Hello everyone!
This is PR team from Asaka Laboratory!
This time, I would like to report on the seminar retreat we went on in September.
Schedule: September 10–12, 2025
Accommodation: Montgomery Brown Inn Izu Kogen
Tourist spot: Izu Shaboten Zoo
This time, we spent three days in Izu Kogen!
The area offered pleasantly mild temperatures, allowing us to both refresh ourselves and deepen our learning through encounters with local nature and wildlife!
I'll be sharing a day-by-day report of our retreat!
Day 1
Some participants took the train from their homes to Izu Kogen, while others traveled by Professor’s car.
On the way to Izu Kogen Station, we experienced some rain, which made us a bit anxious about the weather. However, upon arrival, the skies had cleared, and the temperature was much more comfortable than in Tokyo or Yokohama!
Our lodging for the seminar was the Montgomery Brown Inn Izu Kogen!
The inn is located on a cherry blossom-lined street near Izu Kogen Station, surrounded by nature and offering a view of Mt. Omuro.
On the first day, we held a seminar session. We engaged in discussions with third-year students on case studies and job hunting, and with fourth-year students on their graduation research. Each third-year student also gave a brief progress report on their activities.
The third-year students are currently preparing for the case studies, which will start in earnest in the second semester. Meanwhile, the fourth-year students are entering a phase where they are engaging more deeply with their research as they approach graduation.
Following that, third- and fourth-year students formed mixed teams to prepare for the Asaka Lab logo presentation scheduled for the second day. They worked together to refine the logo concepts that each had developed individually up to that point!
Through lively discussions, everyone exchanged ideas to design the best possible logo for the lab's future use!
After the seminar, everyone enjoyed their free time in their own way: some played table tennis, others played games, and some simply relaxed in their rooms!
As always, table tennis was a big hit among the Asaka Lab members!🏓
For dinner, we enjoyed a full course meal!
The main dish, sautéed pork, was incredibly tender and delicious, and many of us went back for extra servings of rice.
During the meal, we had a great time chatting and getting to know one another across different year levels!
In the evening, we gathered in the common room for a fun social gathering!
We played UNO and various board games that everyone had brought along.
Later, even our professor joined in for a round of Werewolf (a social deduction game), making it an incredibly lively and memorable night.
We were able to build even stronger connections from the very first day.
That's all for Day 1!
Day 2
First, we ate breakfast!
It was such a luxurious breakfast, with three kinds of bread served in the morning!
This morning, we had our seminar!
On the second day of the seminar, we started with a Python program presentation session by the third-year students.
Everyone explained the Python problems they had been working on individually, and if there were any points they didn't understand, they asked the fourth-year students, allowing them to improve their skills!
Next, we held the Asaka Lab Logo Presentation.
Designs reflecting our lab's image were unveiled, sparking excitement with unexpected ideas and unique shapes!
Finally, a GitHub workshop was held for third-year students.
All third-year students attended the workshop with great dedication to ensure they could make the most of it for their future research.
After the seminar ended, we had lunch!
We gathered around the table in a warm and friendly atmosphere while enjoying delicious curry!
In the afternoon, we had free time to do whatever we wanted!
Some people played sports like table tennis and tennis, while others enjoyed indoor games or just relaxed in their rooms!
We had a course meal for dinner!
Every dish was delicious, but the main hamburger steak was especially large, satisfying, and tasty!
In the evening, we had another social gathering.
We played card games like "Daifugo" (Millionaire) and UNO, and the atmosphere was lively and exciting.
Laughter filled the air regardless of grade level, making it a truly enjoyable time.
It was a day where we felt our bonds grow stronger through the unique interactions only possible at a training camp!
That concludes Day 2!
Day 3
On day three, we had breakfast first.
The breakfast spread included standard dishes like fried eggs.
After that, we took a group picture in front of the hotel before leaving.
The pose was inspired by Professor Asaka's “A”.
On the third day, despite the forecast for rain, it was barely sprinkling, so we went to Izu Shaboten Zoo!
Before touring the park, we took a group photo.
The pose we struck was inspired by the red pandas!!
After the group photo, we had free time until lunch.
Everyone enjoyed exploring the park at their own pace.
After enjoying our free time, we regrouped for lunch!
We split into three groups based on our choices: hamburgers, soba / udon, and the cafe.
I decided on the soba / udon.
I opted for the cactus-topped soba.
It was my first time eating cactus, and I was genuinely surprised by how delicious it was!
After that, we wrapped up our visit and said our goodbyes right there at the Izu Shaboten Zoo.
That concludes the report of our three-day retreat. I hope you enjoyed reading it!
Izu Kogen was a wonderful place to visit, offering a pleasant climate even during September's lingering heat and allowing you to truly connect with nature! There's so much more to experience than I could possibly cover in this article, so I highly recommend visiting for yourself!
This was the first seminar retreat where both third- and fourth-year members of the Asaka Laboratory came together.
Although there was a bit of nervousness on the first day, over the three days it gradually turned into genuine enjoyment as we deepened our bonds.
It was a truly valuable opportunity to spend time together as a lab, and we hope to cherish experiences like this in the future as well!
Thank you for reading to the end!
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