2018 Field Trip for International Students in Ohnan Town was held

公開日 2018年09月27日

　With gratitude for cooperation and very kind hospitality to Ohnan town in Shimane Prefecture, which has the partnership agreement with Shimane University since 2009, we successfully implemented the 9^th International Students’ Field Trip to Ohnan Town for the purpose of promoting international students’ understanding of Japanese culture and humanity from August 31^thto September 3^rd, 2018.
13 international students participated in this trip to visit Ohnan Town.
On the first day, students visited Yakami high school to join its cultural festival. Students did fashion show and introduce their culture. In the afternoon, students visited Hanzake Nature Museum of Mizuho and Kuki-Obayashi silver mine to learn nature and history of Ohnan town. Students saw giant salamander first time there. Students learned rich nature of Ohnan town. At Kuki-Obayashi silver mine, students go into used tunnel. It was very dark in side. They learned the process and works. After that students met their host family and then started their farm stay at traditional local houses.
On the second day, students enjoyed staying in local home and experienced vegetable harvesting, making mocha with very traditional way, trying to do traditional Japanese cooking, visit to station which closed recently and so on.
On the third day, the Ohnan Specialty Dish Gathering was held in Tadokoro community center. In this event, each family cooked and brought a dish made mainly from local products to enjoy them together. There were delicious dishes such as rice ball mixed with mashroom, Tempura, Soup, Rice cakes, sour salad, udon, and etc. At the gathering, students expressed their views about impression on homestay at farm and also received the comment from each host family. After the event, students got an lecture “The answer is in local area” which is about A-kyu gourmet by Mr. Teramoto from Ohnan town office and learned how Ohnan town solved problems which many local area have today. After that students enjoyed Iwami-Kagura theatrical Shinto performances named “Yamata-no Orochi” by local Kagura team.
On the final day, students had cultural interactive exchange meeting with Hinui elementary school. International students introduced themselves and made presentation about their own countries with posters. They also had an athletic meeting with children which was very exciting, ate lunch together. They all had a lot of fun and heartwarming interactions each other.
International students touched traditional Japanese culture, lifestyle and kindness of Ohnan people throughout the trip. Participated students and people there deepened mutual understanding beyond the differences of nationality, age, words and backgrounds.