Japan Bound: From Tokyo to Kagoshima

Summary:

Throughout this course, students will embark on a journey through Japan, gaining exposure to not just the Japan of movies and pop culture, but the many other factors that make Japan unique. Students will be asked to dive deeper, ask questions, and challenge their own and their classmates’ perspectives as we explore a diverse range of topics together each week.

Description:

When you hear “Japan,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Sushi? Ramen? Anime? It’s likely that the first thing you think of does not fully encompass the vast range of people and cultures that exist throughout Japan. 

In this course, students will expand their understanding of Japan while exploring the many cultures and subcultures that exist across Japan, from the neighborhoods of Tokyo to the volcanoes of Kyushu. We will dispel any inaccuracies or stereotypes about Japan often depicted in pop culture, as well as dive deeper into the intricacies of each city along our route. By the end of the course, students developed a deeper understanding and a broadened perspective about Japan. Hopefully, students will have many more words come to mind the next time they are asked about Japan!

On our journey, we will start off in Tokyo and end in Kagoshima. Interspersed throughout the course, we will have discussion and reflection sessions to dive deeper into what we’re seeing in each city and to further develop our skills as active travelers. This reflection component is crucial to travel as without it each day’s travels can be boiled down to a selfie and an instagram post (or Tik Tok?). 

Outline:
Week 1: Introduction & Tokyo Pt. 1 (55 min)
Week 2: Being uncomfortable in a new city (Discussion) (40 min)
Week 3: Tokyo Pt. 2 (55 min)
Week 4: Intersection of history and modernity(Discussion) (40 min)
Week 5: Kyoto (55 min)
Week 6: What is culture? (Discussion) (40 min)
Week 7: Hiroshima: The Facts (55 min)
Week 8: Hiroshima: Two Perspectives (Discussion) (40 min)
Week 9: Kagoshima (55 min)
Week 10: Rural Japan (Discussion) and Final Reflection! (40 min)

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PAST STUDENTS OF JAPAN BOUND COURSES:
If you have previously taken Japan Bound: Exploring Tokyo, Kyoto, or Hiroshima, please note that this course includes content from all of those classes. You are still more than welcome to sign up for this course; however, you should expect a message from me asking for confirmation that you understand some of the content will be repetitive. 

Class Style:
As with most of our classes, we encourage discussion and tangents. We all have unique perspectives and experiences that contribute tremendous value to our conversations. Occasionally, due to this exploration of informative tangents, we go over the stated class time. If you need to leave early, you can send me a message during class and watch the rest of the recording afterwards. I appreciate your flexibility!