#Japan #Tokyo #Educational Tools #Honno-ren #Inquiry Skills

Enhancing Inquiry and Dialogue Skills in Education

In an era where students are increasingly required to develop their own inquiries rather than merely seeking existing answers, the challenge lies in effectively teaching these skills. Education professionals often express concerns about how to nurture the ability to question and engage in meaningful dialogues among middle and high school students, as well as university students. To address these issues, a new initiative has emerged in the form of free experience workshops for educators called “Honno-ren.”

What is ‘Honno-ren’?
‘Honno-ren’ is a workshop-based educational tool designed by the Editorial Engineering Institute to help students uncover new inquiries and perspectives through dialogue with others and insights derived from texts. Through these workshops, participants will strive to discover questions and realizations that they may not have arrived at independently. The program has been developed in collaboration with Kawai Juku and KEI Advance, both parts of a larger educational group, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in educational settings.

In today’s world, where generative AI can easily provide answers, it is crucial to reflect on what truly matters in the learning process. The traditional approach of answer-seeking education is becoming outdated. To explore new ways of learning, the Editorial Engineering Institute, Kawai Juku, and KEI Advance have formed a partnership aimed at promoting the practical use of ‘Honno-ren’ in educational environments nationwide, beginning with workshops.

Historical Background and Growth
Since its launch in 2023, the ‘Honno-ren’ program has been introduced in various schools, corporations, and local governments across the country. The name ‘Honno-ren’ translates to “the connection of books,” symbolizing the aim of fostering community connections through literature, reminiscent of the cultural ties formed during the Edo period in Japan. The program acts as a catalyst for new discoveries and insights that emerge through dialogues surrounding books and shared questions.

The ‘Honno-ren’ workshop provides participants with a variety of themes—over 30 selectable topics—from which they can choose questions they wish to explore in dialogue with one another. This flexibility has allowed numerous institutions to use ‘Honno-ren’ effectively in diverse educational contexts.

Scenarios for Using ‘Honno-ren’

In Corporations:

• - Facilitating Communication: Enhancing dialogue and interaction within office communities.
• - Creating Opportunities: Utilizing community spaces in offices for meaningful exchanges.

In Schools:

• - Project-Based Learning: Serving as a valuable resource for inquiry-based learning in middle and high schools.
• - Encouraging Connections: Stimulating student interactions in university learning commons and career courses.

In Local Government:

• - Community Revitalization: Engaging in programs aimed at invigorating local initiatives.
• - Public Library Programs: Implementing city-centric, book-themed programs to benefit residents.

What Participants Gain
Through participation in ‘Honno-ren,’ individuals develop essential skills such as the ability to form inquiries, collect and organize information, think critically, engage in dialogue, and collaborate effectively with others. The workshops have received positive feedback highlighting the importance of well-crafted inquiries in dialogues that reveal surprising aspects of participants, enhancing not only their educational experiences but also their professional ones.

Many participants have found the integration of book discussions to be refreshing and transformative, allowing them to access new dimensions of themselves while gaining insights from five notable books during just one hour of workshop time. Furthermore, the ‘Honno-ren’ experience fosters face-to-face communication opportunities among colleagues, deepening connections.

Honno-ren Radio
In addition to the workshops, ‘Honno-ren’ also engages audiences through the ‘Honno-ren Radio’ podcast, which has achieved top rankings in the Apple Podcast Book category. This auditory experience is enjoyed by many participants before and after the workshops, assisting in laying the groundwork for thought-provoking dialogues.

Upcoming Free Experience Workshops

The Editorial Engineering Institute, in collaboration with Kawai Juku and KEI Advance, is conducting workshops targeted at educational institution representatives across the country. There will be three experience sessions in different cities starting in October 2025.

• - Tokyo Session:

- Date: October 25, 2025
- Location: Kawai Juku Hongo School, Bunkyo City, Tokyo.

• - Osaka Session:

- Date: November 30, 2025
- Location: Kawai Juku Osaka School, Osaka City.

• - Fukuoka Session:

- Date: January 31, 2026
- Location: Kawai Juku Fukuoka School, Fukuoka City.

Each session is free of charge and accommodates up to 40 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the workshops and to register, please refer to the specified links.

Contact Information
For inquiries regarding this press release, please contact the Editorial Engineering Institute via email at [email protected].