2020/10/27

In an effort to share an in-depth guide to the charms of Kyoto for those who are interested in Kyoto’s culture, arts, and sciences, the Kyoto Academia Week was held online this academic year on Monday, October 12th. The seminar was conducted by the Kyoto Academic Forum (a collaborative initiative by nine public and private universities in Kyoto Prefecture), in which Professor Michinari Sugano, KUFS’s Chair of the Department of German Studies of the Faculty of Foreign Studies, gave his lecture titled “A true record of a Japanese who battled in Germany: the “noble savageness” of samurais and German knights.”

In his lecture, Professor Sugano introduced the German culture of fencing duels using real swords. He surprised the crowd by revealing how he has also partaken in the tradition during his early years. He went on to share that the tradition is still passed on among a small number of student fraternities.

Lastly, Professor Sugano shared his dream of one day holding a private duel with his opponent he had fought his second time.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this online forum.

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