This is Philip Cadzow, the ICT Physical Education teacher with a report of climbing Mt. Hakusan on the 2nd of October with some 1st and 2nd year ICT students from Hakusanroku Campus.

On Friday October 2nd, 2026, at 5:00 a.m., 21 students and 6 teachers crowded onto a bus and slept the hour-long journey until they were deposited at the start point of the hike; Bettodeai station – an altitude of 1,260m.

Mt. Hakusan is known as one of the three holy mountains of Japan along with Mt. Tateyama and Mt. Fuji, and many residents of Ishikawa annually climb Mt. Hakusan to watch the sunrise. Students and faculty from Hakusanroku Campus also attempt to climb Mt. Hakusan each year, but not for the sunrise and usually making the climb up and down in one day. The last two years we have attempted to climb but have had to cancel due to bad weather, which means that the 3rd years who are now in New Zealand were never able to climb Mt. Hakusan, and it was the final chance for the current 2nd year students.

Waking up from the bus ride and ready to start their climb from Bettodeai station to one of Mt. Hakusan’s 3 peaks called Gozengamine – an altitude of 2,702m and an elevation change of roughly 1,500m, were 10 1st year students and 11 2nd year students. These students were the ones who had completed a 5km run the week prior to check for fitness and had a thorough gear check to make sure they were prepared for sudden weather changes. The other students of their year group were going on an easier hike in a different part of the Hakusan Geopark called Sampoiwadake.
The weather was cool with a clear blue sky, and the hike started very well as everyone made it to the first hut 20 minutes faster than planned, but unfortunately at this point one student had to be taken back down the mountain and back to school as they began to feel unwell. We then divided into 2 groups to make passing people on the narrow track easier. Originally, it was thought that they would be named the fast group and the slow group, but as the first group reached the second hut and messaged the slow group to know that they had arrived, the slow group also arrived at the second hut!
There are many different climbing routes up Mt. Hakusan and the most common of these is the Saboshindou path – named as Sabo (prevent erosion) shindou (new route). However, this route was closed off after the second hut and both groups were forced to take a longer route called Echo line – this route is about 2 km longer than Saboshindou but it’s not as steep and goes past the ridgeline that carries onto the next mountain over called Mt. Bessan. The view that day from the Echo line ridge was of a clear blue sky, shining green foliage from what looked to be small alpine bamboo that kept the mountainside gently swaying in the breeze, even in the beginnings of autumn, and a sharp ridgeline across to Mt. Bessan; leading the eye further away and into the distance of the surrounding hills all shaded in blue shadow. 
Mt. Hakusan’s peak was visible from the Echo line ridge and the group made fast progress up to the Murodo (big mountain hut) to have a break for lunch. The wind gusted but didn’t howl, it wasn’t so cold as to numb the hands, but it stripped heat away from the body and after 10 minutes a person’s nose would start to go a little numb. The most important layer of clothes in this environment is anything that can block the wind from stripping away a person’s body heat. After the lunchbreak many of the students could be seen appreciating the seriousness of the constant cold wind and it lent a certain seriousness to the mountain hike. Although some students who were more prepared than others had a better time of it. Kotarou, who prepared well for the trip, was seen taking a nap while others shivered. 
Luckily by the time students had eaten lunch and made it to the Gozengamine peak of Mt. Hakusan, the wind had dropped and it wasn’t so cold. Students smiled and made comments on how beautiful the view was. Other students hid behind a sunny rock and made a very good impression of sleeping. Everyone was made to take a silent minute to appreciate the surrounding view. Honda-san, who took the sick student down the mountain from the first hut and made sure that they were transported safely back to campus by another teacher, managed to catch back up to us and make it to the top just as we started to descend. 
The route hiking down was the same Echo line that we took to climb up, and so it wasn’t as steep as the other years’ route, but it was longer. The ridgeline down blocked the wind, and the afternoon sun was hot. Students had shaking legs from exhaustion and the constant downhill but most of the complaints were from the teachers who hadn’t exercised enough in preparation. 
Making it to the bus didn’t cause as much celebration as it did cries of relief and people sagging to the ground, and once all students had loaded on to the bus, after 5 minutes there was absolute silence. All students had fallen asleep upright, sitting on the bus.
I think this year’s trip up Mt. Hakusan was one of the best we’ve had. While we normally hike the Saboshindou route, I think from this year on we will be taking the Echo line – the view was just as good but without the sharp incline. I just hope that the weather can cooperate with us again next year.

1st year student Ady created a video! 

Philip Cadzow

Hello everyone! My name is Meguru Ito, and I am the advisor of the Design & Fabrication Club, or “Dezafa Club” for short. Today, I would like to share our experience at the recently held 37th National College of Technology Programming Contest in Kagawa (Takamatsu).

 

Commonly known as the KOSEN Programming Contest, this is an official competition where KOSEN students from across Japan compete using their ideas and skills in information and communication technology. Along with competitions such as the KOSEN Robot Contest, it is one of the largest and longest-running competitions for KOSEN students. The competition consists of three categories. The Competition Category is a team-based programming competition in which students compete according to a given set of rules or themes. In the Challenge Category, students develop projects based on a theme that changes each year. Finally, the Free Category allows students to create original software and systems based on themes of their own choosing.

This year, two teams from ICT participated in the Challenge Category. The first team, consisting of 4th year students Taichi Eguchi and Hayato Sumi, and 2nd year students Akira Azuma, Reo Sakai, and Kai Osawa, developed a system called “TAS-MIRU.” TAS-MIRU is a system designed to help teams assign tasks more effectively during projects. By entering a project specification and information about each team member’s skill set, the system generates an optimal distribution of tasks.

The second team, made up of 2nd year students Haru Abe, Kent Kawaguchi, So Kajita, Kotaro Higuchi, and Hiroki Yatsuo, developed a system called “Animalarm.” Animalarm is a system designed to protect crops from wildlife damage. Multiple speakers are placed around a field and activated in sequence, starting with the ones farther away, to drive approaching wild animals away from the crops.

 

Following the presentations and demonstration judging, both teams were given the Encouragement Award, which is presented to all teams that advance to the final round. Although we had hoped for a higher award, the students worked incredibly hard to prepare for the competition. At the event, they enthusiastically demonstrated and explained their systems to visitors and company representatives. They also attended presentations by students from other KOSEN schools and actively interacted with people at corporate booths. Opportunities like this do not come along very often, so I believe the experience provided our students with a great deal of inspiration. In fact, some of the students came up to me afterward and said things like, “It was really interesting talking with someone from XX company!” and “The presentation by XX KOSEN was amazing!” Thanks to their enthusiasm for meeting people, our students also ranked highly in the “Business Card Quest,” a small event within the competition where participants try to collect as many business cards as possible. 

As ICT’s Programming Contest advisor, I have been supporting our students as they work toward reaching the national competition. And each time, I am reminded of just how exciting the KOSEN Programming Contest is. The presentations by students from other KOSEN schools are always unique and fascinating, and you can also feel the enthusiasm of the companies taking part in the event. In recent years, the value of KOSEN students in the job market has continued to grow, and this becomes especially clear when speaking directly with company representatives. I hope experiences like this will give our students a chance to understand both where they stand today and how much potential they have for the future. Next year’s competition will be hosted by National Institute of Technology, Kurume College. 

I hope our students will take on the challenge again next year and work hard to make it to the national competition!

 

Meguru Ito

Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. I would like to write about the final poster presentations in the Engineering Design IA (1st year) held on July 24th, 2026.
Engineering Design IA is a course in which 1st year students engage in project-based activities to identify problems in everyday life and develop solutions to address them. While learning fundamental design methods and concepts, students experience the excitement of creating something new by rapidly prototyping their ideas and bringing them to life.
For this project, students were challenged to redesign “the worst thing they use every day” and improve it. The teams focused on a variety of items that they found frustrating in the dormitory and the classroom. The prototypes they developed are introduced below.
Working in teams, students identified problems encountered in their daily lives and developed innovative solutions. Throughout the project, they learned design-thinking methods and gained hands-on experience in creating prototypes that addressed real-world challenges.

Roll Hanger

This group focused on the difficulty of storing hangers efficiently due to their size and shape. To solve this issue, they designed a hanger that can be folded and rolled up for compact storage. The lightweight and portable design makes it easier to carry during moves and helps reduce the amount of space required for storage.

Blackboard Eraser Attachment

This group addressed the problem of chalk dust being dispersed into the air when erasing a blackboard, creating an unhygienic classroom environment. They developed a blackboard eraser attachment that effectively collects chalk dust while quickly and thoroughly erasing the board. The device incorporates a filter and fan system that captures airborne dust, contributing to improved cleanliness and a more comfortable learning environment.

Attachment for Table

This group recognized that students often have limited desk space, causing small items to fall off the desk and reducing the available workspace. To address this issue, they created a clip-on desk organizer that can be attached to a table. The organizer provides additional storage space for small items and helps students make more effective use of their desks.

Cable Organizer

This group focused on the clutter caused by computer cables and adapters on students’ desks. They designed a cable organizer with built-in storage that keeps cables and adapters neatly arranged. The organizer can be attached to a desk, allowing users to manage cable length efficiently and maintain a larger and more organized workspace.

Bottle Lamp

This group identified two issues in the Living Commons: the existing lighting fixtures were so large that they make it difficult for students to see the faces of friends nearby, while also failing to provide sufficient illumination for effective studying. To address these issues, they developed a lightweight, portable lighting device. The lamp shines light upward through a water-filled plastic bottle, using reflection and diffusion to spread light throughout the surrounding area. Its compact design improves visibility for communication while creating a brighter environment for studying.

On-time Laundry

This group focused on a common problem in the student dormitory: some students leave their laundry in the washing machine after the cycle has finished, preventing others from using the machines promptly. To solve this issue, they proposed a washing machine management system that utilizes student ID cards and QR codes. Students can unlock a washing machine using their ID card, while QR codes allow users to check machine availability and identify current users. The system aims to improve washing machine use efficiency and reduce waiting times.

Through this project, students experienced the entire design process, from identifying problems and generating ideas to prototyping and presenting their solutions. By focusing on everyday inconveniences and transforming them into practical innovations, they developed valuable skills that will support their future learning and engineering activities.

Yuri Makada

Hi! I’m Madoka Nakazawa, a third-year student at ICT.

　Can you feel summer ending in Japan? Here in New Zealand, it's a different season. Winter is ending, and spring is starting. When I walk around town, I see cherry blossoms and feel the warm wind. It is only September, but it already feels like spring. Therefore, I feel lucky to see this so early.

　This time, I want to write about something different. I was on the radio here in New Zealand. It started with a simple conversation. I told a friend that I wanted to try being on the radio one day. Somehow, the president of OJSA (Otago Japanese Students’ Association) heard about this. She told me that someone was looking for people to join a radio show. Therefore, I joined the show with my classmates Ayane and Kotori.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　It was my first time speaking on the radio in English, so I was nervous at first. I worried that I couldn't say what I wanted to say. However, Haruko-sensei helped us a lot before the show. My classmates were also with me, and this made me feel better. Therefore, during the show, I felt more relaxed than I expected, and I really enjoyed it.

　We talked for about one hour. We talked about the differences between New Zealand and Japan, and about places we visited since coming here. It was interesting to explain things I don't usually think about. I also learned new things about my own experience.

　Before I knew it, the recording was finished. I was worried before, but it turned out to be a really fun hour. I never thought I would be on the radio in New Zealand. Therefore, this was a very special experience for me. I want to thank the OJSA president and Haruko-sensei for this chance, and my classmates for doing this with me.

Madoka Nakazawa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, I am Takako Utsunomiya, the teacher overseeing the Ikebana club. At the Kanazawa Campus, where the 4th- and 5th-year students study, we offer an extracurricular Ikebana activity. The participating students receive instruction twice a month from Ms. Howa Minamikawa, a member of the Eighth Division of the Sogetsu School’s Ishikawa Branch. This year, four students—three from the 4th year and one from the 5th year—are taking part in the club.

As we begin our Ikebana activities for the second semester, I would like to reflect on what our 4th- and 5th-year students accomplished during the first semester and highlight their involvement in the club.

 

[May]
The fourth‑year students used the flower shears with surprising skill for beginners, and Ms. Minamikawa (Ikebana instructor) even complimented their work. Their faces were full of concentration as they planned their designs. The fifth‑year student quietly focused on his own arrangement while warmly welcoming the younger members.

[June]
One student quietly focused on her flowers, others asked the teacher for advice, and still another enjoyed lively conversation with classmates as she decided on her designs. There were many different paths to creating a piece, each one unique to the student.

[July ①]
The sunflower’s head was simply too heavy. Even so, driven by the desire to make it face upward, the student kept trying different ideas. Did you notice the toothpick quietly supporting it in the photo? That small touch speaks volumes about her dedication to the piece.

[July ②]
Ms. Minamikawa, our Ikebana instructor, is also a certified Urasenke tea ceremony teacher. She kindly arranged an opportunity for the 4th- and 5th-year students to experience the tea ceremony, and we were served higashi sweets from “Yoshihashi” in Higashiyama, Kanazawa.

[July ③]
Students’ Ikebana works are displayed in various locations, including the president’s office, the main entrance of the ICT, and the space beneath the staircase. Recently, the students have started to concentrate on their own display sites.

[October]
The 4th- and 5th-year students have been given the opportunity to participate in the Sogetsu 100th Anniversary Ikebana Exhibition, “Creating Together, Connecting to the Future,” and to showcase their work in the Mirai Corner.
(Our sincere thanks to everyone at the Sogetsu Ikebana Association, Ishikawa Branch.)
The exhibition will be held from October 10 (Sat.) to 12 (Mon.) at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Basement Level 1, People’s Gallery B. If you happen to be in the area, we would be delighted if you could stop by and take a look at the students’ work.
https://www.sogetsu.or.jp/events/local/816652/

Ikebana Club
Takako Utsunomiya