Student Interview with Shi Huzihan | ISI Japanese Language School

Shi Huzihan

From China
JUQ, a college preparatory school within the ISI Group

Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School
Transdisciplinary Production Studies Program
Admitted

Hello! Could you please introduce yourself?: Hello! I'm Shi Huzihan. My family name is Shi. I was born and raised in Tianjin. I may seem like a different person depending on who is looking at me and from what perspective!

My hobbies include plants, ACG, and writing. I'm also interested in Japanese history and traditional culture, so lately I've been watching taiga dramas!

I actually enrolled in the private academy's program when I was a second-year university student, around 2022, but I did not seriously take it until I came to Japan in July 2024 after graduating from university. I also started preparing for the entrance exams almost entirely after arriving in Japan.
How did you learn about JUQ, and why did you choose our school?: I learned about JUQ through an online Japanese learning website that I used in my spare time while I was at university.

When I took my first trial lesson, the instructor carefully looked at my work online and listened as I talked about it. The feeling that "my work was being valued" was what made me choose this school.
Which university did you graduate from, and what did you major in? Why did you come to Japan, and why did you choose this university and field of study?: I graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, where I majored in 3D animation and studied in the "Cultural City" program at the School of Urban Design.

I came to Japan because I believed I could receive more specialized support here for the works I create and the topics I want to research.

I chose Kyoto University of the Arts because I sensed a "free and comfortable" atmosphere there, and I really liked it!

I chose Transdisciplinary Production Studies because the program welcomes people from a wide range of backgrounds. Students can create work using the forms of expression they are best at. During my undergraduate studies, I also acquired knowledge and skills beyond animation. I felt that this program would allow me to make the fullest use of my abilities. In addition, the activities of the Art Project laboratory I selected are related to my research. For these reasons, I began preparing for the entrance exam at short notice after learning about the program.
Could you tell us about your overall preparation process for the entrance examination? When did you begin preparing, how long did you spend on it, and what kinds of efforts did you make?: To be honest, I had not thought about it very deeply while I was an undergraduate. Since my major was animation, I assumed that I would apply to a master’s program in animation as well. However, after speaking with the instructor at my preparatory school who was in charge of animation, I realized that what I had been creating was quite different from what was expected in an animation master’s program—so different that they could almost be considered entirely separate things. Still, I did not want to create only the kind of work that was expected, because I felt that would restrict my expression. My instructor therefore recommended that I apply to graduate programs in fields such as High Tech Art. While I was still in China, I practiced conversation one-on-one with a Japanese instructor through an online Japanese language school and also took JLPT preparation classes in a large-group setting.

As I approached graduation in 2024, I took the N2 exam at the end of 2023 and passed it while working on my fourth-year graduation project.

As soon as I finished presenting my graduation thesis, I moved to Japan. I enrolled in the VIP course, which allowed me to arrange my schedule with my instructor. I generally took one-on-one lessons once every two weeks. During the final few weeks before the exams, I increased the frequency to twice a week or even more.

Regarding my applications and entrance exams, almost everything I did for my graduation thesis and undergraduate activities at the time was related to photography. I was actually considering taking the plunge and applying to photography programs in Japan as well. In fact, my instructors had been recommending this for two years. However, I can be stubborn in some ways, and my family also encouraged me to "try taking the exams a few times," so I ended up following a rather winding path.

Before talking about photography, I'd like to briefly share my experience applying to other programs. In my first year of applications, I passed the portfolio screening for the High-Tech Art program at Tokyo University of the Arts, but unfortunately did not make it through the essay examination. I therefore decided to apply to the same program again in my second year. Also, after I was rejected from the Art Practice (Photography and Video) program in Kyoto University of the Arts’ Schedule A admissions during my second year, my instructor suggested that I apply to the Art Project laboratory in the university’s Transdisciplinary Production Studies program. Through discussions with my instructor and my own research, I realized that this program and research lab were truly the right fit for me. So, I applied to this lab during the second-round admissions for Kyoto University of the Arts' graduate school, even though I had only recently learned about it.

Next, I will talk about the entrance exams for photography programs. Over these two years, I submitted around nine applications in total. I actually sat for five exams, including the final one that I withdrew from, and most of them were for schools in Tokyo. During several interviews, I sensed that the professors were unsure about the fact that I had not majored in photography and that my work was not purely photographic. However, on the morning of what would have been my ninth and final exam, when I decided not to take it, I finally gave up completely and admitted that a photography master’s program in Japan was not right for me. This was at the beginning of 2026. The only graduate school applications remaining were my application to the High-Tech Art program at Tokyo University of the Arts and the result of the first screening for Kyoto University of the Arts’ Schedule B admissions. By that point, I had almost no confidence left, and I had already considered studying at a vocational school specializing in photography and then finding a job. Before taking the exams for those two schools, I received an acceptance letter from Tokyo Visual Arts Academy. My family also kept urging me, saying, "If you are going to attend a vocational school, rent a new room somewhere affordable and convenient for commuting." As a result, I decided on a new apartment before taking the exam.

At the time, I was also running short of money, and the High-Tech Art campus was in Ibaraki. I therefore gave up applying to the graduate program and did not even submit my portfolio. This was the second time I had withdrawn from an entrance exam. I also believed that I had almost no chance of passing Kyoto University of the Arts’ document screening. But then, to my surprise, I passed!

Since this was my final chance to apply to graduate school, I did not want to give up. I spent a great deal of time preparing my presentation slides and, starting a week before the interview, took lessons with my preparatory school instructors and practiced my presentation. It was an incredibly demanding schedule—after every lesson, I would revise my presentation based on my instructor's feedback and send the updated version back before the next session. Even on the morning of the interview day (my interview was in the afternoon!), I had an online lesson with my instructor for a final review. I am truly grateful to Instructor Deng and the three Japanese instructors who spent that entire week identifying my weaknesses, helping me improve them, and offering invaluable advice.
What is your research topic, and why did you choose it?: My research explores how viewers can feel immersed in the fictional world I create through real-world media, with photography serving as the primary means of expression.

I chose this research topic because I wanted to better express the perspective that has always been at the core of my work. I believe that creating an immersive experience for viewers is the most effective way to encourage deeper reflection through my work. Photography, by its nature, expresses ideas through objects that exist in the real world. I found it fascinating that combining real-world objects with photography could enhance viewers' sense of immersion in a fictional world. That is why I wanted to explore and validate this idea through my research.
What challenges did you face while putting together your portfolio, and how did you overcome them?: The first challenge was collecting and organizing my previous work. My portfolio includes several projects I created during my undergraduate years. At the time, I made it a habit to organize and save each project in separate folders, but not every piece came with a description that was polished enough to be included in my portfolio. To create a coherent narrative that connected my earlier works with my recent projects, I spent a great deal of time carefully refining the wording and revising the descriptions for each piece.

The next challenge was rewriting my artwork descriptions in Japanese. My usual workflow was to first organize the Chinese descriptions of my works—especially the pieces I created after coming to Japan—in my head, then write the Japanese version directly in a Word document before copying and pasting it into InDesign for layout. Since Japanese is not my native language, there were times when the wording did not fully convey what I intended. I was enrolled in JUQ's one-on-one VIP course, and my Japanese instructor provided me with an incredible amount of guidance and support in refining these descriptions.

The final challenge was learning to use InDesign. Since I rarely worked on book layout projects, I had very little experience with the software. When I first started designing my portfolio, it took me quite a while to become comfortable using it. That was something I managed to overcome on my own. However, the instructors at JUQ paid close attention to every aspect of my portfolio's layout. Not only did they review it during our lessons, but they also regularly checked on my progress through private WeChat messages. Whenever they looked over either my work in progress or the completed portfolio, they provided detailed and thoughtful feedback on the layout, helping me refine it every step of the way.
What kind of support did you receive from the instructors at JUQ during your graduate school application process?: As I mentioned earlier, I already talked about the support I received with my entrance exam preparation and portfolio development. Beyond that, they also helped me with my artwork, refining my research proposal, and many other aspects of the application process. My homeroom instructor was especially considerate, always checking in on how my applications were going and taking the time to listen to my concerns and offer advice. All of this support meant a great deal to me, and I am truly grateful.
Could you tell us specifically about the university’s entrance examination?: My interview was conducted online and was held by two professors from the research lab, Professor Hoshina and Professor Ohashi. A staff member from the academic affairs office was also present to keep track of the interview time.

The online interview for the Graduate School of Kyoto University of the Arts began with a presentation. I was asked to introduce my research and creative plans, mainly focusing on what I hoped to pursue during my graduate studies. By the time my presentation time was over, I had just finished my presentation.

Afterward, there was a five minute Q&A session. Professor Hoshina asked the questions, which mainly focused on whether I had a good understanding of the program and the research lab's activities, as well as whether I had any relevant experience.

After that, Professor Ohashi began asking questions. His first question was about technical terminology that I should know for my research, but I answered incorrectly. While I was explaining, I realized I had made a mistake, so I decided to be honest and simply said, "I don't know!" Professor Ohashi was very kind. The professor smiled and said, "That's something you should know," and then moved on to the next topic. I was then asked several questions about my creative process, as well as a few that I found rather difficult to understand. One of them was, "Have you ever counted how many objects you have in your house?" I first thought I had misheard the question and even asked again.

The question that left the strongest impression on me was the very last one. Professor Ohashi asked me, "What does art mean to you?"

I answered: "I believe that art includes things everyone can see, as well as things that are visible only to certain people. To me, art is something that has the power to influence society."
Do you have any advice for younger students who have already come to Japan and are preparing for their entrance examinations?: If you clearly understand what you truly want to do and what you want to express, and continue pursuing it with confidence in your own beliefs, I'm sure you'll succeed!

Also, if you're planning to apply to the Graduate School of Kyoto University of the Arts, don't neglect your English. Not only is an English essay required as part of the application process, but one of the program's required courses is also an English presentation class.
Looking back on your journey to admission, what three keywords would you use to describe the entrance examination process, and why?: The three keywords that best describe my experience are time, conviction, and planning.

These three elements are closely interconnected. Within the limited time available, you create a plan; over time, you build strong conviction; and with that conviction, you put your plan into action. Even when time is limited, you must be able to adjust your plan as needed, while never losing sight of the beliefs that guide you.

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