The second Wakaba* Festival, a student support and exchange event organized by Tokyo Tech students, was held at Hisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza (Taki Plaza) on Ookayama Campus on April 16 and 17. Following up on last year’s inaugural festivities, the event again brought together many Tokyo Tech students for fruitful networking and offered a useful tour of the facilities at Taki Plaza to new students.
In collaboration with various other student clubs and associations at the Institute, the Taki Plaza Gardener (TPG) student group once again took charge of the planning and organization of the event. On both days, the number of visitors to the Wakaba Festival was limited and appropriate countermeasures against the spread of COVID-19 were in place.
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Wakaba is the Japanese word for “fresh young leaves,” which are often associated with April and May.
Enjoying spring while linking with fellow students
The original concept behind Taki Plaza is a space where international and Japanese students connect, deepen ties, and create the future together. In line with this idea, the TPG group aims to make the facility a stage for events that bring together diverse people and things, and provide an opportunity for participating students to explore a new world that they have not yet experienced. The motto for this year’s Wakaba Festival was “Enjoy SpLink,” which encouraged students to enjoy the mild “spring” climate of Tokyo while “linking” and bonding with fellow students around them.
Various events throughout two days
Both days of the festival were packed with fun-filled events and performances. A total of 13 student groups performed, either at the 70th Anniversary Auditorium on the first day or on the outdoor stage of Taki Plaza on the second day.
Tokyo Tech’s Latin jazz band, Los Guaracheros, performing outdoors
Orchestra performance at 70th Anniversary Auditorium
Discussion events and gaming competitions were held in the event space on the second basement floor of Taki Plaza. Talks focused on international exchange on the first day and on exchange for new students on the second day. Instead of one-way presentations, participants enjoyed group work, quizzes, and games together, making this an event that was truly created together by both organizers and visitors.
Gaming competition: Using dominoes to create Tokyo Tech Seal
In the B2F workshop area, the Tokyo Tech Photo Club, LEGO Club, Art Club, Rocket Club CREATE, Society for the Study of Robotics, Design Society, and Origami Club all displayed their works, demonstrating the range of ingenuity and uniqueness among Tokyo Tech’s student creators.
Creation by Society for the Study of Robotics
Creations by Tokyo Institute of Technology Design Society members
At the guidance session for new students on the first basement floor, international student exchange groups offered hands-on experiences of their activities, study abroad promotion group FLAP offered advice on where to travel for overseas experiences, and peer supporter groups offered opportunities for new students to interact with international students through sugoroku competitions, hands-on creation workshops, and other activities.
Info session for new students on international exchange clubs
Sugoroku session led by language exchange promotion student group ACTION
On the second floor, Digital Creators Club traP, the Design Society, the LEGO Club, and Science Techno held workshops so students could experience the vibe of each organization through various activities.
Graphics workshop with Digital Creators Club traP
The TPG student group also created a series of riddles that involved the entire Taki Plaza, and created and distributed a pamphlet about the topic to visitors. Many participants were very enthused about the challenge, and ended up touring the facility and solving all the riddles.
Guidebook for Mystery, a pamphlet of Taki Plaza riddles by TPG student group
The two-day Wakaba Festival was once again a success, attracting a large number of visitors who enjoyed the opportunity to interact and meet new people. The TPG student group will continue to create and organize projects that promote student exchange at Taki Plaza.
