Himeji Castle

Author: Sebastian Hendrix | Major: International Business Accounting | Semester: Fall 2022

My name is Sebastian Hendrix, and I am part of the Walton College of Business where I have studied International Business with an accounting concentration and a minor in Japanese. The program that I participated in during Fall of 2022 was the Council on International Educational Exchange’s (CIEE) Ancient + Modern Japan study abroad program based in Kyoto, Japan. One of the main reasons I chose this program is because it provided me the opportunity to get into Japan at the time, as the country was still mostly closed at the time of application and programs there were extremely limited. Also, the location was enticing since it was in Kyoto, the previous capital of the country with a rich history and a myriad of cultural experiences. The classes I took were mostly centered on my Japanese minor and allowed me to learn more about the country in different facets. One course, Modernizing Ancient Japan, went over Japan’s history starting in the Edo period (1603-1868) and I was able to tie in knowledge from previous economic courses. This class provided insight as to how the country became an economic powerhouse and the speed at which they modernized. Another course I took was called Japanese Feudal History, which covered the history up until the Edo period. A main part of that course was analyzing trends between periods and looking into various cultural, economic, and political events that impacted the country. For these two classes, being in Kyoto was extremely beneficial for historical aspects. We were able to go on excursions to various places such as the Nishijin Textile Center to see the history of an interesting factor in Japan’s modernization or the Buddhist temple Byōdō-in where Heian period (794-1185) influences can be observed. My other courses also benefitted greatly from the area. For Analysis of Pop Culture, we were able to visit the Toei studio park and look at how they progressed over time. Through the Religion and Society course, various temples and shrines were in the vicinity that we visited where we could see traditions of different religions. The Japanese language course helped me the most professionally as I practiced business Japanese during the semester, which will help me in the future. Each instructor was highly knowledgeable in the material covered and would either sufficiently answer each question or research it and come back with an answer. The classes were much smaller, allowing thoughtful discussion in class and for professors to provide a more catered lesson relevant to the course. Also, the classes all had several excursions to provide first-hand experiences of what was being taught. These excursions provided a unique opportunity for us, especially with the in-depth knowledge that each professor provided of the sites visited.

The cultural aspects of Japan were, to me, easily the most interesting part of my study abroad. Japan has a myriad of foods that are difficult to come by in this area such okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and oden among so many others. Trying out regional variations of dishes was one of my favorite things in Japan. Other than food, the area of Kyoto is particularly special, especially due to the old architecture that is still standing. The Higashiyama district in Kyoto is a more traditional style place that is famous for temples, shrines, and shopping streets. Kyoto in general is known for their Fall colors. During late Fall, temples and shrines such as Kiyomizudera open late at night to allow for tourists to experience the Fall colors at night, which is a spectacular sight. Transportation within Japan is mostly public; in four months, I was in a car less than ten times total. My daily commute was a fifteen-minute walk to the train station, followed by a twelve-minute train ride to Kyoto station. After that, I transferred to the subway for three stops and walked another three minutes to my program location. An interesting aspect of their society to me was how quiet everywhere was, especially on the transit systems. Once classes finished, I would typically go get lunch at a nearby restaurant since we were in downtown Kyoto. I had befriended workers at two coffee shops that I often went to and would practice Japanese with them daily. Everyone I met in my time over there was extremely kind and friendly. My host family helped me assimilate to the culture and gave me tips, as well as assisting me in learning nuances of the local dialect.

As far as the program goes, it was a mostly positive experience. The courses and professors were all great. However, there were issues such as our center director leaving right before our program started. This lack of leadership caused some disorganization throughout the program with things like excursion costs, water issues, and problems with other general needs. Also, my program was their first full semester of students which could potentially explain some things. In saying all of that, there have been many changes to the program since I have left including hiring an on-site center director and more staff. I believe the program will positively change overall within the next year as it becomes more established and would recommend the program. Before going to Japan, I wish I knew more about public transportation and how to fully utilize it from the start. Lastly, the first thing I did when I got home was play with my dogs!