On October 28th we had the honor of hosting a Lecture event about Japanese Tea in collaboration with Dansk-Japansk Selskab (The Danish Japanese Association).

The Lecture was done by Steen Pipper who has been passionate about tea since his childhood and who is now a part of the Global Japanese Tea Association - teaching others about Japanese Tea.

The lecture began with the history of tea and insight as to how different types of teas have developed over time. After this it focused on the Japanese tea harvest and production and presented the biggest different tea types, such as Matcha, Gyokuro, Sencha and Bancha with an explanation of what distinguishes each type. Furthermore, the lecture discussed some of the challenges that the tea firms, especially small family-owned businesses, are facing today in Japan.

During the lecture all participants were also offered various tea tastings with an explanation of how to brew each tea type in the best way. The guests could enjoy both Hôjicha, and Sencha (hot and cold brewed).

We hope that the event could inspire the attendants to dive further into the Japanese Tea Culture and deepen the appreciation of both the art of making tea and drinking it - which in many ancient traditions is considered a meditative Zen practice.​

On Saturday, September 27, the Tokai University European Center in Vedbæk was transformed into a vibrant hub for Japanese pop culture. The event attracted cosplay enthusiasts, anime and manga fans, as well as curious visitors eager to experience a cultural day.

Guests could immerse themselves in Japanese pop culture through a wide range of activities. The artist alley featured talented creators showcasing and selling their work, while vendors offered unique merchandise and a booth presenting second-hand J-fashion.

Restaurant Banzai delighted attendees with freshly prepared onigiri, dorayaki, and kakigori, while Dansk Japansk Selskab served both Japanese and Western refreshments.

Throughout the day, visitors could join a beginner-friendly Japanese language workshop, attend a lecture on J-fashion, and test their knowledge in a lively pop culture-themed Jeopardy game. Upstairs, a karaoke room and gaming area invited guests to relax, compete, and have fun.

A highlight of the event was the free cosplay photo sessions with professional photographer followed by a cosplay catwalk that showcased the creativity and dedication of the participants.

Beyond the activities, the event offered a welcoming space to meet like-minded people, share experiences, and be inspired by the many imaginative expressions of Japanese pop culture.

The aim of the day was to spread awareness of Japanese pop culture while fostering community spirit. Thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of both organizers and participants, the event was a resounding success — leaving many hopeful that it will return in the future.

We are very grateful for all who attended, and we owe a big thanks to Tokai's Alumni Association as well as all other contributors who made this event possible.

On September 23rd,  a ”washoku” event was held at TUEC in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Denmark. The purpose of the event was to promote Japanese cuisine and provide a networking opportunity for culinary professionals and other industry representatives.
 
The event was attended by over 40 guests, including participants from culinary schools, school lunch businesses providing Japanese food in Denmark, wholesalers, retailers, culinary businesses and Japan-related businesses.
 
Ambassador Hideki Uyama and TUEC’s Head of Administration, Jakob Skyt Jensen, opened the event with welcome speeches, introducing the event and the program of the day. Professor Emeritus Ole G. Mouritsen, President of the Danish Gastronomical Academy and Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador, then gave a lecture about Japan’s unique fifth taste, umami. Following the lecture, the personal chef of Ambassador Uyama, Mr. Atsushi Suzuki, demonstrated how to make three basic components of Japanese cuisine: dashi, miso and onigiri. All guests were provided with freshly made samples for tasting and five select guests had the opportunity to try their hand at onigiri-making.

To round off the event, a tea ceremony was held by the tea group, Byakudan-no-kai, at TUEC’s Japanese tea house.
 
In collaboration with local businesses, booths with Japanese food products were also exhibited, promoting a variety of Japanese products.

TUEC was very pleased to be able to promote Japanese food culture in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan. The interest for Japanese cuisine has increased significantly in Denmark over the last decade, with Danes of all ages enjoying Japanese food on a regular basis. Sale and selection of Japanese food products in Danish supermarkets and online shops have also increased considerably. In addition, Japanese food culture has a lot to offer with regard to maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and shifting towards use of more sustainable ingredients, and we therefore hope that participants were inspired by the event. 

This summer, from mid-August till early September, we received three different Study Groups from Japan: respectively from the Tokai University’s Junior College of Nursing and Medical Technology, it’s Dept. of Health Management and its Dept. of Nordic Studies. Below you can read a bit about each groups Student Study Tour in Denmark, hosted by TUEC.

Tokai University European Center (TUEC) hosted a “Japanese Culture Day” on the 22nd of June this year. Since 2020, Danes have been able to further their understanding of Japanese culture by experiencing it firsthand at the annual “Japanese Culture Day”.

This year you could experience everything from traditional cultural elements, like calligraphy, origami, Ikebana and karate, to pop-cultural elements, like Pokémon, Cosplay and J-fashion. Both Japanese ceramics and food items, like candy, Ramune soda, onigiris, seaweed, shaved ice, and so much more was sold!
It was an event where whole families could enjoy Japanese culture together, so like previous years, “Japan Quizzes” were held for both adults and children, something which attracted participation from many visitors. Moreover, this year was the first time that the traditional folk event, stemming from Akita-prefecture, called “Namahage” was performed. Even though they became a little scared at times, especially children at the event seemed to enjoy it!

We were blessed by hundreds of visitors and good weather this year. We are deeply grateful that this event could be held once more thanks to the cooperation with various organizations involved in Japanese culture in Denmark.

As the organizer, we would once again like to express our gratitude to the organizations that cooperated with us. Thank you for your dedicated efforts, which allowed us to reaffirm the appeal of Japanese culture through this year's Japanese Culture Day.

Between February and March, we welcomed three student delegations from Tokai University.

The Judo Club delegation:
The first group to arrive was the Judo Club. Their visit began in Copenhagen, where they spent a few days at the Tokai University European Center (TUEC) in Vedbæk. During their stay, they enjoyed a sightseeing tour of Copenhagen, accompanied by TUEC staff. Following their time in the capital, the delegation traveled to Vejle to take part in the annual Matsumae Cup, held from February 14 to 17.

The Medical School delegation:
The second delegation came from the School of Medicine and consisted of 12 students and 2 teachers. They visited Denmark from February 23 to March 1. During their stay, they followed a program prepared by the TUEC staff.

The group visited two general practitioners, the Association of General Practitioners, and the Danish Agency for Digitalization, where Ph.D. Karen Ejersbo Iversen gave a presentation on digitalization in Denmark, including a comparison with Japan's digital infrastructure.

They also toured the Medical Museion in Copenhagen and visited the University of Copenhagen’s medical school, where a local medical student provided a guided campus tour. Another highlight was their visit to Statens Serum Institut (the State Serum Institute), where they learned about the institute’s work and had the opportunity to see the laboratories and sample storage facilities.

Later in the program, the delegation visited the University of Copenhagen’s South Campus to attend a cultural exchange event called The Japanese Café, organized weekly by students from the Japanese Studies department.

On their final day, they visited a care facility, where they learned about the daily routines of caregivers, the structure of elderly care services, and the range of social activities provided for residents. After the visit, the group had free time to explore Copenhagen, do some sightseeing, and enjoy a bit of shopping before returning to Japan the following day.

The School of Childhood Education delegation:
The third delegation came from the School of Childhood Education and consisted of 15 students and 2 teachers. They visited Denmark from March 2 to March 11, following a program prepared by the TUEC staff.

During their stay, the group visited two kindergartens—one a more traditional urban kindergarten, and the other a forest kindergarten. At both locations, the students learned about different approaches to early childhood education in Denmark and were surprised by some of the cultural differences. For example, it is common for infants in Denmark to nap outdoors in baby strollers, even during winter. Danish children also typically spend much more time outside compared to their Japanese counterparts, who are usually indoors. The visiting students brought origami paper and had the chance to interact with the children by teaching them how to fold various figures.

On another day, the group visited a private school for gifted children, where the principal explained that only students with a certain IQ level are eligible to attend. The delegation observed classes, learned about the school’s teaching methods, and had the opportunity to ask a few questions to both students and teachers during lessons, while being careful not to disrupt the classes.

The group also visited UC Absalon, a Danish teacher training college. There, they observed a class in session and had the opportunity to speak with Danish students in smaller groups. The Danish students had been given a small assignment to come up with fun and creative ways to teach children—such as through games, songs, and playful activities—which they then shared with the Japanese delegation. The visit also provided insight into the structure of the Danish teacher education program, including how the degree is organized, the balance between theoretical coursework and practical training, and the various subject specializations available to student teachers.

Another highlight was the visit to Grundtvigs Højskole, where the students learned about Denmark’s unique folk high school tradition. They toured the dormitories and communal spaces—many of which had been built or decorated by the students themselves—and enjoyed lunch at the school before heading to nearby Frederiksborg Castle.

Over the weekend, the students had time off to explore on their own. Some joined TUEC staff at the University of Copenhagen South Campus to experience a Friday Bar, a popular social event among Danish students. Others chose to go sightseeing or attended a football match in Copenhagen.
On their final day, the group visited a public school to compare it with the private school they had seen earlier. They observed several classes, including an arts and crafts lesson that left a strong impression on the Japanese students. The teacher instructed the students to pick up from where they had left off in the previous session, and the class got to work building a festival chair. Working in groups, the children engaged in various tasks such as sawing, drilling, screwing, painting, and even sewing fabric.
What stood out most to the Japanese students was the contrast in teaching style. In Japan, a similar class would likely be more structured and rigid, with all students doing the same task at the same time under close supervision from the teacher. However, in this Danish class, there was a greater sense of freedom. The children worked on different tasks simultaneously, with less direct oversight from the teacher. This more independent and flexible approach left a strong impact on the visiting students, who were surprised by how the Danish classroom environment encouraged creativity and self-directed learning.

The following day, the delegation returned home to Japan after a full and enriching week in Denmark.

On 7 February, The Japan Alumni and Researcher Assembly (JARA) was held at the University of Copenhagen. JARA seeks to foster networking within Denmark's Japan-focused research community. It provides a platform for researchers, professionals, and students to connect, exchange ideas, and advance Japan-related research and scholarship opportunities.

The opening remarks were given by the Ambassador of Japan in Denmark, His Excellency Hideki Uyama, the Director of JSPS Stockholm Office, Professor Kazuyuki Kuroda, and finally, the Director – Head of Research at Tokai University European Center, Dr. Manami Hori.
Afterwards, the first lecture was held by Dr. Karen Ejersbo Iversen (Chief Adviser, The National ICT Council Secretariat, Ministry of Finance, Denmark) about her research on the public sector digitalization changes in Japan and her stay at Tokai University in 2024.
This was followed by a short presentation about scholarships by the Embassy of Japan.

The next lecture was held by Dr. Mollie Brooks (Senior Researcher, Technical University of Denmark, JSPS ACD BRIDGE Fellow 2023) about her research and experience during her BRIDGE Fellowship in 2023.
A short presentation about exchange opportunities and scholarships was given by JSPS Stockholm and Tokai University European Center.

Finally, some closing remarks from JSPS Alumni Club Denmark were followed by a reception with a bit of sushi and time to be sociable with the other participants.

A sincere thank you to everyone who participated in this event.

A heartfelt thank you to all the co-organizers of this event for their support and collaboration:

• The Embassy of Japan in Denmark
• JSPS Alumni Club Denmark
• JSPS Stockholm Office
• Tokai University Alumni Association Denmark​

On January 30th our Director - Head of Research, Dr. Manami Hori performed a Lecture called: "Shortage of Human Resources in Japan's Super-Ageing Society: Challenges for health care industries". The lecture tackled the complex issues of Japan’s declining birth-rate and how it impacts shortage of manpower, especially in the health care and elderly care sectors. This year marks the well-known term ‘the 2025 problem’, which refers to the year when the post-war baby boom generation will be aged 75 or older, as well as the target year for various policy issues related to social security, such as medical care, nursing care and pensions.

Dr. Hori presented various research results showing just how affected the different sectors both within and without the health care industry have been and will continue to become. The target for policy issues is shifting to 2040, when the second baby boom generation will reach retirement age. However, if the 2025 problem isn’t properly handled Japan will face even more adversity moving forward to the 2040 mark, meaning even more serious measures will have to be taken.

While Dr. Hori confirms the need for a long-sighted plan focusing on the declining birth-rate, her research increases the awareness of the major impact this is already having today. For Japan, she argues, must face the issue of human shortage already occuring before it can prepare itself for even more disparity in age amongst the coming generations.
 
This was Dr. Hori’s last lecture here at the Tokai University European Center before her travel back to Japan here in mid-March. Many colleagues of hers showed up as well as other associates within the health care research area. Tokai Alumni Association members were also attending this Lecture, as well as other friends of Tokai and some members of the Denmark Japan Association.

H.E. Ambassador Mr. Uyama was also present at the Seminar and was so kind as to say a few words about Dr. Manami Hori and her stay in Denmark whilst doing her research and working as a Director for TUEC. Another speaker at the Seminar was Chairman of the Tokai Alumni Association Board, Sam Kondo Steffensen, who also had a few things about Dr. Hori’s stay in Denmark and all that she has done to help the Center and the Tokai Alumni Association. Lastly, Dr. Hori’s colleague and friend Professor Theis Lange, spoke about how Dr. Hori has actively participated in and enhanced the research at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at Copenhagen University.
 
We at TUEC are extremely grateful for Dr. Manami Hori’s stay in Denmark for the past two years and all her contributions, especially those regarding the fostering of both old and new collaborations, as well the expansion of mutual understanding between researchers across cultures - paving the way for a hopeful future through strengthening the bonds between our nations.
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We would also like to thank everyone who attended the Lecture both in person and online, and everyone who has been actively involved in assisting Dr. Hori’s endeavor’s here in Denmark leading up to this last big event greeting her farewell before her return to Japan.

On December the 20th last year (2024) we had the honor of welcoming visitors from Tokai Affiliated High Schools to our facilities here at Tokai University European Center.

Their visit was a part of their 40th European Study Trip, whose purpose was to have the students experience both Denmark and other parts of Europe for themselves, as way of learning about the origins of the philosophies on which the Tokai Educational System is built upon.

This 40th European Study Trip had been postponed since 2020 because of coronavirus and the war between Russia and Ukraine, making it an important turning point where more than 90 students in total participated.

During their visit here at Tokai University European Center, the students performed a flower offering in front of the commemorative stone for Tokai’s founder Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae, which is placed at our Centers Garden. After this the students were divided into two groups where each group took turns to receive a guided tour of the Centers Facilities done by Director Jakob Skyt Jensen. Simultaneously the groups also took turns in attending a lecture about the Centers history, role and connection to Tokai’s ideological roots, which was held by Director Dr. Manami Hori in the assembly hall.
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Here at the Center, we enjoyed experiencing the presence of so many curious students that were eager to learn about Danish history and culture and its relation to the founding of Tokai. We hope that the visit offered some insight and inspiration and helped strengthening the important bonds between the students, the center, Denmark, Europe and other countries as well.