Curriculum Development
I am an educational researcher specializing in intercultural dialogue through English education. Through curriculum development for the "FURYU Educational Program" (FEP) based on intercultural dialogue, I am exploring the preservation and activation of traditional performing arts through research projects connected to health and fitness.
Stephanie Ann Houghton (PhD Education)
Professor, Faculty of Art and Regional Design, Saga University, Japan
Email
houghton@cc.saga-u.ac.jp
Springer Book Series (Co-founder and co-editor with Melina Porto)
Intercultural Communication and Language Education
Heritage management and intercultural dialogue
I am currently researching Menburyu, which has been handed down from ancient times in the Kashima region of Saga prefecture, Japan. The history and origins of Menburyu are hardly recorded in books and literature because they are orally transmitted, so they are threatened with extinction in ageing society. For preservation and revitalization purposes, I am exploring the research question "What is Menburyu, its origin, and value?" I conduct research using Japanese, English as a lingua franca, and local dialects, taking a plurilingual approach from a variety of cultural perspectives. Here, my research fields of "heritage management" and "intercultural dialogue" are deeply linked.
Intercultural dialogue and health
In 2018, I started to develop "Menburyu-Inspired Dance-Fitness" (MIDF), which incorporates movements and concepts from Menburyu into aerobics for revitalization purposes, in collaboration with professional fitness instructor Kazuki Miyata. In that process, we are taking a practical, experiential approach with students that includes original dance creation incorporating Menburyu movements, and we hold dance and food events with Japanese students, international students, and local communities. Starting with the concept of Menburyu, "regional revitalization," "memory revitalization," "physical and brain health," and "art creation" are connected through "intercultural dialogue."
Cultural activation and brain activation
The "FURYU Educational Program" (FEP) is an interdisciplinary program in which traditional performing arts, intercultural dialogue, health, fitness, technology and artistic creation are all linked for the benefit of society. Participation in these activities is thought to be able to stimulate human memory and creativity, help promote brain health, and may help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Furthermore, similar programs can be undertaken by any educator. I hope that educators around the world will help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease in the future, and I would like to promote that.
Hogaura Menburyu: Under the camphor tree
Chinju Shrine, Kashima, Saga, Japan
Menburyu and camphor trees
Menburyu statue: Near the young camphor tree, Saga train station, Saga City, Saga, Japan
Hogaura Menburyu: Under the camphor tree
Chinju Shrine, Kashima, Saga, Japan
Wakakusu Kaikan (Young Camphor Hall)
Located on historical land inside the moat of Saga Castle — formerly Muranaka Castle, and the origin of Saga itself — Wakakusu Kaikan (Young Camphor Hall) is owned by Saga Prefecture. The disused building, situated on prime historical land, is currently used for storage purposes only. Saga Prefecture permits Saga City to install a crow capture cage behind the building — one of several across Saga City — where crows are held before being culled. The programme has been in operation since 2014.
Camphor trees along Saga Castle moat path
Around the inside of Saga castle moat runs a public pathway lined with many camphor trees. Within this beautiful eco-system, many different types of birds can be seen including crows, ducks, herons, cormorants and egrets. The ancient camphor trees seem to be shared by herons and crows.
Migratory birds and international flyways
Saga City is responsible for one of the two wetland sites on the northern coast of the Ariake Sea protected under the Ramsar Convention. (Previously endangered) vulnerable Black-Faced Spoonbills can be found there before they fly north to Korea, sometimes stopping off at wetlands along the north coast of Fukuoka Prefecture, such as the Imazu wetland, along the way.
Human-AI Collaboration Note:
Real-time site observation of the Black-Faced Spoonbills shown in the video and two photographs above, taken by Stephanie Ann Houghton on a fieldtrip to the Imazu Wetland in Fukuoka, was supported by Gemini 3 Flash (Paid Tier) by Google AI, acting as an AI Fieldwork Assistant via mobile interface.
© EAAFP / Black-faced Spoonbill Working Group 2026
Non-commercial educational use with attribution
Current research activity and acknowledgments
Through fieldwork observation of the ancient camphor trees and their inhabitants within the Saga Castle grounds, I discovered the existence of a crow capture and culling programme operated by Saga City in collaboration with Saga Prefecture. This discovery raised critical questions regarding urban wildlife management, animal welfare, biosafety, and Japan's obligations under international migratory bird agreements—questions I am now pursuing through formal consultation with municipal and prefectural authorities.
Human-AI Collaboration Statement:
This research exemplifies transparent human-AI collaboration under the direction of Stephanie Ann Houghton. Research, data synthesis and textual drafting were supported by Gemini 3 Flash (Paid Tier) and Claude AI (Pro) by Anthropic.
This research exemplifies transparent human-AI collaboration under the direction of the principal author. Research, data synthesis, and drafting were supported by Gemini 3 Flash (Paid Tier) by Google AI and Claude AI (Pro) by Anthropic.
About the "FURYU Educational Program" (FEP)
(180822).png)