Gomokumeshi and exchange students

Abstract

　Gomokumeshi is an autobiography written by Mrs. Kotaka Otsuma, founder of Otsuma Women’s University. The autobiography details the history of the university, as well as its fundamental principle of the education for women, for which it has earned the reputation of raising “good wives and wise mothers”. Gomokumeshi has been read by Otsuma’s junior and senior high school pupils, undergraduate and graduate students, their parents, and staff members. However, there has not yet been any report on how it is accepted by foreigners. This article reports the views of 10 Chinese and Korean exchange students, following their perusal of the book. These exchange students were enrolled in the International Center in the second semester of the academic year 2016. Further, this article shows how the exchange students’ negative image towards Japanese women has changed since they started reading Gomokumeshi, and how they found special value in studying at Otsuma Women’s University. Their bias that Japanese women become pitifully stuck at home after marriage, has lessened, after learning that Kotaka supported the social progress of married women. Additionally, the recognition that Kotaka herself founded Otsuma after she married her husband, made them respect her profoundly, and has assisted in their finding favourable meaning in studying at Otsuma Women’s University.