Unfamiliar Japan
Highlights & Photos
All majors and backgrounds are welcome to explore Japan on a four‐week trip this summer! This trip aims to gain a deep insight into modern and traditional Japan, while earning 6 credit hours.
Students will visit Shimane Prefecture (where thingsremain essentially unchanged for centuries) and Tokyo/Yokohama (where things are in constant flux). As a way to understand key elements of the history that shaped the nation’s current trends, this trip will guide students to a wide range of venues in Japan such as historical landmarks, museums, state‐of‐theart corporate facilities, and metropolitan attractions.
Students will also have opportunities for firsthand demonstration of traditional craftwork and food production. Shimane University and Kanto Gakuin University (both UA partner institutions) will coordinate cultural activities to complement the itinerary.
Before this trip, the longest I had been away from my family was a week while at summer camp. The Unfamiliar Japan program seemed to be the best study abroad experience available because it was during summer and only lasted about a month. I thought surely I could handle being gone for a month. During this time abroad, I learned an indescribable amount about Japanese culture and history.
Our trip began with a stay in Matsue in the Shimane Prefecture, one of the least populous prefectures in Japan. The countryside is absolutely beautiful, filled with jutting, tree-covered hills and the prefecture faces the Sea of Japan. In Matsue we read Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan by Lafcadio Hearn while visiting the author’s residence and seeing the sites he wrote of like Lake Shinji and Matsue Castle. At Shimane University we were able to view books with poems Hearn had transcribed and sketches he had drawn. We were even able to hear a lecture from Hearn’s great-grandson, Professor Bon Koizumi. It was amazing to see how Hearn’s stay affected the region.
The time in Shimane was full of lessons about traditional crafts and history of the area. At Yakumo-mura we witnessed a demonstration of a method of Japanese paper-making that had been used for more than 1200 years. We were able to make a sheet of paper of our own to keep as a souvenir. Our group was also fortunate to view a Shinto boat festival called “Horan Enya” which takes place every twelve years. We watched the vibrantly decorated boats circle around while the rowers sang. Additionally, we ventured to many shrines of varying shapes and colors, each with unique characteristics. The largest we saw was the Izumo Grand Shrine, where the gods of Japan gather in October.
After visiting Shimane, we traveled to Tokyo to learn about the bustling city. Here we visited the Tokyo Sumo Museum, the National Diet Building, and the Edo-Tokyo Museum. These locations taught us about the history of the city and the functions of the government. We also visited the technological center Akihabara and the cultural and shopping centers of Shibuya and Ginza. Some other key places we traveled to were the NHK Studios and Studio Ghibli Museum. At the Studio Ghibli Museum, I learned much about the famous animator Hayao Miyazaki and his extraordinary movies.
From Tokyo our group went to Yokohama and on our first night there we watched a baseball game between the Yokohama BayStars and the Chiba Marines. Yokohama had a different style than Tokyo and had been greatly influenced by international trade. We went to a large exhibit spread about the Yokohama Bay area celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of the port. One day we journeyed to Kamakura, which was very enjoyable, seeing Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, the great Daibutsu, and Hasedera Temple. The Daibutsu was most impressive, constructed of bronze over 750 years ago. During my free time, I was able to visit the Yokohama Museum of Art, which had world-class exhibits.
The trip opened my eyes to a rich and diverse culture quite different from that in the United States. I feel I learned much while commuting, observing the business people, the elderly, and the school children. Each location we visited represented a unique aspect of Japanese culture and cuisine. The month flew by so quickly, leaving me with the desire to return someday.
Comments by Michael Carlson, participant, summer 2009
If you need more student perspective, check out Matthew Midgett 's blog from summer 2009 also.
Leadership for the program comes from the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.
Want to know more? Click on the links above to find out all the program details and application information.