The third Belmont in Japan Travel-Study Abroad group returned to the U.S. earlier this month after three weeks of exploring Japan’s history, culture, society and economy both in class and out. The three weeks also provided an opportunity for all participants to get outside their comfort zones as they navigated their way around places such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Osaka. They visited historic sites such as Japan’s first capital at Nara and modern ones like the Shinjuku district in Tokyo. They saw Zen gardens at various temples and a Toyota assembly line. The students kept a blog and slideshow detailing their experiences which can be viewed at forum.belmont.edu/japan.
This year’s trip, directed by Dr. Cynthia Bisson (History) and Dr. Marieta Velikova (COBA), emphasized Japan’s history and economy with a special focus on women’s roles in Japan. Drawn from a variety of majors, the 10 students who went were Annalise Emerick, Shannon St-Clair, Ryan McFadden, Aaron Phipps, Brenda Jones, Taylor Martin, Gabrielle Facey, Hunter Wilkinson, James Ruehlmann and James Richard.
