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In the 2023 summer holidays, for the first time in about four years, Nanzan University accepted international students into its Summer Programs, which had previously been on hold since the spread of COVID-19. This year, in addition to the regular program, there was also a Nanzan Anime Study Tour held over three weeks. This additional program, delivered in English, involved 12 lectures in which students learned Japanese society and culture through the lens of Japanese anime. It also included three field trips to Ghibli Park, Arimatsu and Tokoname, and a pilgrimage to Hida-Takayama, which features some of the locations in the movie "Your Name". In addition to the academic component, we implemented the extra-curricular "Nanzan Anime Buddy Activities" as a part of the program to deepen knowledge about Japan through interaction with Nanzan University students and to learn about each other’s cultures. This year, nine students from the United States, Europe, and Asia participated in the program.

Seeing the international students interact with the local Nanzan students, gaining a deeper understanding of Japan, and seeing the Nanzan students planning ways to show hospitality to and initiate exchange with the international students to become friends with them made us sense the significance of international education and the importance of such exchange.

We post information about this program and applications for next year's intake on the University's English webpage or the Nanzan Anime Study Tour Instagram account. We have decided to hold the program again next year! We will continue to post comments from this year's students, so please look out for the latest information on Instagram. If any of your friends would like to learn about Japan through the lens of anime, please let them know about this program.

Shikiko Ono
Special Appointed Instructor
Center for International Affairs