Paper long abstract

I believe that the role of a Japanese language teacher – regardless of whether they are a native or non-native speaker – is to continue learning while teaching and to encourage learner autonomy. To fulfil this role, I have been implementing kanji-related projects since 2020, one of which is the 2024 3D Kanji Project, with promising results.

The 3D Kanji Project (hereafter 3DKP) began in February 2024 as an attempt to help first-year students from non-kanji-using backgrounds enjoyably memorize kanji, an area they often find particularly challenging. Specifically, to make kanji easier to remember, we used materials such as knitting, paper, wood, silicone and metal to create three-dimensional representations of the characters. This approach makes them more visually memorable.

The objectives of this project are to maintain or increase learner motivation, improve Japanese language proficiency and increase participation in and pass rates for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). In addition, the project aims to contribute to society. In this presentation, I will introduce the goals, participants, format, content, characteristics and meeting frequency of the 3DKP in more detail.

Furthermore, I will analyse the results of a survey conducted among students regarding this project. I will examine how the project was effectively implemented by non-native Japanese speakers, how it can be approached both inside and outside the classroom, which aspects need improvement, and how those improvements can be made.

We held exhibitions based on the 3DKP, entitled “Let’s Have Fun Learning Kanji!”, at our university hall – the first on October 31, 2024, and the second on November 11, 2025. Through these exhibitions, we shared the beauty of the Japanese language and kanji not only with Japanese Studies students but also with students from other majors.

Finally, I will outline several benefits of involving students in project-based learning and emphasize the importance of “growing together with learners”. This perspective is based on the idea that teachers should also be hands-on, and that “making things and developing people” (monozukuri and hitozukuri) begins with small steps.