We teach Americans about China. Or Japanese about the United States. Or Chinese about Silicon Valley. Our student cohorts are often very diverse, but usually share a similar national perspective. What if we mixed that up? What if we put students from different countries in the same program and asked them to learn together—and from each other? What if we then put them to work on a common problem, sharing common goals?

[Image above: Part of one group’s final project, “Buzzing Biodiversity: The Vital Role of Pollinators in Enhancing Ecosystems,” aimed at local Beijing, Suzhou, and Irvine, CA, communities. Poster designed by Jimmy Qiyuan Zhang (Suzhou). Other group members: Annie Meitong Song (Irvine) and Xinyi Nancy Zhao (Beijing).]

This past spring, Carey Moncaster and I decided to try it. We created a joint program, the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, combining the Stanford e-China Program for high school students in China, which Moncaster runs, with my China Scholars Program for high school students in the United States. Sixteen students in each country spent 14 weeks online together, exploring collaborative solutions to the climate crisis.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab (as in both “collaboration” and a hands-on “lab” done together) has two goals:

• To learn about current and potential solutions to climate change and its impacts, through a transnational lens; and
• To learn about and practice the cross-cultural collaboration skills necessary to achieve those solutions.

Climate issues were an obvious choice for the theme of the course. Not only is it the most urgent issue facing all of humanity, it is also one that avoids some of the stickier political issues between the United States and China. Chinese and American students could easily find common ground and common inspiration.

We chose to emphasize climate solutions—as opposed to problems—as a counter to discouraging narratives of crisis that surround this young generation, to instead emphasize the tools we have to correct course and heal.

“Solutions” also provided the structure for the course. Each module of the course was centered on a different area of climate solutions: Global Governance and Climate Diplomacy; Biodiversity; Green Finance; Clean Energy; Food and Agriculture. We were honored to draw on the expertise of Stanford faculty, as well as leaders from institutions like the Wilson Center and the Paulson Institute.*

In addition, we spent one week reading about cross-cultural skills. Stanford’s Scott Rozelle spoke with the students about his decades of practical experience running the Rural Education Action Program (REAP), a highly collaborative research and policy project involving transnational researchers, Chinese villagers and educators, and government officials. One student emphasized that it was Rozelle’s example in particular that “allowed me to see the ways professionals have worked together and made important findings.”

U.S.–China Co-Lab students had to work together for every assignment. The most straightforward were the in-class discussions on Zoom and the weekly, written discussion boards—which nonetheless required teaching and interpretation, with each student explaining a reading that other students had not done.

We used a design thinking approach for another assignment, the “Collaborative Prototype Challenge” developed by our SPICE colleague Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, in which each student was paired with a classmate from the other country. Through interviews, the students identified a key environmental need in their partner’s local community and brainstormed a creative prototype solution, using only materials at hand to represent it. Feedback and revision amplified this exercise in cross-cultural empathy, and the results were thoughtful, technical, artistic, and even goofy—ranging from Chinese paper lanterns made from repurposed packaging waste to a wearable air-conditioning suit to electricity generated by hamster wheels.

For our final project, the “Bilateral Media Campaign,” we stepped up the teamwork and the cross-cultural empathy. In groups of four (2 U.S., 2 China members), students created a media campaign targeting a specific climate solution, tailoring two versions for parallel audiences: one in China and one in the United States. Together, each group needed to agree on a message to inspire specific public action and two specific audiences for that message—which involved both academic and local, community-based research. With the resulting data, they had to choose medium, means, and strategy, and finally, create the materials themselves.

One group tackled invasive species and challenged teens in Arizona and Beijing to weed them out of their local ecosystems, with informative slides on buffelgrass and ragweed, respectively. A second group imagined schoolwide carbon footprint competitions between group members’ high schools in California and Shanghai. Another group sought to encourage families to adopt solar energy—for their own homes in North Carolina, or by using solar-charging personal devices in Beijing, where single-family homes are rare.

Students found the logistical coordination necessary to complete this multi-step project quite challenging and sometimes frustrating. But we considered that a realistic aspect of all collaborative problem-solving—all the more so when dealing with national boundaries, the international date line, and internet firewalls!

Feedback from the class suggests that the project was worthwhile. “I learned about the nuances and similarities between both audiences, which helped me appreciate the common ground we shared despite our diverse backgrounds,” commented one student. “The synergy that emerged from our collaboration was remarkable.”

Overall, Moncaster and I took extra care to represent a wide range of perspectives in the speakers and readings and other course materials, representing diversity in profession, academic discipline, strategy, personal background, etc. Several students commented on how their future plans had changed as a result: students who joined the program interested in policy now wanted to study climate tech as well; STEM-oriented students now understood the need for culturally informed messaging; a humanities student now felt confident in exploring environmental sciences as well.

Most importantly, friends were made, and almost all of the students plan to stay in touch with one another. Anfeng Wilson Xie, of Shanghai, China, was thankful for the opportunity to meet so many “passionate youths in the environmental field, as I have truly learned a lot from my peers.”

Feedback from the students on our first iteration of the U.S.–China Co-Lab has been overwhelmingly positive. “Its transformative journey surpassed my prior expectations,” Raiden Smith, of Tucson, Arizona, told us. He added that it “strengthened my interest in climate studies and broadened my perspective on the importance of cross-cultural communication as I’ve become more hopeful for our collaborative future.”

For our part, Moncaster and I were heartened and inspired by the intelligent, open-minded, and imaginative young people we got to know in the program and look forward to watching them forge their own future. Who knows what new solutions for our planet they may dream up together?

*We would like to offer our thanks and appreciation to all of our guest speakers for the Spring 2024 U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions:

Thomas Fingar, Senior Scholar, Shorenstein APARC Fellow, Affiliated Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Stanford University

Darrin Magee, Director, Institute for Energy Studies, Western Washington University

Rose Niu, Chief Conservation Officer, Paulson Institute

Scott Rozelle, Faculty Co-director of the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Helen F. Farnsworth Endowed Professorship, Senior Fellow at FSI, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

Mark Thurber, Associate Director for Research, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, FSI, Stanford University

Jennifer L. Turner, Director, China Environment Forum, Wilson Center

For more information about the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, please visit https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab. The application for the spring 2025 session is open now.

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Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 5, 2024, an award ceremony was held at Stanford University to honor SPICE’s Spring and Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and the 2024 RSP student honorees. The honorees performed at the highest levels of their courses as determined by Stanford e-Japan Instructors Waka Takahashi Brown (spring course) and Meiko Kotani (fall course), RSP Instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees. The honorees are:

Spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Asumi Kato, Matsumoto Fukashi High School; home prefecture: Nagano
Luna Kihara, Osaka Jogakuin High School; home prefecture: Osaka
Satoshi Yamamura, Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Takuma Kawaguchi, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo
Kanako Miyazaki, Saikyo Municipal High School; home prefecture: Kyoto

Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Hisataka Kadota, Okayama Prefectural Okayama Asahi Senior High School; home prefecture: Okayama
Shoma Nishida, Canadian Academy Kobe; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rei Ozawa, Keio Girls Senior High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Mayu Anzai, Seiun High School; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rihito Kotani, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo

2024 Reischauer Scholars Program
Sophie Ankeles, Polytechnic School; California
Annamika Konkola, West Linn High School; Oregon
Vivian Luo, Mt. Lebanon High School; Pennsylvania

Honorable Mentions:
Maya Swaminathan, Lynbrook High School; California
Catherine Fisher, The Nueva School; California

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The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Yo Osumi, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He commented that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are very important for our two nations and noted that the education of youth has been one of his highest priorities since he assumed his post at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. He extended high praise to the honorees.

Also in attendance from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco were Mayu Hagiwara, Director and Consul, Japan Information and Culture Center; Asumi Chikae, Consul for Education, Science, and Technology; and Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs.

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Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave overviews of their courses. The student honorees made engaging presentations based on their research papers and were very poised while fielding questions from the audience. Each honoree received a plaque from their instructor. (Photo above: student honorees and their instructors taken at Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center; Consul General Osumi, seventh from the right.)

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Among the audience members were Stanford student Anna Matsumoto (photo above), a Yanai Tadashi Scholar from Tokushima Prefecture, and Keio Girls High School English Teacher and Global Partnership Coordinator Leon Mueller. Mueller commented,

It was such an honor to see the amazing presentations by this elite group of high school students. The Stanford e-Japan program provided them the opportunity to apply their drive and intellect in a highly academic environment, resulting in a stronger understanding of the U.S.–Japan partnership. It was also encouraging to see the many friendships being forged among the Japanese and American students and the desire to take what they had learned and share it with their peers back in their communities. I think this type of ripple effect is what makes the program so inspiring and unique.

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Also in the audience were SPICE supporters, Adrian and Monica Yeung Arima. SPICE is grateful to them all for their unwavering support of SPICE. (Photo above: Mueller standing next to Kotani.)

The RSP is about to enter its 22nd year and Stanford e-Japan is currently in its 10th year. Many of the alumni are engaged in various fields related to U.S.–Japan relations and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers or mentors to the current students.

Following the formal event, the student honorees—most having just met each other in person for the first time—had the chance to enjoy lunch and a Stanford campus tour together. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will continue to strengthen their budding friendships and ensure that the U.S.–Japan relationship remains strong.

SPICE is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to Chikano Shiroma of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for her regular correspondence and encouragement. SPICE is also thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not be possible without them.

The Reischauer Scholars Program is currently accepting applications until October 18, 2024. Stanford e-Japan’s spring 2025 application period will be from November 15 to December 31, 2024.

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My grandfather used to run a kindergarten in Seoul. During one of our summer visits, my brother and I were invited to teach a portion of the English classes with a stern reminder to restrict our vocabulary to basic words. As we stumbled along the lesson plan, juggling our conversational grasp of the Korean language with our grandfather’s wishes, one of the kids cried out “이건 너무 쉽잖아!” — “This is too easy!” The brutal honesty of our student raised a question I didn’t quite know how to answer yet: How Korean am I?

Attending the Sejong Korea Scholars Program was critical in helping me answer that question. Throughout the program, I found that my motivation to understand my ethnic identity was richly rewarded by the many opportunities to study and discuss the historical development of Korea. Quite unlike my unfortunate student(s) earlier, I found myself thoroughly challenged and pushed to grow by the course alongside my highly qualified peers.

I would like to thank our instructor Dr. HyoJung Jang for making this development possible by emphasizing the multiperspectivity of history. The intensive curriculum of reading chapters from Korea: A History by Eugene Y. Park, analyzing historical documents, and conferring in group forum discussions culminated in voice chats where we discussed our findings with our colleagues and experts in the field. Because every unit was focused on a different aspect of Korean history, I was exposed to topics varying from King Kojong’s struggle against imperialism to South Korea’s  postwar economic “Miracle on the River Han” led by the authoritarian Park Chung-Hee.

Furthermore, the curriculum examined U.S.–Korea relations from a diplomatic, economic, and cultural lens. The historical context helped me not only make sense of current developments such as North Korea’s Juche ideology and South Korea’s Hallyu soft power, but also my own identity at the intersection of Korea and America.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the many lecturers and guest speakers who shared their knowledge and expertise with us during the program. I particularly enjoyed the visits of Professor Kyeyoung Park, who examined the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the context of tensions between the Korean American and African American communities, and Professor Danny Leipziger, who spoke about his experiences at the World Bank preparing the emergency financial bailout loan to South Korea during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Having the opportunity to converse with every guest speaker expanded my worldview and opened my eyes to a future in Korean studies.

Inspired by their guidance, I focused my final paper on the unsung role of education in the Korean Independence movement, discussing how conflicting educational philosophies united to resist Japanese colonial rule. During my research, I discovered the fascinating English diary of educator and resistance member Yun Chi-ho written during his travels in the American South, which I later pursued further and won an endowment from my school to study through a year-long research project. Yun’s alienation in a racially polarized America as a Korean man deeply resonates with me, and I would have never found the passion to tell his story if not for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program.

So, how Korean am I now? From this program, I’ve recognized that this is a futile question. All that truly matters is that I am learning about my Korean heritage and growing for it. I highly encourage any interested students to apply for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, regardless of your roots. Above all else, it will richly reward an open mind and a willingness to truly flower into a global citizen.

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SPICE’s online programs for U.S. high school students have begun accepting applications for the Spring 2025 academic term. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and the Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) welcome applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States. U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions brings together 10th–12th graders from the United States and China in the same program to collaborate on solutions to the global climate crisis.

The RSP engages students in an intensive study of Japan and the U.S.–Japan relationship, facilitating discussions with scholars, diplomats, and other guest speakers with personal and professional expertise in Japanese culture, society, and U.S.–Japan relations. The 2025 RSP course dates are February 1 to June 15, 2025. The application deadline is October 18, 2024.

The SKSP provides students an enriching and academically rigorous overview of Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations through online lectures with top scholars and experts and engaging student discussions. The 2025 SKSP course dates are February 3 to June 30, 2025. The application deadline is November 1, 2024.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab program focuses specifically on climate-related issues and U.S.–China cooperation, past and potential, and strategies for global cooperation. High school students from the U.S. and China will get to know each other’s lives and environments and actively work together on projects to develop their expertise on local, bilateral, and global climate action. This is a joint program of SPICE’s Stanford e-China (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for U.S. students). The Spring 2025 Co-Lab course dates are February 28 to May 30, 2025. The application deadline for U.S. students is November 8, 2024. Applicants from China are accepted on a rolling basis; the first 15 qualified students will be accepted with applications closing around December 1, 2024.

Students who are interested in applying to more than one program may do so and rank their preferences on their applications. Those who are accepted into multiple programs for Spring 2025 will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course.

Applications for all three programs can be found at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Deadlines vary:

• RSP: Oct 18
• SKSP: Nov 1
• U.S.–China Co-Lab: Nov 8 for U.S. students and rolling admissions for students from China

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage at reischauerscholars.org, sejongscholars.org, or https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab.

Note: The China Scholars Program (CSP) for U.S. high school students will next offer “Introduction to Contemporary China” in Fall 2025; applications will open in April.

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To learn more about SPICE’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

On July 16, 2024, I had the pleasure of giving a talk to the 2024 LeadNext Fellows from across Asia and the United States. LeadNext is made possible by Amanda Minami, who has provided seed money for the initial three years of the program. LeadNext is led by Nicole Ripley, Senior Program Officer of Leadership and Exchange Programs at The Asia Foundation. Both were present on this day. (Photo of Amanda Minami with LeadNext Fellows below; courtesy LeadNext Fellows Program)

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On The Asia Foundation website, the “LeadNext Fellows: Ambassadors for a Global Future” program is described as follows:

LeadNext builds a vibrant network of future leaders aged 18–25 from across Asia and the United States and supports their growth, impact, and capacity to address today’s greatest challenges.

With the profound structural changes that will transform geopolitics, global governance, the global economic order, and social landscape over the next decade, a new generation of globally minded leaders is imperative. The LeadNext program equips emerging leaders across cultures and disciplines with strong international networks, exposure to wide-ranging experiences, and leadership tools to thoughtfully steer the future.

Harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential. Positive and lasting change will depend on leaders who can move ideas and action forward to address rising inequality, find solutions to climate crises, mitigate conflict, and empower communities most vulnerable and insecure.

There are four components of the LeadNext program: leadership training intensive, monthly virtual masterclasses, mentorship, and the Global Leaders Summit. The LeadNext Fellows’ visit to Stanford was part of the culminating Global Leaders Summit. Prior to my talk on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?,” I had the chance to listen to self-introductions of the 20 2024 LeadNext Fellows, half of whom come from across the Asia-Pacific region and the other half from the United States. I was so impressed with the Fellows and their research projects and the tremendous diversity of the cohort.

The 2024 LeadNext Fellows are listed below.

• Enkhuun Byambadorj, Mongolia
• Max Han Kai Ding, Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy, Cambodia
• Bryanna Entwistle, United States
• Bella Gomez, United States
• Deziree Harmon, United States
• Jorge Hernandez-Perez, United States
• Shannon Yunran Hong, United States
• Maha Husain, Pakistan
• Engel Laisina, Indonesia
• Tashi Lhazom, Nepal
• Surah Marks-Trammell, United States
• Ananya Mathur, Singapore
• Audrey Meigs, United States
• Trần Thảo Nguyên, Vietnam
• Anitvir Singh Taunque, United States
• Michaela Tse, United States
• Leki Tshering, Bhutan
• Laura Vorbach, United States
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas, Timor-Leste

Following my talk—during which I shared eight personal reflections on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?”—I had the opportunity to listen to presentations by five LeadNext Fellows. The LeadNext Fellows and their presentation topics are listed below. Five things really stood out about each presentation: (1) the appreciation that each expressed for the opportunity to participate in the LeadNext online and in-person programs; (2) the passion with which each spoke about their homelands; (3) the enthusiasm for the sense of community that each felt with their LeadNext cohort; (4) the critical importance each placed upon the importance of international perspectives on their research topics; and (5) the importance that each placed upon the leadership of youth.

• Max Han Kai Ding (Malaysia): Environment and Human Rights, Perspective from Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy (Cambodia): Promoting Youth Participation and Policymaking Processes in Cambodia
• Tashi Lhazom (Nepal): The Art of Storytelling as Advocacy, Perspective from Nepal
• Leki Tshering (Bhutan): Jigme Singye Wangchuck (JSW) School of Law in Bhutan
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas (Timor-Leste): Human Rights and Leadership for Community and Youth Development in Rural Communities in Timor-Leste

As noted above in the LeadNext program description, “harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential” and given that SPICE’s focus is on the empowerment of youth, I feel very grateful for the synergy that is growing between LeadNext and SPICE. I have been fortunate to meet online with several 2023 and 2024 LeadNext Fellows—including Michaela Tse (photo below courtesy Michaela Tse)—since their return home. I hope to expand SPICE’s collaborative work with LeadNext, and am so grateful to Ripley and Minami for the opportunity.
 

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The Stanford University Scholars Program for Japanese High School Students or “Stanford e-Japan” is an online course sponsored by the Yanai Tadashi Foundation and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), Stanford University. This online course teaches Japanese high school students about U.S. society and underscores the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. Through Stanford e-Japan, ambassadors, top scholars, and experts throughout the United States provide web-based lectures and engage Japanese high school students in live discussion sessions called “virtual classes.” Stanford e-Japan is now in its 10th year and about to begin its 19th session overall.

SPICE courses almost felt like my high school entrance and graduation ceremonies: I joined Stanford e-Entrepreneurship right after entering high school and started Stanford e-Japan just before graduating. It’s perhaps no surprise that my journey with SPICE reflects my growth as an English learner and an aspiring researcher.

Four years ago, the first SPICE course turned out extremely challenging for me at the time. I still remember, after the first session of Stanford e-Entrepreneurship, I sent a message to the course organizer with tears that the program was too difficult for me to keep up. My English skills were just very poor back then. It might be only natural, as I grew up in the countryside of Nagano Prefecture, Japan and rarely had opportunities to practice English.

Time flew by fast, and in the winter of 2022, I saw the website where Stanford posted an application form for the spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan course. As I was about to graduate from high school, it was my last chance to apply. I knew my English had improved, and I had a feeling that I could do significantly better than the last time. “Well, there’s no harm in trying,” I thought and submitted my application, not knowing it was going to bring me many new opportunities.

In the e-Japan course, I felt much more comfortable with learning and discussing something in English. Still, when I received the email that I was selected as one of the award winners, I felt as if I were dreaming. An overwhelmed 10th grader crying about the e-Entrepreneurship course would have never imagined such a plot twist.

In early August of 2024, I traveled to California for a week to participate in the Japan Day ceremony. I had the chance to present my final paper and explore the beautiful campus of Stanford. I met so many amazing people too, including the SPICE director Dr. Gary Mukai and the e-Japan manager Ms. Waka Takahashi Brown. Also, I was fortunate enough to meet Consul General Yo Osumi and other consuls and staff from the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco and my sempai Anna Matsumoto, who is currently studying at Stanford.

The e-Japan course was also the first time I shared my academic interests with others. As a final assignment, I wrote a research paper titled “The United States and Capitalism: How the U.S.-Led Economic System Has Affected the Planet.” It described the environmental impacts of capitalism and how it is intertwined with American history, ultimately suggesting the need to search for more sustainable economic models. Such research themes are something I’m truly interested in, and I aim to explore more of this in academia in the future.

As an advocate for sustainability, I honestly have mixed feelings about praising individual material success like winning an award. Related to my research, I don’t think materialism in general leads to human and planetary well-being. But this whole experience with SPICE is worth sharing, as it holds enormous intrinsic value to me regardless of any outside factors. It symbolises my personal growth and the new meaningful connections I made.

I’m glad that I kept pushing myself to improve my English and taking new opportunities. At the same time, I couldn’t be more grateful for the people who helped me with this journey. I’m excited for more opportunities to come and can’t wait to dive deeper into my academic interests in my undergraduate studies and beyond. 

For more information about the Stanford e-Japan Program, please visit stanfordejapan.org. The application period for the spring 2025 session will begin November 15, 2024.

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On May 24, 2024, Satoshi Yamaguchi, drummer (RADWIMPS) and Visiting Researcher at Keio University, gave an inspiring talk to alumni and students of all of SPICE’s 2023–2024 courses in China, Japan, and the United States. This was the first time that a special online session was held for all of SPICE’s courses. Rylan Sekiguchi facilitated the session, and Dr. Makiko Hirata served as an interpreter.

Drummer Satoshi Yamaguchi joined the rock band RADWIMPS as a freshman in college. When he was 20 years old, the band made its major label debut and quickly grew in popularity, earning multiple #1 hits, awards, and recognitions. According to Satoshi, “Everything was smooth sailing.” However, in 2009 Satoshi began to suffer from musicians’ dystonia, a condition that made it increasingly difficult for him to play the drums. According to Satoshi, “in 2015, in the middle of creating music for the megahit anime movie Your Name that would catapult RADWIMPS to worldwide fame, I made the difficult decision to leave the band on an indefinite hiatus. It was an extremely emotional and painful time for me.” Today Satoshi is a small business owner in a town called Hayama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan—growing rice and running an ice cream factory—and is also a Visiting Researcher at Keio University, where he conducts research on musicians’ dystonia with Dr. Shinya Fujii, Director of Neuromusiclab at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus. He is also collaborating with Dr. Takako Fujioka, Professor of Music at Stanford University, who is a neuroscientist investigating brain functions related to music. Together they work on a research project that focuses on physical and psychological health issues in drummers in the United States. Satoshi hopes to understand his condition better and eventually return to the stage.

In the special online session, Satoshi shared his unique life experiences—both successes and setbacks—and how they have shaped his attitude and perspectives on life. In his opening comments, he noted, “I would be very happy if I could share with you some insights that I have gained through my experiences and words that have supported me during difficult times, and if they could provide some hints for your future life.” As students and alumni of SPICE’s courses reflected upon his talk, multiple insights that he shared especially stood out and are important lessons for youth. These insights are shared below through eight excerpts from his talk.

First, while reflecting on his youth, Satoshi noted,

Not long before I joined RADWIMPS, when I was in high school, I formed a metal rock band with my music-loving friends in my hometown of Yokohama and played the drums. I was so busy with my band and part-time job that I didn’t study much, especially English, which I was very bad at. It is hard to believe that I am speaking in English in front of you today.

Satoshi’s presentation in English to the biggest audience of students SPICE has ever convened was an inspiration for students who are studying English in Japan and China, and English language learners in the United States.

Second, while reflecting upon a band competition as a high school student, he noted,

… our [metal rock] band’s goal was to participate in a national high school music festival held once a year at Yokohama Arena! How fascinating to have the chance to perform on a stage big enough to hold 10,000 people, isn’t it? Of course, the auditions were tough, and we were unsuccessful in our first and second years, but in our third year, we finally made it to the finals. On the day of the show, we were full of confidence. After successfully completing our performance as the first band, we listened to our rivals, saying “None of the other bands were that good.” However, when I heard the last band’s song, I was shocked beyond belief. It was RADWIMPS. Some of the lyrics of one of their songs made me think that someone else seemed to know my heart better than I. RADWIMPS won the competition, my band lost.

Satoshi ended this segment of his talk by noting that “Perhaps the day will come when your biggest rival today will become your best friend.” This statement really seemed to have resonated in students, as they all knew that Satoshi eventually joined RADWIMPS.

Third, Satoshi reflected upon a life-long lesson that he learned from one of his fellow RADWIMPS band members. Satoshi recalled,

Toward the end of my first year of college, my [metal rock] band broke up and RADWIMPS was looking for a new drummer, which led to me joining. We were creating new songs, but at the time I could only hit a simple 8-note beat, which is often played in rock music. One day, Yojiro, the songwriter, said to me, “Satoshi, you are not allowed to play an 8-note beat without a reason.” When I was confused, he said, “We are going to make music that has never been made before. We are aiming for a future where a genre called RADWIMPS will be born, just like rock, pop, and jazz. To do that, you can’t just play the beats that have been around before, can you? You have to pursue your own new beat.” At another time, he said, “Your children and grandchildren will one day listen to the beats you play. Are you sure that’s the best beat?” It is embarrassing to look back now, but at the time I did not have his kind of vision at all.

Throughout his talk, Satoshi underscored the importance of creativity. I believe that his statement, “You have to pursue your own new beat,” has remained in the minds of many students. Another insight that he shared was that “Out of limitations come innovations. Being forbidden to play the 8-note beat, which I was most familiar with, allowed me to use my imagination, which had been dormant inside me, to ask, ‘What can I do then?’” One beat that was created at that time became the basis for the theme song of Your Name.

Fourth, while Satoshi openly shared his experience with musicians’ dystonia, I witnessed the very serious looks on the faces of the students and alumni. He reflected,

… when I was 24 years old, my right foot suddenly stopped moving while playing the drums. This was a symptom called musicians’ dystonia, as I later found out. The bass drum, played with the right foot, is the foundation of music. The dystonia made it impossible for me to express myself musically as I had imagined. For the next six years, I continued to perform, trying to do the best I could. However, the symptoms gradually became worse, eventually spreading to my left foot, and I no longer found pleasure in playing music. Then in 2015, I made the decision to give up being the drummer of my favorite band in the world and take an indefinite hiatus. It was one of the heaviest and most painful moments of my life.

I am confident that Satoshi’s reflections prompted many students to think about the “heaviest and most painful moments” in their lives and ask themselves, “What can we learn from these moments, and how can we use these lessons as we go through our lives?”

Fifth, Satoshi reflected upon the continued success of RADWIMPS and noted,

When I was exhausted both mentally and physically, I came across this town, Hayama…[with a view of] Mt. Fuji over the sea. When I saw this scenery, for the first time in a long time, I felt a sincere emotion. I loved the state of mind I was in when I was looking at this mountain. I felt that this town was calling me. Trusting this intuition, I decided to move to Hayama with my family. Shortly after I started living in Hayama, I encountered these rice terraces… as I deepened my relationships with local farmers, I learned that rice terraces were facing a number of difficulties and their survival was at risk. I began to wonder if I could do something about this place that had saved my life.

Hayama’s rice terraces are visited by Silicon Valley Keio International Program (SKIP), an international exchange program between Keio and Stanford students. Through such programs, Satoshi is giving back to his community by “respecting tradition while innovating it,” and Satoshi hopes that all students will consider this as well for communities that have made a difference in their lives.

Sixth, 20 years later, RADWIMPS has become one of Japan’s leading bands, and Satoshi commented that “my three sons sing our songs every day! I am now once again feeling the amazing power of having a vision.” Satoshi urged the audience to “imagine what the future looks like, and then truly believe that it can be realized,” which is such a powerful message for youth. Also, about half a year into his farming life, the film Your Name was released in September 2016. Satoshi was impressed with the film but felt that,

… the whole world was telling me, “You made the wrong choice.” And I couldn’t even listen to the past songs of RADWIMPS anymore. I was also disappointed in myself for not being able to honestly be happy about the success of a band without me. But it was also music that saved me from such feelings…. If success is all there is to life, then it might mean that I, who could not share in the worldwide success of Your Name, would be unhappy for the rest of my life. But is that really true? There might be other ways to find happiness. That’s how I came to think of it.

Following this reflection, Satoshi decided to seek his “own kind of honest enjoyment” and encourages students to seek theirs as well.

Seventh, during a recent research visit to Stanford University, he was introduced to Stanford Taiko through a student whom he met through SKIP, and also met Roy and PJ Hirabayashi, founding directors of San Jose Taiko. Sekiguchi, who moderated the seminar by Satoshi, used to be a performer with both Stanford Taiko and San Jose Taiko. Reflecting on a San Jose Taiko performance, Satoshi stated,

I have seen many shows in my life, but this was the first time I had ever seen an encore that not only involved all of the performers but the audience as well dancing in a circle. It made me rethink the essence of what music is. And as I played with people who truly love taiko and music, I gradually remembered the joy of playing instruments. After all, I want to play drums again… [While observing taiko and talking with PJ, Satoshi realized that] It is ‘using the voice to make the real bass drum sound.’ It happened while I was learning a new beat for taiko. In the taiko community, there is no musical score, and rhythmic patterns are taught orally.

He commented to students that “singing and the voice are the most fundamental instruments that humans have,” and that “other instruments are an extension of them.” He is currently working on the research and development of a new instrument using the voice. He believes that he will find his own “new sound” and the day will come when he will once again stand on stage as the drummer of RADWIMPS.

Eighth, Satoshi concluded his talk with two reflections on his life. The first was “Difficulties can be a catalyst to create new value.” He stated, “In life, difficulties are inevitable… No one in this world can live alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Likewise, if someone asks you for advice, please listen intently with the attitude, ‘What can I do for you?’” The second was “What has been does not determine what will be, but what will be gives meaning to what has been.” He stated, “In the future, when you are choosing a career path, a place of employment, or anything else, you may be wondering, ‘Is this really the right choice?’ Or, after you have made your choice, you may feel that ‘This is not how it was supposed to be.’ I believe that the important thing is not what you choose, but what you do after you choose. I was on the verge of great global success but was unable to witness it. But I have been valuing what I enjoy, what I like, what I want to do, and as a result, I am living very happily now. If you ever lose your way in the future, I would be happy [if you] remember that there is someone living life like this.”

SPICE is grateful to Sabrina Ishimatsu for organizing this special online session. SPICE hopes to feature another musician in a second special online session in 2025.

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To learn more about SPICE’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

From June 24 to June 27, 2024, educators from diverse backgrounds and regions participated in the virtual East Asia Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers, hosted by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) in collaboration with the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA). Designed specifically for middle school teachers, this year’s institute provided an overview of East Asian geography, cultures, religions, history, literature, and arts, as well as an introduction to the Asian diaspora in the United States and the diversity of the Asian American experience.

The four-day institute featured daily synchronous sessions with lectures from distinguished guest speakers, curriculum demonstrations from SPICE staff, and small group discussions, all designed to deepen participants’ understanding of East Asia and the Asian American experience, equip them with valuable instructional materials, and foster a community of learners committed to integrating Asian and Asian American studies into their curricula. Throughout the institute, participants also completed pre-assigned readings, shared resources, and contributed to collaborative discussions.

The agenda for each day featured insightful presentations as well as hands-on activities. The first day focused on the Silk Road and featured a guest lecture from Dr. Clayton Dube of the University of Southern California and a curriculum demonstration on the Silk Road by SPICE’s Naomi Funahashi and Rylan Sekiguchi.

The second day focused on religions and philosophies of East Asia, with a presentation by Dr. Julia Cross from Stanford University, followed by a curriculum demonstration of the SPICE curriculum unit Religions and Philosophies in China: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism by SPICE’s Jonas Edman.

On the third day, attendees delved into Japan during the feudal period, starting with a lecture on Tokugawa Japan by Dr. Ethan Segal of Michigan State University. Karen Tiegel, Middle School Division Head at The Nueva School, then led a curriculum demonstration on the SPICE curriculum unit, Japanese Art in the Edo Period, which was followed by a group discussion.

The final day, titled “Asian Voices and Asian American Experiences,” featured a panel of authors—SPICE’s Waka T. Brown, Van Hoang, and Takami Nieda—who shared their perspectives on Asian and Asian American narratives and identities. The day concluded with a SPICE resource-sharing session, covering curricular titles such as Angel Island, Chinese American Voices, and the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project.

At the end of the institute, each participant developed and shared an original lesson plan inspired by the knowledge and resources gained throughout the seminar.

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SPICE’s collaboration with the NCTA is one of several teacher professional development seminars that SPICE offers. 

The fourth year of the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaiʻi (“Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i”) culminated in a stimulating three-day in-person summer institute that took place from July 10th to July 12th at the East-West Center. This year’s cohort included 20 public and private high school teachers—Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows—from across Hawai‘i.

The institute began with welcoming comments from Dr. Mary Hattori, Director of the Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center. In her comments, Hattori also extended greetings from the East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum. Each day focused primarily on a specific East Asian country (China, Japan, and Korea) and the Fellows explored key historical events and themes through lectures by professors at the University of Hawai‘i and local community leaders. Coupled with the content knowledge from the lectures, SPICE staff introduced SPICE curricula and resources on East Asia so that teachers can readily incorporate the content knowledge in their classroom teaching in engaging and varied ways. This year’s summer institute also included the history of East Asian and Southeast Asian migration to Hawai‘i.

Below are the names of the 2024 Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawai‘i Fellows:

Jody K. Africa Aguilar, Maui High School (Maui)
Haunani Akina, Kaʻu High and Pahala Elementary School (Hawai‘i)
Joshua Cawley, Island School (Kaua‘i)
Jodie Chock, Kalāheo High School (O‘ahu)
Julyne Clarke, St. Joseph High School (Hawai‘i)
Rachael Denessen, Kamehameha Schools Maui (Maui)
Pinochio Dulig, Kaʻu High and Pahala Elementary School (Hawai‘i)
Pinky Grace Francisco, Kaʻu High and Pahala Elementary School (Hawai‘i)
Scott Gruzinsky, Leilehua High School (O‘ahu)
Karina Hernandez, Konawaena High School (Hawai‘i)
Michael Ida, Kalani High School (O‘ahu)
Gloria Ilagan, Kealakehe High School (Hawai‘i)
Sarah Kalawe, Hilo High School (Hawai‘i)
Johana Kamelamela, Keaʻau High School (Hawai‘i)
Dorothy Morris-Ross, Leilehua High School (O‘ahu)
Kealii Mossman, Kamehameha Schools Maui (Maui)
Daniella O’Malley, Island School (Kaua‘i)
Athena Tsakos, Kealakehe High School (Hawai‘i)
Patricia Tupinio, Leilehua High School (O‘ahu)
Carl (David) Wright, Jr., Kapolei High School (O‘ahu)

Multiple perspectives and awareness of biases

The themes of “multiple perspectives” and “awareness of biases” in studying history and analyzing historical sources featured strongly during the summer institute. The Fellows had a chance to hear from scholars and community leaders on the analyses of key historical events as well as detailed accounts of lesser-known histories of East Asian countries and their relations with the United States.

For example, on Day One, Professor Emeritus Ken Ito led teachers through “Two Stories from 1946: Survival and Atrocity” about ordinary Japanese citizens’ lived experiences after the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Through a presentation of the documentary film Removed by Force by local community leaders Carole Hayashino, Ryan Kawamoto, and William Kaneko, teachers also learned about a little-known chapter of local World War II history— the story of the 1,500 Americans of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed from their homes in Hawai‘i but not incarcerated. The Fellows were encouraged to consider layers of history and varying perspectives that may not have been featured prominently in history books, particularly through a curriculum demonstration led by Rylan Sekiguchi of the SPICE unit Divided Memories: Comparing History Textbooks. By analyzing textbooks from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States, teachers assessed the biases in presenting historical narratives and how to teach students to use critical thinking skills to analyze history and historical perspectives.

Day Two of the summer institute focused on Korea. The Fellows reviewed key episodes of 20th-century Korean history through a lecture by Professor Harrison Kim and explored Korean American identity and community from the perspective of Dr. Stephanie Han, who also shared many of her own personal experiences. Following the talks, teachers engaged in an interactive debate activity, which I led, during a curriculum demonstration of the SPICE unit Inter-Korean Relations, where they argued for or against the unification of North and South Korea based on their analysis of the economic merits. They also took a closer look at the lived experiences of a North Korean teenage refugee in South Korea through a graphic novel, which provides a glimpse into the processes and challenges of fleeing North Korea and settling in South Korea. In a reflective discussion, many teachers commented that some of their students, especially immigrant students, also experience similar challenges in their own schools and that they would be able to empathize with the North Korean teenage refugee’s struggles.

On Day Three, teachers delved deeply into U.S.–China relations spanning more than 100 years through a lecture by Professor Shana Brown, followed by an analysis of the history of East and Southeast Asian immigration to Hawai‘i—and the socio-economic status of diasporas from these countries in contemporary Hawai‘i—by Professor Emeritus Jonathan Okamura. The Fellows had a chance to reflect on the diverse groups of students in their classrooms and schools and the ways in which to teach them about the history of immigration to Hawai‘i. A curriculum demonstration on Chinese American history delivered by Jonas Edman provided an avenue for teachers to think about immigration further. Teachers also exchanged numerous teaching resources with one another, sharing best practices and their own experience of what worked well in the classroom.

History as a collection of lived experiences

Throughout the summer institute, teachers surveyed the richness of East Asian history through lived experiences of individuals, not only through key watershed events. They examined and reflected on the consequences of events in history and how they shaped the lives of ordinary people whom students seldom learn about in school. Many Fellows shared how they appreciated learning about these stories, facts, and narratives that are often omitted in American secondary school curricula or overshadowed by the master narrative in history books. Dr. Gary Mukai, Director of SPICE, recognized and lauded the Fellows as he reflected on each Fellow’s contribution to the institute during his closing remarks.

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The institute also included a reception. Special guests included Graeme Freeman (photo above), President of the Freeman Foundation, which generously supports Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi. Graeme spoke about the Freeman Foundation’s mission of helping to enhance the teaching of East Asia through programs such as the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia and Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi and expressed his gratitude to the Teacher Fellows for the tremendous impact their learning has on their students. Graeme was joined by Director of Operations and Programs Shereen Goto and Office Manager Robin Sato, both of the Freeman Foundation.

In the month following the institute’s conclusion, each Fellow created an original lesson plan that incorporates content that was introduced during Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi. The SPICE staff awaits in anticipation of seeing how content from the seminar will reach hundreds of secondary school students throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Rylan Sekiguchi, Manager of Stanford SEAS Hawaiʻi, and Sabrina Ishimatsu, SPICE Event Coordinator, organized the institute, which was facilitated by Sekiguchi. SPICE is grateful to East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum for her continued support of Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i and SPICE’s efforts to support teachers throughout Hawai‘i.

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The year 2024 is a milestone year for Kawasaki City as the city celebrates its 100th anniversary. Mayor Norihiko Fukuda kindly shared the following comment about the Stanford e-Kawasaki Program on this special occasion. (Photo below: 100th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony at MUZA Kawasaki Symphony Hall on July 1, 2024; photo courtesy City of Kawasaki.)

Stanford e-Kawasaki, jointly offered by Kawasaki City and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) at Stanford University, aims to empower the youth in Kawasaki City to take on a new challenge towards their dreams and goals. Given that Kawasaki City’s remarkable growth has been driven by diversity and entrepreneurship, students in this course learn about these two important topics in depth. July 1, 2024, marks Kawasaki’s 100th anniversary, and I believe that diversity and entrepreneurship will continue to be the key to Kawasaki City’s further progress. It is my hope that Stanford e-Kawasaki will continue to equip students with knowledge and skills, and help them grow to become agents of change. I look forward to our continued cooperation with SPICE to achieve this goal.

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As reflected in Mayor Fukuda’s comment, Kawasaki City highly values diversity. The city’s logo uses the Chinese character for 川 or “kawa” (river) for 川崎 (Kawasaki), and it is colored in red, green, and blue, symbolizing the commitment of Kawasaki City to creating new values, opportunities, and possibilities by embracing diversity. 

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I have visited this vibrant city to see my relatives and friends who live there, but I never knew why Kawasaki places such an importance on diversity. This made me curious about the city’s history.

Kawasaki first became an important place in the 17th century as a station on the Tokaido route connecting Kyoto with Tokyo (then “Edo”) where people from near and far gathered. Later in 1924, Kawasaki City was born with a population of approximately 50,000. Although the city suffered extensive destruction during World War II due to heavy air raids by the U.S. military targeting industrial facilities, Kawasaki developed rapidly after the war as one of the major industrial cities in Japan, attracting people not only from across the country but also from overseas. Today, its population is over 1.55 million, making it Japan’s sixth most populous city. Its neighboring city, Tokyo, is the most populous. Kawasaki is also one of Japan’s most ethnically diverse cities. More than 50,000 foreign residents live in Kawasaki, making up 3.3 percent of the city’s population.

With people constantly coming from across and outside of Japan, it is not hard to imagine what Kawasaki has experienced in terms of both the benefits and challenges of diversity. I admire Mayor Fukuda’s commitment to valuing diversity as the city’s strength and his efforts to encourage young people in Kawasaki to learn about this core value. I feel honored to support this important mission through the Stanford e-Kawasaki Program. As I prepare for the sixth year of the program, I took another look at my students’ reflections from last year’s course. Two students noted the following:

When I wrote my thoughts on the discussion board, other students who had the same or opposite opinions gave me some comments. It was very rewarding for me because some comments had the power to change my opinion or make my thinking deeper.

I still remember the time we talked on the discussion board. We talked about many topics, and I can’t count how many times I was impressed and inspired by my friends. I enjoyed the moment every time.

Every year students surprise me with how willing they are to share their thoughts and listen to different opinions. Although conformity is often described as a central feature of Japanese society, I learned from e-Kawasaki students that they feel joy and excitement when they learn something new. As one of my colleagues, Mia Kimura, mentioned in her article on e-Hiroshima, students are hungry for diversity. Therefore, one of my goals in this program continues to be providing a space where students see each other as unique individuals and feel encouraged to express themselves. Like the logo of Kawasaki City, I look forward to what shades of color each student will bring to future courses, and how they will change as they influence and learn from each other.

Two other students described their feelings at the end of last year’s course as follows.

‘I feel in my heart / That it’s the start of something new.’ This is a line from the song ‘Start of Something New’ in High School Musical. I feel that I can unlock my potential thanks to this program!

Thanks to the Stanford e-Kawasaki program, I realized that the future is hopeful, and we are free to take on a challenge and achieve our dreams to make a better world!!!!!

I hope that Stanford e-Kawasaki will continue to help empower students who will build the next 100 years of Kawasaki City.

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