At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Japan House cultivates and embraces Japanese culture through the exploration of history, admiration of beauty, and utilization of education. It invites students to immerse in these practices through its internship program.

Mechanical engineering junior Eungi Youn became a Japan House intern after seeing advertisements posted in the Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building. Youn studied Japanese in high school and was eager to learn more about Japanese culture and experiences.

“I thought that the internship would be interesting,” he said. “It’s not something that everyone can do. It’s something outside of the engineering department. I wanted to try something outside my bubble.”

By creating an accessible and immersive cultural experience, Japan House promotes a sense of belonging for everyone who is involved. Japan House hosts garden tours and comprehensive classes to engage others in traditional Japanese culture and arts, such as tea ceremonies and Origami.

Chado, the way of tea, is a traditional Japanese tea ceremony that students and community members are encouraged to experience. After studying Japanese traditions for years, the people who lead the tea ceremony wear kimonos and demonstrate their expertise in Japanese art and culture. Guests of the tea ceremony attend a tour of Japan House prior to the ceremony where they are able to taste a bowl of matcha and wagashi—a traditional Japanese sweet.

"The tea ceremony itself is exciting, but being backstage and preparing for it is even more exciting. When we run the tea ceremony smoothly, it gives me an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment,” Youn said.

Interns assist with tea ceremonies as well as provide tours, maintain the gardens, and promote Japanese culture. As a result of his participation in the program, Youn has become immersed in many Japanese arts and aesthetics including Chado, Origami, Calligraphy, and even learning how to properly wear a kimono. With this internship experience, Youn has been able to develop strong social skills in a kind and positive environment.

Youn’s internship is also significant to his future engineering career, for which he plans to focus on robotics. Having visited Japan multiple times, he is considering pursuing a job there. He aspires to learn and grow during his time at Illinois and is involved with the honorary engineering fraternity Pi Tau Sigma.

When asked about what he enjoys about being a MechSE student, Youn emphasized the significance of the diversity of the curriculum and the resources available to students in the program. He takes classes from multiple departments within The Grainger College of Engineering, which provides a variety of opportunities to learn new topics. Youn also finds time in his schedule to study other interests, such as Japanese Arts and Culture.

“I think engineering students sometimes forget about the social aspects of their career development,” he said. “Sometimes they lack public speaking, elevator pitching, or having interaction with other human beings. Working at the Japan House helped me with that because we make a lot of interactions with visitors—sometimes we are the ones explaining Japanese culture and the tea room history to the public.”

Youn’s pursuit of diverse interests has also contributed to his professional development. He understands the significance of universality and uses it to his advantage for personal growth. His internship at the Japan House has given him the opportunity to learn and explore his variety of interests as a MechSE student.