Spotlights

Hello! This is SIED. 

On Wednesday, June 18th, we held an event organized by SIED titled “Let’s Make Kumihimo-A Traditional Japanese craft!” at the Imadegawa International Exchange Lounge. A total of 19 participants joined us — 8 international students and 11 local students. 

At this event, participants learned about “kumihimo“, a traditional Japanese craft, and then had the chance to make their own braided cords. Before starting the actual crafting, they were introduced to the history of kumihimo and its uses in modern times. Participants also shared and introduced traditional crafts from their own home countries or regions, fostering cultural exchange. 

With the support of the staff and fellow participants, everyone was able to create a beautiful kumihimo in colors of their choice. Although everyone was able to braid their cords to a certain length, all participants expressed a desire to continue working on them at home. As a result, the event concluded without fully finishing the cords by tying off the ends. 

We received many positive comments from the participants, such as: 

“It was surprisingly easy to make!” 

 “I was able to relax and enjoy it.” 

 “It was a lot of fun to experience Japanese culture while connecting with students from various countries.” 

SIED will continue to organize various international exchange events in the future, so stay tuned!