Shotgun Wedding!!!
Author: Karis Scott | Majors: Biology and African American Studies | Semester: Summer 2024
During the first two weeks of summer 2024, I was given the opportunity to dive into the intricate history of Japanese culture, religion, and architecture with the Honors Passport: Japan program. In addition to this immersive experience, I earned credit in a three-hour honors humanities course by simultaneously learning from and teaching my fellow peers in the program. Academically this course was my most innovative, enriching experience yet with the University of Arkansas. From spending about eight hours a day travelling to ancient temples, war grounds, and shrines to presenting a fifteen-minute analysis on a site of our choice, I was able to learn in almost every strategy possible. I was able to participate in Japanese rituals and customs, listen to other students’ perspectives on our excursions, and finally hear the expert positions of our professors on each topic afterwards.
St. Louis or Naoshima?!
Originally, I decided to study abroad in Japan due to my family’s mysterious historical origins there. My great-grandmother was a World War II Japanese immigrant who refused to tell my family the details of how she ended up in America. Because Honors Passport: Japan was a program focused on post-World War II cultural reconstruction, it felt as it was somewhat made for me from a personal standpoint. Furthermore, despite the program’s architectural emphasis, it was ultimately studying the holistic pillars of Japanese health (art, cuisine, religion, etc.). As a pre-medical student, this was a perfect way for me to diversify my overall perspective of health from a global lens; I was able to see the fruition of many aspects of Japanese practices like their active lifestyles, lengthy (and paid) maternity leaves, and balanced, portioned diet. I also was able to examine the positive impacts of spiritual practices like daily meditation, prayer, and religious rituals on Japanese mental health, which was one of my biggest curiosities about the country (especially considering the trauma it endured during World War II).
Getting My Steps In
I’d like to preface by saying that this study abroad experience was anything but predictable; from bullet train hopping to hiking up Mt. Inari, it included much more of a hands-on educational experience than I had anticipated. It’s rigorous, fast-paced nature was probably the most challenging feat for me to overcome, as you are constantly adapting to new environments, cultures, and customs as you explore different rural and urban parts of Japan. On the other hand, the structure of this program is what allowed it to be so impactful for me. Starting from medieval temples and working our way up to modern sites (museums/ displays) allowed me to watch the story of Japan, and my great-grandmother, unfold. I felt as if I got to see her practicing the rituals in front of me; I got to watch her experience the horrors of early-to-mid 20th century Japan. In a way, this program allowed my peers and I to “time travel” as we visited each site.
The most surprising thing I experienced studying abroad in Japan was in the last site of the final day of the program: The Mori Art Museum. After our professors told us the game plan for the rest of the day, I stumbled into an exhibition on “Afro-Mingei”, a cultural fusion of both Black and Japanese culture. As an African American and Asian-American, it is hard to ever feel fully represented anywhere, as the two cultures almost never overlap or intermix. However, this exhibition’s accuracy, specificity, and popularity hit me like a train. I have never felt so comforted or seen in my life. This was the thing that caught me by surprise most: Japan’s inspiring curiosity towards other cultures, and their shocking respect for mine. This experience was the most not one I expected at all, yet its impact was so much bigger than I could’ve ever anticipated. It is the reason that I tell everyone I know to study abroad while they can! The University’s extensive resources, supportive staff, and adequate funding makes this the perfect time for you to do something you’ve never done- and could never predict- before. Looking back on this experience, I have absolutely no regrets; I actually plan on revisiting Japan as soon as possible!