The Pioneer Times

Issue date: 11/15/06 Section: Campus Briefs

East met West for a short time at William Paterson University during Japan Days, a two-day cultural event that offered students a small taste of the "Land of the Rising Sun."

The Japan Days, which took place on Nov. 8 and 9 in the Atrium, featured six different Japan-themed booths: calligraphy, food and beverages, history, anime and manga, weapons and martial arts, and language and culture. The language and culture booth also featured photographs and videos from the student study abroad program in Japan that took place for three weeks in June.

The event was organized by the Japanese program at WPU and by GO Japan!, a new student group founded earlier this semester. Although the group is still in the process of gaining membership in the Student Government Association, GO Japan! President Joshua Steele explained that in the meantime it has received support from the Department of Asian Studies.

"Mostly this is a student-run program, but the aid is there when we need it," Steele said.

GO Japan! members helped to set up a variety of activities and displays at the event, including a Japanese weapons display featuring kendo armor and Japanese swords, and a kimono booth where students could try on kimonos and have their pictures taken. At the calligraphy booth, students also had the chance to have their names written in Japanese.

Some students were able to try out a hands-on kendo lesson courtesy of Carla Sanders, the secretary of GO Japan!, who said she learned the basics of kendo at Chukyo University in Japan during the summer study abroad. Others spent some time playing imported Japanese video games at the anime/manga booth.

Other students tried out Japanese dishes from the food and beverage table, which served up onigiri (rice balls) and inari-zushi (sushi rice wrapped in fried tofu) on the first day, and stir-fried noodles on the second, along with tea and Calpico, a type of soft drink.

Many students said they enjoyed the event.

"It was fun. The food was good too, and the tea," said Andrew Orquiza, a freshman, who added that he would definitely come back for the event next year.

Steele said that on a whole he was pleased with how well the events turned out.

"I think it's a really fun time," he said. "Even just passing by, I think it's worth just taking a look at Japanese culture for a day."

Japan Days is one of several November events taking place as part of Asian Cultural Month at WPU. A similar event, the Asian Cultural Festival, will also take place in the Atrium on Nov. 21 and will feature booths from not only Japan, but other Asian countries as well.

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