Osaka University Festival

By Lee Seung-min, Overseas Correspondent 

   In the beginning of May, a month after spring semester started, the Osaka University festival was held. The festival is held twice, once in the spring and once in the fall. Just before Golden week, the longest holidays in Japan, we had a festival for two days. The festival was not so big since it was only held on Toyonaka campus, one of Osaka University’s three campuses. And, this makes it hard for all the students in the University to participate and enjoy it together. But it was enough for the international students to see Japanese joy and amusement.
   Clubs (Dongari) in Japanese Universities are very active and University life is mostly organized by them. Students in the clubs prepare for a festival for a whole year. Most of the festival is composed of selling snacks. Many clubs sell snacks and other clubs draw, dance or sing etc. Alongside the road, a number of vendors sell typical Japanese snacks: Yakisoba, Tacoyaki, Mozzi, Yakitori, Kara-age etc. I bought some yakitori and Kara-age, which, unfortunately, were terrible. After we had a bite, my friends and I watched Flamenco, which made my Spanish friend suddenly homesick.
  The Osaka University festival was not the best fun I’ve had, , but along with the many other activities I have experienced, it helped me learn more about Japanese students’ campus life, broadened my perspective and enriched my life in Japan.