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- 工学院，物質理工学院，環境・社会理工学院共通科目
- Liberal arts and basic science courses
- First-Year Courses
- School of Science
- School of Engineering
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology
- School of Computing
- School of Life Science and Technology
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School of Environment and Society
- Department of Architecture and Building Engineering
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- Department of Social and Human Sciences
- Department of Innovation Science
- Graduate major in Technology and Innovation Management
- Common courses
- Liberal arts and basic science courses
- Academic unit or major
- Entrepreneurship courses
- Instructor(s)
- Murakami Rie Ota Eri Watanabe Takashi Kobayashi Equo Matsuzaki Yuri Bektas Yakup
- Class Format
- Lecture / (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- Day/Period(Room No.)
- Intensive 5-8()
- Group
- -
- Course number
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ENT.G351(LAW.X371*)
Students who enrolled in or before AY 2023 must register using the course number marked with an asterisk (*).
- Credits
- 1
- Academic year
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1-2Q
- Syllabus updated
- 2024/4/4
- Lecture notes updated
- -
- Language used
- English
- Access Index
-
Course description and aims
The sword has always been a special object in Japan. Beginning early in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), the country began to excel in sword making, bringing about a profound transformation of the country’s political and military culture. Essential to its swordsmithing was Japan’s special technique of iron smelting and steel making called tatara. This course explores this traditional method in a hands-on way: students will build and operate a tatara furnace and smelt iron sand into steel. The class will also visit a professional swordsmith and watch and participate in the swordsmithing art process.
Through lectures, demonstrations, practical training sessions, audio-visual sources, multicultural group work, international collaboration (between students from Japan and other countries) students will:
1. Deepen their understanding of this traditional technology (Tatara iron making).
2. Understand the historical, technological, and cultural background of tatara iron making and the characteristics of Japanese iron.
3. Become aware of the value of preserving traditional technologies and thus willing to develop ways to make traditional technologies viable economically.
Student learning outcomes
1. Developing a better understanding of traditional technologies and related industries. Exploring the historical, social, and cultural contexts of tatara iron making. Evaluating tatara in comparison with traditional iron manufacturing techniques from their home countries.
2. Fostering mutual understanding through multicultural group work. Engaging in collaborative activities, learning essential skills for intercultural co-learning. Promoting cross-cultural communication and cooperation.
3. Proposing preservation or revival of traditional technologies: using Japan’s tatara as a specific example, students will also develop innovative proposals to sustain or revive traditional technologies relevant to their home countries.
Keywords
Preservation, traditional technologies, tatara, watetsu, sword
Competencies that will be developed
| Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Class flow
1. Lectures, online videos and slides
2. Collecting data by research about traditional iron making technology, related industries, their cultural and social background, and on the use of Japanese traditional iron historically and in modern times.
3. Sharing knowledge and data through multicultural group work
4. (1) Practical training in charcoal cutting, (2) tatara iron making (simplified), (3) swordsmith experience (paper knife making), and (4) Japanese sword appreciation at a wordsmithing workshop.
5. Group work (in and out of class) and group presentation proposal on how to revive and preserve tatara (and other traditional technologies)
6. Collaborating on making a group report based on group proposals
Course schedule/Required learning
| Course schedule | Required learning | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 5/15 (Wed) 13:30-17:05 @ O-okayama Lecture: ・Orientation ・Characteristics of Japanese traditional iron (difference from modern iron), Japan sword manufacturing process, appreciation of Japanese iron products | ＜ Individual Assignment＞ ・ Watching online videos. slides, and audio-visual materials, answering quizzes, writing a report evaluating these materials (400 characters in Japanese or 200 words in English) (until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22) - Researching the ancient steelmaking of each country (including history, social background, related industries, and connection to the present) and prepare 10-minute presentation slides. (English) (Adjustment within the group so as not to overlap) (Until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22) |
| Class 2 | 5/22 (Wed) 13:30-17:05 @ O-okayama Lecture: ・History and the place of the sword in Japan Group Work: ・Share the history of ancient ironmaking that you have researched within the group. ・Presentation: Summarize the discussions within the group and present them as a whole (commonalities, differences, characteristics) | ＜Individual Assignment〉 ・ From the slides and other materials related to Oku-Izumo, summarize "what impressed you" and "points that are connected to the present compared to the traditional steel making of the countries you have researched". T2SCHOA submission (1000 characters in Japanese or 500 words in English) (until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5) |
| Class 3 | 6/5 (Wed) 13:30-17:05 @ Suzukakedai Practice: ・Watching a video of Sword smith, Mr.Matsuda Tsuguyasu ・Charcoal cutting | ＜Group Assignment〉 ・ Tentative proposal on "What is the value of a traditional technology in a selected country (for example, your home country) presently, and what should be done to preserve it" (free style) (Submitted in the shared folder until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12) ・ Check the progress in the shared folder |
| Class 4 | 6/8 (Sat) 8:50-17:00 @ Suzukakedai Practice: ・Tatara iron making (simplified version) Alternative day: 6/15 (Sat) | ＜Group Assignment〉 ・ Check the progress in the shared folder |
| Class 5 | 6/22 (Sat) 9:00-16:00 @ Chiba (Matsuda Tsuguyasu Sword Smith factory) Lectures and Practical Training: ・Lecture on Japanese swords ・Appreciation of Japanese swords | ＜Group Assignment〉 ・After going through practical training, brush up on your ideas and submit report as slides in a shared folder (English) (until 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 24) 〈Individual Report〉 ・Report on your impression of lectures and practical training at Matsuda Tsuguyasu Sword Craftsman's Workshop (400 characters in Japanese or 200 words in English) (submitted through T2SCHOLA) (Until 6/26 (Wed) 9:00) |
| Class 6 | 6/26 (Wed) 13:30-17:05@O-okayama Group Work: ・Shuffle group work ・Group work ・Final presentation of "Proposal for the development and preservation of traditional Japanese iron and steel making technology" | ＜ Individual Assignment＞ In a final report, summarize the ideas for the development and preservation of Japan's traditional iron and steel making technologies that take into account the historical, cultural, and social background of the country. You may want to refer to the group's suggestions. (1600 characters in Japanese or 800 words in English) (Until 7/5 (Fri) 9:00) (Submitted by T2SCOLA) |
Textbook(s)
None.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Reading and audio-visual materials as required will be suggested before each class.
Assessment criteria and methods
Lecture participation: 10%.
Survey on traditional techniques in students' own countries: 20%.
Hands-on training: 20%
Contribution to group work: 20%
Group Proposal Presentation (Group Evaluation): 10%
Individual proposal report (Japanese or English is acceptable): 20%.
Related courses
- ENT.G352(LAW.X372*) ： Innovative Product Design with Traditional Technologies
- ENT.G451(LAW.X451*) ： Advanced Course of Traditional Technology and Intercultural Collaboration
Students who enrolled in or before AY 2023 must register using the course number marked with an asterisk (*).
Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)
Students should have sufficient language proficiency to conduct group work with international students in English.
- Be interested in Japan's traditional technologies, especially, in tatara ironmaking (traditional Japanese iron and steel making).
・ENT.G352: We recommend taking Traditional Technologies and Product Design together.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from "[at]" to "@"(half-width character).
Center for Entrepreneurship Education, Global Education Office, ghrd.info[at]jim.titech.ac.jp Murakami
Office hours
Please contact us in advance by e-mail
