The Georgia Southern University Japanese Club is a student organization hosted by the College of Arts and Humanities.

The club was revived by Norkio Mori-Kolbe Ph.D. after she came to GS in 2014. The language department had many programs at the time with a club for each country, except Japan.

Currently, the Japanese Club holds meetings on Mondays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in room 2054 of the Russel Union. According to their Facebook page, attendees get to experience Japanese food, music, movies, and what it’s like to engage in Japanese Festivals. They can even learn about cultural attire like kimonos and yukatas.

“It exposes [them] to an unknown culture,” said Mori-Kolbe, now the primary adviser of the organization. “It’s good to try so they can appreciate other cultures outside of [their own] and the perspective or rationale behind it.”

Learning between cultures is further facilitated through the student exchange program. Students from Japan visit to allow GS students in the Japanese program and club to interact with native speakers their own age. GS students can also study in Japan and return to share their experiences with their peers.

Additionally, the club hosts a Japanese Conversation Hour, which helps students in the Japanese program practice their conversation skills.

The club itself encourages its members to develop leadership skills, especially as officers, to take charge and plan events.

For more information, visit the Japanese Club Facebook page or contact Mori-Kolbe at nkolbe@georgiasouthern.edu.

Christina McKinley,The George-Anne News Candidate, gadigital@georgiasouthern.edu