On August 14, we took part in the 55th Tottori Shan Shan Festival as "Tottori University International Odoriko-tai (dance team)" by forming a ren (team) of 50 people (25 international students, 13 Japanese students, 5 community residents, and 7 faculty members).
Since 2005, "Tottori University International Odoriko-tai" has been joining the festival every year. We practiced the dance by receiving guidance from a person of the Koyama Nishi Community Center from mid-June. This time, many Japanese students and international students, such as those who are scheduled to study abroad under the Tobitate! (Leap for Tomorrow) Study Abroad Initiative and those who will join an English seminar in Malaysia, took part in the actual dance in the festival after having practiced the dance twice a week (16 sessions in total) while having worked together and helped each other.
On the day of the festival, as Typhoon No.10 was approaching, there was a possibility of the festival being canceled. However, as if their passion, "we want to dance!" had been heard, the students were able to continue dancing until the last of the festival, receiving warm applause from people alongside the streets. For international students, participation in the festival became one of their pleasant memories in Japan. Besides, we expect Japanese students who will study abroad from now to convey the attractiveness of Tottori globally through the traditional kasa-odori (umbrella dance).
