Keio Futsubu School ──Rosaku Exhibition──
The Keio Futsubu School Rosaku Exhibition (Rosakuten) is a traditional event at Keio Futsubu School that has continued since 1927. Futsubu students choose one subject, set a theme, and work on manufacturing, creating, or writing toward the exhibition in September. There are no restrictions on themes; students set themes based on their own interests, such as handicrafts, art and craft works, theses, or novels. Once a theme is decided, they exert their maximum effort, receiving advice from teachers as necessary.
This year, the 97th Rosaku Exhibition was held on September 27-28. Once summer vacation ends, students with thesis-style works in subjects such as Japanese, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and English face immediate submission deadlines. Once the works are submitted, the faculty puts forth a collective effort to begin the judging process. Works recognized as excellent by the teachers are awarded a "Prize." Some theses can be quite voluminous, so teachers carefully read through every single page, taking their time (sometimes through the night) to find the merits of each work.
General works such as Technology, Art, and Calligraphy are brought in by students on designated days, and student staff decorate the classrooms. Once the decoration is complete, the judging of general works begins. General works are judged by actually touching and moving them. Additionally, teachers spend time reading through the "Production Diary" in which students record the process of creating their work. Sometimes, teachers within the same subject department coordinate their opinions to conduct the judging.
On the day of the Rosaku Exhibition, many people visit as it is an event open to the public. For Futsubu students, having their work seen by other students and the general public is the moment their efforts leading up to that day are rewarded. Seeing their friends' works also provides an opportunity for Futsubu students to discover aspects of their friends they had not noticed before.
It is not uncommon for students to choose themes in fields they have worked in before, but many also choose fields they are challenging for the first time. In other words, the Rosaku Exhibition at Keio Futsubu School is not only a place for Futsubu students to demonstrate their talents and abilities but also a great opportunity for them to discover and develop new talents and abilities within themselves.