Hello, my name is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. From Monday, August 26th to Monday September 2nd, 2024, I traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, for a business trip to recruit future ICT students, along with Mr. Tossa Mebusaya sensei, Mr. Rikichi Izumiya, the Deputy Secretary General of the ICT office, and Ms. Rattiya Mebusaya. I had the impression that Thailand would be extremely hot, but since Ishikawa Prefecture also experienced a heatwave of over 35 ℃ the week before, the temperature and humidity were almost the same. I had heard that August is the rainy season in Thailand, characterized by heavy downpours, but fortunately, we were blessed with sunny weather without being caught in any heavy rain.

 From Monday, August 26th to Friday August 30th, 2024, we visited several institutions in Bangkok. Among them were the Bangkok Japanese School, Japanese cram schools, the Japanese Embassy, Kosen Kmutt, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and its affiliated startup institution (Knowledge Xchange), and Sripatum University. During these visits, we introduced our school, discussed the recruitment of international students and returnees, toured the facilities of each institution, and exchanged opinions on the COOP Project and startup initiatives.

 From Friday, August 30th to Sunday September 1st, the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024 was held. At the Expo, the 45th Bangkok Study Abroad Fair was also held by the Jeducation Bangkok Japan Expo Executive Committee. ICT had a booth at the event. At the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024, many booths showcased various aspects of Japanese culture, such as travel to Japan and Japanese culinary traditions, creating an atmosphere filled with enthusiasm and interest in Japan.
 Many Japanese children living in Thailand, as well as Thai middle school students and their parents, visited the ICT booth. Some families engaged in serious discussions about studying at ICT for over an hour. Additionally, many high school and university students expressed strong interest in KIT, our affiliated school, and numerous questions were asked.
 At the Bangkok Japan Expo 2024, there were a total of 118,104 visitors over 3 days. Many attendees already had an interest in Japan, which created an environment conducive to discussions about Japan and studying abroad. The ICT booth was bustling with visitors from morning until evening, and our team worked together to assist them. We were amazed by the high level of interest from the Thai people in studying in Japan. We hope that this exhibition will lead to increased enrollment at ICT.
 This trip to Thailand was filled with new experiences, making it a very fulfilling time. Unfortunately, I had case of food poisoning and had to visit a hospital in Thailand, which was quite challenging. Despite this, the trip to Thailand was an unforgettable experience.

Yuri Makada

Hello, this is Hitomi Nanto from ICT Kanazawa Office. Today, I am introducing our facility,” The Learning Commons”.
The Learning Commons was launched on the first floor of the Kanazawa Campus in September 2023. This room is a large learning space for independent learning activities such as self-learning, group studying, preparation of presentations, and discussion. It is mainly used by 4th and 5th year students who commute to the Kanazawa Campus and is designed to help them spend their precious free time after school.
Students at ICT can use this room freely which contains interactive and movable whiteboards and multi-purpose outlets on the tables. After school, I often see students sitting in the box seats by the window, enjoying self-study and conversation with their classmates. It is exciting to think that we can spend time with our friends and create new possibilities together in a place like this.

Tables and chairs in the middle of this room can be used not only for self-study but also for group work by rearranging the tables. Movable whiteboards and projectors can be used for seminars, workshops, and group brainstorming sessions.

These are booth seats like those in a diner. Some students can be seen relaxing with their classmates, spreading out their lunch boxes and snacks, or engaging in self-study. The center of the table is equipped with an electrical multi-purpose outlet, which is very convenient for charging computers and tablets.

This is the counter area and a casual space for learning and discussion. Large displays and whiteboards on the walls can be used for effective group study and discussion by displaying images from PCs.

　Hitomi Nanto

Hello, I'm Tenzing Deguchi, currently studying abroad in Dunedin, New Zealand, during my 3rd year in ICT. I'm really enjoying my time here, especially with all the sports and music activities I do with my friends. But without a doubt, the best memory of my study abroad experience so far has been the ski trip to Queenstown.

Early in the morning on Wednesday, August 21st, 2024, the teachers and students gathered on campus, and we took a bus about 160 km to Wanaka. On the bus, we had a blast singing karaoke, using a speaker we brought along to play music. On the way, we stopped to eat New Zealand’s famous meat pies and played in a park before getting back on the bus. After a while, we arrived at “Puzzling World”. Puzzling World is like an optical illusion museum, with a lot of art that plays tricks on your eyes. There were rooms and mazes we could actually walk into and interact with. It was so much fun watching my normally tall friend suddenly appear short!

Our accommodation was nearby, with six of us in one room. After unpacking, we immediately headed to Lake Wanaka, which was right in front of us. Since we’re a group of energetic boys, it didn’t take long for an impromptu shoving match to start by the water, which got super intense and fun. In the end, Natsuki lost and had to return with wet clothes and shoes. That night, we had Mexican food and stopped by a supermarket to grab snacks and dessert (ice cream, of course).

On the second day, we went to Cardrona Alpine Resort—this was the main highlight of the trip. We've had a lot of fun skiing and snowboarding during our stay at Hakusanroku Campus, but everyone agreed that this was our best skiing experience yet. New Zealand doesn’t get as much snow as Japan, so the ski resorts are at higher altitudes, and most of the snow is artificial. The snow was light and powdery, and while there were a lot of people, the breathtaking scenery more than made up for it. We skied under a bright blue sky, with stunning mountains stretching out to the horizon. Since there weren’t any trees on the slopes, we could ski anywhere we wanted, which really ignited our sense of adventure. However, amidst all the excitement, one of my friends lost his phone. We tried using Snapchat’s location feature, but it wasn’t helpful, and he was devastated as he hadn’t seen his phone in two hours. Thankfully, one of the ski shops had it—apparently, a kind tourist had found and handed it in. That night, we made burgers for dinner, went to the supermarket again, and played card games before going to bed.

On the last day, we headed down to Queenstown to ride the luge carts, which are like go-karts that race downhill. Before that, we stopped at a famous local McDonald's for a bite. I couldn’t finish my Big Mac, so I took it to-go. Feeling all excited, I was carrying the Big Mac and fooling around when I tripped and broke my front tooth. At that moment, my mind went blank, and I had this terrible vision of living out the rest of my life with a goofy smile and no chance of finding love, which really brought my mood down. During the luge ride, I was the only one who crashed my cart into a wall and got thrown out, which made me feel even more clumsy and sad. But then we went bungee jumping, and it was so thrilling that I completely forgot about everything. I was the first to jump, and although I was a bit scared at first, once I was strapped into the harness, I got excited and just went for it. It felt like flying through the sky, and it was the best feeling ever. On the bus ride back, I slept, and before I knew it, we were back at school.

It was hands down the most fun I’ve had during my time in New Zealand.

Hello again! It’s me, Domyson Abuan, a Learning Mentor at ICT Hakusanroku campus. I am back with my second journal entry. This time, I have a story to share to mark my first anniversary of working at ICT!

My best friend gifted me a shirt that says, “EPIC FAIL.” At first, wearing something that labels me a failure seemed odd, but I proudly wear it anytime. “EPIC FAIL” has become a popular slang term for funny or ridiculous mishaps, usually made while doing something simple.

 It all started two years ago when the two of us joined a sports event in Ishikawa—wall climbing, BMX, parkour, all packed into one venue! So exciting! We drove a few hours to get there—only to discover that the event was mainly for kids!

 We were the only adults lining up to do parkour with children, looking like two out-of-place chaperones. To make it even funnier, I struggled with the course, and the kids easily beat me! We laughed so much that we dubbed the day an “EPIC FAIL.”

 Despite the mishap, we had a great time, and it became the start of more epic adventures—a race in Hokkaido, firefly squid fishing in Namerikawa, and even backpacking in the Philippines. Every trip brought more epic failures, but with each one, we picked life lessons. My friend gave me the shirt, and it reminded me of how much we’ve learned from those moments.

 Fast forward to August 7th, 2024. I wore my “EPIC FAIL” shirt during ICT Hakusanroku campus’s summer camp, where students from various schools gathered for STEM workshops. The theme of the camp was “Imagineering a dream company aimed at the future we want to see!!”, and I was assigned to introduce the concept. Imagineering blends imagination and technical skills, encouraging students to create innovative solutions for pressing social issues.

 I secretly hoped someone would ask about my shirt so I could tie it into the importance of failure in engineering. But to my surprise (and true to the spirit of an epic fail), all the workshops finished, and no one asked.

 Later that afternoon, while playing badminton with the participants in the gym, I finally got my chance. Three students from Thailand approached me, and one of them, a boy named CJ, noticed my shirt. He giggled and asked why I was wearing it. It was music to my ears! I felt like the universe was behind me, cheering me on to seize the moment.

 I told them about the meaning of the slang. We also discussed that in engineering—and in life—we often encounter failure. To my delight, they were genuinely engaged in the conversation. We discussed how failure proves that we’re trying, taking action, and learning. It pushes our ideas forward, eventually leading to better versions and successful outcomes. One of the boys chimed in saying, "As long as we keep trying, failing is okay." I couldn’t agree more, adding, "And if you’re going to fail while trying, make it epic so you always remember the lessons!"

 That conversation felt like a mission accomplished for the day.

 I saw the boys again later at the workshop venue. They smiled and waved, recognizing me as “the guy with the epic fail shirt.” Even if they didn’t remember my name, I was happy they recalled the conversation we had that night.

On the last day of camp, I was playing the ukulele with Sin, another participant. CJ approached me, holding something in his hands. He gave it to me and said, “This is for you.” He told me he enjoyed our conversation and wanted to give me a gift.

 I was thrilled to know that our talk had resonated with at least one student. As I write this, I’m marking one year of working at ICT. I’m incredibly grateful for moments like these, where we get to share engineering insights with students—lessons I hope will serve them as life skills as they grow.

 Oh, and by the way, CJ’s gift was a pair of traditional Thai pants! I’m sure they’ll go perfectly with my “EPIC FAIL” shirt. I can’t wait to wear the combo at a future workshop.

 Looking ahead, I’m excited to experience more realizations, “EPIC FAIL”, and eventual successes with the school community as we continue striving toward ICT’s goal of fostering global innovators. I’ll be sure to share more stories in future journal entries!

Domyson Abuan, Learning Mentor

　Hello, this is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. This time, I would like to write about the harvest of Beniharuka sweet potatoes by the Engineering Design IIA (2nd year) class.

 In the 2nd year Engineering Design IIA class, students are tackling issues facing the mountainous regions in HAKUSANROKU (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan), such as abandoned farmland, and increasing animal damage. The students are divided into two groups, the Agribusiness Group and the Tech Group. The Agribusiness Group grows sweet potatoes called Beniharuka in a fallow field across from the school and experiences managing an agricultural business through the process of sales, marketing, and accounting. The Tech Team is working to develop an AI and IoT enabled animal damage prevention system. 

 On Thursday, September 12th, 2024, the Agribusiness Team worked on harvesting Beniharuka sweet potatoes in extremely hot weather with temperatures over 30 ℃ around HAKUSANROKU. President Masaaki Shikada also participated in the harvest. Also, this year, there was no animal damage because an electric fence was installed to prevent monkeys from entering the fields. Additionally, there were fewer small sweet potatoes than previous years, and it seemed that the climate conditions this season were more favorable than last year. However, it was extremely hot that day, and after harvesting about one-third of the Beniharuka sweet potatoes in about two hours, we finished for the day.

 I also participated in the harvest of Beniharuka sweet potatoes on that day, and I found that cutting the vines at the base of the sweet potatoes, removing the mulch, and the actual harvest itself were much more physically demanding than I had expected. It was also a battle against the heat. The students with their faces flushed from the heat, took breaks, stayed hydrated, and diligently focused on their work. I was truly impressed by their dedication.

 On the evening of Tuesday, September 17th, 2024, the rest of the Beniharuka sweet potato were harvested. Unlike the previous harvest day, the temperature was a bit cooler, and the cloudy weather made for a more comfortable working environment. Students spent about three hours harvesting the potatoes. Although not all Agribusiness Group members could attend due to other extracurricular activities, a few members from the Tech Team came to help, and we successfully finished harvesting the remaining Beniharuka sweet potatoes. Overall, many of the Beniharuka sweet potatoes were of excellent size and shape. Despite planting the same number of plants as last year, we harvested 349 kg this year, about 1.7 times more than last year—a record harvest!

 The harvested Beniharuka sweet potatoes will be aged in the warehouse inside the school for about a month, allowing the starch to convert into sugars. They are scheduled to be shipped as raw sweet potatoes to Sena Roadside Station across from the school on Monday, October 28th. On Sunday, November 3rd and Monday, November 4th, the students will be selling baked sweet potatoes and original goods featuring the Kosen Beniharuka at Sena Roadside Station. Additionally, our school will hold an open campus on Sunday, November 3rd. If you are planning to attend on this day and have the time, we are looking forward to seeing you at Sena Roadside Station!
Click here for open campus details

Yuri Makada