Tokyo University of Agriculture ~ Fall Festival

Happy New Year everyone!

Last year, I spent a Saturday at a university festival in my prefecture. In Japan, every November, universities across the country host school festivals to showcase students' work, attract new students and, by selling some foods or other small items, student groups earn money to support their club activities (such as a cheer leading team, for example).

The university I visited is a well-established one: Tokyo University of Agriculture. This school is famous for training students to become farmers, bio-engineers, genetic experts, and chemists. Let's take a look around and see the elements of a typical school festival in Japan.

School sign / Food stalls:

Graphics added for privacy.

The main reason most attend a school festival is for the cheap food. Students obtain licenses from the government to open a shop, prepare food and sell to customers over the span of 3 or 4 days. Most students choose simple, yet favorite items: yakisoba (fried noodles), bowls of udon (thick, white noodles in a soup broth), yakitori (grilled chicken on sticks), and Japanese sweets such as dango (pounded rice covered with a sweet coating). I enjoyed nibbling on a few things -- all were delicious!

Students selling herb plants / more food stalls / map of various kinds of rice grown in Japan:

Festivals are also a way for students to showcase what they have learned in their lectures. I visited many classrooms, in which various topics were presented: animal DNA splicing, goat specialists, genetically grown food, etc. The best and most informative one for me was the display on rice grown in Japan. I eat rice almost everyday here, but had no idea there were many, many variations of these tiny grains. With each variance, the taste and texture also differs. It was quite interesting!

Student with his cow:

Outside, I saw many families with young children enjoying the pens set up with live animals. Those passing by were welcome to pet and/or touch the animals. Some children were allowed to brush the animals as well. All the animals looked very well fed! 

Sign / Chicks / Sheep:

If you are visiting Japan in early November, you should try to visit a university campus and enjoy these student festivals. They are free, open to the public and a great way to expose yourself to a unique side of Japanese (educational) culture. 

Enjoy festivals!

Information: 

Tokyo University of Agriculture ~ SITE 

Festival dates: 

October 31 ~ November 3, 2015. 

* Most festivals are held the first week of November. 

Cost: 

Free! 

* But bring money so you can buy lots of food!

Location:

All over Japan. If you are staying at a hotel, as the hotel's front desk for the university nearest you.

Tokyo Agricultural University (Atsugi Campus) is located in central Kanagawa (next to Tokyo).