January 13th, 2023
Issuing of the Action Book.
The "ACTION BOOK", which serves as a guide for all faculty and staff of Mukogawa Gakuin to carry out the "MUKOJO Vision," the future vision for the 100th anniversary of Mukogawa Gakuin, in unity of mind, was completed and distributed on January 12 to all those involved with the school, from the affiliated nursery schools to the university. It was planned and produced by the "Branding Project Team," which aims to build a brand to embody the "MUKOJO Vision.
The volume opens with a message to faculty and staff from President Ryo Okawara, President Kazuyoshi Seguchi, Principal Shigeto Serata of the affiliated junior and senior high school, and Yutaka Takii, Director General of Mukogawa Gakuin. The text shares how MUKOJO ACTION was launched with the catchphrase "Let's renovate women's university in Japan" and its connection to the spirit of Ritsugaku, and then describes the "MUKOJO Vision" and its guidelines, the "MUKOJO Principles,” MUKOJO ACTION began its course from May 2018 to April 2023.
January 1st, 2023
Happy New Year!
Formalities from the President of Mukogawa Women’s University, Kazuyoshi Seguchi below.
Happy New Year!
For Mukogawa Women's University, the year 2023 will be the year to promote "New Mukojo Education".
The vision of Mukogawa Gakuin, "MUKOJO Vision 2019→2039," which is looking ahead to the 100th anniversary of Mukogawa Gakuin's founding, is the future that Mukogawa Women's University is aiming for. The "New Mukojo Education" is a shift in paradigm from the Mukojo Education established up to the present day to one that is best suited to education and research in the new era.
In the 84 years since its founding, the university has produced many talented individuals who support society through its excellent track record in practical studies and qualified education. Today, as more and more women are expected to play active roles in society, the ability to pioneer their own times is in even greater demand. Through the "New Mukojo Education" initiative, we will provide education and research that encourages free thinking and the ability to take action, and provide our graduates with an environment and opportunities that allow them to learn and take on new challenges as many times as they wish.
In April, the University will newly establish two faculties and one department, bringing the total number of faculties to 12 and departments to 19. As the nation's largest women's university, we will continue our efforts to offer diverse learning that transcends the boundaries of arts and sciences, and to enhance our educational and research environment.
In addition, the Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Campus, which opened in April 2022, will begin offering recurrent education in April of this year, which will be open to a wide range of people from the general public.
As a women's comprehensive university aiming for further evolution, we will continue to be a leading women's university in Japan.
December 27th, 2022
Winter Solstice Tour held at Koshien Hall.
The Winter Solstice Tour was held on December 22 at Koshien Hall on the Kamikoshien campus. The West Hall of the Koshien Kaikan was a banquet hall where many guests gathered during the Koshien Hotel era. In front of this entrance, there is a water bowl called "Sensui." The water bowl is decorated with the Uchide-no-Kozuchi (a hammer and hammer of success) that was the logo of the former Koshien Hotel, and is a sight to see and a sound to hear.
Arata Endo, the designer of the former Koshien Hotel, added another device to this space. He had the upper part of the building opened at 10:40 a.m. on the winter solstice to allow sunlight to illuminate the Uchide-no-Mozuchi, a small mallet carved in the center of the fountain's Nikka-ishi stone. Koshien Hall used to hold an annual winter solstice tour to enjoy this production, but the event was cancelled due to the pandemic, and this was the first time in three years that it was held.
Since the event is weather-dependent, there were concerns until just before the event whether the sun would peek through, but by 10:30 a.m., it did. When the Uchide-no-Kozuchi was illuminated at 10:40 a.m., the crowd cheered and pointed their smartphones and cameras at it.
December 21st, 2022
Christmas party with the international exchange students.
A Christmas party was held by the International Center and the Club IEO staff to celebrate the occasion with the foreign exchange students and the students of Mukogawa Women’s University. Since April, we have accommodated three students from Korea, followed by two students from Taiwan, one from England and another from Korea this past year. The 7 international exchange students have had a warm welcome party in September and have now enjoyed celebrating winter festivities with the students at Mukogawa Women’s University.
The hour long event included activities such as pass the parcel and secret Santa. Prior to the activities, the students gathered in a circle to chat and get to know one and another. The students in charge, Club IEO students coordinated and prepared in advance and did a great job running the show. Among the students who joined for the first time, the language partners of the exchange students were seen among the crowd.
The students were able to interact and share their experiences of Christmas holidays in their countries and learn how the holidays are spent in other cultures. One international student commented, “Back home in England, we celebrate Christmas and it’s time for presents and time with loved ones. It’s interesting to see the dissimilarities of customs here and I’m looking forward to having fried chicken to celebrate Christmas Japanese style.”
Ms. Morisawa, one of the club IEO members commented, “I was pleased to see everyone having fun. It was a good experience for us to take lead in a momentous event like this. I hope that through this event, new friendships were formed and it was a time everyone will cherish.”
December 16, 2022
A press conference was held to announce the appointment of Aiko Sugihara as the gymnastics team's new coach.
Aiko Sugihara, a second-year student of the Junior College Health and Sports Sciences Major and a member of the gymnastics team, will become a coach (junior athlete development) at Mukogawa Women's University from April 2023.
Ms. Sugihara competed in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the Tokyo Olympics, contributing to Japan's women's team. Post All-Japan Event Championships in June of this year, she announced that she would "call it quits" on her competitive career. She has been promoting gymnastics and coaching younger students as a student coach. In deciding on a career path after graduation, her hopes to "nurture athletes who can aim for the Olympics. At Mukogawa Women's University, which promotes cooperation between junior high school, high school, and university, she will serve as a coach to strengthen gymnastics competitions, mainly for the junior generation.
December 15th,2022
The first in-person Christmas tree lighting ceremony in three years was held at the Main Campus.
The annual Christmas tree light up was held at 6:00 p.m. on December 15 at the Fir Tree Plaza on the main campus. Members of the Alumni Association General Affairs Committee were in charge of the lighting ceremony, from planning to decorating the tree and running the event on the day of the lighting. Now in its 21st year, it has become a popular annual event during the New Year's holidays. This year, for the first time in three years, the event was also resumed in person, both online and in person.