STATESBORO —The Japanese club at Georgia Southern helps students understand, practice and integrate Japanese culture into their lives. 

The GS Japanese club gives students an opportunity to meet a diverse group of people and study the culture as well as earn points for their Japanese classes if they are currently taking Japanese courses at GS.

Each meeting gives members a chance to immerse themselves in the culture by introducing new Japanese phrases and words, as well as covering current events in Japan and lessons about the country and its cultures such as their monetary system, origami, and fashion.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The club has been active since 2013 and for the past six years, the club’s main goal is to make people have a good feeling about Japan, its heritage, customs and traditions. 

“[We want to] go there as well help students immerse themselves in the Japanese culture,” Club President Linda Dobbins said. 

In past meetings, the club has held traditional tea ceremonies, practiced origami and has even tried on yukatas and kimonos, traditional Japanese fashion, to give members a hands-on experience.

Japanese club member, Mengzhu Ou, enjoys the hands-on experience in the club because it gives students an opportunity to be more involved and pay more attention to detail in the culture. 

“We will see more than what a textbook or movie could show us,” Ou said.

The Japanese club meets every Thursday night at 7 p.m. in room 2084 in the Russell Union. Students interested in joining the Japanese club you can go to their page on MyInvolvment or contact the club’s faculty advisor Noriko Kolbe, or President Linda Dobbins.

Savannah King, The George-Anne Candidate,gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu