Kyoto, Japan
Program Dates
May 7 - June 30, 2012
The Clemson travel group will depart on Monday morning, May 7, from Greenville / Spartanburg Airport (GSP). If you are leaving from another location, you will need to rendezvous with us at our Japanese inn in Kyoto on Tuesday, May 8, by 9:00 PM (we will lose a day traveling).
Curriculum
All students will enroll in both JAPANESE 404 and JAPANESE 303:
JAPANESE 404
Cultural Studies in Kyoto (3 credit hours) - Study of Japanese cultural topics on site in Kyoto through lectures,
fieldtrips, small student reconnaissance excursions, and reporting
sessions. All activities conducted in Japanese.
JAPANESE 303
Japanese Conversation & Composition (3 credit hours) - Taught intensively for two hours on weekday mornings.
Language Instruction - Students will receive their language training from the teaching staff at KICL. In addition to the language practice that students have with their host families, the instructors at KICL are a great resource. Language courses will meet Monday through Friday. These courses will not only help you brush up on your language skills; they will allow you to learn real expressions in use on the streets of Kyôto!
Cost
Approximately $9,821. This price includes airfare, tuition and fees, housing, most meals, tours, most local transportation, and so forth. Personal expenses, books, and other incidental expenses are not included.
Disclaimer: Price is subject to changes based on the number of participants, exchange rate fluctuations, tuition adjustments, and so forth.
General Information
Who can go?
Regardless of if you have studied Japanese language or not, anyone can participate.
You must be open to studying Japanese, a very modular language, with pronunciation much like Spanish, and with only 2 irregular verbs! Most students are surprised to find out how easy it is to speak and understand Japanese. Our beginning Japanese classes are very manageable and will help you to navigate around Kyôto quickly!
Study abroad in Japan can be an incredible, life-changing experience. It will broaden your horizons and help you to see the world in a brand new light. In this increasingly global world and in the global workplace, study abroad in Japan can truly make you more marketable and more valuable to potential employers. It is one thing to study Japan or its language in a classroom in the U.S., but studying in Japan allows you to make great strides in turning "book knowledge" into real-life linguistic and cultural skills. Combined with you major field of study, Japanese can open countless doors of opportunity in your life.
Participation in the Clemson University Study Abroad in Kyôto will provide you with unique opportunities to develop or refine your language skills, discover an ancient and fascinating culture, and learn a great deal about yourself and your culture of origin, something that you now largely take for granted.
Your view of the world will be infinitely more enriched by taking on the challenge of Japan. Kyôto awaits you to discover her charms. . .
Our Campus
Our program is based at the Kyôto Institute of Culture and Language (KICL), located in the upscale, Kita-Shirakawa district of northeastern Kyoto. A fully accredited institution, affiliated with the Uryûyama Academy, KICL has been providing high-quality Japanese language instruction since 1969.
The Uryûyama Academy is a consortium of four well-known institutions: Kyôto University of Art and Design, Kyôto College of Art, Kyôto Academy of International Culture, and KICL. All four institutions share the same campus resources which are available to students in our program. These facilities include: computers with internet access, an excellent library boasting audio-visual equipment and a wide selection of videos, a lounge, a dining hall, and a small campus bookstore.
In addition, the immediate Kita-Shirakawa district not only has buses that reach all parts of Kyôto, there are fine restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, bookstores, a "karaoke box," and even centuries-old temples and gardens, all within walking distance! And for those willing to make the climb to the upper regions of the campus, an incredible view of the entire city of Kyôto is just waiting to be taken in.
Japanese Host Families
All student participants will live with a Japanese host family and may be close enough to bike to school, but sometimes a short commute may be required. Take that in stride, though, the Japanese host family experience is fantastic! Every year, students cannot gush enough about their families in Japan. Just last year, one participant told me they liked their Japanese family better than their biological one in the U.S.! There are reasons why.
Your host family quite often is very experienced. Some families have hosted visiting students for 15 years, or more. They have an idea of what you might like, and usually fall all over themselves providing you with great experiences, culinary and otherwise. They will encourage you and help you speak Japanese. These families like to host students and enjoy making friends with people from other countries. You are likely to have the time of your life, and make friendships that will last at least that long. Host families are a ready source of accurate information about Japan, too.
The City of Kyôto
The city of Kyôto has more than a thousand years of history as the political, religious, and artistic capital of Japan. Founded in 794, Kyôto was chosen as a suitable site for the capital due to its auspicious surroundings according to the principles of geomancy (fûsui). The city was modeled after the T'ang dynasty capital of China, Chang-an (modern day Xian), and was laid out in a grid-like pattern that is very easy navigate around even today.
Kyôto's culture began to bloom during the Heian Period (794-1185), when influences from Korea and China merged and created an elegant life for nobles at court. Sites, such as the Kamigamo and Shimogamo shrines, actually predate the capital, and there are many structures, such as the Byôdô-in built in 1053, which still stand untouched by Kyôto's many fires and wars.
The Heian Period was the high point of Kyôto culture. Many artistic and literary endevours of note took place during this time. Among them are works by two great, court lady authors: Murasaki Shikibu's Tale of Genji, the world's first psychological novel, and Sei Shonagon's witty Pillow Book. Also, two major sects of Buddhism, Tendai and Shingon, have there roots during this era. The Tendai sect has its headquarters at the temple Enraku-ji, atop Mt. Hiei northeast of the city, and the Shingon sect is represented by grand temple Tô-ji located at the old south entrance to the capital. Heian Shrine, next to the eastern hills stands in remembrance of this glorious period.
In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the emperor and capital remained in Kyôto, but the shogun moved to Kamakura near modern day Tôkyô, because he and his followers believed the court life of Kyôto would make them lose their prowess as warriors. During this period Japan was threatened with conquest by the Mongols. In the Muromachi period (1333-1573), Kyôto came under the control of the Ashikaga shogunate. In this era, the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) and Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji) with their breathtaking gardens were built. Also, respected Japanese arts developed during this period, including flower arrangement (ikebana), Noh drama, tea ceremony and landscape gardening. In the Momoyama period (1573-1598) the general Toyotomi Hideyoshi came to power. He built his fortress at Momoyama, a region south of Kyôto. At the end of the Edo period (1600-1868), the emperor Meiji and the capital both were moved to Edo (modern day Tôkyô). But Kyôto has never lost its former glory as the cultural capital of the nation. Fortunately, Kyôto was spared Allied bombing in WWII, and as a result, it is a living museum of some of the oldest and most fascinating aspects of Japanese culture. Today, Kyôto is a bustling modern city. It stretches as far as the eye can see, surrounded to the north and east by majestic mountains visible from any point in the city. And in the south, Kyôto Station is the bustling nerve center where buses and trains make this wonderful city accessible to all. But by simply turning a corner, or entering a gate, it is possible even now in Kyôto to travel back in time, to experience once again the incredible past of this magnificent city.
Fieldtrips
Twice a week, all participants in the program will take field trips to important locations in and around Kyôto. How would you like to:
Discover the Heian period festival called Aoi Matsuri, a Shintô procession from the Imperial Palace through the streets of Kyôto to the Kamigamo Shrine in the north of the city? Participants are dressed in the style of court costumes that nobles wore one thousand years ago.
Make a pilgrimage to Mount Hiei, the headquarters of the powerful, Tendai sect of Buddhism? There we will witness "goma-taki," an esoteric Buddhist fire ritual that made its way to Japan by way of India. Not only will we explore this vast mountain retreat that protects Kyôto from the north- east "demon gate," we will also have an opportunity to interview an Ajari, one of Tendai Buddhism's "marathon monks," who is considered to be a living Buddha.
Sample fresh mochi cakes that have been made by twenty-three generations of the same Kyôto family according to a secret recipe since the year 1000? Or what about witnessing the technique necessary to make tofu so delicious that more than one finicky student has had to seriously reconsider what they will and will not eat?! Take a front row seat at a firelight performance of Japan's aristocratic theatre, Noh? Your perception of this traditional performing art will be forever changed.
Stroll through an Imperial garden (and learn the secrets of its breathtaking design), and witness first hand the rice planting rituals that the first Europeans to Japan could not stop writing home about? These and many other scintillating experiences will bring you face-to-face with the very heart and soul of Japan; your perception of Japanese culture will never be the same.
On the weekends we will discover the ancient capital Nara (seat of government from 710-794), a quaint city nestled in the hills that time forgot. Among its lures are the Kasuga Grand Shrine (Kasuga Taisha) and the Great Eastern Temple (Tôôdai-ji) with its giant Buddha image, the largest in all of Japan! We will take a bullet train to Himeji to climb the most famous castle in all Japan, the "White Egret" which dates from 1601 and has been featured in many films, including ones by director Kurosawa Akira. We will also explore the bustling port city of Kôbe, its wonderful shopping district, and even have dinner in the Kôbe Chinatown! We usually take in a Tigers baseball game in Osaka, too.
Japan Rail Pass Tour
For students who are interested, following the Kyôto program, Dr. Williams will lead a one-week Japan Rail Pass tour across the island nation from June 29 - July 5, 2012.
On past tours we have visited Hakone (a famous hot spring resort), Kamakura (the shôgun's ancient capital), Tôkyô, Ise, Kôya-san, Miyajima (the Inland Sea's sacred shrine island), and Fukuoka.
Japan Rail Passes must be purchased prior to leaving the United States; if you are interested in going on this tour, please notify Dr. Williams by March 1, 2012. A one-week Japan Rail Pass presently runs $363, with slight differences depending on the prevailing exchange rate.
In addition to the Japan Rail Pass, the estimate cost for this tour will be $1,100. This amount includes lodging, food, and incidental travel costs not provided by Japan Rail (and hence not covered by the Rail Pass).
Contact Information
Director:
Dr. E. Leslie Williams
Clemson University
702 Strode Tower
Clemson, South Carolina 29634-0535
Tel: (864) 656-3547
Fax: (864) 656-0258
email: elwill@clemson.edu