September 24–26, 2026: Kanayama – Honjō – Fukaya
The first-ever summer seminar of Nakai-zemi was held at Waseda’s Honjō Seminar House.
On the first day, the team visited Kanayama Castle in Ōta City, Gunma Prefecture. Guided by a student who is researching the castle for his thesis project, we explored the city and the castle. The distinctive castle walls and two artificial ponds were particularly impressive. After arriving at the seminar house, we had a barbecue, where the members worked together wonderfully to prepare a delicious meal.
On the second day, the members worked on their thesis projects in the seminar room. In a pleasantly focused atmosphere, each member spent several hours preparing drafts and presentation materials. In the afternoon, we had progress reports and active discussions. For the students in their final semester, in particular, the session gave further momentum to their projects.
On the final day, the members visited Honjō Waseda no Mori Museum and learned about the rich history of Honjō as well as the sericulture industry of the region. Some members also visited Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Museum in neighboring Fukaya City.
Combining visits to historical sites and museums with intensive seminar sessions on thesis projects, the three-day seminar gave us a valuable opportunity to learn history at hand and to spend time together as a seminar group. I hope that the experience will provide fresh inspiration and momentum for everyone’s work in the coming months.