Module Code 單元編號 GEL2017 Module Title 單元名稱 EXPLORING JAPANESE CULTURE FROM HONG KONG Module Synopsis 單元概要 Japan and its culture are unquestionably favoured by Hongkongers. In 2017, 2.23 million, or almost 8 percent of Japan’s 28 million foreign visitors, came from Hong Kong, and almost one-fifth of Hong Kong travellers have visited Japan more than 10 times. Besides shopping and dining, among the younger generation there is also a growing interest in experiencing the authenticity of Japanese culture, customs, and lifestyles, trying to learn more profoundly about Japan. Although Japanese culture such as Japanese cuisine and pop culture can be seen adopted in the daily lives of Hong Kong people, many interesting cultural aspects are still less well known to the public, for example the intangible culture, aesthetics, ideologies, and social values of Japanese people, or traditional cultures such as the kimono, tea ceremony, Nihon-buyō dance, etc. Most students who want to learn about these do not have the chance to stay in Japan long enough to explore more deeply; thus it is easier to learn from the Japanese communities in Hong Kong. To help students fill the gap of knowledge between stereotypical and authentic Japanese culture, this course aims at providing the opportunity for them to engage in active, experiential learning, to explore a higher level of Japanese culture while staying in Hong Kong. Students are required to make contact and visit multiple times a community that is closely engaged in Japanese culture. For example, to learn about the spirit behind the dining culture of “Omakase” students can visit a sushi chef or the owner of a Japanese restaurant; to learn about the ideology of “Wabisabi” they can visit a master of tea ceremony/flower　arrangement; “Shokunin-seishin” from Kimono designers, the spirit of “dō” from a Kendo/Judo master; as well as the social norms from the teachers and students in a Japanese international school, etc. Students will learn essential research and communication skills through activities such as (a) forming a team and working collaboratively towards a goal, (b) researching topics that interest them, (c) writing proposals, planning, and justifying the feasibility to execute the project, (d) contacting and communicating with the targeted community, (e) acquiring skills and knowledge through non-formal and experiential activities, (f) reflecting on, reporting the achieved goals, and evaluating their own performances