The Japanese view of literature and drama as quintessentially impractical is an anomaly in the world
The significance of a liberal arts education

Iwakiri specializes in modern and contemporary French poetry and plays. He has translated numerous French works into Japanese. In 2007, he received the Yuasa Yoshiko Prize for his Japanese translations of Caligula by Albert Camus and L’Alouette by Jean Anouilh, both staged by Yukio Ninagawa.
Hirata is widely known for his Contemporary Colloquial Theater Theory. During his years at ICU, he spent a year in Korea, where he learned to adopt a relativist view while immersing himself in a different culture. He says that this represents the foundation for his theory of drama.
With their keen interest in literature and drama, both men see tremendous potential in these spheres of education.As Iwakiri says, “Art, philosophy and thought are often perceived as not having any practical use; but I disagree. When we think about the meaning of life and how to live your life to the fullest, these can clearly help us.”
Hirata agrees. “It’s unfortunate that, in Japan, drama belongs to a lower echelon in the hierarchy of the arts. Compared to other cultures, Japanese see it in a different light.”

In Japan, the concept of the ‘Arts and Sciences’ may not be very popular as a genre in the classification of academic disciplines. The arts tend to be seen as something to appreciate and to hold in awe as man-made creations, but not as something of practical value. However, such thinking may be an anomaly in the world.
Hirata elaborates, “For example, in the U.S., in a way, drama is placed at the core of liberal arts. Most universities have a drama faculty or department. In Korea, it is regarded as an important component of education. The economic impact of films and drama may have contributed to the dramatic arts being regarded as, in some ways, representative of practical learning.”

So what exactly is the educational significance of genres that belong to the “arts?”

The educational value of the dramatic arts
Shedding light on the essence of active learning

Academic fields in the “arts” nurture the ability to ascertain the essence of a subject and to identify issues. The recent trend in Japanese higher education has been to emphasize the need for self-direction in addition to these abilities. This has led to the promotion of active learning.

In 2014, this approach received attention when it was included in the MEXT Educational Guidelines, referring to active and action-oriented learning, including group discussion and group work, a shift away from the conventional passive style of learning which had represented the norm in Japan.
However, the current situation shows an inclination towards installing learning commons, offering practical training classes, and substantiating opportunities for experience-based learning, which only form part of active learning. What really matters in this approach is dialogue, which ICU has emphasized since its founding days, but which is also closely aligned with the dramatic arts.

Hirata explains, “Drama is a collaborative art form. Individuals act out different characters, but the group needs to incorporate this acting into a single work.”

Iwakiri points out that this experience of diverse people getting together to perform a play resonates with the principle that ICU aspires to: “independent students with diverse values gathering together to form a community.”

Hirata continues, “Many countries include drama in their educational curricula, due to its potential to cultivate self-directed sociability. We tend to lag behind the trend in other nations in the developed world where music, art and drama are offered as compulsory senior high school electives.”

In a town in the U.S., the theater provides a cultural forum and a venue for relaxation, just as the university offers education, and the church a place to share a faith. As Hirata notes, the theatrical arts in Japan may not be held in as high esteem as they are in other parts of the world. They are rarely included in the higher education curriculum as part of the active learning approach, although many universities around the world do so (often with a Faculty of Drama within their organization).

The essence of drama nurtures the mind, self-direction and sociability, which explains what is lacking in Japanese higher education and why the Japanese view of the theatrical arts differs from that in other parts of the world.

Carrying out experiments in society:
the DNA behind this challenge

Taking on challenges is another thing these two men have in common.

In April 2021, Hirata became President of the newly established Professional College of Arts and Tourism, located in Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture. He also serves as cultural consultant to the City, which emphasizes education, tourism, and the dramatic arts, with aspirations of becoming an international city of dramatic arts.

He notes, “Toyooka City has a population of 80,000, similar to the size of Avignon (with 90,000) and Cannes, a city famous for its film festival, with 70,000. This size makes them an ideal location for cinema and theater performances. Daytime sporting facilities and evening entertainment facilities are prerequisites for an international resort. Toyooka has all the makings of a tourist attraction, with Kinosaki Spa in the vicinity and artistic elements such as the Ebara Riverside Theatre that I built”.

He goes on to emphasize his vision of an education dedicated to the cultivation of knowledgeable personnel for the tourism industry. “Liberal arts is the very essence of tourism education. People need to be armed, not just with the history and social background of the place to which they welcome guests, but also with a breadth of knowledge that forms the foundation of the hospitality they deliver.”

Liberal arts, the cornerstone of education at ICU,
a unique and inspiring community

Where does this DNA originate? The answer is that it is rooted in the unique community that is ICU. Despite being located in metropolitan Tokyo, a third of the student body and several of the faculty live on the spacious and leafy campus. The campus community, rare in its diversity, is also home to a unique mode of instruction offered in small classes.

Hirata, who is not a Christian, admits that the “C” component at ICU had a profound influence on his life. “When you work in Europe, a basic understanding of the religion is a prerequisite. I’m afraid many Japanese working in the arts are not aware of this.” Iwakiri adds that you also need to understand the spirit of Christianity. “It’s the premise that we are all equal before God that supports the proximity on campus between students and faculty.”

Since the autumn term, he has initiated the Special Lecture Convocation Hour, for which guests are invited to speak on the theme of a Modern Society and Liberal Arts. Mr. Yoshino of Dari K Co., the first speaker in this series, grows cacao beans in Indonesia to manufacture chocolate. His company operates, not on fair-trade arrangements, but makes sure that farms secure adequate income and sell their beans at appropriate prices.
Iwakiri recalls, “After the lecture, Mr. Yoshino was surprised at the reaction: many ICU- related people visited his store or emailed him. He’d had many opportunities to talk about his company, but the reaction after talking at ICU was very different. This may reflect the unique culture here whereby people are inspired to take action when they find something of value that resonates with their ideals.”

Changing patterns of education with COVID-19:
Deprived of common space, but granted an online environment

When we think about the future of education, we need to deal with global issues such as infectious diseases. Higher education has been suddenly and deeply impacted by the coronavirus epidemic. ICU was no exception: it was one of the first Japanese universities to shift all classes online in early March 2020.

Before assuming his post as President, Iwakiri was already dealing with the pandemic as a member of the administration. Looking back at his first year in office, he notes, “If we were just exchanging information, working online would do. However, in a university, we do much more. Faculty give advice about senior theses; students take part in club activities; and there is dialogue on the lawn. It’s the experience of sharing space with others that’s important. What scares me most about the coronavirus pandemic is that it deprives us of this common space.”
At this point, Hirata introduces an experience he had working with elementary school students. “An incident at a primary school left a deep impression on me. As part of the ICT program, tablets had been handed out before the pandemic, and students used them all the time. But when it came to online learning, some had trouble using them properly. After some observation, we found that what supported learning was mutual help among peers. A common learning environment where students teach and learn from friends was the key.”

Hirata agrees, “Some students told me that it was easier to express their opinions online. In a workshop I hold every year, there were times when the participants seemed withdrawn. But this year, I held it for a full three hours online. Students listened with an intensity that made it easier for me to work with the group.”
　In January 2021, a State of Emergency was declared again in several major Japanese cities. As this situation will continue for some time, it is safe to say that higher education is at a turning point. The future of ICU will depend on how its community transforms its education to achieve relevance whilst retaining its focus on acquired experience and knowledge.