Osaka University Homecoming Day held

On May 1, the first day of the Icho Festival, the "11th Osaka University Homecoming Day" was held on the Toyonaka Campus. Some 500 individuals were in attendance, including alumni from Osaka University and Osaka University of Foreign Studies, current students, parents/guardians, and faculty members, deepening the bonds of the "Osaka University family."

In part 1 held at Osaka University Hall, following greetings from President NISHIO Shojiro and Former President of Osaka University and Current President of the Osaka University Federation of Alumni Association KUMAGAI Nobuaki, the first ever rakugo performance at OU's Homecoming Day was held. HAYASHIYA Somejaku of the Kamigata Rakugo Assocation (1992 graduate, School of Letters) after showing attendees how to enjoy rakugo , performed the story "Enyohaku" in front of a delighted audience.

In the talk session following this performance, moderator TAKASHIMA Kouji (Visiting Professor/Researcher, Osaka Tenmangu Shrine) spoke with writer and physician KUSAKABE Yo (1981 graduate, Faculty of Medicine) and Professor NAKANO Toru of the Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences (1981 graduate, Faculty of Medicine) about spending their youth at OU's Nakanoshima Campus in a conversation full of laughs as only two classmates can provide.

Finally, the Osaka University Cheerleading Party closed the event with some lively cheers.

After changing venues for the social gathering in part 2, many attendees enjoyed seeing some old faces, as well as deepening exchange with new acquaintances, making for an enjoyable event filled with seemingly endless conversation.

We would like to thank you all for the large number of attendees, and we hope to see you again for next year's Homecoming Day.
We will also be holding Alumni Reunions later this year in Okayama (August) and Tokyo (December), so we hope to see you at those events as well.