KANLAYANAPHOTPORN JA

Kalimba

On November 1, 2025, I went with my friends to the town of Yamaga to make a musical instrument called a kalimba using bamboo. This workshop was led by Kimura, an artist who lives in Yamaga, Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture, and works closely with the local community.

The process began with measuring the length of the bamboo. We then cut the bamboo, drilled holes, cut the wire, and finally assembled the instrument and tuned its sound. My friends and I worked together on most of the steps. This experience felt very new to me, and it was my first opportunity to take on a serious hands-on craft project. Cutting wood with a saw, drilling holes, and smoothing the edges with sandpaper were all tasks I had never done before.

I was also able to learn the names of many tools that we do not usually study in the classroom, such as saws, files, drills, and screwdrivers. Because I learned these words while actually using the tools, I found the experience both enjoyable and useful.

After working together for about six hours to make our kalimbas, we held a small kalimba concert at a nearby place. It was truly enjoyable to play the kalimba I had made myself together with everyone else. Before going home, we also visited the Katasumi Art Festival. This art festival is held on weekends from November 1 to December 7 around the Wakamiya Shopping Street area in Yamaga, Kitsuki City. It features exhibitions of works by contemporary artists from both inside and outside Oita Prefecture, as well as live performances and other events.

There, I also tried dancing together with the people at the venue. At first, I felt very embarrassed, but as I copied the movements of the people in front of me, I gradually started to enjoy it naturally. After that, we ate hot karaage and did some shopping at a nearby supermarket, bringing the day to a close.

I think this was a very fulfilling day because I was able to try many new things. I have always liked making things by hand, so I feel that taking part in this event was a truly valuable experience. I was very happy to have been able to participate.

Star Dome

On December 20, 2025, I visited a bamboo workshop near Asami Shrine together with the members of the Bamboo Club. Before that, there had originally been a plan to go into the mountains and actually cut bamboo, but unfortunately I could not take part in that activity because it was on the same day as the JLPT exam.

　In this activity, we used the bamboo that had been cut in the mountains during the previous session. We measured it again, cut it once more, and adjusted it to the right length for assembling the Star Dome. Our instructor this time was Kojima, a bamboo craft specialist and the CEO of Synergiez Inc. Before starting the work, we first received an explanation about the overall process and purpose, and shared some basic knowledge. After that, we measured each piece of bamboo one by one and cut them to the same length using the prepared template.

When cutting the bamboo, we used a special circular tool. To use it, we placed the tool on the end of the bamboo and hit it with a hammer, pushing it about 15 centimeters into the bamboo. After that, we struck the bamboo against the wall several times so that the tool would go deeper and split the bamboo cleanly. Since the bamboo was very heavy and this process required a lot of strength, at least four people worked together on this step.

After we finished splitting the bamboo, we cleaned up the center part, measured the pieces again, and cut them to the required length. My favorite part of the work was the process of cutting the bamboo with the circular tool. It was very enjoyable because everyone was able to work together.

When we struck the bamboo against the wall, we called out “Ready, go!” together and sometimes counted in the native languages of the participants. Through this, a natural sense of unity grew among us.

　After lunch, we continued cutting the bamboo until the work was finished. Finally, everyone helped load the bamboo onto a small truck. With that, the day’s activity came to a successful end.

Before going home, I went with my friends to try shiitake mushroom ice cream. It sounded like a slightly unusual combination, but it was very delicious and surprisingly perfect.

Star Dome 2

On December 21, 2025, we gathered at APU and took part in an activity to assemble a Star Dome with a diameter of six meters. The bamboo pieces we had prepared the day before were all nine meters long and uniform in size, so we knew from the beginning that it would become a very large structure. Because of that, I felt a little nervous, thinking that it would be difficult to fix if something went wrong.

　First, we all carried out the bamboo that had been prepared the day before. The first thing we did that day was to make sure we fully understood the shape of the Star Dome and the steps for assembling it. We spent more than half of the morning repeatedly putting together a small model of the Star Dome so that we would not make mistakes when working with the actual bamboo.

The first shape we assembled was a star. However, it was not enough simply to put the bamboo pieces together. We had to check carefully that the bamboo alternated over and under. If the pieces ended up “over and over” or “under and under,” it meant the structure was incorrect, so it was much more difficult than I had expected.

After completing the star shape, we made the base and combined it with the star section. Just when I thought the work might be finished, Kojima said, “From here, we will add hexagons and make it even more complex.” As we tried again and again, we made many mistakes, and I realized how difficult and complicated this task really was. However, I gradually began to understand the structure, and when we finally assembled it correctly, I felt a strong sense of achievement and pride in myself.

This day was also a special one. During the lunch break, we celebrated Professor Watanabe’s birthday together, sang the birthday song, and shared a cake. It was a very warm and memorable moment.

After that, we finally began assembling the actual Star Dome. The work went much more smoothly than I had expected. I think this was because we had spent enough time in the morning understanding the steps and learning the process through hands-on practice. In the end, we were able to complete the Star Dome successfully, and it is now installed at APU.

Through this activity, I was able to meet many new friends. I also spent time playing with Taka, the child of the Kawazu family, who helped us make the Star Dome, and it was a very enjoyable experience. It was a day when I felt not only joy, but also a great sense of achievement and pride.

New Year 2026

On January 2, 2026, Happy New Year! Taka, whom I had met during the previous activity, was at home for winter vacation, so Miki, the mother of the Kawazu family, kindly invited my friends and me to her home to spend time with him. We also enjoyed the homemade osechi dishes that Miki had prepared for us.

Until then, I had only seen osechi dishes on the internet or on posters at department stores, so I felt very honored to see real osechi in front of me for the first time and actually taste it. Every dish was truly delicious.

　After we finished eating, Taka said, “Today, we’re going to play traditional games!” We were all looking forward to it, but then he added, “Mario Kart!” and everyone burst out laughing. It seemed that Taka actually wanted to play Mario Kart, but he had also prepared many fun Japanese-style games for us, such as fukuwarai, sumo, and Monopoly.

We all had a wonderful time playing together, and I also taught Taka a simple game called the “AB Game,” which is often played among young people in Thailand. Taka was excited and enjoyed playing it with us. Before going home, we were finally able to play the Mario Kart game he had been looking forward to, and he looked very satisfied.

My friends and I also had the chance to talk a lot with Taka’s family, and we spent a very warm and enjoyable time together. It was a truly fun day, and I felt very happy to have been given such a wonderful opportunity.