Avant-Garde sculpture along the Sumida River, Tokyo
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With a little over two weeks in Japan the group covered an amazing range of activities, such as: Zen gardens, Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, castles, Imperial Palaces, a tea ceremony, flower arrangement, Kabuki, and Bunraku theatres, museums, art galleries, color print exhibitions, paper making studios, bookstores, an anime museum, manga centers, electronic districts, and department stores. The group also took the world-fastest bullet trains and navigated the complex transit system of Tokyo. Some in the group visited spas and baseball games, took a river cruise, saw Shakespeare in Japanese, attended a Western style concert by a Japanese orchestra, and went as far up as the top of Mt. Koya, which is the center of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism since the 8th century. During their stay, the group had a paroramic view of Japanese civilization from ancient traditions to contemporary life.
In addition, the faculty had the opportunity to attend the Asian Studies conference at Sophia University in Tokyo, as well as visit our two exchange universities, Nanzan University in Nagoya and ICU in Tokyo, to strengthen our university's ties in the study abroad programs.
**A special thank you to Loraina Ghiraldi for contributing the photographs used on these web pages. |
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"Of the faculty in the Asian studies group that traveled to Japan this summer, I was probably the one with the least prior knowledge of Japan , its culture, and its people. As a result, I may be the one who learned the most from the trip. My experience in Japan was truly incredible; absolutely amazing. I was fascinated by the often seamless juxtaposition of ancient tradition and contemporary progress. My most vivid memories include the sounds of the nightingale floorboards, the beauty of the Japanese gardens, the taste of the tea sweets (and other delicacies that remain a mystery), the thrill of the Kabuki theater, the fragrances of the temples, and the charm of the people. Surprisingly, I did not feel anything akin to “culture shock.” In fact, I felt strangely at home in Japan , and if given the opportunity, I would live in Tokyo for a few years – there’s so much more to learn. My main frustration was that I didn't know the language, so I was unable to communicate effectively. Although I need to do more research, I plan to incorporate some of what I learned and experienced into my psychology courses. I am very grateful to our group leaders, Dr. Mark MacWilliams and Dr. Yoko Chiba, for their guidance during this educational and experiential journey. I am also very grateful to the Freeman Foundation and to St. Lawrence University for supporting this truly unique learning opportunity."
Loraina L. Ghiraldi
Psychology
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"The trip to Japan was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The mix of the ancient and modern in Japan was constantly fascinating. The highlight was a trip to visit the monestary/university on Mt. Koya, where we met Buddhist monks, stayed overnight at a temple, and arose at 5 am for morning service. I found the culture shock less than I had imagined: although I suffered from not knowing the language besides the tourist essentials, I did not find the crowds overwhelming (perhaps living in Toronto and taking the subway at rush hour for several years made me immune).
The trip already has had curricular outcomes. I wanted to encourage students in my comparative historical methods seminar to do work on Japan: this semester a student is comparing Japanese and United States wedding customs. I intended to use materials from Japan in my Sociology of Sex and Gender class: when I teach it in the winter term I now have a variety of materials to contrast gender roles in Japan with those in North America, including the use of some Manga. Finally, my major focus was on Nationalism issues, and when I teach Nationalism in North America in the winter, I will be able to provide a contrasting case: that of Japan."
Patrice LeClerc
Sociology
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| "I was chosen to be the Co-Director of the seminar and lead the trip to Japan. Even as a Japanese specialist this experience taught me a lot about organizing a group of faculty and meeting their disparate needs. More specifically, I spent my time studying Espteric Buddhism, particularly drawing upon our visit to Mt. Koya, and New Religious Movements. I also had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of one in Tokyo. Because of this trip I plan to add a section on esoteric Buddhism to my Japanese religions course. I also plan to add a unit on Zen gardens. I have also applied for a grant to take eight students to go to Kyoto next summer and study Zen gardens. I did not experience any culture shock and had an easy time in Japan because I am fluent in Japanese. Most memorably experience during my trip was observing the Risei ceremony on Mt. Koya. It was as if we had gone back 1000 years in time. It is very profound and moving. " |
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Mark MacWilliams
Religious Studies |
    
"It is always my great pleasure to visit the ancient city of Kyoto where I once lived, rich with its 1,200 years of traditions surrounded by beautiful mountains and rivers. At Minamiza Theatre, we had sheer good fortune to see a performance of Bando Tamasaburo, today’s legendary Onnagata (female impersonator) of Kabuki. The refined ethereal beauty of his acting and dancing gave me an unforgettable moment of rare theatrical experience. Another inspiring occasion for me was a visit to the Esoteric Buddhist temples of Shingon in the sacred mountain of Koya , where all I saw was monks and pilgrims.
By contrast, in Tokyo , an ever-shifting dynamic city with influences from all over the world, my special interest was aroused by the Sumida River and its vicinity, famous for Nagai Kafu’s novel written early in the 20 th century. Down this river we took a boat on a gorgeous sunny day, overlooking the new face of cosmopolitan Tokyo prominent with high-tech skylines. Equally impressive was the futuristic cultural center of the Roppongi Hills in midtown Tokyo , with its super-modern designs of architecture and fashion. I was also delighted to visit Studio Ghibli, the anime museum on the outskirts of Tokyo , which gave me a real feel for the fantastic world of its founder, Hayao Miyazaki, known for his masterpieces such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. All these vivid memories of Japan , old and new, are sure to enhance my teaching and research in the near future."
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Yoko Chiba
Modern Languages, Japanese
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