
News News Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies
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2025.07.16 notice
Reporting on the results of the "Thailand Japanese Language Education Internship" training
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2025.06.25 Community and Society
The 2025 Nishinomiya City Museum Collaboration Course will begin
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2025.04.02 notice
Otemae University History Research Institute website is now open to the public
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2024.07.03 others
[Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies] Students plan field survey to "feel the scars of the earthquake firsthand"
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2024.05.29 others
[Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies] Student-planned fieldwork carried out
Learn about Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies through videos
Cross-disciplinary
The future of the era
"History," "Culture," "Literature," and "Language"Learn.
In recent years, Japan has seen a remarkable increase in not only tourists but also foreigners working and residing there. In order to live in a society where people other than Japanese coexist, it is necessary not only to see Japan through a Japanese sensibility, but also to know Japan from various perspectives and understand different cultures. In Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies, we explore Japan's place in the world through the study of Japanese and foreign history, culture, literature, and language.

- Characteristics of learning
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- "History," "Culture," "Literature," and "Language"
Learn across disciplines and deepen your expertise. - When studying history, there is a culture specific to that era, and when studying the cultures of various countries, an understanding of the language is required. "History," "culture," "literature," and "language" do not exist separately, but are interrelated. For this reason, our faculty places emphasis on cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning.
- "History," "Culture," "Literature," and "Language"
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- From Japan to the world.
From the world to Japan.
Learn from an international perspective. - When trying to understand Japan and spread its message to the world, we need a variety of perspectives other than our own as a Japanese person. By delving into history, culture, literature, and language from a global perspective, we can gain the knowledge to reconstruct the nature of Japanese society.
- From Japan to the world.
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- All five fields of history. Everything is here
A fulfilling learning environment. - One of the greatest attractions of this department is that it offers five fields of history Japanese History, Oriental History, Western History, Geography, and Archaeology, each with its own dedicated faculty. If you want to deepen your knowledge across fields, you can meet your individual learning needs.
- All five fields of history. Everything is here
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List of majors availableMajor subjects
Course names have been updated to make them easier to understand
- Japanese Studies and Asian Studies Course
- International Coexistence Course
Otemae UniversitySchool of Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studiescharm

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- We will explore what happened during that time, why it happened, and what kind of society it was like at the time, using documents and artifacts from that time.
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- Through documents and literature, students will learn about the lifestyles, traditions, and customs of each country, why they are the way they are, and when they began.
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- You will learn the rules of the language, as well as the cultural characteristics and lifestyle habits that can be inferred from the language, and gain a correct understanding of the language.
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Each connection
By understanding,
You will find your own perspective and interpretation.
- Why is Korean pop culture so popular around the world?
- We are exposed to Korean culture on a regular basis, such as through K-pop, and so we assume that Korea is a familiar place to us. However, through research, we can see the dynamism of Korean society that Japanese people are not very aware of. The word "Hyukshin (innovation)" is used as an everyday word in Korea, and both business people and students are full of a spirit of reform. The fact that pop culture is popular around the world is precisely due to Hyukshin's ideas and global business strategies. In many other fields, Korea is a treasure trove of ideas that Japan does not have. Through a window into Korea, we can find hints for solving Japan's problems.

Looking at the historical facts,
"Global Citizen"
Understand something.

Did you know that there was a black warlord among the vassals of the Sengoku warlord Oda Nobunaga? Nobunaga employed a man who had been a slave to a foreign missionary who had come to Japan. This way of looking at events shows that the Sengoku period is not simply "Japanese History," but is an example of how it occurred in the context of the exchange of diverse cultures. Looking at events from a global perspective allows us to recognize that we are all "global citizens," and also leads to an understanding of Multicultural Symbiosis.
You can experience "diverse cultures" on campus
Practical English Program (LEO).

One of the features of learning at Otemae University is the "Practical English Program (LEO)". Not only are native speaker teachers in charge of instruction, but the appeal is that you can learn according to your goals and level, such as learning English in English or learning English in Japanese. In addition, if you take the Practical English Program while studying foreign cultures at our faculty, it will be even more interesting and you will be able to deepen your understanding of English words and sentences.
Learn more

The greatest attraction of this department is that it is an environment where you can study all five fields of history. This is rare among Japanese universities, and History Research Institute is one of the leading facilities in the country. In particular, historical events are often related to the "topography" of the area, so studying geography also deepens your understanding of history.

- History Research Institute
- It is one of the leading facilities in Japan, housing a wealth of valuable artifacts and documents, allowing you to see, touch, and experience real history.3D laser images of cultural properties released
- Geography for business managers
Essential knowledge?! - For example, if you want to open a convenience store in a town, you will look at geographical data, analyze the topography, access from the station, population density, and other factors to determine where you can expect a large number of customers. In other words, knowledge of geography is an essential element in marketing. In this department, you will also learn geography as the "foundation" for town development and regional revitalization.
Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies Pick up
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Qualifications that can be acquired
- Curator (national qualification)
- Students who obtain credits for all nine required courses in the Museum Curator Course and complete at least one major from the four designated major programs will be awarded a Museum Studies Course Completion Certificate upon graduation.
- Librarian (national qualification)
- Students who take library science-related courses and earn the required credits will be awarded a "Library Science Course Completion Certificate" upon graduation.
- High school teacher's license (Japanese, geography and history, English)
Junior high school teacher license (Japanese, social studies, English) - The subjects in our university's teacher training courses are based on the Teacher Certification Act and the Enforcement Regulations of the Educational Personnel Certification Act, and teaching licenses are awarded to students who have the basic qualifications (university graduation) and have obtained credits for each prescribed subject.
Target qualifications
- Registered Japanese Language Teacher (National Qualification)
- By taking our Japanese language teacher training course, you can prepare for the exam to become a registered Japanese language teacher.
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We collaborate with local communities, mainly in the Kansai region.
Learning through hands-on experience
Fieldwork.In order to realize practical learning, our faculty also offers a wealth of opportunities for fieldwork in collaboration with local communities. For example, students visit local areas to revitalize the area in collaboration with the local community, search for and consider tourism resources. Or, students look at a place on a map and actually investigate its topography on-site, actively incorporating learning experiences that can only be experienced there.
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Team Colors is a student group that plans and implements international exchange events on campus. It was established by International Exchange Center to promote internationalization and Multicultural Symbiosis on campus, and works in cooperation with International Exchange Center. The name was chosen by the initial members of 2022 with the hope that "each student has their own individuality, and by coming together, the group will become more colorful and we will be able to carry out attractive activities." Team Colors holds a variety of international exchange events and social gatherings with international students in the International Exchange Lounge on the second floor of Building E.
Every day is filled with intellectual stimulation and excitement.
I joined Team Colors because I wanted to deepen my understanding of different cultures, as it is a platform where international and Japanese students can grow together. Intercultural exchange is a great opportunity to gain new perspectives. I experienced how my own way of thinking and understanding deepened through dialogue with international students with various backgrounds and values. I hope to continue to develop further as a diverse community.
2023 Team Colors Leader
Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies
English Communication Major
Third grade Wu Jiali
Graduated from Hyogo Prefectural Higashinada High School
Faculty of Intercultural Japanese StudiesVision of the future
Career support program flow over four years
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- 1 Grade
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- ・Career Design I & II
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- 2 Grade
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- ・Career Design III/IV
- ・Internship
- ・Job Hunting Support Classes
- ・Industry Research Seminar
- ・Written exam preparation course
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- 3 Grade
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- ・Career Guidance
- ・Internship
- ・Online Corporate Seminars
- ・Resume editing
- ・Utilizing Otemae University 's unique company guide
- ・Makeup Lessons
- ・Interview & Group Discussion
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- 4 Grade
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- ・Job hunting restart guidance
- ・On-campus company information session
- ・Mock interview
- ・Individual consultation, job introduction
- ・Resume editing
- ・Hello Work on-site consultation session
Pick Up

- Civil Service Training Program
- Civil service exams require a long period of preparation and exam time, and many people give up midway. Therefore, Otemae University strongly supports students in achieving their goals through classes that teach practical knowledge and exchange programs with current civil servants, focusing mainly on administrative positions in municipal governments.

- Interview & Group Discussion
Countermeasures course - Students will practice "expressing themselves" and aim to improve their communication skills that can be used in actual job hunting activities.
For career support
For more information, please click here
Qualifications and career paths you can aim for
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- Qualifications that can be acquired
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- ● First-class high school teaching license (Japanese, Geography and History, English)
- ● Junior high school teacher license (Japanese, social studies, English)
- ● Librarian (national qualification)
- ● Curator (national qualification)
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- Target career path
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- ● Public servant (city hall, etc.)
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- Target qualifications
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- ● Test in Practical English Proficiency (EIKEN)
- ● National Licensed Guide-Interpreter (national qualification)
- ● Tourism English Test
- ● TOEFL® Test
- ● TOEIC® Listening & Reading Test
- ● Registered Japanese language teacher (national qualification)
- ● Chinese Proficiency Test
- ● German Proficiency Test
- ● Practical French Proficiency Test
- ● Hangul Proficiency Test
- ● Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK)
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- Graduate School
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- ● Otemae University University Graduate Graduate School of Comparative Culture
Possible career
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- Civil servant
(Government offices, police, fire departments, Self-Defense Forces personnel) - There are local and national civil servants, and their work content varies. Prefectural city and ward offices and firefighters are local civil servants, Self-Defense Force members are national civil servants, and police officers are both national and local civil servants.
- Civil servant
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- Curator
- Curators are professional staff members in museums and art galleries as defined by the Museum Law. They collect, store, and exhibit materials on history, art, folklore, industry, and natural science, and also conduct related research.
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- Japanese Teacher
- Japanese language teachers will be nationally qualified as "registered Japanese language teachers" from April 2024. As this is being implemented in response to issues such as the quality of Japanese language teachers and securing sufficient personnel, it is expected that the professional status of Japanese language teachers will improve in the future.
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- Junior and senior high school teachers
- Our faculty offers teacher training courses that allow students to acquire specialized licenses in junior and senior high school English and Japanese, junior high school social studies, and high school geography and history. Another feature of our school is that it focuses on training teachers who have acquired the basic skills required for society.
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- NGO/NPO staff
International Volunteer - In Japan, organizations that tackle issues overseas tend to be called NGOs, while those that tackle issues domestically are called NPOs. Both are private organizations and groups that carry out non-profit activities. Each has its own area of expertise, such as hunger, the environment, or refugees.
- NGO/NPO staff
- Other Occupations
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- ● Interpretation and translation
- ● Publishing (editor/writer)
- ● Librarian
- - Organization staff (associations, foundations, incorporated associations, foundations, etc.)
- - Organization staff (associations, funds, incorporated associations, and incorporated foundations)
- etc.
Main Employment Destinations
(2025 academic year / by faculty, excerpt)

Kami Co., Ltd. / Asahi Information Service Co., Ltd. / Asuka Co., Ltd. / APA Hotel Co., Ltd. / Awaji City Hall / Itami Sangyo Co., Ltd. / Tokuyukai Medical Corporation / Oya Sangyo Co., Ltd. / Osaka Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. / JSS Co., Ltd. / KSM Co., Ltd. / Akindo Sushiro Co., Ltd. / Axel Co., Ltd. / Alti Foods Co., Ltd. / Awa Bank Co., Ltd. / Anvil Co., Ltd. / Iwaki Co., Ltd. / Vendome Yamada Co., Ltd. / Ecostyle Co., Ltd. / Osaka Nichirei Service Co., Ltd. / Kansai Higashidori Co., Ltd. / Komeri Co., Ltd. / Sundrug Co., Ltd. / Skylark Holdings Co., Ltd. / Co., Ltd. Sugi Pharmacy/Sukkirin Co., Ltd./Dainichi Seisakusho Co., Ltd./Takezono Co., Ltd./Takemoto Design Office Co., Ltd./Tatsumi Shokai Co., Ltd./Toyota Rental & Lease Hyogo Co., Ltd./Nakahiro Co., Ltd./Hard Off Corporation Co., Ltd./Hankyu Delica Ai Co., Ltd./Verite Co., Ltd./Maruai Co., Ltd./Maruhachi Co., Ltd./Bandai Co., Ltd./Yodobashi Camera Co., Ltd./Liberty Co., Ltd./Red Baron Co., Ltd./Starts Care Service Co., Ltd./Senko Co., Ltd./Daikokuten Bussan Co., Ltd./Takigen Manufacturing Co., Ltd./Taguchi Foods Co., Ltd./Toyota L&F Kinki Co., Ltd./Japan Pension Service /Nextage Co., Ltd./Hyogo Prefectural Police/Fujiarte Co., Ltd./SoftBank Corp./Japan Coast Guard/CLAN Co., Ltd./ME Resort Co., Ltd./Amidaike Daikoku Co., Ltd./Will of Construction Co., Ltd./Weardept Co., Ltd./Edion Co., Ltd./L Housing Co., Ltd./Kansai Supermarket Co., Ltd./Gourmet Kineya Co., Ltd./Kokumin Co., Ltd./Cosmos Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd./JR West Japan Hotel Development Co., Ltd./Stern Kintetsu Co., Ltd./Sugimoto Co., Ltd./Celebrix Co., Ltd./Topos Enterprises Co., Ltd./( Tryon Co., Ltd. / Knowledge Software Co., Ltd. / Bic Camera Co., Ltd. / Hooray Co., Ltd. / Benefit One Co., Ltd. / MegaChips Co., Ltd. / Juyutaka Jikan Co., Ltd. / Nikko Shokai Co., Ltd. / Heian Co., Ltd. / Miyano Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. / Sagawa Express Co., Ltd. / Sumitomo Life Insurance Company / Senryoku Agent Co., Ltd. / Token Corporation Co., Ltd. / Tonan Kosan Co., Ltd. / Toyo Work Security Co., Ltd. / Nippon Port Industries Co., Ltd. / Nippon Paper Transport and Warehouse Co., Ltd. / Banshu Seasoning Co., Ltd. / Hakko LR Co., Ltd. / Yashiro Tourism Development Co., Ltd. / Hyogo Rokko Agricultural Cooperative
Regarding the successful applicants
Click here

A native teacher's unique perspective
You can gain new insights.
Learning from a native teacher like Evelyn not only improved my language skills but also increased my interest in foreign cultures. I learned how Japan and its traditional culture are perceived by people overseas, and gained new realizations that even Japanese people could be surprised by. Even in the teacher's home country of Hungary, the teacher sang Hungarian music and served peanut decorations made by her mother during the Christmas season, allowing me to learn about Hungarian culture in a fun and original teaching style.

Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies Department of English International Communication Itoki Nene Graduated from Hyogo Prefectural Akashi Josai High School
Inspiring EducationPickup Learning from fieldwork Messages from current students

Correct the information
Develop your ability to discern.
I feel that the appeal of Japanese History, and by extension, historical studies, is that you can gather information yourself and unravel the mysteries of things and people that interest you through fieldwork and historical documents. I have developed the habit of questioning information and checking whether it is correct.
Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies
Japanese History Major
Tomoya Sakaguchi
Hyogo Prefectural Yumesaki
High school graduate

Beyond the Faculty"Crossover of learning"

- For example, this is how we can learn, and this is the future
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What was your biggest effort in job hunting?
In corporate research
Business management learned through crossover
The class was very helpful.
The reason I applied to Faculty of Modern Social Studies. In my corporate research during my job search and in my graduation thesis topic "Food waste in Japan and hunger in developing countries," I was able to make full use of not only what I learned in my major, but also what I learned in economics through crossover. I would like to use this wide range of learning as a strength in the job I have received from the food trading company.

International Relations MajorRina NakataniHyogo Prefectural Tachikawa Seihokuryo
High school graduate
List of majors availableMajor subjects
Course names have been updated to make them easier to understand
- Japanese Studies and Asian Studies Course
- International Coexistence Course