Journey to Japan: Past and Present

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Journey to Japan: Past and Present

This study abroad program takes you to Japan to learn important aspects of its culture and history. You will spend four days in Tokyo, four days in Kyoto, and two days in Osaka and Nara.

Although knowledge in Japanese will be a great advantage, non-Japanese speakers are invited to join since all of the presentations and readings will be in English.

Location

Tokyo, Japan; Kyoto, Japan; Osaka, Japan

Term

Summer

Housing

Hotel

Program Highlights

Japan is known as a country of contrasts. On one hand, visitors experience modern technology everywhere; on the other, they are surprised by the ancient traditions and arts from a thousand years ago.

On this program, students will experience modern Japan through fashion, technology, food, and pop culture, while also visiting historical and religious sites, such as samurai castles, shrines, and temples.

In just under two weeks, you will be guided through the best highlights of one of the most intriguing countries in the world!

Program Contact Information

Desiree Dube

Sr. Education Abroad Advisor

Email: ddube1@kent.edu

Office Phone: 330-672-7989

Application Process

You will need to complete a ��MŮ�� Education Abroad application. These quick steps will help walk you through the process.

1. Start an Education Abroad Application

When you click the "Apply Now" button (located towards the top and bottom of this page), you will be brought to the Education Abroad application system where you can view program costs and start an application. Be sure to submit your application before the deadline!

2. Guest Application (If applicable)

Are you a student at another university? To apply for a ��MŮ�� education abroad program, you will first need to apply for admission to ��MŮ�� as a “Guest Student”. Please apply as either an “Undergraduate Guest Student” or as a “Graduate Guest Student”, depending on your course level.

Once you have applied and been accepted as a ��MŮ�� student, you will receive an email with your FlashLine login credentials. Activate your account and then proceed to the next step, which is to apply to the Education Abroad program of your interest. You can return to this page and follow the “Apply Now” button to start that application.

You can also refer to the FAQs for Guest Students if you need further help.

3. Wait for Acceptance

Once you have submitted your study abroad program application, it will be reviewed by the faculty leader. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. You should hear back from us within one month.

4. Commit to the Program

If you are accepted, you need to log back into your application by going to and clicking LOGIN. Once you see the name of your program, you need to click on it and commit (i.e., accept your offer of admission).

Academics

Course Information

Course Name and CRN: AS 30189 Study Abroad: Journey to Japan – Past and Present. CRN: 13302

Number of Credit Hours: 3

KSU Sponsoring College: College of Arts and Sciences

Course Description:

Through reading various Japanese texts, students will gain insights into the Japanese language, literature, and culture.
Students will also learn about the two major religions of Japan, Shintoism and Buddhism, as they visit many famous shrines and temples across the country.
Students will visit Shibuya and Harajuku (Tokyo) and Umeda (Osaka) to experience Japan’s unique fashion and youth culture firsthand.
Akihabara and Odaiba Island will give students exciting opportunities to shop for manga, anime, toys, cards, etc. and also visit the TeamLab Exhibition, a cutting-edge digital art museum.
Akihabara is known as the epicenter of modern Japanese Otaku culture, and in addition to shopping, students can visit arcades and specialized cafes.
By touring two former capitals of Japan, Kyoto and Nara, students will experience the traditional side of the country. In Kyoto, you can escape the bustle of modern life and go to a serene rock garden, or maybe even see a geisha or maiko scurrying to their performances. In Nara you will come face to face with the world’s biggest bronze statue of Buddha.

Program Language of Instruction: English.

Faculty Contact Information

Professor's Name: Eriko Tanaka

Title: Associate Lecturer of Japanese

Email: etanka1@kent.edu

Phone: 330-672-2150

Eligibility

Minimum 2.0 GPA

Tentative Itinerary

This program is designed to take place towards the end of May.

Below is a tentative itinerary; however, the exact sequence, sites, and departure city are subject to changes in availability and cost.

DAY 1:

Flight departs for Tokyo, Japan.
Meals included during flight.

DAY 2:

Welcome to Tokyo! The neon-emblazoned skyline of the ubër-modern Japanese capital provide endless light to a city that's pulsing with energy. From edgy architecture to kitschy anime, and from sidewalk sushi to shogun zen, the culture of this city bursts from its crowded seams.
Welcome dinner: meal included.

DAY 3:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Shibuya with Shibuya Sky: Containing two of the busiest railway stations in the world, the neighborhood of Shibuya is bright and lively. You’ll see the iconic Hachiko statue, and the busiest crosswalk in the world. As the commercial and financial center of Tokyo, Shibuya is a hotspot for Japanese fashion and culture.
Harajuku: Considered the center of youth culture and fashion, Harajuku is the Japanese neighborhood known for its many dining and shopping options including cosplay. Visit the streets of Takeshita Dori and Omotesando for a lively glimpse of Japanese culture.

DAY 4:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Asakusa and Senso-ji Temple: Asakusa is Tokyo’s old town where you can soak in the atmosphere of ancient Tokyo. Visit Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest temple, and wander down Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.
Akihabara: Explore this buzzing shopping hub famed for its electronics retailers, ranging from tiny stalls to vast department stores. There are venues specializing in manga, anime, and video games, plus Radio Kaikan with 10 floors of toys, trading cards, and collectibles.

DAY 5:

Meals included: Breakfast.
TeamLab Exhibition: Mori Building Digital Art Museum Epson TeamLab Borderless is a cutting-edge immersive digital art museum on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. It offers visitors an ever-changing wonderworld of sensory stimulation and delight.
Odaiba Island: Visit high-tech sites such as National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Diver City Plaza, or Tokyo Joypolis.

DAY 6:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Train to Kyoto.
Walking Tour of Kyoto: After a millennium as Japan's imperial capital, it comes as no surprise that present-day Kyoto is home to a rich history – thousands of ancient palaces, shrines, and gardens offer a respite to the otherwise bustling city. Centuries old craftsmanship is a source of pride here. Explore the tea shops, washi stores, locally made tofu, and specialty food markets nestled between ancient temples and sleek modern architecture.
Kyoto Railway Museum: You’ll learn about the comprehensive history of Japan's railway system up to its advanced train technology – the best in the world!
Kyoto Tower observation deck: Enjoy the sunset of Kyoto from above! There are also interactive info screens that highlight different areas of the city.

DAY 7:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Kyomizu Temple: Visit one of Japan’s most well-known Buddhist temples. Founded in 780, Kyomizu Temple is located on the east side of Kyoto on Otowa Hill. This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes a stage constructed with no nails and a Jishu Shrine dedicated to the deity of love.
Sannen-zaka & Ninen-zaka Streets: A stroll down the narrow road leading to and from the Kiyomizudera Temple will lead to Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. These famous streets in Kyoto are lined with old wooden houses, traditional shops, and restaurants in Japanese style buildings.
Gion Area Tour: Explore a region known for its streets filled with rows of merchant houses and its history of Geisha, traditional entertainers skilled in the Japanese Arts. It is quite easy to spot Geisha still roaming the area these days. Head over to this lively district between the Yasaka Shrine and Kamo River for entertainment, shopping, and food. Walk through Yasaka Shrine, one of Kyoto’s most popular religious sites.

DAY 8:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Visit Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), which was originally built as a retirement villa for the Shogun. After his death it became a Buddhist Temple at his request and is now one of Kyoto’s most famous temples.
Ryoanji Zen Temple: located on the site of Japan's most famous rock garden, which attracts hundreds of visitors every day. Originally an aristocrat's villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zen temple in 1450.
Arashiyama: a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto. It is popular for its natural setting formed by mountains in the backdrop and the Oi River that flows through the area. The Bamboo Forest is like a world of its own, with paths that cut through the bamboo groves and make for a nice walk, especially in the right light and when the tall bamboo stalks sway gently back and forth in the wind.

DAY 9:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is an important Shinto shrine with ancient origins predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates that lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds.
Travel to Osaka.
Walking Tour of Osaka: The food capital of Japan is lively, boisterous and decidedly less proper than the rest of the country. Come ready for fun and explore the music, entertainment, and art scenes of this large port city, and brace yourself for endless street food options.
Visit Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum to admire the famed Japanese prints from the 18th century.
Dig through Kuromon Market, which has about 150 shops that predominantly sell fish, meat and produce, and other shops also purveying traditional sweets and low-priced clothes and homeware. The market dates back to the Edo Period, and today makes for an atmospheric place to stroll around, shop and eat a variety of different street foods.

DAY 10:

Meals included: Breakfast.
Osaka Castle: When it was first built in 1583, this was the largest castle in Japan. Surrounded by stone walls and moats, it sits in Osaka Castle Park, covering an area of two square kilometers.
Umeda Area: Also known as the Kita district, Umeda is one of Osaka's two main city centers. It is located around the large station complex that comprises Osaka and Umeda stations. Kita's counterpart is Minami around Namba Station. Besides being Osaka's busiest transportation hub and a bustling business district, Kita also offers an abundance of shopping, dining, lodging and entertainment, including several department stores and an expansive network of underground shopping malls.
Dotonbori Area: One of Osaka's most popular tourist destinations, this street runs parallel to the Dotonbori Canal. It is a popular shopping and entertainment district and also known as a food destination. At night, it is lit by hundreds of neon lights and mechanized signs, including the famous Glico Running Man and Kani Doraku crab. Enjoy a walk and do some souvenir shopping!

DAY 11:

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Visit Todaiji Temple, the world’s largest wooden building and home to Japan’s largest Buddha.
As Nara’s most celebrated shrine, Kasuga Taisha was established in 768 AD and is famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns which have been donated by worshipers.
Wander through Nara Park, called Deer Park by locals due to the large population of more than 1,000 tame deer living there.
Join us for a group farewell dinner.

DAY 12:

Train to Tokyo, Japan.
Flight departs for Cleveland, Ohio.
Meals included during flights.

Location & Housing

Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka (Japan)

Tokyo is the perfect example of a city that merges modernity and tradition. With beautiful old temples and huge modern skyscrapers, the capital of Japan is packed with about 14 million people and is the largest city in the country. The city is always alive, with plenty of festivals and great street food, popular attractions, and little traditional neighborhoods. Famous symbols of the city are the sakura (cherry blossom) tree-lined streets, the anime culture, and its delicious cuisine!

Considered the cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto is a city known for its temples, shrines, palaces, gardens and cultural activities. Some awesome things students can engage in are going to the Kyoto Tower for a panoramic view of the city, dining in the vivid Pontocho Alley, hiking and visiting the monkey park Iwatayama, and visiting the Nishiki Market, recognised for its delicious treats and handmade art.

Osaka is unquestionably the food capital of Japan. Prepare to try some amazing dishes while also experiencing the bustling life of the city. History lovers can also enjoy the famous Osaka Castle, the largest in the country.

Housing & Meals

Students will stay in double-occupancy rooms in hotels.
Breakfast at each hotel is included every day.
A welcome and farewell dinner are also included.
Students are responsible for all other meals.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

There is a financial aid counselor specifically for Education Abroad. You can schedule an appointment with them on KSU Advising (Group Name: Education Abroad) or email finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

It is possible to use your federal financial aid to go on ��MŮ��-approved education abroad programs. You can learn more on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website.

It is also possible to use most ��MŮ�� scholarships for education abroad costs. You can find education abroad scholarships on ScholarshipUniverse.

Health & Safety

Pre-Departure Orientation

Prior to your study abroad experience, you will participate in a mandatory pre-departure orientation hosted by the Office of Global Education. During this orientation, you will be provided with information including but not limited to:

international travel procedures;
in-country resources;
health and safety resources and information;
culture shock and resources to help prepare for living abroad.

All students are encouraged to register with the prior to departure.

You can also review a wide variety of resources we’ve pulled together for you on our “Before You Go” page.

Country Profile

You can learn more about your destination(s), including travel advisories, through the .

In addition, we encourage you to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel page for for traveling to your destination(s).

If vaccinations or medications are needed according to the CDC, you should make arrangements for appointments with your healthcare provider or the DeWeese Health Center as soon as possible. Appointment openings at the DeWeese Health Center are limited and vaccines may need to be ordered, which takes time. Please note that not all immunizations are available at the DeWeese Health Center.

Costs and Funding

Costs for the program will differ for every student. You can use our Cost Calculator to get an estimate of what you might expect for your program.

We also encourage you to meet with your Education Abroad Advisor and the Financial Aid Counselor for Education Abroad to see how your aid may apply to an international program by emailing finaideducationabroad@kent.edu.

Your Journey is Just Beginning

Before You Go

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