During this course we engaged in an ambitious itinerary that challenged our minds and bodies.  The photo on the title page of this site is from our first stop in Tohoku where we met with the women of Women’s Eye a women’s leadership non-profit that was formed following the Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami.  As you can see in the Photo Essays these women embraced us feeding both our bodies, hearts and minds.   Their resilience and vision following the tragedy recognized a need for a Women’s Eye into the rebuilding and recovery moving forward.  The training, both local and international, received by the women of the region in the Grassroots Academy provides them skills to engage in the change and awareness needed.  Meeting these “ordinary women” doing extraordinary things wherever they are situated, encouraged the TransPacific Japan scholars to assess where they, too, can make a difference.  This wasn’t about GRAND achievements, but about the everyday achievements we can bring to each of our situations – making a difference when and where we can.

 

The study tour traveled to Kyoto following Tohoku.  On Day one, we met with Professor Masumi Izumi from Doshisho University and several of her students for a walking tour of the Burakumin and Zainichi neighborhoods in Kyoto.  Burakumin are known as the untouchables in Japanese society because of their historic work with “the tanning and production of leather/leather goods” (dead animals).   Zainichi are Japanese of Korean ancestry.   In visiting these two communities, we began to explore the diversity of Japanese society in the face of a “national” homogenous mythology – a theme that would continue throughout the remainder of the Japan visit.  This would also introduce elements of social justice movements within Japan.  In the Burakumin neighborhood we met with Burakumin community activists at a bank museum, and were given a strong foundational lecture on the history of the Burakumin community.  The bank was established in the early 1900s because Burakumin were prohibited from using “normal banks”.  Burakumin faced this and many other forms of structural and social discrimination. The Zainichi neighborhood offered a look at immigrant communities in Japan, and in particular multiple generation communities.  To cap the day, we shared a meal with the Doshisho students and faculty at a Korean restaurant in the Zainichi neighborhood – which is where the faculty left the students to do what young folk do.  On Kyoto Day Two, the scholars were challenged to explore the city on their own (in groups) and examine the juxtaposition of ancient (old) and contemporary (new) in this city of political, commercial and religious historical significance.  And, with the theme of the course, to look at the influences of transnational and international engagement.  For several, Kyoto played prominently in their photo essays.

 

From Kyoto we traveled to Hiroshima where in addition to spending time in the Peace Museum and Park, the class had an intimate discussion with a survivor from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.  Survivors, known in Japanese as Hibakusha… offer their personal stories to young people so that they can better understand the horrific nature of a nuclear blast.   Ms. Keiko Ogura shared with the story of her experience.  She was 8 years old that day and in many, many ways it continues to haunt her.  Yet, she, other Hibakusha and the people of Hiroshima have chosen reconciliation over revenge, love over anger and peace.  Ms. Ogura implored the scholars to take what they learned to make sure no one would ever suffer what she and her city suffered.  She called on them to LEAD.  I have taken several classes now to Hiroshima.  I take them there in part to bring a sterile history to life – when you see the photos and a shadow on a wall were someone was vaporized and realize that a large portion of the population at ground zero were junior high school students, and allow us to confront the actions of our collective history as Americans.  And, I take them there because of the spirit, vision and resolve of the Hibakusha and the people of Hiroshima who channel their anger/rage to peace forces each of us as individuals to re-examine how we confront the unjust challenges of our lives.  What choice will we make?  We left somber, but perhaps more alive than ever.

 

We returned to Tokyo for the final five days of the trip.  Greater Tokyo provided expanded opportunity to learn about the contemporary challenges Japan faces with its increasing and acknowledged diversity.  The first excursion was to the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum in Yokohama (incidentally my Japanese hometown) which captures the emigration of Japanese during the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Here, scholars re-examined a course concept of Japanese diaspora which included not only the U.S., but also Central and South America (Brazil, Peru and Argentina).  An important take away was the transnational nature of the Nikkei (overseas Japanese) communities.  After, several of the scholars headed to the ethnic enclave of Yokohama’s Chinatown for dinner and a walking tour.   

 

Tokyo Day Two focused on interactions with peers at Aoyama Gakuin University. Our scholars sent digital/video introductions to the students at both AGU and Sophia, and we received written and digital/video from the Japanese students.  Scholars took part in AGU intercultural communications classes in their English Department.  The first—mostly first year students--was more discussion oriented and the second involved role playing for physicians in healthcare settings.  More important than the tasks, the peer-to-peer interactions transitioned the trip from “touristy” to interpersonal.  Our thanks go out to Professors Joseph Dias and Thomas Dabbs.

 

The evening featured a reception/dinner with young adult Japanese Americans living and working in Tokyo.  The panel gave our students a chance to see contemporary Japanese American carving out transnational identities.   After dinner, the student scholars explored the night life of Shibuya.

 

The morning of Day Three in Tokyo featured a visit to the Ainu Cultural Center where we got a glimpse of Ainu history and artifacts.  The scholars experienced the Center staff are Ainu and their pride in their culture & heritage as they literally write and perform themselves into contemporary Japanese consciousness confronting Japanese society, and political leaders to re-define Japanese-ness.  Scholars also tried their hand at a traditional Ainu instrument (akin to a mouth harp) to varying degrees of success – I’ve tried it, it’s really hard.

 

The rest of the day involved exploration and finalizing presentations for Day Four.

 

Tokyo Day Four:  Because of LMU’s history with Sophia University in our Tomodachi Inouye Scholars Program and our exchange program, the personal relationships with the Sophia students seemed to be amped up.  The classes at Sophia also comprised of English majors.  Our first class engagement focused on discussion of a documentary we watched on Korean WWII Comfort Women.  As victims of the Japanese army, this issue continues to be controversial in both countries (and also the west coast U.S.).  The seriousness of this topic was mirrored in the seriousness of the discussion among the students.   At the second class the LMU scholars presented their research projects.   Unfortunately, I can’t fully capture the engagement among the students in words.   Simply, new friendships were made, and for some of the LMU Tomodachi Scholars, old friendships were renewed.  For the Sophia students speaking with and engaging in meaningful dialogue proved to inspire and motivate their study of English.  Also, for several it gave them greater confidence in their English language skills.  For LMU student scholars, it took learning out of the classroom. 

 

Tokyo Day Five was our final activity in Japan.   Sophia University hosted our presentations of the photo essays developed throughout the Japan visit.  All during the time in Japan, the faculty workshopped the photo essays with the student scholars.  A fairly open assignment, at first they struggled with the openness.  In part, they wanted to know what would get them a good grade.  After several, sometimes contentious rounds, each of them began to find comfort in the story they were writing/telling.  We urged them to approach the assignment from inside – out.  That is, write themselves into Japan and Japan into themselves.  In the end, I hope and sense, for most of them it was about learning, rather than performing (not that they are mutually exclusive, but I think you get what I mean).  Perhaps, most rewarding were the Sophia students who, wearing the LMU BCLA t-shirts we gave them, came to the presentations.  It’s remarkable how quickly friendships were developed.

 

To end this rather long missive, thank you!!!  Much of what we experienced could not have been done without the help of so many including Ms. Jasmine Hamm of the BCLA deans office, Dr. Edward Park of Asian Pacific American Studies, and handful of very generous and thoughtful donors whose generosity provided two-week rail passes that allowed us to cover so much geography throughout Japan from Tohoku to Hiroshima and all over Tokyo.  And, the Tohoku – Sendai – Women’s Eye leg was made possible, particularly since it involved chartered buses in this rural part of Japan. To all who made this extraordinary trip possible please know you made a significant difference in the lives of so many.

 

From my heart,

Curtiss

​

​