Easy Japanese “Workshop” ～ International Students at Kibi International University Take on the Challenge of Making Museum Language “Easy to Understand” Instead of “Difficult” - Page 2 of 2

Interview with Takao Hiromi

We spoke with Takao Hiromi, who has worked across Japan to promote “easy Japanese,” about her activities.

Representative of Marble Workshop LLC: Takao Hiromi — Marble Workshop LLC representative: Takao Hiromi

What inspired you to start “easy Japanese” workshops?

Takao (surname only)

I’ve loved museums since I was a student. While studying cultural anthropology at university, I volunteered and worked part-time at the Sapporo Salmon Museum on the Toyohira River, helping with field surveys along the river, caring for the animals in the museum, and educational outreach.

Eventually, I decided to “make museums the focus of my life.” After working at the National Museum of Nature and Science, I took part in exhibition development projects at museums across Japan.

In 2014, I founded Marble Workshop LLC and have also planned and run workshops at various museums.

From 2017 to 2023, I worked as a curator and multicultural coexistence coordinator at the Tama Rokuto Science Center in Nishitokyo, Tokyo. That was where I encountered “easy Japanese” and began working on it in earnest.

I now draw on this experience to conduct training and workshops for museum staff at art museums and other museums across Japan, while working to promote “easy Japanese.”

Does “easy Japanese” mean expressions that are easy for everyone to understand?

Takao

Yes.
“Easy Japanese” is a special form of Japanese originally devised to communicate information clearly to foreign residents during disasters.

Vocabulary and grammar are adapted to make it easier for foreign residents and people who are not very proficient in Japanese to understand. In recent years, it has also come to be used in government and medical settings. Its use is gradually spreading to museums across Japan as well.

However, attempts to incorporate the real opinions of foreign residents while an exhibition is still being developed, as in this case, have rarely been made before.

This is an effort to make museums enjoyable for everyone—not only foreign residents, but also children, older people, and those who are not accustomed to Japanese.
We believe that by changing the language, museums, including art museums, can become “places for empathy and dialogue.”

What is “easy Japanese for museums”?

Takao

Explanations at art museums and other museums tend to use specialized and difficult language.
But it is important not only to simplify the words, but also to consider how to convey the cultural background. We try to explain things in a way that helps people realize, “Oh, I see! So that’s what it means!”

On the other hand, some Japanese people have told us that the distinctive “word spacing” used in easy Japanese—writing with spaces between meaningful units such as words and phrases—is difficult to understand.

Also, easy Japanese is based on Japanese-language proficiency tests and differs from explanations written for children, so further consideration is needed when introducing it in museums.

Going forward, I’d like to develop a style of “easy Japanese unique to museums” so that more people can enjoy museums with ease.

Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

Takao

We want to open up experiences that people have been unable to enjoy because of language—including specialized terminology—to people of all backgrounds, regardless of nationality, age, or disability. Lowering the language barrier can open the doors of museums much wider.

I hope you’ll visit the special exhibition “Getting Started with Art Appreciation: A Companion in How to Look,” held at the Hayashibara Museum of Art from Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, September 7.

The exhibition features works of national-treasure caliber and a wide range of genres, including swords, kimono, and ceramics. There are also many ways for children to enjoy it, making it perfect for a summer vacation independent study project.

Please also take a look at the “easy Japanese” captions created through this workshop.

From the Writer

What left a strong impression on me was seeing the international students working with such serious expressions during the workshop.

Through the interview, I also learned that Professor Ikatsu Hisayoshi of Kibi International University has spent many years connecting international students with the local community and carefully creating opportunities for a wide range of experiences, one by one. I was deeply moved by his sustained efforts.

Professor Ikatsu says, “As students pursue their dreams, it is important for them to gain experience not only through their studies but also through engagement with society.” He also said that he guides them every day with the hope that “in the future, they will serve as bridges between their home countries and Japan and share Japanese culture with the world.”

Through this workshop, the international students had time to engage closely with Japanese works of art. I believe that, by experiencing what it is like to convey their appeal in their own words, they were able to feel the rewards of learning more deeply.

I sincerely hope to continue supporting the international students as they grow through their many experiences.