đź“ť Summary
Japanese and Malaysian students connected through a cross-cultural programme called Sushi Meets Satay, which brought together students from four Japanese universities and a Malaysian secondary school for a day of cultural exchange and language practice. The programme allowed students to experience each other’s cultures through food, language, traditional attire, music, and games, creating opportunities for language learning, intercultural communication, and community engagement. The initiative demonstrated that cultural differences can become bridges towards greater understanding and meaningful connections among young people from different countries and backgrounds.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 – Culture, language and friendship came together at Sekolah Menengah Setiabudi (SMSB) as Japanese and Malaysian students connected through Sushi Meets Satay, a vibrant cross-cultural programme jointly organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Kuala Lumpur, and Sekolah Menengah Setiabudi.
Held as part of an English Summer School programme for Japanese university students in Malaysia, the initiative created an authentic environment for students to practise English communication beyond the classroom while experiencing Malaysian culture and engaging directly with the local community.
The programme brought together Japanese students from four universities – Seijo University, Meiji University, Tsuda University and Iwate Prefectural University (IPU) – alongside approximately 70 students from SMSB.
The day began with a tour of SMSB, giving the Japanese students a glimpse into everyday school life in Malaysia. During the tour, they visited classrooms, administrative offices, the prayer room and counselling room, while also observing the school assembly and interacting with members of the school community.
The morning quickly became more energetic when the Japanese students introduced Radio Taiso, a traditional Japanese exercise routine widely practised in schools and communities across Japan. Students and teachers from SMSB enthusiastically joined the session, transforming the school grounds into a lively space of movement, laughter and cross-cultural interaction.
Following the exercise session, the Japanese students were treated to a Malaysian breakfast prepared by the school before moving on to the highlight of the day – the Sushi Meets Satay cultural exchange activities.
At the heart of the programme were interactive cultural booths designed and managed by students from both countries. Rather than simply learning about one another’s cultures through presentations, participants were encouraged to experience them through food, language, traditional attire, music, games and hands-on activities.
The Japanese students introduced elements of their culture through booths featuring sushi, yukata, origami and the Japanese language, giving their Malaysian counterparts opportunities to explore Japanese traditions in an engaging and informal setting.
In return, students from SMSB proudly showcased Malaysian culture through booths featuring local food, traditional clothing, traditional games, gamelan and the Malay language. The two-way exchange encouraged students to become both learners and cultural ambassadors, sharing their own traditions while discovering similarities and differences between Malaysia and Japan.
Beyond introducing cultural traditions, the activities provided meaningful opportunities for the students to communicate across language and cultural boundaries. English served as a common language throughout much of the interaction, allowing the Japanese students to apply the communication skills developed during their English Summer School in authentic social situations.
Approximately 70 students from SMSB participated in the programme. The school students were led by Head of the Student Leadership Board, Faiz Haidar, with the support of Vice Principal of Student Affairs, Mohd Azrin Azhar Zulkifli.
Representing UTM Kuala Lumpur, the programme was led by Dr. Nurhasmiza Abu Hasan Sazalli, together with Dr. Nuraqilah Nadja Miskam, Course Instructor for the English Summer School. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yohei Chiba of Iwate Prefectural University also participated in the programme, further strengthening the collaborative and international dimension of the initiative.
More than a one-day cultural exchange, Sushi Meets Satay reflected UTM’s commitment to creating meaningful international learning experiences that extend beyond the university classroom. By connecting international students with local schools and communities, the initiative provided opportunities for language learning, intercultural communication and community engagement to take place naturally through shared experiences.
For the Japanese students, the programme offered a deeper understanding of Malaysian life and culture while providing a real-world setting in which to use English for meaningful communication. For the Malaysian students, it created an opportunity to discover Japanese culture directly from their Japanese peers while sharing their own cultural heritage with international visitors.
Through something as simple as folding origami, trying traditional attire, learning new words, playing games, sharing food and exercising together, students who began the day from different countries and cultural backgrounds found common ground.
Sushi Meets Satay demonstrated that cultural differences need not create distance. Instead, when young people are given opportunities to communicate, participate and learn from one another, those differences can become bridges towards greater understanding, meaningful connections and lasting international friendships.
