By Alice Eberhart
The Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures recently hosted Japanese Ambassador Shigeo Yamada, Consul-General of Japan in Chicago Jun Yanagi, and other embassy officials, giving faculty, staff, and students a unique opportunity to showcase the Japanese program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The October 14 event in Phillips Hall included an introduction to Japanese studies at the University of Iowa, readings in Japanese from two International Writing Program (IWP) writers from Japan followed by English translations from Japanese program students, comments from the ambassador, and open discussion between the students and the ambassador.
The event was open to all students in the Japanese program and featured seven students who translated works by the IWP writers. All students were given the opportunity to ask the ambassador questions and engage in casual conversation.
Kendall Heitzman, associate professor of Japanese literature and culture and DEO of Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures, described the department’s excitement to hold the event.
“It was truly an honor to host the Japanese ambassador, the consul-general, and other embassy officials in Phillips Hall,” Heitzman said. “They visited because they had heard we do some interesting things here. We were glad for the opportunity to meet them, and we are looking forward to closer contact with them.”
In the Japanese program, students have access to a range of unique types of study. In the program’s translation class, students work closely with visiting writers to create translations of the writers’ work.
“Student-translators spend precious weeks with prominent contemporary Japanese poets and fiction writers, asking the authors directly about the poems and stories they are translating,” Heitzman said. “It is an incredibly valuable experience that only Iowa can offer.”
Ava Nollen, a third-year undergraduate student pursuing history and Japanese studies, read her translation of a story by Yuten Sawanishi together with the writer for the ambassador.
“I was excited to share my work with others,” Nollen said. “I love to write and read, so this translation class was right up my alley. Once I was finished reading, I felt very relieved and happy that I had accomplished this, and I was excited to hear the ambassador speak.”
Andrew Baur Schoer, a fourth-year student studying Japanese and economics, read with the poet Kei Okamoto. Like many other Japanese program students, he was eager to engage with the ambassador.
“It was great to hear the ambassador’s thoughts about the importance of cross-cultural exchange between the U.S. and Japan,” Baur Schoer said. “He tested my Japanese a bit, too, which made for a fun conversation.”
Students come to the Japanese program from many different backgrounds. Nollen, for example, had no experience with Japanese before coming to Iowa.
“America doesn’t have a national language for a reason, and while I’m lucky that so many people learn English as a second language to communicate with me, I wanted to return the favor,” she said. “I chose Japanese as my language program because I wanted to learn a language I had no familiarity with—one that would challenge me and immerse me in a new culture and new ways of speaking.”
The experiences the Japanese program provides can be challenging but are very rewarding, and accessible to people of all experience levels, Nollen and Baur Schoer noted.
Students taking part in the program are well-guided as they take on their classes, work closely with visiting writers in translating their work, and take part in exciting events like meeting the Japanese ambassador.
“The program has been rigorous, fun, and engaging and has had a profound impact on my life,” Baur Schoer said. “My Japanese has developed to a much higher level than I initially imagined, and I’ve learned how to adapt to high-intensity courses.”
