Building on the success of the first Meaningful Life class offered in the Autumn Semester of 2023, a second class was held in the spring of 2024. One of the core aims of the Meaningful Life course is to shift away from the grade-focused and career-driven approach of contemporary university education. Instead, it encourages learning that involves exploration, experimentation, and active engagement with the heart and body — not just the mind. What better way to embody this philosophy than by stepping outside the classroom and into the field? From August 2–6, eight students joined us on Sado Island to explore the threads connecting humans and ecology.
Linking People, Place, and Ecology
An important part of the field trip every year is to connect and engage with the local villagers living in the northern hamlets of Sado. We spent the most time in one hamlet in particular, called Kitaushima. This little hamlet has a population of 40 residents, most of whom are in their 60s and above. Like many other rural communities throughout Japan, it is facing rapid depopulation as the population ages and young people migrate to cities seeking new opportunities.
One evening, we gathered at the community center in Kitaushima with residents from nearby hamlets such as Masaragawa and Washizaki. Continuing a tradition from the previous year, this gathering provided a special opportunity to meet and interact with the villagers. That night, we were a truly cosmopolitan group, representing a diversity of backgrounds from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Mongolia, Mexico, Australia, Germany, the U.S., and the U.K. We mixed students and villagers together, drawing maps of Kitaushima as we talked about cultural traditions, the local environment, and the villagers’ farming and fishing livelihoods.
One villager shared their thoughts on the designation of the Sado Gold Mine as a UNESCO World Heritage site, saying, “It doesn’t affect us.” For them, living in northern Sado, the economic benefits of such developments in the south felt distant and disconnected. This highlighted a recurring theme we noticed as we spent more time on the island: the disconnect between the quieter northern hamlets and the busier central and southern areas of Sado. The villagers expressed concerns about the declining population and aging demographics, yet they also spoke about the trade-offs of increasing tourism. While regional revitalization brings new opportunities, it could also disrupt their way of life and cultural traditions.
Later that evening, students participating in an exchange program on Sado performed a traditional “Onidaiko” (demon drum) dance. Watching the villagers, many of them elders, clap and cheer for the young students was a heartwarming moment.
Art was another central component of the course and our time in Kitaushima, offering us a way to engage with the world through our imagination and five senses. During our stay, we participated in a grass-braiding and shodo (calligraphy) workshop led by artists Aiko Maeda and Chie Ogawa. These hands-on activities helped us reconnect with the tactile and sensory aspects of learning.
We also met Atsuko Nakamura, an artist-in-residence preparing for the Galaxy Art Festival. Using bamboo as her medium, Nakamura-san created a dynamic sculpture inspired by her "body drawings," an artistic process that channels movement and emotion into physical form. The piece, titled “Live Between the Sea and the Mountains,” invites viewers to consider the interplay between humans and their environment. A few of us had the chance to co-create the art with her, weaving and bending bamboo together, and experiencing the powerful connections between art, community, and place.
Each student also created their own artwork during the course, which was exhibited as part of the Galaxy Art Festival. To learn more about their contributions, visit: https://sado-art.com/en/artist/06/
Student Reflection
By Lkhagvadulam (Haguwa) Bat-Erdene, Faculty of Liberal Arts
For many people, including myself, “meaningful life” translates into finding happiness through one’s family, career accomplishments, or simply doing what we love to do throughout our lives. For me, this fundamental interpretation of a “meaningful life” has not changed after taking this course, but was further enriched by its explorative and innovative learning style. The course took us to places none of us knew before, such as Kitaushima — a small town in northern Sado at the coast of Japan Sea, where farming and fishing are key means of subsistence. For five days, we were disconnected from the urban mishmash, and were fully immersed in the beautiful country life, swimming in the sea, climbing mountains, eating homemade meals, and crafting art works. At the same time, we learned about the harsh realities of being a farmer — strenuous labor, unpredictable weather, and far distance from public services and medical care, especially considering their old age. With young people moving to urban areas and the aging of remaining villagers, it’s hard to say whether Kitaushima will be the same as it is today without external support to stimulate the local economy. This concern about the village’s future is one of disheartening truths. But despite these challenges, the villagers had a keen determination to carry on their traditional lives as usual — preserving the ecosystem and living harmoniously within the community. In short, life in Kitaushima was simple and peaceful, and the people were humble and hard-working. This refreshing experience taught me that it is possible to find great meaning in the simplest form of lifestyle, particularly if it entails a close interaction with nature and a tight connection within a community.
Through this field trip, we learned to see our connections with the villagers, nature, and ourselves. Art-making served as a powerful bridge, linking people, place, and ecology. It enabled us to move beyond mere intellectual learning and engage with the world with all of our senses, broadening how we interact with those around us.
The third and final Meaningful Life course will take place in the Spring Semester of 2025. If you are interested in participating, applications will open soon!
To learn more about the Meaningful Life course and our previous field trips, check out the following articles:
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