Centrul de Studii Japoneze ASE

On October 12, 2023, ASE students interested in pursuing job opportunities in Japan had the chance to learn from consultants at the recruitment agency Connect Job about the job search process for Japanese companies. They were informed about the general expectations and goals of Japanese employers, how to respond to the most common interview questions, and how to correctly use Japanese expressions that even young Japanese people sometimes confuse.

The Center for Japanese Studies at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, in collaboration with the Center for Global Research Initiatives at the University of Hyōgo (Japan), is organizing the workshop:

Sounds of Shinto Rituals: the Vicennial Renewal of the Ise Grand Shrine during the Meiji Era,
to be hosted at Humanitas Lipscani/Takumi Bookstore.

The event will focus on the Ise Grand Shrine, the most important Shinto shrine in Japan, which has been ritually dismantled and rebuilt every twenty years for over 1,300 years. After a brief introduction to the main elements of Shintoism, workshop participants will learn about the ritual practices at the Ise Grand Shrine in the late 19th century, including sacred chants and dances from the Shinto tradition.

In the second part of the event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn and practice some ritual gestures under the guidance of the two Japanese specialists.

The main working language will be English, but explanations will also be available in Romanian if needed.

When: September 4, 2023
Where: Humanitas Lipscani 42 / Takumi Bookstore

Those who wish to participate are kindly asked to register by sending an email to japanesestudies.ase@gmail.com by August 31, 2023.

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Dr. Michiko URITA is an associate professor at Kōgakkan University in Ise. She holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington. Her research focuses on Shinto music and sacred music at the Ise Grand Shrine and the Imperial Court.

Mr. Katsumasa MIYAKE is the head priest of the Yōga Shinto shrine in Tokyo and a descendant of the Miyake hereditary line of Shinto priests from Okayama Prefecture. He holds the meikai rank, the second highest in the hierarchy of Shinto priests, awarded by the Association of Shinto Shrines in Japan.

We’re closing the academic year with yet another COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project carried out in partnership with our Japanese colleagues. Over the course of a month and a half, 20 students from ASE and 40 students from Kansai University worked together on joint projects focused on a highly relevant topic: the status of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included in the UN’s 2030 Agenda in both Japan and Romania.

Beyond the knowledge gained by the 60 participating students, one of the greatest accomplishments was their ability to find the most effective ways to communicate—both linguistically and interculturally—and to overcome, on their own, the natural challenges that arise during any collaborative project. By working together, they not only discovered new things about each other’s countries, but also had the chance to confirm—or challenge—cultural stereotypes, learn from one another, and, in the end, form meaningful friendships.

You can find more photos from the project on our social media pages (Japan.ASE).

What is the relationship between objects and culture?
Professor Peter MacMillan spoke to us about the cultural significance of certain objects from the world of Japan on May 12, at 5 PM, at the Humanitas Lipscani/Takumi Bookstore.

The event was organized by the ASE Center for Japanese Studies, in partnership with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), the Humanitas Lipscani/Takumi Bookstore, and the Japanese Language Department of the University of Bucharest.

On May 9, at the Center for Japanese Studies, H.E. Mr. Radu Șerban, former Ambassador of Romania to Japan, delivered a lecture titled “The Romania–Japan Strategic Partnership. The Economy as a Defining Pillar.”

During this event, attendees learned about the history behind the signing of the strategic partnership, its importance for Romania, and the opportunities it presents for the development of relations between the two countries.

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, second-year students from LMA–ASE had the opportunity to attend a lecture followed by a karuta workshop—a traditional Japanese game based on classical Japanese poetry.

Takeaways?
“It was so refreshing to realize that a different culture has so many things that are so relevant to us.”
“I didn’t expect classical poetry to be so entertaining.”
“I was a little lost at the beginning, but then I got so involved in the game!”
“We discovered a new side of our colleague: she’s so competitive! :)”
“Japanese poetry games can be so intense!”

We had fun, and we learned that by getting to know others, we actually learn more about ourselves.

The event was organized by the ASE Center for Japanese Studies, in partnership with the Department of Applied Modern Languages and Business Communication and JICA, with support from the Embassy of Japan in Romania.

On April 7, 2023, the Scientific Communications Session for ASE Students took place.

As every year, the student scientific session offered us the opportunity to listen to engaging and original presentations, as well as to discuss a wide range of topics based on the research conducted by our students.

In the section focused on Japanese culture and civilization, the papers covered a variety of areas, including fashion, video games, sports, martial arts, cinema, finance, and more.

Congratulations to all participants!

Japanese fans and their fascinating world brought together both young and old—there were even a few samurai among us!

On Saturday, April 8, at 12 PM, at the Humanitas Lipscani Bookstore – Takumi, we held a short gathering centered around an object as simple as it is captivating: the Japanese fan.

During this event, we learned about the different types of Japanese fans and their various uses. After that, we played, created fans together, and each participant went home with their name written in katakana on their very own fan. All this happened while we chatted about life in Japan, answering your questions and curiosities.

We’re happy we could share a piece of what we know about Japan!

Thank you, Takumi & Humanitas Lipscani Bookstore 42, for the invitation!

We are pleased to announce the successful implementation of a project carried out in collaboration with one of our partner universities in Japan, through which students enrolled in Japanese language courses at ASE, as well as the ASE International Relations Office, are benefiting from the presence of a Japanese intern who is working with us on our ongoing activities.

One of the many activities of the Japanese intern, Kana Tamura, with ASE students took place during the International Negotiations course taught by Associate Professor Roxana Voicu Dorobanțu. Our students had the opportunity to learn about the cultural foundations of business practices and about the everyday lives of young people in Japan.

March was full of unforgettable experiences for all of us!

Thank you, Kana! It was truly a wonderful opportunity to have you as our very first Japanese intern at the ASE Center for Japanese Studies / ASE Bucharest – International Relations.

On March 25 and 26, 2023, the Japanese Language Presentation Contest took place, organized by the Association of Japanese Language Teachers in Romania, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Romania.

Participants gave presentations on Romanian and Japanese folktales, as well as on current environmental issues in Romania and Japan.

Alongside H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Ueda, Ambassador of Japan to Romania, the event’s jury included representatives of the Japanese community in Romania, the business sector, and the Japanese language educational field from both the Czech Republic (Prof. Miki Udrzalova, Association of Japanese Language Teachers in the Czech Republic) and Romania (Lecturer Dr. Magdalena Ciubăncan, Center for Japanese Studies at ASE).