Welcome Home, Mr. Hoshide! A Ceremony Celebrating the Return of Keio Graduate and Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Keio’s Folding Fan

On March 5 (Tue), a special ceremony was held at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tokyo Office to commemorate the return of a Japanese folding fan commissioned by Keio University for astronaut and Keio graduate Akihiko Hoshide (Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 1992) to take with him on his journey into space. After giving a presentation on his four month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from July to November 2012 and explaining his extra-vehicular activity (EVA), or "spacewalking," Hoshide officially returned the fan, along with a certificate confirming its space time and an official JAXA commemorative plaque marking the 32nd and 33rd long-duration expeditions to the ISS, to Professor Toshiaki Makabe, Vice-President of Keio University, and Professor Tojiro Aoyoma, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology. Hoshide also wrote a special message to Keio students that read, "Fulfill your dreams."

The Japanese fan, which traveled with Hoshide on the Soyuz spacecraft as one of the symbolic items in his Official Flight Kit (OFK), is made of fabric and bears the calligraphy of Keio founder Yukichi Fukuzawa in the center, reading dokuritsu jison, meaning "independence and self-respect." The "Pen Mark," the symbol of Keio University, and the logo of the Faculty of Science and Technology’s 75th anniversary flank Fukuzawa’s message on either side. The fan was produced by Keio especially for the mission.

The fan, its certificate of space flight, and other commemorative items will be displayed on Floor 1 of the Keio University Library (New Building) at Mita Campus for one month from mid-March.

(Reference) The space abacus which made its journey into space in June 2008. (Japanese only)
http://www.st.keio.ac.jp/news/20080527_001.html