#DaysInJapan: Findings and Expectations ft. #ARLife

I’ve been about 2 months here during the Asean International Mobility for Student (AIMS) program in Tokyo University of Agriculture & Technology (TUAT) and I feel I already got so many things. There are many new experiences that i never had before. Some of that are from my university life like study in classes and laboratory, and the other are from what I’m doing beyond that time such from the social life here in Japan, culture, and what I see when I’m sightseeing around.

I’ve been dreaming to step my feet here in Japan since very long time ago when I was a kid. Then later when I grew up, I study Landscape Architecture in my university, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). Then in every lecture that I got, my lecturer always told me that Japan is the country that very good in the landscape architecture. In almost every landscape architecture principle that I learnt, Japan is the example of the application. So many sceneries from nature to manmade park are shown in our lecture presentation slide in many courses. Besides that, so many lecturers and professors in my department are graduated from Japan universities. So I think Japan is a best place for me to study about landscape architecture.

Then now, when I have an opportunity to study in Japan, I can prove all my thought and prejudice about it. Actually what I want to concern for my graduate thesis is about landscape design and that is so much about architecture, art, and design thing. But now here in TUAT, what I learn is all about environment and agricultural science, since there is no landscape architecture department here. What I do in the laboratory is also about environment and more into forestry.

I don’t have any own big research in the laboratory, but I study about my laboratory mate research and sometimes helping her. The research is about the difference of the air and soil temperature data from Amedas (Japan weather forecasting device) and from the device that we installed in the inner forest of TUAT campus. I help her to install and now I also analyze the data, the difference and the similarities and how can it be. My other laboratory mate research are also kind of making some device for measuring some natural phenomenon and condition, so when I went to the laboratory I so much feel that I am in the engineering laboratory because there are so many things such as drilling tools, bolts, and others. But I had so much fun, and I also enjoyed every classes and laboratory activity.

Although what I’m learning and doing here is not about landscape, but agriculture and environment are actually related to landscape architecture and be the base of it. All the knowledge that I got here are worth and useful for me. Besides that, I can know how it feels to be studying abroad here, in Japan. I also can feel how to be in the laboratory and do the research and lab work here. I have many laboratory mates that always help me and be friends with me. So do my friends in classes that also in the AIMS program. I’m so happy here because I can be friends with people from different country with me. And for experiencing that kind of new things, I already be grateful and feel so lucky.

My study about landscape architecture here in Japan actually happens when I go out somewhere and sightseeing around. I can see the new landscape form that different with my country, especially that Japan has 4 seasons and the weather is changing very fast. The city and urban arrangement are also different and organized very neatly. Everywhere in here are like planned for the best. It’s so enjoying even just walk in the roadside and see how neat Japan is, and how the landscape principles are applied.

For example, it’s very rare in Indonesia we find an ideal community park in our residential area that can be used by children and other citizen. But here, every some blocks of houses, there is always a park -even a small park-, that fulfill the people needs of open space. Even when I walk to the campus, I already passed about 4 parks. That is a simple example, there are so many things that I learn here even just a simple little detail of design from a corner of a place. So every time I walk around here and observe, I learn a lot of things. And luckily, i also join so many courses that has a fieldtrips to some places so i can learn more while i can also having fun.

That is what I feel in my 2 month of studying here. All about it are very nice and enjoyable. I get so many new experiences, knowledge, and other something new. So far I’m very satisfied with all the things here. I hope all I get from the beginning and 3 month more ahead can improve myself in many sides. And I hope someday I have a chance to go here again in the future.


(wrote for AIMS mid-term program evaluation report)