TOHOKU UNIVERSITYTHE HASEKURA BULLETIN
Newsletter of the Hasekura League for Japanese Studies

August, 2023 EditionVOL.

03

GREETINGS FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTER
Prof. Koji Ono
Director of the International Graduate Program for Japanese Studies (GPJS)
Tohoku Univeristy (TU)
After the last issue of THE HASEKURA BULLETIN in July 2020,

after the long pandemic. We members here at TU are organizing aour in-person activities in the Hasekura League were greatly

variety of research workshops and lectures based on GPJS, which

restricted due to the unprecedented pandemic. However, we have

was established in 2019, together with researchers from thenot stopped moving forward. In September of last year, weHasekura League. GPJS has recently accepted its 5th generation

successfully held the Hasekura Summit and Hasekura Symposiumof graduate students, and many students use the network toas part of the 115th anniversary of TU's founding and its 100th

pursue overseas studies and gain internaitonal and interdisciplinary

anniversary as a comprehensive university. During the event,experiences. We are also currently planning the Hasekura

researchers and graduate students from 22 universities in 12Symposium, an annual general meeting, at the end of thecountries gathered in Sendai to give research presentations andacademic year.

discuss the future of the social sciences and humanities (SSH).

We are pleased to present the third edition of THE HASEKURA

Furthermore, member universities of the Hasekura League

BULLETIN to share widely the current state of the league and its

presented a Hasekura Statement announcing its role in enhancing

activities. Since the Hasekura League was established in 2015, thisSSH. As of June 2023, the Hasekura League as a global

network has relied on the active initiative and passion of individual

community in the SSH has grown to encompass 28 universities,

researchers rather than institutional agreements. We hope that thisincluding schools from Australia and the U.S.

issue of THE HASEKURA BULLETIN will showcase the vibrantThis year, the Hasekura League resumed in-person activities

activities of our league members.

NEWSUPCOMING EVENTSMarch 2023 - GPJS Received the Tohoku University

November 2023

Presidential Award for Education

Workshop for Japanese Studies at Curtin University (Australia)

The GPJS received this award in recognition of its contribution

Theme: “Japan in the World: Past, Present, Future” (subject toto educating internationally active students and its central role inchange)

the international expansion of research and education in SSH atTU, as demonstrated at the Hasekura Summit.

November 2023
Symposium for Japanese Studies at the Universiy of Warsaw

April 2023 - GPJS Welcomed 5th Generation Students

and Jagiellonian University (Poland)

In this academic year, four students joined GPJS. They will

Theme: “East meets East: Japanese Studies in Poland andadvance their research with guidance from their main advisor

Japan”and mentor instructors at GPJS. After gaining experience atinternational conferences and other opportunities, they will

December 9-10, 2023

travel overseas for their studies for six months or more.

GPJS International Conference at TU
Theme: “Soul and Empathy”
Keynote Speech: Prof. Emer. Hiroo Sato (TU/GPJS)

February 2024
8th Annual Hasekura Symposium at Sapienza University ofRome (Italy)

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THE HASEKURA BULLETIN

ACTIVITY REPORTS（April - June 2023）
April 28 (Fri.), 2023 - The 12th Hasekura Seminar

June 1 (Thu.), 2023 - International Workshop: “Student“Representation and Uses of Asia on the French Stage in theMovements During the Cold War Era and Digital Archives”

17th and 18th Centuries”

Moderator: Prof. Hiroaki Adachi (Chief, GPJS Research Cluster)

Speaker: Mr. Julien Dubruque (Centre de musique baroque de(Main Conference Room, Building of Faculty of Arts and Letters,

Versailles, France）

TU)

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Taku Kuroiwa (Vice Director, GPJS)(Room 208, Building of Faculty of Arts and Letters, TU)

This Workshop was co-organized by the GPJS, TU Library andTU Archives. It aimed to provide an overview of the TU Digital

We were honored to have Mr. Dubruque talk about thethArchives and propose its possible use in collaboration with thethrepresentations of Asia in 17 - and 18 -century French opera

Hasekura League. Profs. Marco del Bene and Stefano Romagnoli

using multiple iconographies and musical examples. He(Sapienza University of Rome), Prof. Takashi Miyamoto (Osaka

described how, in these repertories, scenes with Asian characters

University), Prof. Satoshi Kato (TU Archives), and Ms. Tomoe

sometimes provided an opportunity to introduce new styles ofHanzawa (TU Library) appeared as invited guests. With about 30music, and argued that we can find more Chinese than Japaneseparticipants on the floor, the speakers discussed the significancerepresentations. The latter appears in a more tragic context thanof materials concerning student movements in the TU Digitalthe former and often bears comic effects. Accurate observations

Archives, and compared these with those of the University ofof Asian countries can also be made in costume details. ThisTokyo. Speakers from Sapienza presented their educational andlecture was rich with exciting suggestions for Asian

research activities with the TU digital archives at the university,

representation in Western Europe.

suggesting the possibility of future international use.

May 12 (Thu.), 2023 - The 1st GPJS Research Cluster Meeting

June 29 (Thu.), 2023 - The 2nd GPJS Research Cluster“Event Reports of GPJS During the Previous Academic Year”

Meeting/The 13th Hasekura Seminar

Moderator: Prof. Hiroaki Adachi (Chief, GPJS Research Cluster)“Origins of Modern Literature in East Asia”(Main Conference Room, Building of Faculty of Arts and Letters,

Speaker: Prof. Satoru Hashimoto (Johns Hopkins University)

TU)

Moderator: Prof. Hiroaki Adachi (Chief, GPJS Research Cluster)(Audio-Visual Room, Building of Faculty of Arts and Letter, TU)

The participants and organizers of the conferences held in the lastacademic year (GPJS Profs. Hiroshi Yokomizo, Taku Kuroiwa,

It was our great pleasure to invite Prof. Satoru Hashimoto ofand Sachiko Kiyama; Ms. Yoko Kagami, Mr. Takuma Hosoi, andComparative Literature at Johns Hopkins University to discuss

Ms. Elena Fabretti) shared their experiences at the "3rdthe origins of modern literature, mainly in Japan and Korea, byInternational Doctoral Symposium on Asian and African Studies"considering cross-border cultural traditions in East Asia. About 60

held at Sapienza University of Rome, and the GPJS International

participants from multiple disciplines (literature, history,Workshop on "Oceans as Places of Exchange and Imagination:

linguistics, economics, etc.) were on the floor to freely discuss thePacific, Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean" held at TU. We reaffirm

cross-cultural traditions within East Asia, as well as the future

our confidence in our continuous efforts to offer international

directions of the GPJS. Along with the moderator Prof. Adachi

mobility and experiences through such exchanges. The meeting

who taught Prof. Hashimoto as a junior high school student, wemarked a promicing start to GPJS activities in the new academic

were excited to learn a lot from his brilliant international career

year.

and his interdisciplinary perspectives.

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GPJS ALUMNA HIGHLIGHT

Peiyao Wu, Ph.D. (International Studies)- Assistant Professor, College of Humanities, Shanghai Normal University, China(First-generation GPJS graduate)

New issues of THE HASEKURA BULLETIN will highlight the voices

Q3. Please share your experience at GPJS.

of the students and alumni of the GPJS. First, we would like toー First, GPJS utilizes a well-developed education system thatfeature Dr. Peiyao Wu, who completed her graduate studies withallowed me to receive input from professors in other fields,

excellent abilities and passion during her time at TU. She obtained

bringing new possibilities for my studies. So far, in the context ofan assistant professorship in her home country of China in June ofJapanese studies, it seems that the whole research field has

this year, imediately after earning her PhD. Our first GPJS PhD.

been separated depending on the languages researchers speak,

discusses what she gained from GPJS/TU, her current life, and hersince each group of English, Japanese, other East-Asian

future prospects.

languages (excluding Japanese) has their own different
audiences for providing their findings. However, GPJS gave me

Q1. Congratulations on your new appointment! Please share yourthe opportunity to participate in international symposiums andfeelings at the beginning of the new position.

workshops each year and I spent about a year at Heidelbergー On June 1 this year, I was appointed as a faculty member in theUniversity, where I could interact with international scholars like

Department of World History” at the College of Humanities atProf. Hans Martin Krummacher who broadened my perspectives.

Shanghai Normal University. I am working for the course of“Modern and Contemporary World History in the upcoming

Q4. What kind of researcher and educator do you want to be insemester, and organizing the newly established Asian Civilization

the future?

Research Center. My long-cherished dream finally came true, andー I aspire to become a researcher capable of presenting andI am now able to devote myself to my academic research interests.

discussing my findings internationally. First, I must establish aOnce again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to mysolid foundation in the field of religious studies and then conduct

professors and colleagues, who have always encouraged meinterdisciplinary studies that incorporate methodologies fromthroughout my six years at TU. In the future, I intend to use theother fields into my own research field. Further, my goal forskills I developed at TU to communicate with Japanese-, Chinese-,

education is to actively engage in teaching the Japaneseand English-speaking audiences. I am eager to address the newlanguage as well as Japanese thought and culture in order tochallenges in my workplace and contribute to the study ofcontirubute significantly to the entire research field, which will be

Japanese culture in China from a global perspective.

achieved based on my own academic contribution. In doing so, I
will try my best to nurture students' logical thinking abilities andQ2. While enrolling in the Graduate School of International Studies

intercultural understanding, rather than simply memorizingas well as in GPJS, you received many honorable prizes including

textbook knowledge.

the Fujino Memorial Award and the President Award upongraduation. How would you describe the TU?

Thank you so much. We wish you the best for continued successー When I began my career in Sendai as an undergraduate

and health, and we hope you keep in touch with TU!

research student six years ago, I studied modern Japanese
Buddhism. I was always impressed with the university's founding
principles 'Research First' and 'Open Door' throughout the sixyears. I learned a lot not only about religious studies but also about
possibilities of language, thanks to the guidance of Prof. Orion
Klautau and other professors at the seminar of Moden JapaneseStudies in graduate school. I was fortunate to join the newly
established GPJS as one of the first students in the second year of
my master' s course, where I was able to cultivate interdisciplinary
skills and an international perspective.
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THE HASEKURA BULLETIN

The Current Hasekura League

Member Universities (As of June, 2023)
1. Curtin University, Australia

11. University of Bologna, Italy

21. University of Granada, Spain

2. University of Vienna, Austria

12. University of Florence, Italy

22. University of Salamanca, Spain

3. Ghent University, Belgium

13. University of Padova, Italy

23. Stockholm University, Sweden

4. KU Leuven, Belgium

14. Leiden University, Netherlands

24. University of Lausanne, Switzerland

5. University of British Columbia, Canada

15. Utrecht University, Netherlands

25. University of East Anglia, United Kingdom

6. University of Grenoble Alpes, France

16. University of Oslo, Norway

26. University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

7. Heidelberg University, Germany

17. Jagiellonian University, Poland

27. University of Georgia, United States of America

8. Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy

18. Nova University Lisbon, Portugal

28. Tohoku University, Japan

9. L’ Orientale University of Naples, Italy

19. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia

10. Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

20. Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain

Letter from the Editor: In the academic year 2023, we have already held four lectures as of June, and have

Office of the International

more diverse events scheduled for the future. Many TU students are currently attending overseas

Graduate Program foruniversities for various academic purposes. We are continually updating our website, so please take a look.

Japanese Studies (GPJS)

In upcoming newsletters, we plan to highlight researchers from the Hasekura League member universities.

27-1 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku,

Lastly, our sincere thanks go to the members of Rivana Inc. who have always provided dedicated support forSendai, 980-8576 Japanpromotional activities. (Assoc. Prof. Sachiko Kiyama, GPJS Committee Member for Public Relations)e-mail: gpjs@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

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