Cross-Cultural Event Connects International Students and Junior and Senior High School Students from Miwada Girls’ School

 A three-day "Cross-Cultural Event" was held at Hosei University on May 30, June 4, and June 18, 2025, bringing together international students currently studying at the university and junior and senior high school students from Miwada Girls’ Junior and Senior High School.

Organized as part of Miwada Girls’ School’s English education program, the event aimed to promote intercultural understanding through English communication. Each session featured four English-speaking intercultural students from Hosei University.

During the event, the students interviewed the intercultural students in English about their backgrounds, hobbies, favorite foods, and home countries. Based on the interviews, they gave short presentations in English. Though a bit nervous at first, the students actively engaged in conversation and gained valuable experience interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Hosei University remains committed to promoting global engagement and providing opportunities for its students and local youth to learn from one another through meaningful exchange.

Participant testimonials：ESOP x Midawa Girls’ School Cross Cultural Event（Zia Aroha Rantall Mowbray）

A Blend of Culture

 On the 18th of June, I, along with nine other Hosei ESOP students, participated in a cross-cultural event with an English class from the local Miwada Girls' School. We Hosei students practically covered every part of the globe, from Australia to Mexico to China, allowing the young students to ask about the world from first-hand perspectives. And gosh, were those students curious.

 We were paired up with small groups of four-five girls, who each took turns asking us questions about our home countries, our experiences in Japan, and who we were beyond our national identities.

 The groups then had to write speeches in English and present us to the rest of their class, an activity that had everyone engaged as students said their names in their ESOP partner’s native languages, shared their understandings of bilateral relations and cultural differences, and stumbled over newly learned slang.

ESOP Student Takeaways

 As I left the event with the other ESOP volunteers, there was a clear buzz in the air. Our smiles were unwavering as we traded experiences and crazy questions posed to us, like “What are your life beliefs?” “What do you think about the Japanese cabinet?” and “What are your home culture’s thoughts on Donald Trump?”

 The cultural exchange went both ways. I found myself fascinated by the questions posed, such as “What is your favourite anime?” as they revealed the global beliefs these young students have, like every person watches anime.

 Overall, it was an incredible experience that again reinforces my gratitude to be a student here in Japan. These immersive opportunities are impossible for tourists to have, so to get to learn about Japanese culture from another unique perspective, and share a little of my own in return, is an experience I’ll never forget.