Southeast Missouri State University’s campus was given a glimpse into Japanese culture on Saturday, Dec. 3, as the Japanese Student Association hosted its fall semester Japanese Night. The event lasted from 6 to 9 p.m. and showcased and commemorated Japanese culture.
More than 75 people attended the event, according to JSA president Ingrid Haguihara. It was hosted in Dempster Hall, where a Japanese-style festival was displayed. Booths were made with various activities typical of Japan. Among them were video games, calligraphy, a ring toss game, and a traditional Japanese ball toy game called kendama. Attendees were able to have photos taken in a yukata, a Japanese robe garment commonly worn during festivals.
After the festival, attendants were led into Dempster’s Glenn Auditorium to see the remainder of the program. Song and dance performances were held, with Japanese trivia quizzes between each performance. Prizes were given to the winners of the trivia segments. Freshman Juliana Fujita sang “First Love” by Japanese artist Utada Hikaru. Members also performed dance routines to various popular Japanese artists including the Yoshida Brothers and the all-female pop group E-Girls.
Maho Hashimoto, a freshman Intensive English Program student from Gifu, Japan, attended Japanese Night.
“My favorite part is the dancing,” Hashimoto said. “[Japanese Night] explains how Japan is beautiful, honest and convenient. It also shows Japanese hospitality.”
Senior Seth Sievers gave his opinion from a Westerner’s point of view.
“Japanese Night educates people in a fun way,” he said. “I really like the family ties. In Japan, if you’re family you’re family, and that’s really important.”
When the event concluded, many guests reported a positive outlook on the JSA and Japan as a whole, which is the group’s mission.
“Our mission is to showcase our culture, who we are, what we do,” Haguihara said.
JSA adviser Lyman Pitman saw Japanese Night not only as a way to share culture, but also as a way to de-stress from the cold weather and impending finals week.
“We need something to brighten up the gloom this semester,” Pitman said.
The JSA plans on hosting another Japanese Night next semester, with possibilities of other events being discussed.
