Byline ICS

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on businesses around the world. Everything from a company’s marketing to supply chain may have been impacted by the pandemic. With so much change, uncertainty, and nuance to be accounted for, how can professionals working in business and management advance their careers or make a successful transition into a new field?

Bespoke MBA programs are accommodating and adaptable, enabling students to customize aspects of their studies to suit their needs as an individual. Students in the Two-Year MBA Program at Hitotsubashi ICS can pursue several different trajectories during their customizable second year: 44% of students choose to pursue a combination of an internship and an exchange program, 22% pursue an internship, 17% pursue a double degree, 13% enroll in an exchange program, and 4% conduct an independent research project. Here are just some of the benefits that such an education can provide during uncertain times.  

The Japanese Culture Course at Hitotsubashi ICS takes students on a 6-week journey from ancient/traditional Japanese culture to modern-day Japanese pop culture, each course under a concept such as 和(Wa Harmony, ), 神仏(Shimbutsu Gods and Buddhas), 節(Setsu Milestones and Transitions), 礼(Rei Manners, Appreciation, Courtesy), 粋(Iki Chic, Cool, etc.), and かわいい(Kawaii Cute, Adorable, Imperfect,etc.) Course instructors Motoko Kimura and Mina Nishisaka from WaNavi Japan take students outside the classroom each week to allow students to use their five senses and to discover Japanese culture in a holistic way.

As the nights get colder and longer after a hot and muggy summer, the leaves tell us that it's autumn in Japan. Colorful foliage, called koyo in Japanese is just as magnificent as the pink cherry blossoms in the spring. For centuries, the Japanese people have enjoyed the koyo, and we can see many poems and haiku dedicated to the autumn foliage. The spectacular blend of red, orange and yellow is truly a breathtaking palette created by nature. 

It's obon, an annual buddhist event for welcoming our ancestors back to this world, and a time when many Japanese spend their summer holiday. Many Japanese associate summer with obon, and many of Japan's summer scenery has a close relation with it. It is believed that each year during obon, our ancestors' spirits return to spend time with family. Although it is not a national holiday, many businesses are closed during this time, and the Tokyo becomes empty since many people return to their home regions.

Oshōgatsu, or New Year in Japan, is a time for custom and tradition even in modern Japan.