Juusanya (十三夜): Exchange Student Cultural Exchange Party
Juusanya (十三夜): Exchange Student Cultural Exchange Party
2023.10.20更新news
O-Tsukimi
On Tuesday, October 17, 20 Japanese and ten international OUS students participated in the International Student Cultural Exchange Party organized by GLOBOLA at Sky Lounge in the 50th Anniversary Building. The theme of the event was Juusanya (十三夜), the celebration of the waxing moon, which occurs on the 13th day of the ninth month of the traditional Japanese calendar, or o-tsukimi (お月見), the moon-viewing festival honoring the Harvest Moon which falls in September and October. The official period for 2023 is September 29 – October 2. The event enabled OUS students to learn and share one of Japan's autumn customs.
The event started with students separated into groups to do an icebreaker game. International students learned the story Taketori Monogatari (竹取物語) The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, also known as Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari (かぐや姫の物語) The Tale of Princess Kaguya of Kaguya-Hime or The Moon Princess. An elderly bamboo cutter comes across a shining bamboo stalk. Upon cutting it open, he finds a small girl. He takes her home, where he and his wife name her Kaguya-Hime and raise her as their own. She grows into womanhood and possesses a glowing beauty that attracts five noblemen who wish to marry her. Instead of rejecting them outright, she sends each of them on quests too impossible to achieve. Knowing their quests were impossible, each used lies and deceit to win her hand, which she could easily see through, thus rejecting them. She eventually discovers that her glowing beauty is because she is a moon princess sent to Earth for an unexplained punishment and must return home, leaving the people she loves behind. The game's object was for each group to devise a way to win Kaguya-Hime's hand. The groups were given scores of 1-10 by three judges based on teamwork, originality, and creativity.
After the icebreaker, the groups rotated between four stalls.
Taketonbo 竹とんぼ (Bamboo Heli-Propeller Game): Group members compete for points to get a bamboo propeller to land in a plastic tub.
Katanuki 型抜き (Tile-Cutting Game): Participants receive three tiles made of rice flour, sugar, and pink food coloring with a figure etched in the middle. They use an object with a small tip, such as a pushpin or toothpick, to cut away the outer part while keeping the figure intact.
Origami: All groups contribute to making an autumn wreath with origami paper.
Fukuwarai 福笑い (Make-A-Face Game): Group members separate into teams, put on blindfolds, and attempt to make a face on a whiteboard using eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and eyebrows with magnets. When done, they remove their blindfolds and see their creations.
After the activities, all participants gathered their belongings and moved to Sky Terrace to eat tsukimi dango (sweetened mochi balls) and drink green tea by moonlight. Since the moon was not visible Tuesday night, they enjoyed their snack around moon lamps. All participants agreed that they enjoyed the event and would like to participate in more similar activities.
The event started with students separated into groups to do an icebreaker game. International students learned the story Taketori Monogatari (竹取物語) The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, also known as Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari (かぐや姫の物語) The Tale of Princess Kaguya of Kaguya-Hime or The Moon Princess. An elderly bamboo cutter comes across a shining bamboo stalk. Upon cutting it open, he finds a small girl. He takes her home, where he and his wife name her Kaguya-Hime and raise her as their own. She grows into womanhood and possesses a glowing beauty that attracts five noblemen who wish to marry her. Instead of rejecting them outright, she sends each of them on quests too impossible to achieve. Knowing their quests were impossible, each used lies and deceit to win her hand, which she could easily see through, thus rejecting them. She eventually discovers that her glowing beauty is because she is a moon princess sent to Earth for an unexplained punishment and must return home, leaving the people she loves behind. The game's object was for each group to devise a way to win Kaguya-Hime's hand. The groups were given scores of 1-10 by three judges based on teamwork, originality, and creativity.
After the icebreaker, the groups rotated between four stalls.