The Japanese Club welcomed the new year with a calligraphy event in the Learning Commons. Students learned from two wonderful guests, Shiga Prefecture representative to Michigan Yuta Matsubara and his wife Satomi. In Japan, people traditionally write their first calligraphy of the year (called kakizome) to reflect their goal for the upcoming year. Our Japanese Club members could choose between many kanji characters, and most were using a calligraphy brush for the first time. 

Club advisor Anne Hooghart is adept at Japanese calligraphy, so helped students write the complicated kanji characters. Advisor Bridget Cooper, meanwhile, oversaw the origami corner and the sampling area, where students could try sushi, curry rice, several desserts and green tea.

The event lasted for 2.5 hours and students seemed reluctant to leave. We received many positive comments after the event from our members, including a kanji message that translated “That was really fun!”

The Matsubaras said they were very impressed by our members' strong interest in Japanese language and culture, and their diligence in creating calligraphy. We look forward to more club events this semester!

If you're interested in getting involved in the Japanese Club, check out their Facebook page.