Be a Part of Our Culture!－ Akari Kumagai, Senior

Are you interested in participating in some activities other than “study” during your study abroad?

Join one of AIU’s 40+ clubs and a special group ( AIU Kanto team) to pursue your passions, build friendships, and practice intercultural communication in several languages.

AIU Voices would like to introduce you to some of the club and group activities at AIU. Through these club activities, you may not only make great memories, but you may also meet friends for life!

Here’s a message from one of the members of the AIU Kanto team, Akari Kumagai.

Sashite raises a heavy bamboo pole with a number of lanterns and balances it on the palm of their hands, foreheads, shoulders, and hips.

Have you ever heard of Kanto?

Kanto is one of the traditional festive performances of Akita. It is said that people began the original performance of Kanto during the Edo period, so it has a history of over 200 years. Performers are divided into two groups: Sashite and Ohayashi. Members of Sashite raise a heavy bamboo pole with a number of lanterns, and they balance it on the palm of their hands, foreheads, shoulders, and hips. Members of Ohayashi plays the Japanese drum (Taiko) and Japanese flute (Fue) to make the performance even livelier.

Ohayashi plays the Japanese drum (Taiko) and Japanese flute (Fue) to make the performance even livelier.

We have practiced throughout the year so that we can make the best performance during the Akita Kanto Festival held every August. More than 70 teams participate in the festival, so we have many opportunities to communicate with local people in Akita (e.g. practice with people from other teams) and have a strong relationship with them. Other than the festival in August, we perform at the matriculation ceremony, open campus, and AIU Festival. To make a better performance at every event, we have improved ourselves through daily friendly rivalry.

If you are interested in AIU Kanto Team, visit us on AIU Kanto Team Facebook

or AIU Kanto Team Instagram.

We are waiting for you to become a part of our culture!

Kanto is one of the traditional festive performances of Akita.