Photo Credit: Ken Uemura

(dancers pictured are Heidi S. Durning and Mikayo Mori)

 

 

On September 28th, 2024, I had the opportunity to dance in the Eiun-in temple garden. Eiun-in temple is a Jodo Buddhist temple located in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto. Usually, it is a private temple, so it is not open to the public. However, I have had the opportunity to dance there for the past 30 years. Every two or three years, I collaborate with other dancers and musicians to create a performance appropriate to show in the beautiful inner garden of Eiun-in temple. For these performances the temple opens to the public and it is enjoyed immensely by everyone.

 

This year’s dance, music, and garden collaboration performance was titled “Sorara”. Dance performers Mori Mikayo and I created new works inspired by nature and feelings. Original music was composed by percussionist, Watanabe Ryo and Noh flutist, Nonaka Kumiko. We were inspired to create by the resonating sounds of the temple bells, the seasonal plants, the sky above us, and the various shapely clouds. The audience members were seated inside the temple with the musicians surrounding them on either side. The dancers appeared and moved within the garden visualizing the nature images using the arms, legs, and torso enhanced by facial expressions. Costumes were worn to compliment the color of the trees, sky, and seasonal plants blossoming in the garden. These colors were shades of blue, green, white, brown, and orange.

 

On this day we had good weather but several times before, I performed in the rain which was quite refreshing. Dancing in a temple garden is very different from dancing in a theater. We can feel our feet touch the moss, the costumes flow with the wind, and the air soothes us. The audience members watch the dancers melt into the garden scenery while the live music mixes with the natural sounds made by the birds and crickets.

 

We always feel lucky to perform in the Eiun-in temple garden as we share the space with everyone present there.

 

 

Blog Quiz

Q1. Where was the performance held?

Q2. What inspired the creation of the performance "Sorara"?

Q3. How is dancing in the temple garden different from dancing in a theater?

 

Scroll down↓for answers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Answers

Q1. At the Eiun-in Temple, in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto.

Q2. It was inspired by nature and feelings.

Q3. It is different because the dancers can feel the moss under their feet as they dance and the breeze as they move around the garden, and the live music mixes with the sounds of nature in the garden.

Photo Credit: Ravi Kant @Pexels.com

 

 

How much do you care about the weather in your everyday life? Do you usually check the Internet for the latest weather forecast, or are you the type of person who takes your folding umbrella with you regardless of the weather? Some people might change their schedule depending on that day’s weather and even postpone or cancel their plans.

 

In terms of weather in Japan, there are roughly four seasons: spring (March - May), summer (June - August), fall (September - November) and winter (December - February). Summer in Japan is also known as a rainy season, which is very hot, wet, and humid. Typhoons often come in fall, and some places can be so stormy that you are not able to hold your umbrella while you are walking outside. Japan is an island that stretches from north to south, so each region has different climates. For example, Hokkaido, which is in northern Japan has relatively cooler and comfortable weather in summer though it has a lot of snow in winter and the temperature can be below freezing.  

 

When it comes to the weather in the UK, you can probably imagine that there are a lot of rainy days throughout the whole year. As a person who was born and raised in Japan, the weather in the UK was one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced when I was studying there. In terms of explaining about rain in the weather report, there are a variety of expressions to describe it since they have many rainy days. You probably get used to hearing like “it will be sunny, cloudy or rainy tomorrow” in the Japanese weather report. However, you will often hear like “there will be a fresh shower during the day” or “it will be a windy morning tomorrow and blustery shower but clearer later of the day” in the British weather report.

 

What’s more, the time when British people start to use their umbrellas is slightly different from Japanese people. Japanese people tend to take out their umbrellas even if there is a light rain, leading to one of my British classmates often making fun of me saying “where are you HIDING your umbrella today?”, which made me feel like I was a typical Japanese in the UK.

 

 

Blog Quiz

 

Q1. When is the rainy season in Japan?

 

Q2. What is another word British people use to talk about “rain”?

 

Q3. Why did the writer feel like a typical Japanese in the UK?

 

 

Scroll down ↓ for answers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Answers

Q1. In the summer.

Q2. A shower/ Showers.

Q3. Because the writer was always carrying an umbrella.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@Pexel.com

 

 

"Have you ever lived abroad?" It’s a question I’m often asked, and the answer is, "No."

 

I’ve studied at language schools in Australia and Ireland, but both times it was only for up to six weeks during my university spring break. I wanted to study abroad for a full year, but since I was enrolled in the Teacher Training Course, it wasn’t possible. So, 19-year-old Ran set out on a little project of her own, which I called "Studying Abroad in Japan." I made a point of always surrounding myself with English, both input and output.

 

Here’s a rundown of what I did each day:

Write all schedules and to-do lists entirely in English. This helped me plan things properly and stay on top of tasks each day, while improving my everyday English.

 

Download speeches and interviews featuring your favourite actors. Listening to a range of topics is important, of course, but I found I was more motivated to listen to things I was interested in, so I started with subjects I wanted to know about.

 

Watch dramas or films in English. I’d watch a 45-minute episode of a drama over dinner. The first time, I’d watch it with Japanese subtitles, then watch it again with English subtitles. I always kept a notebook on hand so I could write down any phrases or vocabulary I wanted to try using in conversation.

 

Listen to a 5-minute English radio programme. Each night at 10:30 p.m., I’d listen to a five-minute English programme. I’d learn just one phrase a night, but imagine – if you did that every day for a year, you’d pick up over 300 useful phrases!

 

Output, output, and more output! I used to take an online English practice nearly every day, where I’d chat casually or practise for the Eiken speaking test. On top of that, I made a habit of talking to myself in English, and I went out of my way to join activities with international friends. It was scary at times, but I’ve built lasting friendships through it.

 

So, do you have to study abroad to become fluent in a foreign language? I’d say, "No." If you’re truly determined, anything is possible. Let’s take it one day at a time and go for it!

 

 

Blog Quiz

Q1. What two things did she write entirely in English?

Q2. What did she keep with her when watching English films?

Q3. What did she do every day for 5 minutes to improve her English?

 

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiz Answers:

Q1. Her schedule and to-do lists.

Q2. A notebook.

Q3. Listened to an English radio programme.

Photo Credit: Pedro Fegueras@Pexel.com

 

 

Overcoming stress is a common challenge in today's fast-paced world.　Univeristy students often find themselves suffering from stress, and sometimes lack effective strategies and mindsets to overcome it. It is important to have effective strategies in place to manage and reduce stress levels in order to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. While stress is a natural part of life, prolonged exposure to stress can lead to a variety of physical and mental health issues. Here are some of the best ways to overcome stress:

 

1. **Identify the Source of Stress**: The first step in effectively managing stress is to identify the root cause. Take some time to reflect on what is causing you stress – whether it's work, relationships, financial issues, or health concerns. By pinpointing the source of your stress, you can begin to address it more effectively.

 

2. **Establish Healthy Coping Mechanisms**: Developing healthy coping mechanisms is essential for overcoming stress. This can include engaging in regular physical activity, practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing, maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and connecting with supportive friends and family members.

 

3. **Time Management**: Poor time management can lead to increased stress levels. Learning to prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and break large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones can help reduce feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.

 

4. **Mindfulness and Meditation**: Mindfulness and meditation practices have been shown to be effective in reducing stress and promoting overall well-being. By staying present in the moment and practicing mindfulness, you can learn to let go of worries about the past or future, and focus on what is happening right now.

 

5. **Seek Professional Help**: If you find that your stress levels are significantly impacting your daily life and well-being, it may be beneficial to seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can provide you with tools and strategies to better manage stress and improve your mental health.

 

6. **Practice Self-Care**: Engaging in self-care activities is crucial for reducing stress levels. This can include taking time for yourself to relax, practicing hobbies you enjoy, getting a massage, or simply taking a break from your usual routine to recharge.

 

7. **Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle**: Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and prioritizing sleep are key components of managing stress. A healthy lifestyle can help support your physical and mental well-being, making it easier to cope with the challenges that come your way.

 

8. **Set Boundaries**: Learning to set boundaries and say no when necessary is important for reducing stress levels. It's okay to prioritize your own well-being and needs, even if it means turning down certain commitments or responsibilities.

 

9. **Practice Gratitude**: Practicing gratitude can help shift your focus from what is stressing you out to what you are thankful for. Keeping a gratitude journal, where you write down things you are grateful for each day, can help foster a more positive mindset and reduce stress.

 

10. **Engage in Relaxation Techniques**: Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, or visualization can help calm your mind and body in times of stress. Taking a few minutes each day to practice these techniques can have a significant impact on your overall stress levels.

 

In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to overcoming stress. It's important to experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you. By incorporating these tips into your daily routine, you can effectively manage stress and improve your overall well-being. Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it, and that taking care of yourself is essential for living a balanced and fulfilling life.

 

 

Blog Quiz

 

Q1. What is the first step, when trying to reduce stress?

A.  Set boundaries

B.   Seek professional help

C.   Identify the source of stress

 

Q2. University students often _______ effective strategies to deal with stress.

A.  lack

B.   lose

C.   laugh at

 

Q3. When practicing ______________, you will shift your focus from the stress to what you are thankful for and feel a more positive mindset and feel less stress.

A.  gardening

B.   gratitude

C.   gourmet cooking

 

Scroll down for the answers to the quiz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer Key

Q1. C

Q2. A

Q3. B

Photo Credit: Tara Winstead @Pexels.com

 

Let's try thinking about "memory." First, please try playing the game at the following link. The rules are simple: memorize the numbers that appear momentarily, then click to answer. Free Working Memory Tests [https://www.memorylosstest.com/free-working-memory-tests-online/]

 

How did you do?

 

The human brain has two types of memory: "short-term memory" and "long-term memory." This game is a test of short-term memory. Short-term memory is also known as "working memory," and refers to memories that are stored temporarily in the brain.

 

According to research conducted by Princeton University psychologist George Miller, short-term memory is retained for only about 20 seconds. After that period of time, it is considered unnecessary and forgotten. Try to answer the questions in the previous game 20 seconds after you see the numbers. It should be much more difficult for you to do so.

 

We can expect to achieve increased efficiency in language learning if we understand and utilize this characteristic of memory.

 

In fact, George Miller made another important discovery: the fact that “humans can only commit 7±2 pieces of information to memory at a time." In other words, we are able to memorize 5–9 pieces of information. This is known as the “magical number”.

 

Up until now, many people have been tested to see how many digits they can remember, and there are almost none who can remember more than 9 digits. This seems to be the limit of human beings.

 

So, how can we remember an 11-digit phone number? We can do this because we use a method known as chunking. For example, we can divide the phone number 08012345678 into 3 groups, "080," "1234," and "5678," and memorize them as 3 pieces of information. By doing so, we can get around the short-term memory limit of 7±2 pieces of information at a time.

Put another way, a person can only memorize 7±2 "chunks of information" at a time. By applying this knowledge, we can make it easier to memorize longer English sentences for English presentations, and so on. For example, the sentence "I object to the idea that classical music and popular music should be dealt with as totally different categories." can be divided into the following groups:

 

"I object to the idea"

"that classical music and popular music"

"should be dealt with"

"as totally different categories."

 

It is easier to memorize sentences by dividing them into groups in the manner shown.

 

 

Questions:

Q1. For how long is short-term memory retained in the brain?

 

Q2. How many pieces of information can a person memorize at a time?

 

Q3. How can we make information easier to memorize?

 

Scroll down↓for answers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A1. Approximately 20 seconds

A2. 7±2 pieces

A3. By dividing it into chunks

Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studio @Pexels.com

 

As with learning anything - the guitar, calligraphy, yoga, cooking - a new language takes time to acquire. If you’re going to be a good guitarist, writer, yogi, cook or foreign language speaker, you need many hours of practice over a long period of time. Many people feel motivated to start learning a language in the beginning, but that motivation often falls away as time goes on. What are some simple ways to keep motivation up?

 

At the beginning, habitualise your language learning. Embed it in your day. Set your alarm in the morning to play a new English song every day. Prepare an alert on your smartphone every morning to read that day’s news or weather in English. Listen to regular English podcasts on your commute into school. These are three technology-based ways to bring language learning into your daily routine in a simple, regular, automatic way.

 

Further to this, reward yourself if you do these three things in any one day. Keep a record of it in your smartphone calendar or ‘notes’ app. At the end of the month, if you have done these listening / reading tasks every day of that month, buy yourself a prize like an English magazine or book. Rewarding yourself on a regular basis for your language learning efforts is a smart way to keep up your motivation.

 

Lastly, set a tangible goal. Download the next year’s calendar for the EIKEN or TOEIC tests in your area. Pencil in a few target test dates over the course of the year - for example, EIKEN in January; TOEIC in June; TOEFL iBt in November. Many of the most popular language proficiency tests are spread at different dates throughout the year. Having a few concrete test dates and a sensible target level will give you sufficient motivation to keep up your language learning all through the year. Measure your progress by taking practice tests along the way too.

 

Questions:

Q1. An action that you ‘habitualise’ is something you do…

a: At your own pace

b: On a regular basis

c: Only in your free time

d: Sometimes

 

Q2. True or False? Rewards enhance motivation.

 

Q3. A goal is ‘tangible’ when it is…

a: Sensible, achievable, measurable

b: Ambitious, difficult, expensive

c: Clever, motivating, impossible.

 

Scroll↓down for answers

 

A1. On a regular basis (B)

B2. True

C3. Sensible, achievable, measurable (A)

Photo Credit: Roman Ska @pexels.com 

 

Imagine you are a fresh university student who decides to live by yourself. What kind of home would you like to live in? There is quite an interesting housing option in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which is easy on the wallet. Can you guess what it is like? They are container homes. I once found an article about these unique houses, and I would like to introduce them to you.

 

First of all, why were container homes born in Amsterdam? The biggest reason is that housing in the city is quite expensive, similar to living in Tokyo, and it is very challenging for students to find low-cost apartments. Therefore, there is a shortage of reasonable housing for students. The next question would be, “Where did the idea of building houses made of containers come from?” The answer is that there are thousands of unused shipping containers in ports around the world. Although steel companies recycle some of the old containers, they cannot recycle all of them. That’s why there are just so many containers left behind. Therefore, the idea to reuse the shipping containers as student housing came up. Actually, the materials are suitable for creating houses.

 

First of all, shipping containers are basically all the same size, so it is quite easy to build up and it does not take a lot of space to make a new residential area. Also, it takes very little energy to reuse the containers for housing because there is no need to create a house from scratch. Next, containers are made of steel and the steel is strong. Strength is quite an essential factor when building a house. Finally, the containers are so widely available that they are quite cheap to buy. That can lead to offering students affordable housing.

 

How affordable is it, by the way? According to the article, the monthly rent is about €400, which is around \65,000. (Note: it was in 2015 when this container housing project started) It is about half the price of the average rental fee of a so-called studio apartment in the Netherlands. That is a brief background that shows why the container houses were born and why they are suitable for housing.

 

What is the inside of the container houses actually like? Do you think it is attractive enough for university students that they would want to live there? According to students who have actually lived in the container houses, each apartment is quite spacious. It has a kitchen, a bedroom with a study area, and a bathroom. Some students say that it is bright, and it also has its own balcony. It is warm and quiet. In addition, it has a high-speed Internet connection, too. Therefore, it seems like a comfortable environment for university students.

 

Nowadays, shipping containers are not only used for homes but also for a huge container shopping mall, container offices, restaurants, coffee shops, and mobile health clinics, for example. Would you like to live in a container house?

 

Questions:

 

Q1. In which city are the container homes the author talks about located?

a. The Netherlands

b. Amsterdam

c. Tokyo

 

Q2. Which of these is NOT an advantage of container homes?

a. They are strong

b. They look beautiful

c. They are affordable

 

Q3. How do you think the author feels about container homes is?

a. They are a good idea.

b. They are over-priced.

c. The author would prefer a normal apartment

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

 

 

Answers:

1. b

2. b

3. a

Photo Credit: Pavel Danilyuk @pexels.com 

 

Popular entertainment figures can change the way people think and behave. I was sad to learn that in July 2024, the fitness instructor, entrepreneur, and television personality Richard Simmons had died at age 76. Richard Simmons was someone who started to become famous when I was in junior high. I first saw him on The Phil Donahue Show, a popular television talk show. Simmons’ energy, message, and theatrical style on the show demonstrated a great charisma that made him immediately popular. I bought his first exercise album, called “Reach,” when I was 15 years old. Years later, I still sometimes listen to recordings of it and do the exercises, along with his “Sweating to the Oldies” exercise videos. Richard Simmons was not a typical “hero” in the fitness industry: he was not particularly handsome, nor was he a super-athlete with a very muscular body. Nevertheless, there were several reasons why I really admired him:

 

1. Simmons himself had struggled to lose weight and become fit. While growing up he was picked on for being fat. When he was 15, he weighed about 83 kg (182 pounds) and eventually gained weight and hit 122 kg (268 pounds). However, his fitness programs and healthy eating helped him lose weight and stay at 56 kg (123 pounds) during most of his professional career.

 

2. He built a public stage persona that was super-energetic, outlandish, and silly, and made it a goal for people to have fun and enjoy themselves when they were working out. For example, his “Sweating to the Oldies” exercise videos had themes such as being in an old-fashioned diner, or at an amusement park, and had exercises designed for fun and laughing while moving. He would wear very bright, sparkly costumes or exercise wear with colorful stripes, and make amusing jokes.

 

3. His workout videos featured real people of different ages who were average looking, and many of whom were (or had been) quite overweight. They were not all beautiful young models or athletes. At the end of many of his videos, he would highlight each of the people in his video, commending how much weight they had lost.

 

4. He was a successful entrepreneur. He knew how to market himself and become a very well-known television personality, while producing dozens of videos and books. In addition to his successful workout studio and myriad exercise videos, he also had his own television show for four years. Later he had a popular membership-based website and maintained a strong social media presence through 2014.

 

5. He deeply cared about people who struggled with eating addiction and obesity, and his messages were motivational and inspiring. His books and videos motivated people to take better care of their eating and exercise habits. Although some people discounted Richard Simmons as being too silly, I will always admire him for his energy, his sense of fun, and his sincere caring for other people. Our heroes shape our lives.

 

Questions

 

Q1. Which of the following is true about Richard Simmons?

a. He was a former Olympic athlete.

b. He became popular and famous at age 15 as a child actor.

c. His popularity as a fitness trainer and personality was based on his flamboyant and fun style, as he tried to help average people get healthier.

d. He focused on helping wealthy Hollywood celebrities get fit.

 

Q2. What is NOT one of the reasons that the blog writer admired Richard Simmons?

a. Because he was a successful entrepreneur.

b. Because his sense of caring for his audience who were struggling with weight and fitness issues seemed very genuine and inspiring.

c. Because it was easy to relate to him as a real person who also had experienced trouble with being overweight and unfit in the past.

d. Because he had a very strict, serious, and commanding style of leading his exercise videos, and his workouts were extremely hard, even for very fit people.

 

Q3. According to this blog’s writer, why is considering our heroes and why we admire them valuable to do?

a. Because the heroes we choose look beautiful and strong so we want to try to look like them.

b. Because the positive characteristics they show can motivate us to change the way we think and behave.

c. Because our heroes inspire our sense of fashion.

d. Because our heroes are better than we can ever aspire to be ourselves.

 

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

 

 

A1. c

A2. d

A3. b

Photo Credit: Erik Mclean @pexels.com 

 

You probably know “The God of Manga”, Tezuka Osamu, but do you know “The King of Comics”?

 

You may not know who this King is, but you might know many of his characters. Over the past 15 years, superhero movies from Hollywood have become very popular worldwide. The most popular of these superhero movies were the Avengers movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). These box-office hits featured characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, and Nick Fury. All of these characters were created or co-created by Jack “the King” Kirby.

 

Kirby started working in American comics when he was about 20 years old. A few years later, he met up with his creative partner Joe Simon, and together they created Captain America in 1940. On the cover of the very first Captain America comic, Captain America punched Adolph Hitler, This was a year before the United States entered the Second World War. It established Captain America as an ideal of America: the very best that America could be.

 

After joining the American army and fighting in Europe during the war, Kirby returned to drawing comic books. By this time, superhero comics had become less popular, so Kirby and Simon created a new genre of comics: romance comics. In 1947, their comic magazine Young Romance was the first and most popular of over 100 different romance comics published until the mid-1950s.

 

But it is from the 1960s that Kirby became the King. He joined Marvel Comics, and in 1961, Marvel published The Fantastic Four with art by Kirby. In a period of about ten years, Kirby helped create some of the most famous superheroes of American comic books. Not only did Kirby create the characters named above, he also was the original artist for the X-Men (made into their own series of movies) and helped co-create Ant-Man and Black Panther. In all, 21 of the MCU movies feature Kirby-created characters as the main heroes of the story.

 

By this time, Kirby had developed his own dynamic art style and innovative storytelling techniques that changed the way comic book stories were told. His art had a sense of movement and energy when many other comic artists drew stiff figures that seemed motionless in comparison. The stories that he told through his art were often at a cosmic scale. With these stories, he made the reader think about the meaning of being human in a universe that was so vast. Kirby’s work set new standards for visual storytelling that still influences artists today.

 

Questions:

Q1. Kirby co-created Captain America in 1940. Who was his co-creator?

 

Q2. When did Kirby do his famous work for Marvel Comics?

 

Q3. What was special about Kirby's art?

 

Scroll down ↓ for answers.

 

A1. Joe Simon

A2. During the 1960s

A3. It was very dynamic with a lot energy. He told stories that were on an epic scale.

Photo Credit: Hai Nguyen @ Pexels.com

 

A former graduate student of Ritsumeikan University wrote me an e-mail from the London School of Economics (LSE) in England. She was coming to Kyoto for a visit and wanted to come by the campus to say hello. A few years ago, when she was going through the application process, another graduate of Ritsumeikan University who was already there studying took her under her wing and showed her the ropes. Now, here she was already about to graduate and very willing to help her kohais who were curious about their own future after Ritsumeikan. I felt proud and happy that she wanted to keep this magic chain going.

 

Often many students are divided between going immediately to graduate school and working after graduation. Some feel that they want to expand their knowledge and study further. Others, for various reasons, want to work and gain experience in the “real world.” More often than not, those who choose the latter path of working immediately say that they may also like to eventually go back to school for a higher degree. I wanted to share the pros and cons of these two paths for my very active and ambitious students this semester and knew that she would be perfect to give a talk to her kohais.

 

Just in time, a message came to my Linkedin account. It was a former student, now a career woman working her way up the corporate ladder as a bilingual human resources consultant. She wanted to inform me of how her consulting session went with an advanced student of mine who was at the moment looking for employment. The young, vibrant, and smart international consultant of Bangladeshi and Japanese heritage, and the passionate, savvy, and cosmopolitan graduate student of sociology of Indian ethnic background from LSE volunteered their time, knowledge, and experience on May 24, 2024, during the Senpai Kōhai Network Connection Spring 2024 Event titled “Graduate School and Corporate Life: Advice from Senpais.”

 

I sat in the back watching these two young, powerful, and energetic women, full of life and passion speak and share their experiences, knowledge and wisdom with their kohais who listened carefully to their every word with awe and respect. They confided that they, too, felt unsure and insecure during their first year but through the help of their senpais who reached out and lent a helping hand, they eventually also found their best path – one that has brought them to where they stood now. I felt proud – not only of their brilliant shine but also because they were solidifying the circular connection of the “Magic Chain” by never forgetting to give thanks to the outreach of helping hands.

 

Questions:

 

Q1. Who came for a visit and from where?

Q2. How many speakers were there and who were they?

Q3. What is the "Magic Chain"?

 

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

 

 

A1. A graduate student from England and a consultant from Bangladesh

A2. Two. They were former Ritsumeikan students.

A3. The practice of receiving knowledge from those who have come before and passing knowledge on to those who come after.