Coming to know the nature of Japan by studying here

Before I came to Japan to study, my impressions were of a country with high-quality manufacturing and hard-working people. As someone who had studied mechanical engineering in India, it had long been my dream to study in Japan, which is outstanding in all mechanical fields. When I found out that my own university and Hiroshima University had signed an agreement on academic exchange and cooperation, there was nothing for it but to try and go to Japan to study. What was again brought home to me in my studies in Japan was the high level of technological capability. I studied every day with the aim of making what I learned through research into part of myself, and taking it home to contribute to the development of my own country. As I had heard before I arrived, Japan is a peaceful country and the Japanese people are very kind. I also felt that I had much to learn in addition to my research, such as social rules and manners with respect to other people. When I had just arrived in Japan I was sometimes anxious and lonely, but I was supported by my teachers and colleagues in the laboratory. I actively took part in cultural and international exchange events, and my student days were busy and enjoyable.

Putting to use things I could only have learned in Japan

I am now working as a quality engineer in the Quality Assurance Department of an automobile parts maker in Hiroshima. Not only is the research I carried out at university proving useful, but in my present job I am using everything I learned during my studies. For example, the 5S methodology (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) is something that I was only able to learn at a Japanese university. The concept of ensuring that work goes smoothly by arranging the working environment rather than the task itself, and thus improving quality and productivity, has left a strong impression.

It’s important to go ahead and try without being afraid of how big the world is

What I have come to realize after studying in Japan is the importance of having the ability to think that the world is a small place. In Japan, I took classes from world-class teachers, and met students who had come from all over the world. Before coming to Japan to study, I thought the world was an immensely big place and I was completely unequipped to cope with it, but now I think that if you plunge in and give it a try it will become familiar. If you have this ability, you will be able to forge ahead without hesitation, whatever country you are working with. I want to carry on venturing into the world without forgetting this feeling. In future I hope I can engage in work that brings together India, Japan, and the entire world.

The shock of experiencing another culture changed my life

In part, I decided to study overseas to escape from a narrow world. Living in rural America, I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds, and encounter new ideas. The exchange program at Sophia University provided me with an opportunity to do so. I also had less elevated motives. A fan of manga and anime, which filled my head and heart with dreams of “Japan,” I thought that studying at a university in that country would get me closer to those dreams.
The shock of encountering the reality of “another culture” is hard to forget. Gone was any illusion of “Japan” in general, and there before me was the specificity of real people and places in the world. For me, visiting the Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo was foundational. Never before had I experienced the terror of understanding nothing, along with the thrill of stepping into something new. Confused and curious, I started hanging out in Akihabara on a daily basis. Spending increasingly long periods of time with manga and anime fans in the neighborhood, I began to think that I might be able to do worthwhile research. So, after the exchange program ended, I applied to the Graduate Program in Global Studies at Sophia University to continue dwelling with others in Akihabara.

Facing the unknown deepens your understanding of yourself and others

Studying in Japan, I was a gaikokujin, a foreigner and member of a minority challenged to adopt ways of life different from what I had known. Changing habits is difficult, and I made mistakes. I often felt like a fool, and no doubt acted the part. But I have come to admire people who take that risk, and encouraged me to do so. You have to put yourself out there, and swallow your pride. Making mistakes and learning from them is how one comes to think and see things differently. These experiences give you a better understanding of not only yourself, but also others. My early experiences in Japan helped me to learn from differences and fostered a sense of tolerance.
In conducting research, and in everyday life, it is important to always be curious and continue to face the unknown. There is something familiar in the strange and strange in the familiar, if we care to notice. We all know far less than we often like to pretend, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The world is full of surprising people and places. Keeping an open mind allows us to make new discoveries, which are not always earth shattering, but certainly help us consider our positions and the possibility of others. Through my research, I aim to contribute, in a small way, to imagining and creating a world in which diverse people can live together and learn from one another.

Searching for an international university in Japan

I was reluctantly counting down the days until I had to leave Japan. It was coming to the end of my six-month ‘gap-year’ volunteer programme based in a small city in the south of Aichi prefecture. Eager to extend my stay before returning to the UK to begin university life, I frantically searched for language courses or internships that would keep me in Japan just a tad longer.

A friend opened my eyes to the possibility of studying at a Japanese university – I wouldn’t need to wait several years before returning. Naturally, I was skeptical of this suggestion. My Japanese was conversational at best. Would I be able to adapt to the culture and make friends as an international student, and especially as an ethnic minority? Could I study my chosen discipline? Would this be a wise investment of time and money? What would I do after? In other words, would I be able to find a truly international university of the highest standards in Japan?

I found the International Christian University in Tokyo. My concerns were instantly alleviated by the university’s promise to bridge Japan and the rest of the world. Though a hackneyed statement, I was convinced of ICU’s commitment to serving as a bridge. It was apparent that this mission permeated every fibre of the university: the admissions process for international students; the broad range of class offerings in English; the targeted Japanese language instruction; the diverse student body; and an on-campus dorm experience.

Feeling at home in Tokyo, and the world

ICU was a meeting point.

I lived in the on-campus ‘Global House’ dorm for the duration of my 4-year course. This was more than an accommodation; it was a community of over 60 students, half male and half female, half Japanese and half international students. This created a dynamic and multicultural environment. It is no exaggeration to say that I made friends from across Japan and all over the world.

It was also the best thing that ever happened to my Japanese. I was forced to communicate in Japanese beyond the classroom and immerse myself in the culture. I learned what it was like to live as a Japanese student: eating curry rice or noodles on a daily basis, devoting a significant amount of energy to club activities, preparing events for seasonal festivals, and learning to navigate the grueling job hunting process clad in the infamous recruit suit. Japanese culture rubbed off on me.

But so did the Russian food prepared by my roommate from Moscow, and my passion for everything Italian thanks to a dorm mate from Florence. Indeed, as a high-school student, it was an ambition of mine to study in the U.S., and with several American students in the dorm, I was able to, in a small way, realize this dream. ICU was not just a bridge to Japan, but also a gateway to the world.

And I definitely influenced others. A Japanese roommate and still one of my best friends today, had never studied abroad. Yet through our long nights chatting in a sometimes awkward mix of Japanese and English, he improved his English to become better than most, and perhaps this experience led to his decision to pursue a master’s degree in my hometown of London.

ICU: The isolated crazy utopia

Whether it was the curriculum or campus life, ICU was an integrated campus in every sense of the word. Japanese and international students do everything side by side. This is not always easy, particularly in the classroom. Both the international and ethnically Japanese students need to be catered to, with different levels of English and Japanese fluency on both sides.

The university’s unique bilingual approach meant that all could thrive and have a wealth of courses and major options to choose from in both English and Japanese. Furthermore, all were encouraged to grow through the rigorous language programme, and the provision of classes where lectures are in Japanese with written assignments in English (J/E), and vice-versa. At one point I found myself taking a seminar in American literature and discussing an English book, in Japanese with my Japanese classmates, before answering a final exam in English, responding to questions that were written in Japanese. I know, it’s confusing!

That is precisely the beauty of the university. Its flexible liberal arts curriculum encouraged the students to carve out their own unique paths, discover their identities and mature at their own pace. At ICU, everyone was the same, because everyone was different.

Becoming a global leader

When discussing leadership skills for the 21st century, Japan is often overlooked. My university experience tells a drastically different story.

Japan is a high-context culture, and so there is less emphasis on direct verbal communication and greater weight given to context and implicit forms of communication. In other words, learning the language is only half of the battle. This can be extremely challenging as group projects and club activities play a central role in Japanese university and social life. You have to quickly learn how to read between the lines and understand tacit group dynamics. In this way, although welcoming on the surface, Japan can be a closed society. Misunderstandings and miscommunications are common, and navigating this minefield was perhaps my biggest test as an international student. I soon discovered that building strong personal relationships was the key to successfully working within a team and leading one. This means that instead of arguing my case in a meeting, I would gradually build a consensus by individually approaching members and taking their perspectives into account. Although I didn’t realise it at the time, these are precisely the cultural competencies that are relevant and essential to the increasingly global and multicultural workforce.

Today, I am a communications and education professional, operating in both Tokyo and the UK. I have worked in Japan for nearly 4 years, with time at the British Council promoting educational exchange; as a project manager and foreign policy researcher at the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation, a think-tank; and as a political risk consultant at one of the big four. Studying in Japan equipped me with the intellectual nous and cultural sensitivity to pursue a career that is centered on fostering ties across borders, in addition to confidently leading meaningful international and multi-sector engagements.

From October 2017, I will be embarking on a PhD at the University of Oxford’s Oriental Institute with a goal of returning to Japan as a university professor. It seems that the allure of Japan is still as strong as ever!

A message to future students

Choosing a university for your full degree or as a short-term exchange destination can be one of the most arduous choices to make. Naturally you want to go somewhere that will give you a quality education, good future career prospects and amazing ‘instagrammable’ experiences. Studying in Japan gave me all of these, but above all, it broadened my horizons and helped to develop a grander vision of what I could achieve. I put this down to Japan’s infectious culture of excellence that becomes the air you breathe.

At the same time, being an international student in Japan is challenging, and none of the positives that I mention are guaranteed. Nothing is served to you on a silver spoon and some fall by the wayside. But what I can guarantee is that the opportunities are abundant, the doors are there to be opened, and what lies on the other side will be above and beyond your expectations.