Study Tour to Japan

June 11 - 30, 2003

Application Closed

Purpose

This two-week study tour for middle and high school teachers is designed to let participants experience firsthand important cultural, historical and educational aspects of Japan. During your travels, you will visit key temples, museums, and neighborhoods. You’ll do a homestay with a Japanese family and observe classes at local schools. While we will travel as a group for most of the tour, we have left ample time for you take charge of your own learning by exploring and conducting research independently. We hope that these many firsthand experiences will provide you with the information, insights, and artifacts you need to help cultivate greater understanding of Japan in your schools and classrooms.

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Tour Sponsors

Funding for this study tour is made possible through the generous support of the Freeman Foundation. The Foundation is committed to providing educational opportunities about East Asia for American educators and students grades 6 - 12. Our tour is offered as a part of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), the same program under which IU offers its Teaching about Asia seminars. NCTA also includes regional coordinating sites at the University of Washington, University of Colorado, Columbia University, and the Five College Center for East Asian Studies (Smith College).

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Tour Leaders

The leader of the study tour will be Mary Hayes, Outreach Coordinator for the East Asian Studies Center. Mayumi Nakano, EASC Office Coordinator, will serve as Program Administration & Interpreter. Michael Robinson, IU faculty specializing in East Asia, and John Frank, Curriculum Consultant, and Anne Prescott, EASC Outreach Coordinator, will also accompany the group. Joining the Okinawa portion of the trip will be Jacques Fuqua, Associate Director for the East Asian Studies Center. This website was designed and is maintained by Mayumi Nakano.

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Eligibility

Note: Eligible individuals have been notified of their eligibility by e-mail and letter.

Applicants must be alumni of theTeaching About Asia seminar. Individuals may participate in only one EASC-Freeman sponsored study-tour. Up to 20 qualified will go on the trip; there are about 150 individuals eligible to apply. Participants must have a valid passport at the time of departure. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that passport and other travel documents are in order well ahead of time. Finally, while it is not required, we encourage participants to have access to email and the worldwide Web. Much of the pre-departure information, study materials, and discussion among participants will be communicated via email and this specially-designed study tour website.

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Itinerary (tentative)

As mentioned earlier, the tour will incorporate historical, cultural and educational components in several cities throughout Japan. (We will be continually updating this section as individual trip details are confirmed.) The tour will begin with an orientation in Bloomington May 3 and 4. This will give participants an opportunity to meet one another, develop personal and group goals for the trip, and begin delving into the culture and history of Japan with the tour leaders.

The group will convene in Chicago the day before departure to continue orientation and enjoy a pre-departure dinner together. Once in Japan, we will work our way westward across the island of Honshu. Starting in Tokyo, we'll explore several famous Tokyo shrines, museums and landmarks, including the ever-controversial Yasukuni Shrine. Kyoto will provide us with a wealth of experiences - temples and shrines as well as the elegance and relaxation of a traditional Japanese inn in the Gion district. After a stop at Japan's "White Heron", Himeji Castle, we will take the bullet train to Hiroshima. We will spend a day at the Hiroshima Peace Park, where we will receive a tour and speak with a hibakusha, literally "one who experienced the dropping of the atomic bomb." We will leave a bit of ourselves behind when we present the Peace Park with a string of 1000 cranes, a project we will be working on during the months leading up to our trip to Japan. After doing homestays in Hiroshima, we'll go back to the Kansai area to visit schools and experience the buzz of commerce in a huge wholesale fish and produce market in Osaka. After a deep breath, we'll embark for the island of Okinawa. We will cover historical geo-political issues in Okinawa's relationship with "mainland" Japan, Okinawa in World War II, and the ever-controversial role of the United States military on the island.

Due to limited flight availability, we will spend an extra night near Narita Airport on June 29 before returning to the US on June 30.

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Orientation

The main orientation for participants of the study tour will be held on the Indiana University, Bloomington campus May 3 and 4. We will meet from roughly noon Saturday through 1 pm Sunday. Orientation activities will include introductory lectures on Japanese history and culture, development of group and personal trip goals, exchange of practical travel tips, and discussion of cultural do’s and don’ts. Participants are responsible for travel expenses to and from the Bloomington campus. Hotel and food during the orientation will be provided by the East Asian Studies Center.

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Follow Up

In addition to orientations before the tour, participants are required to participate in a follow up program September 27 and 28. The purpose of the follow up program is to reflect on the trip, share experiences, and update colleagues on how materials are being implemented in the classroom. The format will be similar to the orientations; however exact times are TBA.

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Costs

The Rigors of Traveling: A Warning

Before submitting an application, prospective applicants should be sure they are up to meeting the following travel challenges we will likely encounter: extended periods of hot, humid weather, crowded ground transportation, the rainy season, flights of stairs, and extended walking tours. Participants should be prepared to carry their own luggage long distances and be able to load/unload luggage into buses. Participants should be in good health, adaptable in a variety of circumstances, and sensitive to cultural differences. We recommend enrolling in a general fitness program if you are not already.