Location

Ise, Kobe, Kyoto, Naoshima Island, Osaka, Tokyo, Japan

Program Description

Japan: Art and Architecture is a three-week course that offers the experience and study of traditional, modern, and contemporary art and architecture in Japan. This program visits and explores major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We will also have day trips to Nara and Uji. During this program, students will be exposed to the rich cultural heritage of Japanese art and architecture as well as its cultural significance. Students are also encouraged to engage in the traditional methodology of the art-making process, such as printmaking, calligraphy, textile dye process, and basket making with masters in Kyoto. Students will be able to witness and taste contemporary pop-culture and design in Tokyo. Students are expected to explore personal drawings and journals through the galleries, museums, and cultural site visits.

Program Directors and an instructor will provide online lectures to prepare for the trip between June 1-4. Students are expected to arrive on June 15th and depart on July 3rd.

Courses: 

ART 392 Exploration of the Art of Japan - This course will engage students in the exploration of Japanese traditional, modern, and contemporary art. It will introduce them to traditional Japanese art and its processes. Students will research various visual resources through site visits to museums and galleries. They will also exercise and experiment with creating two-dimensional, realistic, and abstract images through drawings, sketches, collages, and mark-making techniques.

ARCD 392 H20 and the Waters of Forgetfulness -- This course offers an overview of issues and concepts surrounding the use of water in urban environments to understand art and life on our planet. We will specifically focus on water relative to settlement practices and policies as have been practiced in Japan across the centuries and into the contemporary era.

Location Description

Our primary base for the program is in Kyoto. Kyoto, the capital city of Japan from 794 to 1869, is the cultural and artistic heart of the country. Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan and is a major tourist destination. The agency for cultural affairs of the national government is headquartered in the city. It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, some of which have been designated collectively as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Prominent landmarks include the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, and Kyoto Tower.

We will take day trips and overnight visits to Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Ise, and Naoshima Island. Tokyo is the capital of Japan and most populous city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo. Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. Estimated 37.468 million residents as of 2018; although this number has been gradually decreasing since then, the prefecture itself has a population of 13.99 million people. This World most touristic city provides excellent galleries, museums, historic temples, and educational institutions.

Osaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp. Osaka is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities. Famous landmarks in the city include Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, museums, and Shitenno-ji, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan.

Director

Jori Erdman | erdmanja@jmu.edu | School of Art, Art History and Design

MiKyoung Lee | lee28mx@jmu.edu | School of Art, Art History and Design

Accommodations

Accommodations will be provided for students through hotels and traditional inns with internet access and full kitchen and laundry facilities. Students will be in shared double rooms. Housing accommodations are centrally located and public transportation is easily accessible.

Breakfasts will be provided daily as part of accommodations. There will be a welcome and farewell dinner provided as part of the program. Students should plan to spend their own money each day to cover the cost of other meals, and program directors will suggest a per diem budget closer to the departure date.

Students will be allocated a weekly meal stipend that will cover approximately 14 meals per week.

Additional Items to Consider

No Japanese language skill is required.

Students must have completed all FDS courses required by their major.

The itinerary is as follows:

• Kyoto (with day trips to Uji and Nara): June 15- July 5
• Tokyo (with an overnight stay in Tokyo): June 19-20
• Naoshima Island (with an overnight stay in Kobe) June 26-27

The program offers free weekends that permit students to visit other nearby locations on their own time. The itinerary is subject to change.

Students must book their own travel to and from the country, subject to the approval of program directors. Booking airfare will not occur prior to three months before the program start date.

Students must smartphones with cellular service to ensure access to Google Maps and program directors.

Students will complete online coursework June 1-4 and will submit work following the completion of the onsite program.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0

Open to Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors in SADAH