Joining a school club in Japan is still seen by many educators and parents as a way to build character and instill the values of teamwork and self-discipline in students. Japanese junior and senior high schools are well known for "club activities" or bukatsu, which often seem to occupy every moment of a teenager's spare time until they "retire" to prepare for entrance exams and the next step up the education ladder.
Even when they are safely into university, many students opt to join one of the clubs on campus. However, unless they are playing at a competitive level for a top-ranking team, college students generally enjoy less pressure and a lot more autonomy with their clubs. It can be a time to find new hobbies, discover hidden talents and perhaps even gain skills that will be of use in their future careers.
A case in point is Optik, a visual arts club at Hakuoh University in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture. Although far removed from the bright lights of Tokyo, the students are tackling projects with aplomb and producing a body of work that easily holds its own against that of their city cousins.
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