From Thursday, February 5th to Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, 13 students from Global Food Business Program (GFBP) visited our partner university, Chiang Mai University (Thailand), and sold Japanese food at the university's business school festival, which was held on Saturday, February 7th and Sunday, February 8th.
This initiative was part of an educational program aimed at improving intercultural understanding and communication skills through practical experience in the food business overseas.
At the school festival, the students worked with local students to prepare and sell Japanese food that they had planned themselves: "Teriyaki Chicken Udon," "Warabi Mochi," and "Matcha and Hojicha Latte." Prior to their departure, they exchanged ideas with local students about the menu, pricing, and stall decorations, and once there, they worked together to manage everything from setting up the stall to selling the food. Their teamwork, which transcended language and cultural differences, attracted the attention of visitors.
During their stay, the students also visited organic farms, food manufacturing companies, and community-based markets to learn about the food system, from sourcing ingredients to selling them. Furthermore, through fieldwork in the old town, temples, and markets, they learned how Chiang Mai's history, culture, tourism, and food industry are linked together to create value.
Participant Ide Nagino (Imari Technical High School), a second-year GFBP student, said, "This was my second time participating, and I had more opportunities to interact with students from the university than last time. I was happy to be able to communicate well and have lively conversations. While working on the project with the university's professors and students, I learned the importance of proper planning and meetings, as well as a high level of hospitality. I would like to put this experience to good use when setting up a stall at our university's school festival." Also, first-year Takao Koko (Kyushu Sangyo University Kyushu High School) reflected, "I was reminded of the differences between Japanese and Thai food cultures. Many of the dishes I ate in Thailand contained spices, which was a bit confusing at first, but rather than just thinking, 'The taste is different from Japanese food,' I began to think about the background to those flavors, and this sparked my interest in understanding food cultures overseas. I would like to use what I learned this time to improve my daily studies of Japanese and international cuisine."
Next year, students from Chiang Mai University will participate in Kashii Festival and plan to set up a joint stall again. Through mutual exchanges with the university twice a year, we plan to develop the festival into a place for practical and sustainable international education.
[Global Food Business Program]
