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THE SEMBAZURU CENTRE FOR JAPANESE STUDIES
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Hatsuzora ni/ tsuru semba mau/ maboroshi no
(In the sky of New Year’s Day/ thousands of
cranes hover - / or so it seems to me)
Yasunari Kawabata, haiku poem
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The Sembazuru Centre For Japanese Studies [SCJS], the first centre of its kind in Babeş-Bolyai University, was founded in 2008 together with the Department for Asian Languages and Literature, when the Japanese Language and Literature major was added to the Faculty of Letters’ curricula (following the Decision no. 455 of 11th January 2008 and the Decision no. 23.057 of January 2008, approved by the Babes-Bolyai Administrative Council). Creating SCJS is an implicit step towards recognising the research activity in this field and it plays a vital role in consolidating Babes-Bolyai University’s school of Japanese studies. During this time, The Sembazuru Centre for Japanese Studies has supported and completed the analytical curriculum of the Japanese Language and Literature major, initiating various actions to broaden and consolidate relationships with universities or diverse organizations from Japan.
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Sembazuru (1000 cranes), a centuries-old motif in Japan, was originally a stylized model that represents a flock of cranes in flight. An emblematic figure, cherished for the way it flies or how it dances, the crane is believed to be a noble bird, descending from the world of gods. A migratory bird, the crane, through its cyclical return, has gained, in the Japanese spirituality, the symbolism of regeneration, being associated with an endless Spring ...
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Domain/domains of expertise:
- Japanese studies, cultural semiotics and Japanese poetics, Japanese language and literature
Objectives:
- Creating a team of researchers (teachers, master’s degree students, PhD students) in the field of Japanese studies;
- Designing research projects that contribute to the foundation of a Japanese studies school in our university;
- Publishing the research results in specialized journals (rated CNCSAS, indexed BDI or ISI) and in individual or collective volumes;
- Completing the analytical curriculum of Japanese Language and Literature major through extracurricular activities: workshops, lectures, conferences, round tables, with the help of renowned specialists, in order to offer the students a direct and authentic connection with the cultural and academic Japanese area;
- Promoting the Japanese language, literature and culture through various collaborations within educational and cultural programs for the general public, targeting different age groups or social categories (students, university students, professors, diverse associations);
- Developing relationships with Japanese universities and organisations;
- Providing donations to the book fund for the Japanese Studies Library.
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