Kyoto Institute of Culture and Language
Director Fall 2010: Professor Yoichi Aizawa, Department of East Asian Languages and Literature
Course descriptions | Extra costs | Deadlines | Further information | Helpful links
The Japan Study Group is a fall semester program centered in Kyoto, Japan, intended to provide Colgate students with the opportunity for intensive language study and stimulate individual exploration of Japanese society and culture. Students will spend most of the four-month program living with host families, studying both in formal classroom settings and on field trips as well as at the grass roots level. The group will depart for Japan in late August and, after a short orientation period in Tokyo, will begin formal intensive language courses on the campus of Kyoto University of Art and Design. The program will end shortly before Christmas.
Location
Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan, is a millennium-old city rich with traditions and historical monuments. Located near the metropolis of Osaka, it provides access to both traditional and modern Japan. The headquarters of Nintendo sits among sake breweries and family-run workshops specializing in traditional goods while above it spread the grounds of a serene Zen Buddhist monastery. Host families are generally located in the outlying districts of the city where living space is less tight, and in some cases students may have long commutes to and from class. This, however, is the norm for a large proportion of urban Japanese. Additional sites for the study of rural Japan include Himi on the Noto Peninsula (or Miyama, a picturesque village north of Kyoto), and the island of Chichijima in the Ogasawara chain, 500 miles south of Tokyo in the north Pacific Ocean.
Courses
Students normally enroll in two of the following language courses taught by the staff at the Kyoto Institute of Culture and Language (KICL):
Intermediate Japanese (JAPN 201Y): For those who have studied through JAPN 121-122 (Elementary Japanese) or equivalent before arriving in Japan. Classes meet three hours a day, Monday through Friday, for five weeks.
Intermediate Japanese (JAPN 251Y): A continuation of 201Y. Classes meet three hours a day, three times a week, for five weeks.
Advanced Japanese (JAPN 301Y): For those who have studied through JAPN 201-202 (Intermediate Japanese). Classes meet for three hours a day, Monday through Friday, for five weeks.
Advanced Japanese (JAPN 351Y): Continuation of 301Y. Classes meet three hours a day, three times a week for six weeks.
All students will enroll in the following two courses taught by the Director:
Living in the Buddhist Heritage of Kyoto (JAPN 481) (Professor Aizawa) This course, offered during the second and third months of the study group (concurrently with Japn 251Y and Japn 351Y), examines the enduring Buddhist heritage of Kyoto (and Nara), both institutional and familial. Large, well-known temples favored by tourists for their treasured artwork, ancient gardens and extravagant festivals will be contrasted with smaller, neighborhood “family temples” that continue to survive on limited resources. Each student will be assigned a temple in his or her neighborhood, which s/he will study in depth with the ultimate goal of producing a brochure introducing that temple for English speaking visitors. Approach throughout the course will be on hands-on Buddhist activities such as Zen monastic training, pilgrimage to sacred sites, and participating in rituals with host families. In all of this we will rely heavily on the expertise of local Buddhist scholars, clerics and host families.
The Japanese Village (ASIA 482Y/JAPN 482) (Professor Aizawa) Taught in the final three weeks of the study group, this course takes place in two contrasting rural settings: the fishing village of Himi on the Sea of Japan (or Miyama, a picturesque village north of Kyoto) and the island of Chichijima in the middle of North Pacific. At both locations, students will use their vastly improved Japanese skills to conduct individually designed fieldwork on the theme of “village life and modernity.” All students will also participate in internships in traditional industries arranged through our hosts.
Independent Study One of the two director’s courses (JAPN 481Y or 482Y) may be replaced by an independent study with permission of the director. Past independent projects have dealt with architecture, pilgrimage, monastic training, US-Japan relations in Okinawa, Ainu folklore, English instruction in high schools, and the like.
Field trips
In addition to field trips to the major historical and cultural sites of the Kyoto and Nara areas, students will visit modern Tokyo and Osaka, Himeji Castle, the Buddhist monastery on Mount Koya, the great Shinto shrine complex at Ise, and the cities of Okayama and Hiroshima.
Prerequisites
(1) Core 167 (Japan) or its equivalent must have been completed by May 2010.
(2) Language Requirements: Japanese 121 and 122 (or the equivalent as approved by the director): applications will be accepted from students who do not yet meet the language requirements, but selection for participation in the Study Group will depend upon timely satisfaction of the requirements.
Costs
Costs above Colgate’s tuition include room and board, airfare, and necessary out-of-pocket expenses. On the average students can expect to spend about $3,500 to $4,500 more than a semester on campus. These increased costs are used in calculating the aid packages of students who receive financial aid, provided this is their first study group experience.
Students who are planning extensive personal travel will need to increase their budget accordingly.
Estimate Student Expenses Japan Study Group
Application procedure
Applications are available from the Office of Off-Campus Study and International Programs in 201 McGregory, and from Professor Aizawa.
Further information
There will be information meetings on Saturday, October 31 at 10:30 a.m., and Saturday, November 7 at 10:30 a.m. Both sessions will take place in 107 Lawrence Hall (Japan Center).
Inquiries should be directed to: Professor Yoichi Aizawa, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Colgate University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346. Phone number: (315) 228-7282; Email: yaizawa@colgate.edu
Deadlines
Applications should be turned in to Shawna Eaves in 219A Lawrence by November 20, 2009.
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