Culture Day (Bunka no Hi) is celebrated in Japan on November 3. On this day, Japan’s emperor awards the Order of Culture to those who have contributed to Japan’s art, literature, science, or technology. Recipients include Nobel Prize award-winning scientists, actors, writers and artists. Many Japanese honor Culture Day by attending festivals, parades, or museums and exhibitions.

There is robust interest in learning about Japanese language and culture at MIT. Japanese Studies at MIT offers classes in a wide variety of cultural subjects (for example, classes on Anime, Film, Popular Culture, Music), in political science and history, as well as beginning through advanced language subjects. Global Languages also offers students the option of completing a concentration or minor in Japanese.

In spring 2022 term, for example, students can take advantage of these subject offerings: 21G.067/597 Digital Media in Japan and Korea, 21G.554/21H.154 Inventing the Samurai, 21G.556/21H.354 World War II in Asia, or 17.53 The Rise of Asia.

The MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) MIT-Japan program sends 30 to 40 MIT students each year to Japan to experience Japan’s engineering and science culture first-hand. Although the program was affected this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, MIT-Japan organized a Virtual Language Conversation Exchange with the Tokyo Institute of Technology (also known as Tokyo Tech).

ONIGIRI next to the DOME

Wednesday, 11/3 ● Noon to 1pm ● @Lowell Court

Join the MIT-Japan Program and be part of Table For Two’s annual Onigiri Action social good campaign to address food insecurity. Each photo tagged #OnigiriAction provides 5 meals to children in need! We’ll have onigiri (rice balls) to try, props for photo and prizes for creative photos. Tag #mistiatmit & #misti_japan to win!

Tim Ticket registration: https://bit.ly/OnigiriByTheDome_2021