2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Entrepreneurship courses
Advanced Course of Innovative Product Design with Traditional Technologies
- Academic unit or major
- Entrepreneurship courses
- Instructor(s)
- Yuri Matsuzaki / Rie Murakami / Eri Ota / Yuki Taoka / Takashi Watanabe / Equo Kobayashi
- Class Format
- Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-8 Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- ENT.G452(LAW.X452)
- Number of credits
- 010
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1-2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
※ Courses with parentheses in the course number have different subject codes depending on the student's year of admission.
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Through lectures, group work, and hands-on blacksmithing experience, students are expected to learn the following:
1. The historical and cultural background of traditional technology (tatara iron making) and the characteristics of Japanese iron as a material.
2. Methods and process of product design
3. Making a product or service proposal creating a new value from traditional technologies.
Course description and aims
1. Through group work with a team of students from different countries, students will deepen mutual understanding and acquire the collaboration skills necessary for international cooperation.
2. Using the group idea generation process learned in the lecture, participants will propose new product or service ideas that create new value using traditional technology.
Keywords
Traditional technology, Tatara iron making, International collaboration, Product design
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures and group work will be held on Wednesday afternoons in a classroom in Ookayama, and practical training will be held on weekends in Suzukakedai.
For details, please check the schedule and location listed in the course plan.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Wednesday, July 3, 15:25 - 17:25, Ookayama campus Orientation, group formation, basics of product design, examples of products that make the most of the characteristics of Japanese iron | A short essay on the video material |
| Class 2 | Saturday, July 6, 10:00 - 16:00, Suzukakedai campus Blacksmithing experience Guest lecturer: Mr. Myochin Munetaka (Blacksmith) | Reflection Reading assignment about the next lecture |
| Class 3 | Wednesday, July 10, 13:30 - 17:05 Examples of new product development using Japanese iron Guest lecturer: Mr. Inoue Yuji, Tanabe Corporation | Reflection Preparation for the next class |
| Class 4 | Wednesday, July 17, 13:30 - 17:05, Ookayama campus Group work (Product idea building, prototype making) | Preparation for the final presentation |
| Class 5 | Wednesday, July 24, 13:30-17:05, Ookayama campus Group work, Final presentation | Individual report |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
None
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None
Evaluation methods and criteria
Participation in lectures: 20%
Participation in the blacksmithing practice: 20%
Contribution to group work: 20%
Filal presentation (evaluation for the group): 20%
Individual report: 20%.
Related courses
- ENT.G451(LAW.X451) ： Advanced Course of Traditional Technology and Intercultural Collaboration
Prerequisites
1. Participants should have sufficient language skills for conducting group work in English
2. Participants should be interested in Japanese traditional technology (tatara iron making) and Japanese iron produced by tatara iron manufacturing.
3. (Recommended) Participants are encouraged to take ENT.G451: Advanced Course of Traditional Technology and Intercultural Collaboration to experience Tatara iron making and Japanese sword appreciation.
Other
Individual report:
In the individual report, summarize what you have learned throughout the course - the result of the group work, what you have learned, what you have thought about when designing products that use traditional technologies to create new value, etc.
Language should be English.