Discovering Japan is a budget- and schedule-friendly series of short, in-person classes that bring the richness of Japanese culture directly to the UW-Stout campus and surrounding community. Some sessions are free, while others charge a modest registration fee for materials—but you’ll always leave with something meaningful in hand: a beautiful creation, a new skill, or a delicious treat to continue enjoying at home.
Led by Keiko Morikawa, Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator at UW-Stout, each class is designed to be hands-on, welcoming, and engaging. You won’t just learn about Japanese traditions—you’ll experience them.
Register for one class that sparks your interest or immerse yourself by registering for all of them. When applicable, be sure to check for available discounts listed with each session.
SERIES At A Glance
Saturdays
See below for class dates & times
In-Person
On-Campus
Cost
Varies - See below for details & discounts!
What will you gain?
Dreaming of Summer in Japan: A Yukata & Purikura Experience
April 11 - 10:00-11:30 am
FREE
UW-Stout Memorial Student Center - Northwoods
Step into summer in Japan—no passport required. In this lively 1.5-hour experience, you’ll learn about the yukata, a traditional lightweight summer garment worn at festivals and fireworks celebrations, and discover how this casual cotton robe evolved from bath wear to beloved seasonal attire. You’ll have the chance to try on a yukata yourself, then capture the moment in true Japanese style with a purikura-inspired photo booth. You’ll round out the celebration of summer by learning a seasonal festival dance. Registration required due to limited number of yukata. All materials provided but bring a mobile phone to capture your purikura-style photo.
- Explore the history behind the yukata and try on and style a yukata yourself.
- Experience the fun of purikura by creating your own kawaii (cute) photo while dressed in the yukata and seeing how this photo booth trend reflects modern Japanese youth culture.
- Perform a traditional summer festival dance, putting your new cultural knowledge into action.
- Connect and reflect on what you’ve learned by sharing how Japanese summer traditions compare to celebrations in your own community.
Savoring Japan: A Sushi-Making Experience
May 2026
Cost to be announced
UW-Stout Communication Technologies - Room 130
Check back for more details soon!
Creating with Brush and Ink: A Japanese Calligraphy Experience
June 2026 - 10:00-11:00 am
Cost to be announced
UW-Stout Harvey Hall
Check back for more details soon!
Who should enroll?
These classes are open to adults, as well as youth as long as they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. We particularly welcome community members to our campus! We are also happy to offer a discount to UW-Stout alumni, students and staff.
What will it cost?
ONLY APPLIES TO CLASSES THAT HAVE A REGISTRATION FEE
- Early Bird Discount: $20 - available until 7 days prior to the class
- Stout Proud Discount (UW-Stout Faculty, Staff, Student, and Alumni Registration): $20
- Regular Registration: $25
Important Notes:
- Faculty/Staff/Students: Use your UW-Stout email when registering to receive discount.
- Alumni: Reach out to gieskingj@uwstout.edu to receive a discount code BEFORE completing the registration form.
- Waiting List: Some classes have a limited number of spots, so we encourage you to check the class information above and register as soon as possible! We will have a waiting list for each class and will notify you if a space opens up, in order of completed registration.
- FAQs: For information on Payment and Cancellation Policy, Disability Accommodations, and other issues, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Keiko Morikawa
Hailing from Nara, Japan, Keiko is the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) Coordinator based at UW-Stout through summer 2027. In this role, Keiko leads Japanese cultural events, workshops, and presentations on campus and in the surrounding community and region. Class topics span longstanding Japanese traditions like origami, calligraphy, archery, tea ceremonies, cooking, and storytelling to modern cultural phenomena like games, anime, and popular movie-makers like Studio Ghibli.
Location & Parking
- Dreaming of Summer in Japan: A Yukata & Purikura Experience (April 11): Memorial Student Center (building #45 in the Campus Map below) - Northwoods room, which is on the ground floor; Lot 18 is the nearest to this location
- Savoring Japan: A Sushi-Making Experience (May): Communication Technologies (building #46 in the Campus Map below) - Room 130; Lot 14 is the nearest to this location
- Creating with Brush and Ink: A Japanese Calligraphy Experience (June): Harvey Hall (building #1 in the Campus Map below); Lot 14 is the nearest to this location
Important Note:
Parking is free on Saturdays in all commuter lots (except reserved spaces).