TAKISHIMA Rinka | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Reason Why You Decided to Apply

I first got to know that the Field Study Program is one of the fascinating features of ST when I entered APU. After the semester, my interests switched to Tourism in Hokkaido since I was taking a course in Tourism. Related to the topic in this course, I especially focused on cultural tourism in Hokkaido. I consider it a problem that “cultural tourism” doesn’t get much attention than “nature” and” food” in Hokkaido. I thought interactive activities in this program might help to pursue my interests. From the consideration above, I decided to apply to this program.

What do you hope to gain from participating in the program and how will you apply it to your future undergraduate studies or career?

At the city we visited this time, we were welcomed warmly by local people who engaged in the cultural promotion of Ainu. I was able to talk directly with those people and have a deep conversation. I guess this is one of the most precious experiences we can get from the Field Study Program. Through this experience, I noticed that “People” is an important element in the local district. It was my big progress that I perceived local “people” and local “life” coexist under “tourism”. I’m going to keep those in mind and keep studying.

Message for Students Interested in The Program

It will be a good chance for you to interact with people with different faculties and grades. Although the program term is within a week and kind of short, you might get deep and thick experiences through the program. Of course, being active in learning and trying to absorb knowledge are important things. But I’ll advise you to enjoy spending time with fellows outside the APU campus at the same time! Also, even if you don’t have 100% interest in the field of Field Study, just try to apply. You might find another interesting field through the program.