STEM Education and Robot Learning

Modern Japanese education system established by the 1872 Education Ordinance. While adopting Western educational models, it created a unique system rooted in Confucian morality and imperial sovereignty. Mandatory elementary education, unified textbooks, and formalized teacher training established the foundation for contemporary Japanese education, representing a transformative modernization that balanced traditional values with institutional innovation.

Programming education made mandatory in all elementary schools from 2020. It aims to develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills through computational tools. Integrated into existing subjects like mathematics, science, and integrated studies, it prepares students for digital society while fostering creative problem-solving capabilities essential for 21st-century competence.

The emphasis on group behavior in Japanese school education. Systems where children cooperate in daily roles such as cleaning duties, lunch service, and group activities have attracted global attention. This characteristic Japanese educational approach values group harmony over individual achievement, fostering responsibility and cooperation.

A traditional Japanese art of writing with brush and ink. More than mere recording of characters, the writer's spirituality and personality are believed to manifest in brushwork. As a compulsory subject in schools, calligraphy is deeply integrated into Japanese life through New Year writing and greeting cards. Contemporary calligraphy as modern art has also gained international recognition.

A uniquely Japanese storytelling art using sequential illustrations. Performed for children in front of candy shops during the Showa era, kamishibai is an iconic scene of nostalgic Japan. It has been globally reevaluated as a presentation technique and storytelling education method, practiced as 'kamishibai' in France, the US, and beyond.

A Japanese traditional culture of folding a single sheet of paper without cutting. Used in education from early childhood to advanced mathematics, origami develops spatial awareness and concentration. Thousand-crane folding has become a peace symbol, and applications extend to space engineering and medical technology. MIT and NASA research origami mathematics, demonstrating how this simple art form bridges traditional culture and cutting-edge science.

Art of writing characters with brush and ink. More than beautiful writing, the writer's mental state and character manifest in brushwork, considered spiritual training. Strongly influenced by Zen, functioning as meditative practice. Taught in school language arts nationally. Beginning with fundamental brush techniques, advanced levels study distinctive expression styles by school. Highly valued as art form, exhibited in international exhibitions, bridging traditional practice with contemporary artistic expression.