Honors tokyo 2017
A Guide to Getting Lost in Tokyo
It’s been 3 weeks now since the start of the program, and it really went past in a blur (the days seemed to go by faster as the program progressed!) Throughout the really packed past few weeks, the journey was both fun, exhilarating, and intense. Due to the fast-paced schedule, however, I unfortunately became sick for the majority of the last week, so I missed out on some undoubtedly interesting lectures, art museums, and a tour of Toyo University. Despite that, I still really enjoyed the program as a whole, and now looking back, I realized that I’ve gained so much insight into a variety of topics that I don’t even remember explicitly trying to learn about. I think that’s one of the most valuable and unique experiences in studying abroad: I’m able to just absorb new information now without even being aware of it sometimes. Another aspect of studying abroad that I find truly unforgettable is being able to engage in touristy activities, but with a deeper understanding, which led to a more profound appreciation of the place for me. For instance, I’ve been to Kyoto’s Kinkakuji (golden pavilion) before; last year, I went in simply as a tourist looking to take those artsy photos and see the aesthetic. This time, after reading the article with the history of such a sacred, important site, I found myself subconsciously transported back in time, trying to imagine the temple before it burned down more than half a century ago. After reading all the articles, and having discussions with fellow peers, visiting these cultural sites was really special to me. Being in the same space as something that’s been existing centuries, thinking about all the changes that it’s undergone, and then talking and connecting with my peers that felt similarly, I really appreciate this program since it’s given me so many new perspectives on the same places that I saw just a year ago.
Though I missed the art museums, I did see one piece of art that was striking: “The Myth of Tomorrow” in Shibuya Station. This piece resonated with me after watching and reading about Chim↑Pom’s work on portraying post-disaster Japan to help spread awareness that Japan is still in an age of turmoil, especially with the increasing risk of nuclear disaster. Seeing this piece (though Chim↑Pom’s addition got taken down) in such a bustling and central location, I really hope people take the time to reflect and think about the future even while living life in such a rushed manner. With all the salarymen running about and all the minute-to-minute schedules, it’s clear that for many Japanese people, life is on a day-to-day basis, similar to how many days go by during the school year for me. But as I’ve learned during this study abroad program, it’s important to reflect on my experiences, and I’m glad the program assignments have given me opportunities to think back. In addition, it was also very interesting to hear about all my peers’ research projects, and really see how our interests and research topics diverged, and focused down during these weeks. From trains to the LGBTQ+ community, and women/motherhood to names in Japan, and much more, we as a class covered such a broad variety of topics, and each person has made so many observations in these 3 weeks. I look forward to reading more in the research papers to come. Thus, I’m very grateful for all the resources this program has provided, and all the new connections I’ve made with peers and teachers that have helped guide my thinking, interests, research, and have shaped a memory that I will never forget.
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