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The Japan Studies Program's elective courses are designed to give students an opportunity to gain specific knowledge about Japan in numerous fields of study. Varying courses in politics, economics, sociology, and the arts are offered. Courses may include an optional field trip which takes advantage of
local resources and connects the class lectures to the students
surroundings. Field trips give students the chance to learn, see, and
experience aspects of Japan which could not be experienced in similar
courses at their home universities. Students needing a course syllabus to arrange credit transfer should email the JSP coordinator at: jsp@tiu.ac.jp
Please note: All courses listed are subject to change.
 Contemporary Japanese Economy |
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Course Description TBA
2 TIU Credits
14, 90-minute classes
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Instructor: Masahito Watanabe |
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| Intercultural Communication |
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The course is designed to teach students the background of cross-cultural understandings and to discern some of the stumbling blocks that hinder intercultural communication in the age of globalization. It examines basic assumptions and issues of intercultural communication and cross-cultural human relations, particularly between Japan and Western nations. It reviews basic intercultural topics, including perception gaps, cultural patterns of thinking and behavior, stereotype formation process, cultural imperialism, ethnocentrism / cultural relativism, assumptions and values, and cultural adaptation. The course explores ways in which an intercultural approach can be applied to personal and professional lives, primarily from a sociological viewpoint. Class discussion is encouraged in order to attain different perspectives among the students.
2 TIU Credits
14, 90-minute classes
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Instructor: Akio Iwasaki |
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| Japanese Philosophy |
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This course offers a survey of Japanese belief systems by introducing various religious traditions in Japan such as Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and other folk beliefs. Historically, religion in Japan has played an important role in providing individuals and the nation with a sense of "who they are." At the same time, religion also helped providing a vision of "what one can become" by showing the path to transformation. In this course, we will pay close attention to these two aspects of religion, i.e., ways to form and transform identity of the individual and the group, and how religion has served to simultaneously maintain continuity and bring about changes for the Japanese people. While the course focuses on "belief systems," the students will also have opportunities to observe how these beliefs are put into practice through their reading, video viewing and a field trip.
4 TIU Credits
28, 90-minute classes
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Instructor: Ryan Ward |
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| Japanese Cultural History |
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Traditional Japanese culture depended on sets of images of nature, heroic figures male and female and stories familiar to everyone. This ran through classical Japanese literature like waka poetry and the Tale of Genji, the traditional performing arts like noh/ kyogen and kabuki and Bunraku and in turn, became a fundamental part of the education of modern Japan.
However, with the Meiji Restoration in 1868, traditional culture was reshaped and combined with Western cultural elements as in the songs used in education that combined Western melodies and harmonies with traditional themes.
This class will begin with a brief introduction to Shinto and Japanese festivals, look at waka and Heian period literature, then examine the noh/ kyogen, kabuki and Bunraku and also look at the cultural transformation that began with the Meiji Restoration
4 TIU Credits
28, 90-minute classes
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Instructor: Mark Oshima |
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| Course 5 TBA |
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Course Description TBA
4 TIU Credits
28, 90-minute classes
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Instructor: TBA |
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Contemporary Japanese Economy
