Japan Center for Michigan Universities

The classrooms feature windows overlooking the lake, the surrounding mountains, nearby Hikone Castle, and a Japanese style garden.

It is loosely based on the curriculum at Michigan State University, although the professors take considerable freedom in adapting it to the needs of the facility.

While additional courses vary by the semester depending on the visiting professors, they have been known to include classes on culture, film, art, economics, religion and environmental science.

Other opportunities for students include staying with host families in the area, field trips, and the ability to do internships concurrently with the regular course load.

JCMU took on thirty young people in January 2005, primarily students, and trained them in polite language and the vocabulary that would be needed for the United States Pavilion.

[citation needed] Michigan, Shiga, and JCMU began celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Michigan-Shiga sister state agreement in fall of 2017.

The academic year opening ceremony in September 2017 featured the unveiling of a commemorative art piece and the planting of a symbolic tree.