heian-kyo. But the capital of Nara, predates Heian-kyo by over 80 years.
This year marks the 1,300th anniversary of the founding of the Nara capital, Heijo-kyo, in 710. To commemorate the anniversary, various events are being held throughout the year, from January 1st to December 31st.

“Commemorative Events for the 1,300th Anniversary of the Nara Heijo-kyo Capital” English website:
http://www.1300.jp/foreign/english/index.html

Commemorative Events for the 1,300th Anniversary of the Nara Heijo-kyo Capital Leaflet:
http://www.1300.jp/about/what/public/documents/leaf.pdf

The symbol of Heijo-kyo, the former Imperial Audience Hall, Daigoku-den, has been restored to its former glory. Starting with a ceremony on April 24th to celebrate its completion, Daigoku-den will serve as the main venue for a wide range of commemorative events.

Let’s look at some of the highlights.

On the 3rd and 9th of May, the Tenpyo Parade is held. The parade features the people of Nara dressed up in the fashion and hairstyles of the period. It will definitely convey the atmosphere of the ancient Heian-kyo capital.

August will see the start of a night-time parade titled “Heijo Palace: Illuminated Corridor”. The entire palace site will be lit up, providing a stunning backdrop for the parade, which will also feature musical performances. The synergy of light, shadow and sound will enhance the effect of the summer night’s dream.

In addition to these spectacular events, there are many hands-on events allowing visitors to experience life in Heijo-kyo, including sampling period cooking and dressing up in costumes worn in the Tenpyo Parade.

For students who show their passports, all facilities and hands-on events inside the Heijo Palace Site are free.
To find out more about what’s happening during the 1,300th anniversary, periodically check the official website for updates.

Nara is the only prefecture in Japan with three UNESCO World Heritage sites.

National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan website:
http://www.unesco.jp/contents/isan/jlist.html#c7

In 1995, the site of the Heijo-kyo Imperial Palace, the main venue for the yearlong festivities, was registered as one of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” along with six shrines and temples and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, a perfect backdrop to these monuments.

Then there’s Horyu-ji, the oldest surviving wooden building in the world. It’s one of several dozen buildings that are registered collectively as “Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area”. During the 1,300th Anniversary of the Founding of the Heijo-kyo Capital, these World Heritage monuments will be open to the public along with 52 other shrines and temples, their national treasures and important cultural heritages. The anniversary provides an ideal opportunity to visit Nara and experience its many historical and cultural wonders.

Nara is also the site of many sacred sites that are connected to similar sites in the neighboring Mie and Wakayama Prefectures. These pilgrimage routes are also registered as World Heritage sites.

If you have a chance to visit Nara during its 1,300th anniversary year, don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore its World Heritage sites.

The Council for the Promotion of International Student Exchange

On February 8, the Council for the Promotion of International Student Exchange organized a meeting in Tokyo. Such meetings have been held at the local government level. But this was the first meeting that brought together people from all over Japan. Around 500 participants, including international students, key figures, and representatives from corporations, schools and international student support groups, met to discuss various aspects of studying in Japan and to exchange information.

The program was divided into two parts. The first half began with a keynote lecture titled "300,000 International Students Plan". This was followed by case studies of the activities of groups involved in promoting international student exchange. Finally, a student from New Zealand gave a frank talk titled "Japan as Seen from the Eyes of an International Student".

In the second half of the program, the participants were divided up into the following five working sessions, each featuring a lecture followed by active discussions:

1. Japanese language education for international students
2. Job placement support for international students
3. Admission exams for international students
4. Promoting exchange between international students and the community
5. On-campus support and follow-up for international students

Let’s look at the discussions regarding job placement support and promoting exchange between international students and the community.

The working session on "Job Placement Support for International Students", looked at the activities of the International Students Career Development Center, an NPO that provides student support. This was followed by a discussion.

The participants exchanged views on what needed to be done to support job-placement. In addition to increasing study opportunities in English, it was agreed that both prospective employers and students need to make an effort so that students can improve their Japanese communication skills and their understanding of Japanese culture. They also talked about the need to provide financial support for job-hunting and the lack of employment information.

The working session on "Promoting Exchange between Students and the Community" looked at the efforts made by Shizuoka Prefecture. Representatives from local governments, universities, technical colleges, special training schools, Japanese language schools and international exchange organizations then talked about the issues that were involved and introduced various success cases. This was followed by discussions on how important it was for schools, local governments, groups involved in providing study opportunities in Japan and industries to join hands in supporting international students. This included concrete proposals such as the creation of a one-stop center to provide information on everything from entering a school to employment.

The highlights of the February 8 meeting are available on the Japan Student Services Organization website. Each of the five working sessions engaged in informative discussions that are of particular interest to students, so be sure to read up on the meeting at: http://www.jasso.go.jp/scholarship/kaigi_sokuhou.html

Dinh Sy Dien (Vietnam)
Graduate School of Commerce, Waseda University

Dien was a third-year student at Hanoi University when he came to Japan in 2003 on the Monbukagakusho’s Japanese Language Program. After studying at Nagasaki University for a year, he returned to Vietnam to finish his university studies. Upon graduating from Hanoi University, he taught at his alma mater for three years. He returned to Japan in April last year and is scheduled to begin graduate studies at Waseda University in April.

Studying Japanese at university lead to his decision to come to Japan as a graduate student. What got him interested in Japan in the first place?

Dien says that as a child, he was a big fan of the Japanese TV serial drama “Oshin”. The drama, he says, gave him insight into the Japanese mentality and identity. Also, while studying history at junior and senior high school, he learned how Japan was able to become the world’s second largest economy despite its wartime experience. Since Vietnam had also gone through war, he felt a strong empathy towards Japan.

In addition, he was impressed, he says, by the TV news coverage of the Japanese government’s ODA projects. Moreover, he felt a strong attraction to Japan’s beautiful nature and its traditional culture, such as the kimono.

As to why he decided to study in Japan, he says that since Vietnam and Japan are both Asian countries, their culture has many things in common. The bottom line was that he felt there would be less of a culture shock coming to Japan.

Although this is his second visit to Japan, he’s new to Tokyo. How is he finding life here?

Nagasaki and Tokyo seem to be quite different, he says, but they are both safe cities and he has no problem with the food. Some of his friends who are studying in the United States and Britain seem to be having a hard time adjusting to the diet, so he’s glad that he decided to study in Japan.

Finally, as to his future plans, he replied that after finishing his graduate and doctoral studies in Japan, he would like to return to Vietnam and teach trade and business at university.

Yu Zhao (China)
Department of Civil Engineering
School of Engineering, University of Tokyo

Since October 2007, Yu Zhao has been studying disaster prevention at the University of Tokyo. He’s actually been to earthquake stricken areas to study the extent of damage.

Yu Zhao says his decision to come to Japan was strongly influenced by his professor in China. The professor himself had studied in Japan and explained to Yu Zhao how much he had gained from the experience. In addition to his professor’s urging, Yu Zhao says that he was also attracted by the kindness and politeness of the people and the clean and convenient living environment.

Having grown up reading Japanese manga such as “Doraemon”, “Fist of the North Star”, and “Captain Tsubasa”, he says there’s no denying that he felt a strong affinity towards Japan.

When asked about what he thought of life in Japan after 27 months, he replied that he was satisfied with life here, and that it was safe and secure. He’s visited various areas throughout the country, including Hokkaido, Tohoku, Niigata and Kyoto, and is furthering his understanding of Japan.

And what are his plans after finishing his studies in September 2010? Yu Zhao says that he recently came across a book titled “The History of Earthquakes in Japan”. Having read up on the subject of earthquakes, he’s become more interested than ever in furthering his research and would like to stay on in Japan even after completing his current program.

As an earthquake-prone country, Japan has had to develop a wide range of sophisticated disaster prevention technologies. Japan is making international contributions through the transfer of such technologies. To dedicated young researchers like Yu Zhao, there’s no end to the list of fascinating themes to pursue.