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Hi everyone. I am KOMATSU Yasuhiko, Professor of Japanese literature and Director of the International Center. I want to introduce you to the courses designed for international students. As Director of the International Center, I proudly believe that AGU is the best place to study and learn about Japan, because AGU is located at the heart of Japan, where you can experience both cutting-edge and traditional cultures first-hand, and we also have a great variety of courses for both full-time international students and exchange students. We have eleven faculties and twenty-seven departments for bachelor's degrees, and eleven graduate schools for MA and PhD. We offer lectures covering a wide range of subjects, such as Japanese politics, law, economy, management, society, history, philosophy, culture, literature, art, media, international relations, international cooperation, environmental issues and science & technology. For full-time international students, we have a splendid study environment where you can pursue in-depth knowledge of the subject you choose as a member of the department. For exchange students, there are plenty of exciting opportunities to explore Japan from different perspectives. You can choose whatever lectures you find interesting. You can earn credit by taking Japanese lectures alone or by taking both Japanese and English lectures. Also, you can enroll in IPJS, the International Program for Japan Studies, take only English lectures and get full credits. We have a Japanese language course which is divided into seven levels. Please note that this language course is compulsory for full-time students but optional for exchange students. You can improve reading, writing, listening and speaking effectively through quality learning. We are more than pleased to be a part of your academic journey and looking forward to meeting you in person at this beautiful campus! KOMATSU Yasuhiko, Director of International Center Professor, College of Literature
KOMATSU Yasuhiko（Early Japanese literature）
This course is aimed primarily at international students and designed as a capsule survey of the history of Japanese culture and society. It is interdisciplinary and focused on the humanities, social sciences, and media/technology. Guest speakers with expertise in comparative aspects of Japanese culture and society will be invited to class to lecture several times each term. This course is aimed at International Program for Japan Studies (IPJS) and Gender Studies Center students, and functions also as an elective course for international exchange students, regular degree students from abroad and within Japan.
To learn other country’s culture is important. It means beginning of mutualunderstanding. You are able to study Japanese traditional culture.(FloralArrangement ,Calligraphy , Tea Ceremony and so on ) from experts . International students and Japanese students study this course together. It will realize international cultural exchange. Japanese students who want to be active abroad should take this course.
In the second half of the class, we will focus on the Muromachi and Tokugawa periods texts and read a variety of selected works from these two periods. Nō Stage such as “Birds of Sorrow”, and “Three Poets at Minase” from the Muromachi Period; and Sections from Matsuo Basho, including “The Narrow Road of Oku,” “The Love Suicides at Sonezaki” by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, and Waka and haiku of the Tokugawa Period. The one-year long class allow you to get a general picture of pre-modern Japanese literature and the elements that nourished the Japanese culture.
This course examines major trends in Japanese literature and arts from its beginnings through the modern period. It highlights how Japanese culture developed in intense dialogue with nature, and offers the context of how cultural production has been embedded in an environment that was immersed in awareness of past belletristic rhetorics. Concentrating on close reading of “Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons,” an overview of Japanese literature, culture and arts as well as some traditional industries, we focus in particular on the topic of “Nature” and on the characteristic dynamics that developed between the natural environment and the socio-cultural landscape in Japan.
The aim of this course is to deeply understand modern Japanese culture by experiences of Japanese modern literature related skills and technologies. This course will consist of a full-time teacher’s lectures and guest speakers’ instructions. The instructor of the course will lecture on how modern technologies impacted Japanese literature. The guest speakers, who are experts of a variety of fields, will lecture on each of the topics in a pragmatic approach. [IMPORTANT] Due to the restriction of college funding, The class is EXCLUSIVELY designed for international students (including international exchange students). IF YOU ARE NOT AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER.
The course will question discourses of modern Japanese identity in the critical spirit of cultural studies. The students will reexamine and enrich their experience of modern Japanese culture through reading of texts on the topic written by international body of experts. The students are required to prepare presentations about their favorite films, games, TV shows, music, sports or other products of Japanese popular culture, and explain in detail why and how those contents are attractive for global audiences.
This course is designed to introduce students to policy-making in postwar Japan from the political science perspectives of comparative politics and international relations. The course proceeds in three parts. The first part places Japanese politics and policy-making in a comparative context and introduces models of the policy-making process. The second part of the course focuses on the policy-making process in domestic policy areas, including budgetary policy, industrial policy, social welfare policy, energy policy, immigration policy, energy policy, and education policy. The final part considers Japan’s security policy, diplomacy, and foreign relations. Weekly reading assignments, quizzes, a paper and a final exam require students to spend about 120 minutes preparing for class each week.
Tourism is regarded as the pillar of Japan's economic growth strategy, and one of the main components of the regional revitalization. The students of this class will learn to understand the present conditions of our country’s international and domestic tourism, and how they are contributing to the society and the economy. In the class, some of the popular tourist destinations and tourism facilities will be introduced, as well as the major stakeholders in the tourism industry, including hotels, ryokan,transportations and tourism organizations. Discussion will also extend to tourism management and policy making of present-day Japan.
Search for all subjects' syllabus and lecture contents here
In AGU's Japanese language courses, based on curriculum policies, while valuing the identity of each foreign student, Japanese language professionals who possess comprehensive Japanese language communication skills to build relationships by overcoming different languages, cultures, and values are being developed.Specifically, classes and support programs are being developed that allow foreign students to engage in Japanese language studies from three perspectives: (1) promoting understanding of Japan's rich language and culture and the language and culture of foreign students themselves; (2) cultivating Japanese language abilities to support specialized learning from a broad perspective; and (3) fostering co-creativity to work together with people to solve problems across nationalities and attributes.
Japanese courses for exchange students have levels I to VII, and international students can learn both in Japanese and in Japanese in a way that matches their own levels and purposes, as well as in the context of the Japanese situation.In addition, if you are staying for two semesters, you can also learn each interlocking subject step by step.Subject names and levels, and guidelines are as follows.
"The ""Japanese I to VII"" course for exchange students offers four classes a week where students can learn the four skills of ""reading, writing, listening, and speaking"" comprehensively."In addition, a once-a-week class on "Japan Affairs" is provided to deepen understanding of Japanese culture and society as well as the regions and countries from which international students are from.
For long-term international students studying in faculties (1-4 years) and graduate schools (first semester doctoral courses and second semester doctoral courses), courses to acquire academic Japanese culture from the viewpoint of Japanese language and culture, and courses to acquire business Japanese needs for career paths after graduation are also established.
It also has a counseling service for learning support and a substantial learning support system, such as a student supporter, to help you spend a fruitful study abroad life in AGU.
Here are some original videos related to Japanese culture.Enjoy a video introducing Japanese culture from a unique perspective unique to AGU.
