FGL Community
Newsletter
SUMMER 2023

It is now that time of the year – where the cool breeze of springchanges into a warm and bold one in summer. Keep yourselves
fresh, cause this season will be hot and humid!
We, the FGL community, would like to present this year’s edition ofSummer Newsletter. We have some fresh topics, which includes new
information on our Senpais as well as our Senseis! We also have news on
one of our senpai whose research involves light that can bringbreakthroughs in curing neurodegenerative disorders. Interesting, right?
But that’s not all, because we will also feature “Wasei Eigo”, which
consists of Japanese words that were made from foreign words. You willcertainly find some interesting words that you would never have thoughtof before, so don’t miss it!
With that, we hope you enjoy this edition and make sure to stay hydrated!

Contents
02 ASK SENSEI
06 Beaches around Sendai
08 ASK SENPAI
13 Insight about Sendai
17 4th year Research Article
21 Wasei Eigo

Kawauchi Campus Summer View

ASK SENSEI
Professor Wei Gao, Precision Nanometrology Lab
Interviewed by Max and Rawin

A professor who teaches “Measurement and Instrumentation” classes to IMAC­U
students. IMAC­U students often find his class and teaching style fascinating as heoften brings common engineering tools into class and disassembles them in front ofstudents to teach their working principles. His research interests lie primarily in
precision engineering, specializing in precision nanometrology. He is an author of thebooks “Precision Nanometrology” (Springer), “Surface Metrology for Micro­ and
Nanofabrication” (Elsevier), and “Optical Metrology for Precision Engineering” (DeGruyter). He was awarded the Prize for Science and Technology from the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan, in 2019. Heserved as the Vice­President of The Japan Society of Precision Engineering in 2015
and is now serving as the Vice­President of The International Society for
Nanomanufacturing
Can you talk about your life in general, like how you came here and how you
became a professor at Tohoku University?
I was born and raised in China, and many years ago, I arrived in Japan as aninternational student. Like many young individuals, I had a profound curiosity about
the world beyond my homeland. This curiosity, coupled with the opportunity to study
abroad, led me to Japan. However, unlike IMAC­U students today, I didn't ventureabroad until my master's degree. I completed my undergraduate degree at Shanghai
Jiao Tong University.
At that time, information was not as readily available as it is now. Hence, myunderstanding of Tohoku University was limited. My move to Japan was facilitated by
an exchange program set up by the Chinese and Japanese governments. Initially, I
was financially supported by the Chinese government for six months as a research
student. Once I was enrolled in the master's program, the Japanese government took
over the financial support. This arrangement was somewhat similar to other exchange
programs in different countries.
As to how I was selected for this program, the details are somewhat blurry now, but I
believe my university was asked to nominate a student, and they put forward myname. Each candidate was asked to submit an application to the expected professor
in a Japanese University before coming to Japan. Before embarking on the program,
there was an examination organized by the Japanese government. Only those who
passed this exam could proceed to study in Japan.

2Upon admission to the program, I relocated to Japan and began studying Japaneseas per the intergovernmental agreement. The program was extremely beneficial. We
were taught by Japanese teachers/professors, mainly from Tokyo Foreign Language
University and Osaka Foreign Language University, who were experts in thelanguage. Professors from Kyoto University and Tokyo Institute of Technology taught
us subjects of mathematics and physics, focusing on technical terms and concepts
needed for our studies in Japanese. This was necessary, as at that time, courses
were not offered in English. Hence, my initiation into Japanese was intense, requiring
me to learn the language within six months, having had no prior exposure.
What made you pursue precision engineering?
Well, my major in China was precision engineering. I felt it was very natural to find alab in precision engineering. As for why I chose that major in the first place, I used tohave very good eyes, and I simply thought that in precision engineering people would
use microscopes a lot. Therefore, I thought I would be competitive in such a field.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts about teaching or
researching in this field?
I think I happened to get into this field simply because I had good eyes, I didn’t reallyconsider it very deeply. I didn’t consider much about other departments, what they
were learning or doing. I just focused on what I should do in my university courses. I
think that was the theme of my university life. Most of my bachelor’s degree years
consisted of normal courses, but in the very last half year or so, I had the chance towork on my senior project. I think it was very interesting, we had the chance to dosomething like our own research, and I enjoyed it very much. Of course, I enjoyeddoing the courses too, but I especially enjoyed doing my senior project. Once I got into
graduate school, I didn’t know how it was with other fields, but in my field, research
work was very hard at first. You have to do experiments, you have to build the
instruments by yourself, so that is a very challenging process. You don’t always get
the results you want, so sometimes it’s very painful. However, after one or two yearsof struggling and you finally get improvements in your research and get the paper
published, you will feel very rewarded and worth all the effort. I think the research
process itself is also rewarding.
Do you enjoy research more or teaching more?
At Tohoku University, most of my work is research. Teaching is a very small part of it.
Maybe it’s because of this that I really enjoy teaching. It’s a nice change of pace.

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Do you think that the teaching part of precision engineering has changed over theyears, from when you first studied it in your undergraduate studies to now?
I think from the teaching side of things, it hasn’t changed much. Of course, now wehave the internet as a massive source of information. From the perspective of how weteach the subject, the changes are not very substantial. I think the main courses arebasically the same. Of course, there are some differences, for example, you now haveprogramming courses, whereas there were none when I first studied.
However, in terms of research, I think it has changed very significantly. Because
research, it is always about new things. After a certain period, it will be established. It
will no longer be the focus of research, and people will move on to new things to
research. So in that perspective, the field always changes.
Do you have any career goals?
When I was a student, I actually wanted to work in the industry. At that time, I wasinterested in making some real things/products that could be sold to the market. But I
happened to be a professor. I think a lot of things in life don’t go as planned. When I
was pursuing my Ph.D., my lab didn’t really have a full professor, so my supervisor
was an associate professor. Around the time I was about to graduate, my supervisor
was promoted to full professor, so I happened to become an assistant professor of thelab. I think my life has no set plans, and that’s fine. I believe Japan is a fair country,
rewarding those who perform well.
How do you find work interesting and fun, when, I think, the majority of people
would feel otherwise?
It’s very good to be a professor. You can enjoy your work. You have the freedom tochoose what you want to do. Compared to researchers in the industry, where you are
hired to do a certain job, university professors are free to do research in whatever they
are interested in, so I think that’s a privilege I have as a university professor.
What do you do for fun?
I really love my research. I think it’s fun to find new ways to do some things better,
faster, more efficiently, get better results, etc. I think the reason why research is fun isbecause you’re free to explore. The nature of research is that you’re free to think
about new ideas. That’s fun for me. For example, recently there was a student who
approached me about a research project they were working on. After somediscussion, I proposed an idea about a different way to do what they wanted to do,
and they came back to me later to report that the accuracy of his data had increased.
This kind of thing often happens in my lab, and I think that’s really fun.

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What about outside of work? Do you travel?
Well, I used to do sports very much. I used to play almost all ball sports: soccer,
basketball, badminton, ping pong, tennis, I enjoyed playing with balls. But that getsdifficult with the increase in age. I also liked swimming very much, but during the past
few years, I haven’t been able to do it because of COVID.
Regarding travel, before the pandemic, I used to travel a lot for conferences and otherbusiness trips. I enjoyed them very much. Outside of work, I think Sendai is a very
nice place to live because there are a lot of destinations close to here. I used to drive
to Yamagata, Iwate, and Fukushima because you can reach them within one or twohours.
What do you do for fun?
Do you have any food recommendations in Sendai?
Yeah, I really like beef tongue, a local special food in Sendai. I think Rikyu restaurants
are really good places for that. Also, there’s a restaurant called Capricciosa (カ プ リ
チ ョ ー ザ), which I usually go with my family. Moreover, Saboten (さ ぼ て ん) has very
nice tonkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlet).

5Sea Beaches around Sendai
Written by Sumaya Sultana

Summer is finally here, and summer holidays are on our doorsteps. Planning a trip foryour long­awaited summer vacation can be hard if you are a student like me with alimited budget and DO NOT own a car. But that does not mean you sit at home and do
not make it into how a summer vacation actually looks like. One activity that pops ineveryone’s mind when we are talking about summer vacation is chilling at the beach.
With Japan being an island surrounded by sea, there are thousands of sea beaches,
and the good news is that some of them are very close to Sendai city and accessible
by PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. So, why not get some fresh cool air and suntan at
the beaches this summer with amazing sunrise and sunset views?

Fukanuma Beach
Fukanuma beach, located about 10 km east of central Sendai, was once crowded withpeople who came to swim in the summer. But the number of people coming had
decreased significantly after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. People havestarted coming here in large numbers to attend summer events, watch sunrise andswim from 2019 after it reopened for the first time. This is the only beach in Sendai
with a straight coastline and the sunrise view is outstanding. The waves breakconsistently on sand bars attached to wave blocks which makes it good place to surffor beginners. It offers you public toilets as well. You can access the beach by taking
the Tozai line subway from Sendai station to Arai station and transferring to 荒井駅（バス）that takes you to 震災遺構仙台市立荒浜小学校前 station. Then you just have towalk 650m for about 8 minutes and you are at the beach.

Photo credit: Syeda Aroob Zaidi

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Shobutama Beach
Shobutama beach is the third oldest
swimming beach in Japan. It is a place thatwill offer you sun, sand, waves, music, foodadded to lifeguards, showers, changing
rooms and toilets. This beach has been
completely reconstructed with a newseawall which offers an open public space
to soak in the sun and enjoy the mild waterof the Pacific. The unpredictable waves
provide a challenging environment to enjoy
for experienced surfers. Though the seawall
obstructs the full view of the ocean from
Photo credit: NAVITIME JAPANinland, the wall can be an extraordinary
place to walk, do activities, and enjoy while watching stunning view of Pacific. To go tothis beach, you need to take JR Senseki line from Sendai station to Tagajou station
and walk for 2 minutes to 多賀城駅前 to take a bus to 菖蒲田 and when you get off thebus, you are at the beach.

Watanoha Beach
Watanoha beach is located in Ishinomaki city
and was also significantly affected by thetsunami. After reopening for the first time in2018 after the tsunami, it is open every year
in summer for a few days. This year, theopening time has been announced to befrom July 22, 2023 to August 20, 2023 from10:00 to 16:00. It has toilet, shower,changing room, and also free parking. Thiscan be another option to enjoy a beachenvironment on the sand. To go to thisPhoto credit: www.city.ishinomaki.jp beach, you need to access JR Senseki lineor Senseki­Tohoku line from Sendai stationand get off at Ishinomaki station. Then you need to take a bus from Ishinomaki
Ekimae to 伊原津 and walk 1.4km for about 18 minutes to be at the beach.

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ASK SENPAI

Sarika Otsuka, 4th year AMB student
Interviewered by Aroob and Kamila

Self intro and backgroundCan you briefly introduce yourself?
Hello, I am Sarika and I’m from India! I am currently a fourth year AMB student.
As for my hobbies, recently baking has been a big one and embroidery too! I love towork out, so any kind of sport is my cup of tea. And I’ve been in the boxing club at theuniversity for almost 3 years. A lot of cardio that one.
Considering your background, are there any cultural traditions or practices
from your Japanese and Indian heritages that you find intersect?
To be honest, not really. Both cultures are vastly different, especially in the way
you treat people, time and money. Having grown up in an Indian household with someJapanese traditions, I did not have that big of a culture shock when I landed here.
However, Indian people (in my opinion) are more friendly when you first meet themthan Japanese people. They are far more reserved (but this might be due to the factthat you’re an foreign student).
How was the experience settling and feeling comfortable in japan?
Settling down into dorm life itself wasn’t that hard. There was some excitementin that. However, I had a bit of a hard time when I moved out to live alone. I thinkkeeping yourself busy and finding fun things to do with friends is important to keep the
feelings of homesickness and loneliness at bay.
Another thing, although I’ve never heard anyone else say this, Sendai does notexactly “smell” like Japan, at least the main busy areas. If you go near Japaneseneighborhoods, they carry a certain “scent”, I would say (which I honestly findsoothing). I have found that different countries smell different. Since Sendai did nothave that smell, I felt quite at home, especially since it was similar (in terms ofgreenery) to my hometown back in India.

School life
How did you come across Tohoku university while applying to the universities?
No big story here, but my elder brother was enrolled in the FGL program. That’s
how I found out. But, the period between my application and admission was a roller
coaster ride. My interview was held in a city called New Delhi. However, I lived in
Bangalore, a city far in the South of India. My interview could only be scheduled
between two big final exams. All the while, on the plane and at my hotel, I was
simultaneously studying for both the exams and the interview. I arrived back in
Bangalore about 6 hours before my exam. I slept for three hours and studied for three
before appearing in the exam.

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Did you always plan on ending up in AMB, or did life just take you in that
direction?
As for my aim to study abroad, I did end up succeeding. AMB
undoubdtedly was my first choice. I did apply to a couple of other universities (Igot rejected) so ending up in AMB was both like a choice and a “went with theflow” situation. I am quite satisfied and happy to be a part of it.
What challenges did you face during your study and how it affect who you
are today?
Well, I would say that the first semester was quite challenging. You’redealing (of course all students who join the FGL program) with both trying tosettle into an entirely new country, place and people while trying to keep up withacademics. The first semester study­wise is quite jam­packed, so trying to finda balance could be hard for some people. I’m sure that everyone spent most of
their final years of high school studying a lot, so juggling between your social,academic and personal life is quite exhausting. Drown yourself in studies to getthat AA, and you lose out on making new friends in the new country and you’re
all alone. Too many outings and you lose that grade. It's all about the balance.
Aside from that, I quite underestimated the winter here. It is absolutely
freezing. Coming from a tropical and warm country, it was bone chillingly andmind­numbingly cold. Also, I’m sure everyone went through it but yeah, online
classes during the pandemic was hard. Kudos to all, we made it through.
What is the most interesting activity that you have participated in and how
did you manage your routine between those activities and your study?
During my first semester here I joined the WHO dance circle for break
dancing. It was great! I had always wanted to try my hand at break dancing. I
showed up the first day of school and I was in. I danced at my first Gakusai (Uni
Fest) with my team! It was an amazing experience.
But during the pandemic, their schedules kind of dwindled. I neededsome exercise and the winter binge­eating made me gain some weight. That's
when I joined the Boxing Club! Absolutely warm and welcoming people (onceyou get to know them, haha). I get my cardio and muscle training in, with theadded bonus of being able to knock someone off their feet if they ever crossyou.
One of the reasons I joined was its flexibility. Even though it was a club,
they did not require you to be there every time, on the dot. It is twice a week forabout three hours which I found was just right for me. On the days of, I do myassignments and meetings to be able to participate in training. I think it's agreat way to get things done, as a form of deadline to yourself.

9How have you experienced the differences in the teaching environments
between India and Japan? Additionally, what are your thoughts on therelationship between students and teachers in both cultures?
First, we need to note that schools and universities are quite different intheir teaching methods. I found this out the hard way (even though I knew that it
would be so). Schools “teach” you, while at universities you are expected tolearn by yourself (maybe about 70% is self­study). They’re there only to guideyou.
Despite this, I feel that the student­professor relationship is more relaxed.
This kind of unnerved me in the beginning because in India, there is a harshline between students and teachers (of course, not in a bad way). They’re notyour friends. They are your teachers and need to be respected no matter what.
However, here, you could talk to them in a more casual way and they talk to
you as though you are their equal. I still find it hard to be casual though.

Related to your field and AMB
What has been the most memorable experience you've had during yourmarine biology studies so far?
I would say my field work for research studies has been my mostmemorable experience. I got my diving license during my third year (half a year
too early, to be frank, too excited haha) and when I finally started at mylaboratory, going diving was amazing. I love the ocean, it's so calming. I hear
many people get “wave­sick” (yes, that is a thing) but I find it very soothing. Of
course, being able to first handedly work on my own research was wonderful. It
is a lot of grunt work (especially going during peak winter), but the wholeexperience is irreplaceable.
I heard you worked hard to get a diver's license. How was the experienceand what made you wanna get one (other than research purpose)?
Yes! As I mentioned above, I got my license 6 months too early in myexcitement. People usually get their license during the summer when the watertemperature is warmer but I was adamant in doing it when the watertemperature was about 6~7 degrees celsius. It's like swimming in a refrigerator
for 30 minutes. Absolute hell but completely worth it. I think it helped that my
diving instructor was a great and kind person.
Outside of research purposes, I did want one in general because when I travel
the world (hopefully, fingers crossed), I want to see what the other beaches andoceans look like.

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Have you had any internships or work experiences related to your field? If
so, what did you learn from those experiences?
I applied to quite a few internships and stuff like marine courses, butmany of them were either canceled because of COVID or I couldn’t get in due
to my lack of experience. Sorry, can’t really say much about this.
What's your future plan after graduation and in what way do you think
your experience in university will support it?
Right now, I plan to pursue a master's degree to accelerate my career. I
believe the things I learnt outside of studying will support me quite a bit. Living
by myself, time management, self­control, discipline, learning to socialize,
networking, people skills, cooking, cleaning etc (you get it). I think that for myundergraduate, although studying and graduating was a big part of it, I wanted
to become independent, free to find out who I was and become the person I
imagined. I’ve got ways to go but I plan to give myself time and dedication to
focus during my masters, especially for research.
Are there any professors or mentors who have had a significant impact
on your academic and professional growth?
Shoutout to my assistant professor at my laboratory, Suzuki Haruka
sensei. I love her to pieces and I wouldn’t have been able to do my research
year without her. She was very supportive and had a direct impact on myresearch plans and methods as she was the one with me, out there in the field,
helping me with all my sampling and measurements of my survey site. All in theblistering cold. I was new to analyzing methods of some of my measurements.
Guess who helped me? You bet, it was her.
Outside of academics, she was very understanding of me. I was quite
sick, you could say, during my final year, and a little before that too. She
continuously told me to put my health first and take good care of myself. Yes,
she is my lighthouse in the storm.
GeneralWhat is your go­to comfort food or snack when studying or pulling an all­nighter?
I don’t really have a snack or comfort­food for studying. Hm, recently I
have been getting a lot of Royal Milk Tea, but I am not sure if it’s part of it“comforting me”. Although, I was obsessed with the Choco Chip Cookies in
Lawson at one point (more like a “you­did­a­good­job­today­otsukare” food).
As for pulling all­nighters, I am very sorry, but I have never pulled an all­nighter studying. I’d rather go to bed with the information that I’ve been able toput in my head at that point and sleep than pull an all­nighter. Sleep is my holygrail. All hail sleep.

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Do you have any favorite food places and hangout spots in Sendai?
As a general place to go to eat, it's Indian restaurants, obviously.
Delicious, student­friendly and cheap. The trifecta. The one place I have visited
multiple times is the Masamune ramen restaurant. But instead of the ramen, I
like the Spicy Aburasoba that they offer. It's the BEST. Another one is theZunda shake at Sendai Station. I really like the texture and taste, it’s not too
sweet that you can't drink the whole thing but sweet enough to satisfy thecravings.
Also, if you’ve been to other cities let us know which places and spots
you’d like to go again and have that first experience all over again!
I’d like to experience going to Niigata, Yamagata and Morioka all overagain. I saw the Big Three Firework festival in Nagaoka of Niigata last year.
Everyone needs to put it on their bucket list ASAP. I went ice skating in Morioka
and visited Yamagata for the famous Shogi pieces. And of course, Osaka for
the win! Food, place, people, accent are all chef’s kiss.
Do you have any hacks in budgeting and saving? Any job ideas for new
students who’ve no idea where to start?
Try to go to the morning markets for cheaper vegetables and fruits tokeep up with nutrition. Also, I recommend going to the supermarkets at about 8
or 9 in the evening. We have the famous “yellow stickers” which means thateverything is priced down. Go absolutely bonkers then and only then.
Nothing against people who go to the gym, but you can use the ones
provided by the university for free or else join some club (bodybuilding club,martial arts clubs etc) for free. You may pay a yearly fee (low compared tomonthly gymming) for equipment or sports insurance.
During the holidays, try to walk instead of taking the subway. You get toknow the city and save money. You get nice toned calf muscles too. Sendai is abeautiful place, walk around!
As for jobs, most people join food­chain restaurants. They takeinternational students more, on the whole. Many I know worked at McDs. I
personally took a job in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant. I did not have toknow a whole lot of Japanese and I did not have to talk to customers all thatmuch.
For a short period of time (so tiny, because of COVID, I quit soon
because I did not get shifts very often), I was a staff at a Wedding Ceremony
Hall (people who organize weddings and parties). Some students take up
tutoring but I think you need to be able to speak a good amount of Japanese to
be able to teach Japanese high school and middle school students.
You could of course apply to some AA jobs offered by the university. I did
that too for a while. Great experience, you meet a lot of new people and it's
nice to know that you can help them get through what you went through.
Just apply to wherever you can, as long as you are eager and diligent, I
think they will take you. Good luck!

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A Little Insight about Sendai City (plus TMI)
Written by Mimie (Chanisa P.)

Where are we? Of course you will answer, ‘Of course! Sendai,’ right? Yes, ouruniversity is located here, but how much do you know about the city and its history?
Well, if you’re coming, or maybe living here already, you may want to learn more
about the stories related to the place we’re living in – Sendai city, Miyagi prefecture,
the center of Tohoku (Northeastern) Region of Japan. In this article, I’m gonna
introduce you to some of the details about our new home, Sendai!, about who was thecity founder, and some other TMI related to him.

I ­ DATE MASAMUNE ­ Brief story
From the first day we arrived here until now, we must have seen the man inblack armor with one eye­patch picture almost everywhere, and someday we’ve
eventually learned his name, Date Masamune, as the founder of this Sendai City. I’ve
lived here just for almost a year and I can already tell, he is LITERALLYEVERYWHERE. So, who is he actually? Here is the answer.

Photo credits to Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association
Date Masamune was born in 1567 in Yonezawa, Yamagata as a successor to
his Date clan. In his early days, he won his first battle when he was 15 and became
the head of the family in 1584. It is also said that he lost one of his eyes to smallpox
when he was a child, so he usually wears an eye­patch that then became his distinct
point and make him gain the nickname 独 眼 竜 、 or ‘One­Eyed Dragon’ in English.
Because of his ability, he expanded his territory to the point where no previous Dateclan leader could do by the age of 23. However, in 1591, he had to forfeit his
Yonezawa territory to Toyotomi Hideyoshi for the Japan unification, and moved to13Miyagi Prefecture. After the death of Hideyoshi, Masamune continued to serve
Tokugawa Ieyasu and established his Sendai domain, then became the first feudal
lord and built his Sendai Aoba castle in 1600 (I’ll talk more about it in the next part,stay tuned!) along with the Date family temple ‘Zuiganji’ in Matsushima, and initiated a
lot of things here so we can still see until today. He lived and fought through many
battles to the age of 70.
There is still a lot of historical evidence about him like letters, armours, andmore; you can see them in the Aoba castle museum or Sendai city museum(unfortunately closed until 2024). Since he is the city founder and the famous warrior,
he became the Sendai city's symbol that we can see everywhere now.
Credits and more interesting facts:
https://livejapan.com/en/in­tohoku/in­pref­miyagi/in­sendai_matsushima/article­
a3000059/#google_vignette

II ­ Aoba festival and Aoba castle
After mentioning the city founder’s story, I want to add some more stories thatsome of the people reading may not know, the first one is about Aoba castle and Aoba
Matsuri! In short, the festival itself is held in late spring to celebrate when the leaves
turns green (follow its name Ao ­ green and Ba ­ leaf) And as I mentioned about how
the man ‘Date Masamune’ is everywhere, this festival is also originated by him,
unsurprisingly.
In the 1590s, Date Masamune had been spending a lot of time in central Japan,
where many of majestic architects and castles were located. As he had seen a lot of
the cool castles, he was inspired to create his own castle as he had a plan ofconquering Japan! He then hired the stonemasons from Sakai, (now it’s in Osaka) tobuild his own Aoba castle on the mountain. After the construction work had finished,
the worker as well as Masamune himself had the celebration, they drank and danced
together.
The Date clan’s crest (the sign representing theclan) had always been two sparrows within the circle ofbamboo, and as the stonemasons’ dance is inspired
from it, it eventually became the ‘sparrow dance’. After
that, their descendents continued to work under theDate clan in Sendai, the dance then became the local
tradition, and Sendai festival began every year from1654. Much later in 1874, the government allowed thecity and Date clan’s descendents to build Aoba Shrine
and adopted the festival as a local holiday. To this day,the festival is still held every year in late May.

Date clan crest (fromhttps://pin.it/5hpu6qi)

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Important notes: YOU CAN ALSO BE THE SUZUME DANCER! In the springsemester, Tohoku university will open a cultural collaboration class for international
students as well as Japanese students to share their culture and Dance at the Aoba
festival in May. Can you imagine being a part of the long­lasting festival of thiscommunity? It’s amazing! I’ve also taken this class and I can confirm it was a very fun
and valuable experience, we got to share our cultural experiences and share throughthe theme of Japanese culture. And we got to dance on the street, same as the local
dance team too!

Picture of Tohoku University International Sparrow dance teamLet’s talk more about the castle. Unfortunately, it was damaged by the great firein 1882, before being destroyed in 1945 from the air attack in World War II, so only thecastle base rocks, stone wall, and guard tower were left. Even with just thoseremaining, it is still one of the most popular places to visit in Sendai. There are also
museums, shrines, and because it is located on the mountain, the amazing view of thecity can be seen! You can also meet Date Masamune and his friends (not the real
ones, of course!). Since the way of welcoming tourists here is by having the officers
dressed as Masamune and other soldiers related to him, you can take pictures withthem and talk to them about Sendai city!

Credits + picture credits + more interesting stories:
https://unseen­japan.com/tohoku­folk­traditions/

More information about the university’s sparrow dance class! :https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/news/university_news/students_to_perform_suzume_odori_at_aoba_street_festival_2023.html

About Aoba castle:
https://www.japan­guide.com/e/e5152.html

15

III ­ TMI: His Horse and its own Shrine
As many people may know the previous two topics already, I wanna add
something that I’m sure most people might not know. You might’ve seen the Bronze
statue of Date Masamune riding on the horse, right? You already know about theperson and how he is seen everywhere in the city…, but you know what? The horsealso has his own story too! And that’s what I’ll talk about.
During the war period, Date Masamune once owned a horse named ‘Goto’ that
was a gift from his closely­related horse raising and training clan. Goto was the mostoutstanding, brave, and loyal horse that served Masamune throughout many
important battles, both before and after he moved to Sendai.
However, the horse had gotten older by the time of the last major battles tosolidify Japan in Osaka in 1614. It was a long series of battles that Masamune wascalled to serve. Unfortunately, because of Goto’s old age, Masamune cannot bring hisloyal horse to those battles. He said goodbye to his horse and went to the battles.
After his owner left, it is said that the horse Goto appeared to be heartbroken, realizingthat he can no longer gracefully serve his master anymore. One day, he escaped fromhis fence and ran off from the cliff to his death.
Masamune was shocked and felt horrible for his horse, so he ordered to build of
the memorial ‘Kakizaki Inari Daimyojin Shrine’ (蛎崎稲荷大明神) and the horses. Even
though the horse's spirit was moved to the upgraded shrine near the central park, theoriginal shrine still exists there today. We can visit the shrine devoted to the loyal andgraceful horse of Date Masamune. It is the red­torii shrine with two fox statues at theentrance. You can go there by a short walk from the International Center subway
station.

Credit + picture credit + more interesting stories:
https://www.sendaimotions.com/blog/halloween

16Development of an optochemical tool controlling theformation and dissociation of mitochondria–endoplasmic
reticulum contact sites
Quan Minh Duong,1 Toshiyuki Kowada,1,2 Shin Mizukami1,2
1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University,

980­8577, Japan.
2IMRAM, Tohoku University, 980­8577, Japan.
Email: duong.minh.quan.p5@dc.tohoku.ac.jp
Keywords : optochemical control, mitochondria­ER contact sites.
Mitochondria­ER contact sites (MERCSs) represent crucial regions where the membranes of theseorganelles come in close proximity without fusing, providing hotspots for lipid metabolism, Ca2+
homeostasis, ER stress, and mitochondrial quality control. Their significance is further underscored by theirinvolvement in various neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.[1] Thus, it isessential to develop a methodology to manipulate and visualize MERCSs with high spatiotemporal
resolution, enabling us to study the real­time physiological changes occurring at MERCSs and understandrelated diseases. In this study, we aimed to develop an optochemical tool for MERCSs manipulation andvisualization, which empowers us to study the Ca2+ dynamics in mitochondria during the formation anddissociation of MERCSs.
In the previous study, weconstructed a photocaged dimerizer,
CBHD (Fig. 1a), which can control
protein translocation at the subcellularlevels with high spatial and temporal
precision.[2] Inspired by these results, wedeveloped a novel double­caged dimerizer,
CD1, which can reversibly control theprotein translocation from the cytosol tothe mitochondria and protein diffusion.
Upon the success of the proof­of­concept
experiment, we leveraged CD1 tomanipulate MERCSs formation and
Fig. 1. (a) Structure of CBHD. (b) Schematic illustration
dissociation. In cells expressing HaloTagof photo induced MERCSs formation and dissociation
and BL­tag­fused proteins, CD1 wasusing CD1. Mitochondria and ER were generated byintroduced and stably labeled to theServier Medical Art.
mitochondria due to the covalent labelingof HaloTag (Fig. 1b). Subsequently,
through the illumination of blue and UV light, the photocages on CD1 were sequentially removed, thereby
inducing the formation and dissociation of MERCSs. Furthermore, we achieved to monitor Ca2+ dynamics
in the mitochondria during the induction of MERCSs formation using a genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor.
[1] Wilson, E. L.; Metzakopian, E. Cell Death Differ. 2021, 28, 1804–1821.
[2] Kowada, T.; Arai, K.; Yoshimura, A.; Matsui, T.; Kikuchi, K.; Mizukami, S. Angew. Chem. Int.

Ed. 2021,

60, 11378–11383.

17

Behind the Research Article
Interviewed by Jojo and Suryo

1.

Why did you decide to do research about MERCSs?

As a chemist fascinated by the interface of chemistry and biology, my research
journey led me to explore the mysteries of biology at the molecular level, aiming tounravel the complexities of related diseases. When I first encountered the MERCSs(Mitochondria­Endoplasmic Reticulum Contact Sites) project, it immediately
captivated my attention with its intriguing problem to solve. What could be more
fascinating than developing a chemical tool capable of manipulating biology using
light? It turns out that biochemists have long yearned for the ability to exert precise
control over biological processes with high spatiotemporal resolution, allowing for avivid understanding of these processes. Thus, this project represents a remarkableadvancement in the field.
MERCSs are critical regions where the membranes of mitochondria and theendoplasmic reticulum come in close proximity without fusing, creating hotspots foressential cellular functions like lipid metabolism, calcium homeostasis, endoplasmic
reticulum stress, and mitochondrial quality control. Their significance is further
underscored by their involvement in various neurodegenerative disorders such as
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Consequently, it becomes crucial to develop amethodology that can manipulate and visualize MERCSs with high spatiotemporal
resolution, enabling us to study the real­time physiological changes occurring at thesesites and gain insights into related diseases. In my research, I have successfully
developed an innovative tool called CD1 (Caged Dimerizer 1), which demonstrates
the ability to control protein translocation and diffusion within cells as well as
manipulate MERCSs and interrogate calcium dynamics in mitochondria. Currently, I
am in the final phase of my project, focused on imaging MERCSs.
2.

What would be the next step in using this optochemical tool to help withneurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease?

To harness the potential of this optochemical tool in addressing neurodegenerative
disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, the next crucial step would be to
study the pathological processes occurring specifically at MERCSs. By employing
CD1, we can gain real­time insights into the dynamic behavior of proteins, lipids, andcalcium ions at these sites. This understanding can illuminate the underlying
mechanisms of disease development and progression. For instance, in the case ofParkinson’s disease, a range of pathological processes occur within MERCSs,
including impaired calcium regulation, disrupted lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial

18dysfunction. By utilizing CD1, we may be able to monitor the behavior of proteins andinvestigate how alterations at MERCSs contribute to disease pathology. Thisknowledge can pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies
targeting MERCSs to restore normal cellular function and mitigate neurodegenerative
disorders.
However, I have to disclaim that this is the basic research, not the applied one, so it ishard to demonstrate the applied potential. It is crucial to acknowledge that basic
science holds inherent value on its own, even without immediate translational
applications. While the immediate practical implications may not be evident, thefoundation established through fundamental research is essential for the future
development of applied science. Optogenetics and/or photo­pharmacology, as a
nascent field, holds immense potential for future breakthroughs, and I believe that theinsights gained from studying MERCSs using this optochemical tool will contribute toour understanding of neurodegenerative disorders.
3. What challenges did you face while conducting this researchexperiment?
While conducting this research experiment, I faced several significant challenges,
especially considering that I am an undergraduate student delving into the world of
research. Initially, I lacked the necessary knowledge and skills required for conducting
research effectively. It took me a considerable amount of time, nearly half a year, toimmerse myself in the relevant literature and gain a solid understanding of the field. I
dedicated extensive hours to reading research articles, attending seminars, andseeking guidance from my mentors to equip myself with the foundational knowledge
essential for my project.
In addition to acquiring theoretical knowledge, I had to learn practical techniques for
performing experiments. While I had a strong background in organic synthesis, whichfacilitated the synthesis of the compound CD1, I faced a significant learning curvewhen it came to conducting cell experiments and imaging. These aspects wereentirely new to me, and initially, I had limited experience and understanding in theseareas.
Fortunately, the laboratory staff, including professors and senior students, wereincredibly supportive and kind. They provided me with comprehensive training,
patiently guiding me through the experimental procedures, sharing their expertise, andanswering my numerous questions. Their mentorship and willingness to invest time in
my development were instrumental in building my confidence and enabling me tocarry out research independently.

19

Over time, through hands­on experimentation and continual learning, I gradually
gained proficiency in cell culture techniques, microscopy, and data analysis. The
challenges I faced at the beginning of the research project transformed into
valuable learning opportunities that contributed to my growth as a researcher.
Moreover, being an undergraduate student involved in research posed its own setof challenges. Balancing coursework, laboratory work, and other responsibilities
required effective time management and organizational skills. However, theexperience of conducting research at this level has been immensely rewarding,providing me with invaluable insights into the scientific process and fueling mypassion for further exploration.
Overall, despite the initial challenges, the support and mentorship I received,
coupled with my determination to learn and adapt, have allowed me to overcome
obstacles and make progress in this research experiment. I am grateful for theopportunity to engage in meaningful scientific inquiry and contribute to the field,
and I look forward to continuing my journey as a researcher.

20

Wasei Eigo: The Legacy of English in Japan
Written by Avin and Ryan

Wasei Eigo, which literally translates to "Japanese­made English," refers to the uniqueblend of English loanwords that have been assimilated into the Japanese language
over time. The roots of this linguistic phenomenon can be traced back to the Meiji
Restoration in the late 19th century, when Japan embarked on a rapid modernizationand Westernization process. During this period, Japan sought to embrace Westernideas and technology, leading to the influx of foreign concepts and vocabulary.
Wasei Eigo can be found in various aspects of everyday life in Japan, from popular
culture to business and technology. Here are a few examples of well­known Wasei
Eigo words:
1. て ん ぷ ら or 天 ぷ ら (tenpura): The word "tempura" in English refers to a Japanesedish consisting of battered and deep­fried seafood or vegetables. In Japanese, it is
written as て ん ぷ ら or 天 ぷ ら (tenpura), which originated from the Portuguese word
"tempero" (meaning "seasoning") and "têmpora" (referring to ember days, a Catholic
holiday). This conflation of Portuguese terms resulted in the term "tempura" inJapanese.
2. アンケート (ankēto): Derived from the French word "enquête" (meaning "inquiry" or"survey"), "ankēto" is used in Japanese to refer to a questionnaire or survey.
3. チ ュ ー ハ イ or 酎 ハ イ (chūhai): This term combines the Japanese word 酎((shō)chū), a distilled alcoholic beverage, and "high" (from the English term "highball").
チ ュ ー ハ イ (chūhai) represents a popular alcoholic drink in Japan made by mixing
shōchū with carbonated water and flavored syrups.
4. ギ プ ス or ギ ブ ス (gipusu or gibusu):
Originatingfrom
theGermanword"Gips" (meaning "cast"), both ギ プ ス (gipusu)
and ギ ブ ス (gibusu) are used in Japanese torefer to a cast (as in a plaster cast) or a plastic
brace.

21

5. ゴム (gomu): The term "gomu" is derived from the Dutch word "gom" and is usedin Japanese to refer to rubber, erasers, or rubber bands.
6. カ ル ピ ス (karupisu): This Wasei Eigo word combines "cal(cium)" with सर पस(sar)pis, which is Sanskrit for "good taste." カ ル ピ ス (karupisu) refers to a popular
milky soft drink in Japan called Calpis.
7. ラムネ (ramune): Derived from the English word "lemonade," ラムネ (ramune) isa lemon­lime flavored soft drink in Japan. It is often associated with its distinctive
bottle and marble stopper.
8. ウ ィ ン カ ー or ウ イ ン カ ー (winkā or uinkā): This term originates from theEnglish word "winker" and is used in Japanese to refer to the turn signal, also
known as the blinker or indicator, on an automobile.
9. ヨ ー ド (yōdo): The term "yōdo" is derived from the Dutch word "jood" (meaning"iodine") and is used in Japanese to refer to iodine.
10. ズ ボ ン (zubon): Derived from the French word "jupon" (meaning "petticoat"),"zubon" is used in Japanese to refer to trousers (UK) or pants (US).
Apart from these words, there are some comical words too. Although you may notencounter these amusing words on a daily basis, but it will be interesting to know
and use them. Some of these words are:11. バーコードヘア (bākōdohea):
Imagine someone combing their hair in stripes across a bald pate, creating apattern reminiscent of a barcode. This comical term, derived from the English
words "combover" or "comb­over," describes this unique hairstyle. It's hard not tochuckle at the image of someone trying to camouflage their thinning hair with sucha distinctive arrangement.

2212. ヘビーローテー (hebīrōtē):Have you ever been so obsessed with a song that you find yourself listening to it
repeatedly without getting tired of it? That's what the term ヘ ビ ー ロ ー テ ー
captures. It's both a verb (ヘ ビー ロ ー テ ー す る) and a noun that reflects the act ofheavily rotating a song. The humor lies in the exaggeration of this obsession,suggesting that no matter how many times you listen to it, it will never be enough.
13. テンション (tenshon):
The term テンション is a prime example of ahumorous linguistic twist. In English,"tension" usually refers to a feeling of uneaseor strain. However, in Japanese, it takes onan entirely different meaning. テ ン シ ョ ン
refers to the lively, energetic atmosphere of aparty or gathering. It embodies the highspirits and positive energy that make anevent enjoyable. So, if a friend complains
about a party having "zero tenshon," it
implies that the gathering was dull andlacked excitement.
14. オヤジギャグ (oyajigyagu):
We all have that one person in our lives, usually an older relative like a middle­
aged uncle or an embarrassing father, who loves to crack cheesy or groan­worthy
jokes. In Japanese, these jokes are known as オヤジギャグ, meaning "an old man
gag" or "a dad gag." The term embraces the corny nature of these jokes andhumorously connects them to the image of an older person telling them. So,
whenever someone tells a cringe­worthy pun or a cheap joke, it's safe to say
they've delivered an oyaji gag.
15. ペーパードライバー (pēpādoraibā):
The term ペ ー パ ー ド ラ イバ ー, derived from English, refers to a "paper driver." Ithumorously describes a person who holds a driver's license but lacks practical
driving experience or confidence behind the wheel. The term playfully highlights
the idea that their driving skills may be limited to the theoretical knowledge gained
during the licensing process, making them a comical representation of someone
who may not be skilled or comfortable on the road.
These amusing examples of Wasei Eigo words in Japanese demonstrate thecreative and humorous ways in which English influences have been integrated into
the language. They not only reflect linguistic adaptations but also provide a light­
hearted glimpse into Japanese culture and the quirky aspects of daily life.

23

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Other contributions:Introduction written by Dylan
Article proofreading by Alisa
Background and layout by Steven