From 20 February to 1 March 2023, six teachers and students from School of Architecture went to Japan to participate in the "Sakura Science Program" held by Japan Science and Technology Agency. The Japanese side of this activity is hosted by the Department of International Environmental Engineering of Kitakyushu City University in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
The aim of this event is to learn about Japanese research achievements in the fields of architectural design and environmental protection, and to understand Japanese culture and society from a scientific and technological view, through lectures, field trips, and cultural experiences organized by the Japanese university.
Group photo
Kitakyushu City University organized rich academic exchange activities for the visiting students and teachers. On the first day of the visit and exchange, Prof. Weijun Gao, a foreign academician of the Japan Academy of Engineering, gave a special academic lecture, introducing the basic situation of the Department of International Environmental Engineering of Kitakyushu City University, analyzing the basic concepts and policies of the City of Kitakyushu as a model eco-city in Japan and the composition of the Intelligent Community Creation Project of Kitakyushu, as well as the application of the green ecological technology in the city in terms of ecological academic research. He also gave a lecture on the application of green eco-technology in cities in terms of ecological academic research. Prof. Baomu gave a lecture on the impact of earthquakes in Japan and the seismic design of buildings. During the visit, students and faculty from the School of Architecture also participated in and delivered lectures at an international conference on "Decarbonization and the Future of Cities" organized by the Asian Institute of Low Carbon Design.
Academic lectures by University of Kitakyushu
The Japanese side also invited visiting teachers and students to conduct field visits and research on Japanese architecture and ecology. This activity included visits and studies to Japanese architectural and environmental protection enterprises, environmental museums and other places, as well as in-depth experience of Japanese modern architectural masterpieces. At the Kitakyushu Environment Museum, students learnt about the development of Kitakyushu from an industrial city with heavy environmental pollution to an eco-city; at the Kumamoto Post-Disaster Gymnasium, students learnt about the impact of the Kumamoto Earthquake on the buildings and the methodology and technology of post-earthquake reconstruction. In addition, students and teachers also visited the Kitakyushu International Conference Centre designed by post-modernist master Shin Isozaki, the Kyushu National Museum designed by metabolist architect Aoyuki Kikutake, and the Dazaifu Starbucks designed by Japanese vernacular architect Kengo Kuma, experiencing the charms of the master's design through on-site visits.
Field visits and research on Japanese architecture and ecology
At the same time, teachers and students also had a deep experience of Japanese culture. Teachers and students visited Kokura Castle and Kumamoto Castle, two of the top 100 historical cities in Japan, and gained a certain understanding of Japanese history, culture and the formation of architectural styles. During the visit to Kumamoto Castle, the lead teacher also elaborated on the post-earthquake reconstruction of the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016, detailing the damage of earthquakes to historical buildings and the techniques of repairing them to withstand the earthquake.
Experience of Japanese culture
Although the exchange activity was short, the rich learning content and the warm and considerate arrangement of Kitakyushu City University left a deep impression on the teachers and students. The "Sakura Science Program" has increased academic and cultural exchanges between young people of China and Japan, established friendship with foreign scholars, accumulated academic resources, helped to develop the international vision of students, and is of great significance to promote the internationalization strategy of Chang'an University and the School of Architecture.
