Bianca BAUER

Politecnico di Milano, Scuola del Design Accepted: Department of Visual Communication Design April 2024 to July 2024

During my bachelor's degree in Milan a few years ago, my fascination with Japanese design began and I soon developed a strong urge to visit the country and to experience its design firsthand. For this reason, being admitted to MAU for the international exchange programme was truly a dream come true.

After months of waiting, filled with bureaucratic paperwork and mental preparation, my journey to Tokyo finally began. I was lucky to have a very guided system that helped me and the other internationals to get settled and to move into the dormitory. The first days did not feel real somehow. They were filled with new impressions, cycling around Tachikawa, exploring different departments at MAU, trying out new restaurants etc. It wasn't until a few weeks later that everything began to feel real since I had finally established a routine.

Most of my classes at MAU had a very practical approach, which I enjoyed as I wanted to acquire more pragmatic skills. Beyond the courses, I also joined the ceramics club in which I was able to learn the craft, and create a series of small potteries. Perhaps one of the best things about MAU in fact is the variety of club activities - there is truly something for everyone’s taste.

My “Design for SDGs” class was probably the most stimulating one, as it encouraged every student to step outside the academic sphere. In my case, I wanted to get in touch with places and people that work in multidisciplinary environments both in and around Tokyo. Thanks to Julia Chuo sensee, I was able to arrange numerous meetings, including those with the DLX Design Lab Tokyo and the 21_21 Design Sight Museum. I also had the special opportunity to meet with Kenya Hara, renowned Japanese designer and current art director of Muji.

Thanks to such experiences, I was able to get a better grasp of Japanese culture and design. But it was not always easy - sometimes language barriers would get in the way. Google Translate was a rescue for literal translations, but not for the unspoken rules and habits of Japanese culture that cannot be fully grasped right away. However, at MAU I was assigned to two tutors, Moe and Nagisa and they have been extremely sweet and helpful throughout my journey because they did a wonderful job at translating and guiding me into Japanese life.

Overall, I can say that my exchange experience offered me much more than just academic growth. Travelling around Japan, visiting nature onsens and towns around the country allowed me to immerse myself into its rich culture. I also loved exploring Tokyo's art museums, galleries, and events. Any part of the city, from historic Asakusa to modern Shibuya has been a constant source of inspiration. A culture that once felt distant and extraordinary has become my daily reality in just a few months. It's hard to put into words the depth of this transformative experience, but I am extremely grateful.

Noemi GIUSSANI

Politecnico di Milano, Scuola del Design Accepted: Department of Scenography, Display and Fashion Design April 2024 to July 2024

When I was evaluating options for my exchange abroad, I came across a photograph of the MAU library. It immediately struck me, bringing back memories of my first year of studying interior design in Venice. I was 19 years old and had no experience in the artistic field; design fascinated me as much as it terrified me. One of the first courses I attended was a drawing class, and one of the first assignments was to reproduce an assigned photograph. Ironically, I was assigned the MAU library.

Years have passed, my fears have disappeared, and my confidence have increased. I graduated and started a new path at another university in Milan, but after all this time, seeing that library again didn’t seem like a coincidence. My decision to come to Japan and study at MAU was not the result of rational analysis, but of a deep instinct and an immediate connection that I felt.

Now, at the end of this experience that has profoundly changed me, I am immensely grateful. The university is magical, a place where every art and design student can find inspiration. The spaces are extraordinary, and the courses are stimulating. Before the semester began, we had the opportunity to discuss with the professors in our department, choosing the courses we would attend and thus building a personalized study path based on our passions and interests.

I was assigned to the Department of Scenography, Display, and Fashion Design. During the interview with the professors, I expressed my desire to experiment and challenge my abilities, and so it was. The courses at MAU were very different from those I had taken up to that point, making them a challenge, but the help and support from the professors, tutors, classmates, and Yuma allowed me to face everything with ease.

One of the most significant aspects of this experience was the freedom in developing concepts. Before then, I had mainly worked on projects with very rigid briefs, stimulating my creativity and increasing my problem-solving skills. At MAU, the educational approach favors individual work and freedom in project development, providing an initial brief with some guidelines but leaving much room for our creativity and intuition.

Outside of university, Japan has proven to be wonderful, making the experience even more unique and special. I also want to thank Bianca, my companion on this journey from Italy, for sharing this adventure with me.

For me, this is not a goodbye but a see you later. Thank you, Japan.

Jaana Anniina PIPPOLA

Aalto University Accepted: Department of Industrial, Interior and Craft Design April 2024 to July 2024

For many years, my main bucket list goal was to travel solo to Japan, to break my boundaries and gain independence, but also to experience the culture and learn the language. During my university studies, I also developed a keen interest in woodworking. Therefore, it was a natural choice for me to apply for a student exchange at MAU to achieve these personal aims but also to learn more about woodworking in a place, where its practice is most established and highly skilled.

Studying at MAU was tough, but fun. Staying late in the workshops with classmates, each of us working on our projects will have me look back at it as living my life to the fullest – learning and working hard while having a laugh with friends. Biking back to the dorms when it was already dark, having my back hurting from working, and ears filled with the noise of cicadas, will all be something that I will nostalgize about.

As I was far from my life and its responsibilities at home, I now had the time to truly dwell on my own interests, which is practical as it also keeps you from getting too homesick! While my advisors and I first experienced some difficulties in building a study plan that would truly benefit me in achieving my academic/professional goals, we were eventually able to do it. I learned so much about wood and crafting from it, both with traditional, Japanese hand tools but also workshop machines. I used to be a little scared of even approaching a table saw, and now I can come up with a product design, all the process steps related to it, and even make it, all by myself! All in all, I feel my exchange made me capable of completing my designer portfolio in a way that truly looks like me.

Besides professional growth, I also went through a more mental evolution. While I definitely am a person who loves to stay safely at home and would not have even considered going to study abroad before, I am so happy that I encouraged myself to do it – you can do it too! While it can be scary for some of us, doing things alone can do wonders for you. It clears your mind and so it is easier to figure out what you want to achieve and how you want to choose to spend the rest of your days.

Some things that I would like to recommend to future exchange students would be to travel in Japan by bus. It is an easy and inexpensive way to see outside Tokyo, even just for a Sunday day trip, if your schedule is very busy. I also consider myself very lucky to have been able to stay at the dormitory, it took a lot of stress from arranging accommodation and many other daily necessities. You can also have your own bicycle for free of charge, which is definitely a convenient way to commute. Visit museums, exhibitions, temples, shrines, and gardens. The university library is also a real treasure chest, remember to explore that too!

I want to thank my professors, especially Kumano-sensei, for all the guidance you gave me. I will cherish it all for the rest of my life. Great thanks also to Koga-san, the international team, and the dormitory staff for making my stay possible and so pleasant. Thanks to all my coursemates, exchange buddies, and new, dear friends. Let’s stay in touch, and let me know if you ever happen to come to Finland. また会いましょう！