Kansai University European Center

On Monday, November 6, 2023, the 14th EU Workshop of the Graduate School of Letters, Kansai University was held at the Department of Japanese Studies, Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven (University of Leuven). The workshop is part of the “Kansai University Program for EU-Japanology Education and Research (PEJER),” which aims to enable graduate students to acquire and share an international and multifaceted perspectives, and was held for the 14th time since 2008.

In this Workshop, 2 graduate students from Kansai University and 3 graduate students from the Department of Japanese Studies at KU Leuven presented their research.

In the morning session, Kansai University graduate student Toshiharu UCHI took the podium to present his research on ‘“Kiri”(Fog) in Waka poems about Tanabata’, followed by KU Leuven graduate students Casper VAN MEENSEL, who discussed his research on ‘Phrenology in early modern Japan,’ and Miriam CHOUKRI, who shared her findings on ‘The impact of Nogi Maresuke's suicide on the work of Mori Ōgai and Natsume Sōseki: A literary analysis of the setting of Okitsu Yagoemon no isho and Kokoro".

In the afternoon session, KU Leuven postgraduate student Emmanuel MONTENY gave a presentation on ‘Taishō period's Children Music,’ and finally, Kansai University postgraduate student Junlan LIU gave a presentation on ‘A Cognitive Approach to the Polysemous Mechanism of ‘Yawarakai’(soft).’

The Q&A session following the research presentations was a lively discussion that could only take place in a face-to-face format, with heated debates about the significance of research on Japan in Japan and approaches to Japanese studies from the international diversified perspectives.

More than 45 students from KU Leuven participated in this workshop, and after the workshop they commented that they had learned a lot, describing it as a valuable experience. Many expressed their desire to participate again, and some students even expressed interest in giving their research presentation next year. A graduate student from Kansai University noted that the questions and comments from the students of KU Leuven, who specialize in Japanese studies, were refreshing and contributed to broadening their research horizons.

After the Pandemic, the workshop was resumed after four years in a face-to-face format and was a great success.