Interview to our alumni

HOSHINO Yukina
 

 Educational Background

  • Graduated from Department of Human Communications, College of Humanities, Ibaraki University （March, 2016）
  • Graduated from Master’s program in International Public Policy, University of Tsukuba （March, 2018)

Research Fields

  • Cultural Anthropology

Career

  • After completing graduate school, she worked for an IT company and became a member of the Hitachi-Omiya City Community Development Cooperation Team in April 2021 (resigned on July 31, 2023).
    Since May 2021, she has been working as a representative of Machimusubi LLC.
 Interviewer
KATO Yuya
  • Graduated from School of Social and International Studies, College of International Studies, University of Tsukuba （March, 2022）
  • Master’s program in International Public Policy, University of Tsukuba

Introduction

KATO： It has been a while since we met by chance at a guesthouse in Mito, and I hope we can talk a lot today as we did then.
HOSHINO： It has been a while. Ok, let’s start.

Why did you enter graduate school?

KATO： First of all, please tell me why you entered graduate school.
HOSHINO： I was an undergraduate at Ibaraki University, and while I was there I volunteered for a local festival called “Nishishiogo no Mawaributai” (Nishishiogo’s Circumambulation Stage). The festival had not been held for a long time, Although I revived it for the first time in half a century, and I also served as the festival’s emcee. The experience left an enjoyable memory in my mind, and I began to develop a sense that I wanted to be useful and work in Hitachi-Omiya. I then began looking for a job outside of the government to get involved in town development. When I could not find a good fit, a professor at my university recommended that I enter graduate school.
KATO： I see. Then, why did choose the graduate school of Tsukuba University instead of Ibaraki University? Was there a professor whose research field was close to your research theme?
HOSHINO： At the time, there was a professor Keiji MAEGAWA, who specialized in cultural anthropology.
KATO： He has retired now, but I know him because I took a class called “Culture and Development” when I was an undergraduate. What was it about Prof. MAEGAWA that was close to your interests?
HOSHINO： Prof. MAEGAWA’s research is a practical combination of academics and town planning, and I sympathize with him.
KATO： What does “practical” mean?
HOSHINO： To put it simply, it means “while building a community”. Prof. MAEGAWA’s research style was to not only simply study cultural anthropology, but also to form communities alongside it.
KATO： Reviving festivals, which you did as a volunteer work when you were an undergraduate is a very similar part of community building. Thank you very much.

About life as a graduate student

KATO： Now, please tell me what you were working on during your graduate school years.
HOSHINO： For example, I spent about two months helping out at “Nishishiogo no Mawaributai” and participated in a presentation competition as a practice.
KATO： What do you mean by a presentation competition?
HOSHINO： Although I am not sure if it exists now, at the time when I was a student, I participated in a student presentation battle. Students from the University of Tsukuba presented the appeal of their research and competed in how easy it was to understand. In the end, I made it to the finals and even won the competition by presenting at the school festival.
KATO： That is amazing! I am so proud to have a senior International Public Policy student who was first in the entire university.
HOSHINO： Thank you very much. I also did an internship at a human resources company. I received training to help the community and the people living there become more energetic. I will talk about this point later, as it is connected to my current job now.
KATO： You are really active in many different activities. I am so busy dealing with the mountain of issues that are falling in front of me that I can’t even get involved in other activities. I imagine that you must have been quite busy. Changing the subject, what kind of research did you do for your master’s thesis?
HOSHINO： I wrote my master’s thesis by participating in and observing the “Nishishiogo no Mawaributai”, a festival that I have had an ongoing interest in since my undergraduate days. That festival is currently held about once every three years, and as I explained earlier, it was recently revived. In my master’s thesis, focused on “How was it revived, what meaning did they give to the festival, and how did they utilize it to revitalize the community?”
KATO： What was the conclusion?
HOSHINO： I have learned that the “Nishishiogo no Mawaributai” was intentionally revived, and as a result, the connections between people were also intentionally revived.
KATO： If so, it seems to be related to Prof. MAEGAWA’s research style of community building.
HOSHINO： Yes, it was. The task of writing my master’s thesis was difficult. After all, since I had watched the festival up close and personal for a long period of time, there were many things I wanted to write about. I struggled with the task of putting it all together as a thesis, but Prof. MAEGAWA warmly watched over me and gave me guidance.
KATO： I think the professor is indispensable in writing a master’s thesis. If you were to grade your own master’s thesis, what would be the score?
HOSHINO： Yes, I would say 70%. After all, it was something I worked very hard on throughout the master’s program. I was very nervous about submitting it in a hurry just before the deadline.
KATO： How many was it before the deadline?
HOSHINO：30 minutes before.
KATO： That’s totally on the edge.
HOSHINO： Yes, it was. I had a classmate with whom I was very close, and we were all in a panic before submitting our master’s theses. However we had a great time discussing our research and private life problems, having pizza parties in the lab, and so on.
KATO： After all, as a graduate student, there are many situations where we are saved by our friends in the laboratory. Could you tell us about the characteristics of students in the University of Tsukuba?
HOSHINO： As for strengths, I think many of you are receptive to diverse values. In addition, many students are good at setting issues. Also, they have the ability to take action. However, the very closed environment of Tsukuba is a shortcoming of this university. The city is complete with only students and there are no opportunities to interact with working people. Tsukuba may be a difficult environment for those who just can’t make themselves to take action.
KATO： That’s right. Some of my friends grabbed the information on their own and went to Tokyo to intern and seek connections with working people.

Post-Graduate Careers

KATO： How did you find a job while you were in the master’s program?
HOSHINO： I chose on a completely different path to employment than many others do.
KATO： What was the pathway?
HOSHINO： At the time, the University of Tsukuba had a program called the Reverse Job Hunting Seminar. In the usual job hunting process, students research companies and go through the interview process. In the Reverse Job Hunting Seminar, the HR of the company would visit the place where the student was giving a presentation and hire the student. I was able to receive job offers from two companies because I was good at public appearances and participated in the presentation contest.
KATO： Your presentation skills are excellent. I also did not know that such job search existed in the world. It will be helpful for me too. Am I correct in understanding that you quit your job after grabbing a job at the Reverse Job Hunting Seminar and worked as a Hitachi-Omiya City Regional Development Cooperation Volunteer until the end of July 2023?
HOSHINO： Yes, that’s right, I worked for my first employer for three years, but then I decided that I wanted to make a U-turn and to spend more time for my hometown. Currently, I have retired from the Regional Development Cooperation Volunteer Corps, where I worked for about two and a half years, and am working as the representative of Machimusubi LLC, which I took over from the person who established the company to help boost the local community.
KATO： I see. What specific activities are you involved in?
HOSHINO： There are two main things we do. The first one is to provide career education to junior high school students in Ibaraki Prefecture. For example, we dispatch professionals and career consultants to schools, and I myself have studied coaching techniques and obtained certifications related to improving self-esteem, so I sometimes stand in front of children. Second, I provide support and communication seminars for companies on projects to revitalize their positions by utilizing human resources on the sidelines.
KATO： You are a member of the Japan Community Development Cooperation Volunteers and also work for a company at the same time. Where does your motivation come from?
HOSHINO： I want to increase the number of people full of hope in Hitachi-Omiya City, and I want to become such a player. This is the reason behind the restoration of the festival, as well as the career education for junior high school students.
KATO： I see. I like that you have a clear sense of purpose. I will attempt to set my own goals as well! By the way, what is your dream for the future?
HOSHINO： Well, it is difficult. However, looking back, one of my dreams is now in a state of fulfillment. I originally came back to my hometown, Hitachi-Omiya City, because I wanted to be surrounded by people I care about. In that sense, I am happy because I am now connected with such people.
KATO： After listening to your entire talk today, I felt that “connection” and “tie” are your keywords. You seem to place a great deal of importance on people-to-people relationships, such as restoring “connection” in the community through festivals and your activities at the Machi “Musubi” LLC.
HOSHINO： If you ask me, yes.
KATO： You mentioned that your master’s thesis was 70 points, what would your current fulfillment score be?
HOSHINO： It’s a perfect score in terms of fulfillment.
KATO： You are so right. Thank you very much.

To students and prospective students of IPP program

KATO： Please give any advice to the current and future juniors who will read this interview.
HOSHINO： One of my professor used to say, “Ideas alone are worthless”. What he means is that you have to give form to your ideas and put them into practice. In other words, “there is only action!” I think you should make your student life a time to do all the things you want to do.
KATO： I will do my best in my student life! Thank you very much for your time today.
HOSHINO： Thank you very much for your time here.