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Rain Can’t Dampen 12th Annual AIU Festival

Despite the overcast October day, hundreds of visitors came to support the event and students’ performances.


AIU Mascots “One” and “Can” lead children in English sing-a-long songs on the Main Stage

For many students, international and domestic alike, the 2-day annual AIU festival is the highlight of the year. Held on the October 11-12 “Sports Day” 3-day weekend in October, the festival opens the campus to members of the Akita Community and visitors from around Japan. This year, as in many years, it coincided with the Admissions Office’s Open Campus event, so an additional 712 visitors – equally nearly 80% of the AIU student body – were on hand from around the country to enjoy the festivities.

The AIU festival is one of the top opportunities for AIU’s dozens of dance teams, including the Hip Hop Club seen here, to perform for their largest audiences of the year.

“It was really impressive to see how much work the students put into the festival and how many different activities there were” said international student Kevin N?ckel (Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, Germany). “I went to a similar festival at a much larger university once, but it had only a few food booths, no buildings open to tour, and almost no student participation. I think that the AIU Festival was a great example of students’ enthusiasm and effort here.”

Hundreds more visitors turned out from Akita City and surrounding prefectures to attend student performances, and peruse the food and game booths, and take a walk through the Haunted Classroom, a perennial favorite. A light rain fell off and on through the day, but only the bonfire was lost to the weather. Stage performances did not disappoint and there were plenty of indoor activities as well, from performances in Suda Hall to tea ceremony, and cafes to support different groups and causes.

Indoor events included Japanese and English Bibliobattles – in which students compete for the best presentation to convince the audience to read a book of their choice – appropriately held in AIU’s “Coliseum of Books”

The AIU Kanto Team performed with plastic coverings over the lanterns to keep them safe from the changing weather.


An afternoon dance parade – in which the dancers kept miraculously in synch despite having no music – snaked between the food and game booths under the first beginnings of fall foliage.

The AIU Brass Band performance in Suda Hall was one of many indoor highlights of the day

Despite the overcast October day, hundreds of visitors came to support the event and students’ performances.


AIU Mascots “One” and “Can” lead children in English sing-a-long songs on the Main Stage

For many students, international and domestic alike, the 2-day annual AIU festival is the highlight of the year. Held on the October 11-12 “Sports Day” 3-day weekend in October, the festival opens the campus to members of the Akita Community and visitors from around Japan. This year, as in many years, it coincided with the Admissions Office’s Open Campus event, so an additional 712 visitors – equally nearly 80% of the AIU student body – were on hand from around the country to enjoy the festivities.

The AIU festival is one of the top opportunities for AIU’s dozens of dance teams, including the Hip Hop Club seen here, to perform for their largest audiences of the year.

“It was really impressive to see how much work the students put into the festival and how many different activities there were” said international student Kevin N?ckel (Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences, Germany). “I went to a similar festival at a much larger university once, but it had only a few food booths, no buildings open to tour, and almost no student participation. I think that the AIU Festival was a great example of students’ enthusiasm and effort here.”

Hundreds more visitors turned out from Akita City and surrounding prefectures to attend student performances, and peruse the food and game booths, and take a walk through the Haunted Classroom, a perennial favorite. A light rain fell off and on through the day, but only the bonfire was lost to the weather. Stage performances did not disappoint and there were plenty of indoor activities as well, from performances in Suda Hall to tea ceremony, and cafes to support different groups and causes.

Indoor events included Japanese and English Bibliobattles – in which students compete for the best presentation to convince the audience to read a book of their choice – appropriately held in AIU’s “Coliseum of Books”

The AIU Kanto Team performed with plastic coverings over the lanterns to keep them safe from the changing weather.


An afternoon dance parade – in which the dancers kept miraculously in synch despite having no music – snaked between the food and game booths under the first beginnings of fall foliage.

The AIU Brass Band performance in Suda Hall was one of many indoor highlights of the day