09-07-2025
Keio University Sophomore Wins English Speech Contest, Urges Listeners to Embrace Imperfections as Possibilities
Imperfections are not something to be ashamed of – rather they are possibilities. So said Keio University sophomore Hiroyuki Fujisaki in his winning speech at this year's JNSA (Japan National Student Association) Trophy All Japan Intercollegiate English Oratorical Contest.
Fujisaki won the top prize for his speech titled 'Kintsugi: the Art of Becoming.' The 57th edition of the contest was held at The Yomiuri Shimbun's headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday.
The runners-up were in descending order: Umi Kikuchi of Sophia University; Rinka Takahashi of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; Arisa Dazai of Hosei University; Rei Hasegawa of Waseda University; Maoko Suzuki of Waseda University; Yuna Sugimoto of Tsuda University.
The contest was supported by The Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News.
The following is the full text of Fujisaki's speech:
My grandmother enjoys tea ceremonies. One day, she dropped her favorite tea bowl. It was a simple, everyday object, yet she handled it with such care that as a child I knew it was precious to her. I thought she would throw it away. After all, isn't that what we do with broken things? But instead, she gathered the shattered pieces and took them to a craftsman. I watched, confused, as she entrusted him to mend something broken.
Weeks later, the bowl returned glimmering with golden cracks. It was more beautiful than before. I was fascinated. 'Why use gold?' I asked. My grandmother smiled and said, 'Because its history makes it more valuable.' That was my first lesson in kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, embracing flaws rather than hiding them.
Kintsugi means 'golden joinery.' It is a traditional practice that sees brokenness not as something to be hidden but to be embraced. Instead of throwing away cracked pottery, artisans mend the fractures using a special lacquer↓ mixed with gold. The result is a piece that wears its scars with pride — each line a glimmering reminder of its past and a symbol of resilience.
At the time, I didn't fully understand the significance of this philosophy. But as I grew older, I realized that kintsugi was not just about pottery — it was about life.
I remember struggling in middle school with the English proficiency test. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't pass the test. I began to believe I simply wasn't capable of mastering the language. One day, after yet another disappointing test result, my grandmother sat beside me and gently said, 'Remember that kintsugi bowl?' I looked up, confused. She continued, 'That bowl was once broken, but now it is stronger and more beautiful. You are not broken — just learning. Every mistake, every struggle, is part of your gold.'
Her words stayed with me. I realized that failure wasn't something to fear — it was part of my growth. I kept trying, slowly improving, and eventually, I found confidence in my ability to learn.
William Shakespeare once said in Hamlet, 'We know what we are, but not what we may be.' This quote reminds me of the uncertain, unwritten future we all face. We think we understand ourselves now, but the truth is, we are constantly changing, constantly evolving. And often, it is the most difficult moments in our lives that push us to grow the most.
Japan itself is a testament to this philosophy. After World War II, our country was devastated. We could have remained broken, defined by defeat. But instead, we chose to rebuild — not just with steel and concrete, but with resilience, discipline, and an unwavering spirit. We transformed our pain into progress, our struggles into strength. Like a kintsugi bowl, Japan became more beautiful because of its history, not despite it.
And so, I ask you — what may we become? That answer lies in how we choose to mend our broken pieces. Do we hide them, ashamed? Or do we embrace them, filling them with gold, allowing them to define our unique and powerful transformation?
Our cracks are not our weaknesses. They are proof that we have lived, struggled, and persevered. They are the foundation of what we may yet become.
Let us not fear our imperfections, but celebrate them. Let us step forward, not with doubt, but with the excitement of possibility. Because just like a kintsugi bowl, we are all masterpieces in the making.
