Experience Japan!

Experience Japan! will immerse students in one of the most dynamic, exciting, and culturally rich countries in the world. Participants will prepare for their journey with an intensive one-week training session at Wofford in which they will learn about basic conversational Japanese, social etiquette, Soto Buddhism and Shintoism, Samurai history, Japanese film history, and the history of Anime and Manga. They will then spend 14 days in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Students will stay with host families for five days, with the rest of the stays divided between traditional Japanese inns and Western hotels. Days will be spent learning about Japan’s history, people, and culture through visits to castles, temples, museums, fish markets, robot technology centers, Anime/Manga hotbeds, and Sumo competitions. Students will make traditional Japanese pottery, be dressed in Samurai robes (men) and as Geisha (women), walk the ancient and serene streets of Kyoto, explore 13th century temples, and reflect at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. Students will record their experiences in photographs, videos, and journal entries. Upon our return to Wofford, students will produce a written final report and give oral presentations.

(Included meals are listed as B, L, D for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Itinerary subject to change due to local scheduling.)

1	Wednesday, January 10	ATLANTA Departure.  Departure (11:00 a.m.) on Delta Air Lines direct flight to Tokyo.
2	Thursday, January 11	TOKYO Arrival.  Arrive (3:30 p.m.) Narita International Airport, meet our English-speaking assistant in the arrival lobby and proceed to currency exchange to obtain local currency. Walk to NARITA AIRPORT REST HOUSE, located within the airport premises, for check-in. Evening arrangements by faculty director; dinner on own. Tokyo
3	Friday, January 12	TOKYO.  Morning depart with our English-speaking guide by public transportation for Tsukiji Fish Market.  Group lunch at the outer market (2-courses, including one soft drink).  This afternoon continue with our guide for a visit to Akihabara, the center of Tokyo’s electronics district. Make our way to the home stay headquarters to meet your host families. Students depart with their host families to their homes and enjoy dinner together, beginning their five-night stay. (B,L,D) Dinner with host families. Akihabara Electric Town
4	Saturday, January 13	TOKYO.  Full day spent with host families. (B,L,D) All meals with host family.
5	Sunday, January 14	TOKYO.  Full day spent with host families. (B,L,D) All meals with host family.
6	Monday, January 15	TOKYO.  Morning departure by train for Shinmbashi Station. Meet our English speaking local guide at the SL Hiroba station (steam train plaza) and walk together to the Hama-Rikyu Garden, for a guided visit of the traditionally styled gardens, entrance included. Enjoy a group chanko lunch near Ryogoku Kokugikan. This afternoon see Sumo at Ryogoku Kokugikan, tickets included, pending. Return on own to host family for dinner.  (B,L,D) Breakfast and dinner with host families. Sumo wrestling at Ryogoku Kokugikan
7	Tuesday, January 16	TOKYO.  Morning departure by private motorcoach for visit to a local elementary, junior high-school or high-school, pending. Group lunch at local Japanese restaurant followed by to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Remainder of afternoon at leisure. Return to home stay on own to enjoy dinner with your host family. (B,L,Tea,D) Breakfast and dinner with host families. Tea ceremony
8	Wednesday, January 17	TOKYO/NAGOYA.  Depart host family on own by public transportation, this morning for Tokyo Station. Seven-day Japan Rail Pass included. Meet our English-speaking transfer assistant and take the Shinkansen (high-speed railway) to Nagoya.  Arrive Nagoya, meet our English speaking local guide and proceed via public transportation to CYPRESS GARDEN HOTEL for check-in.  Take public transportation with our guide to Nagoya Castle, stopping first for group lunch at a nearby restaurant. Continue to Nagoya Castle for a guided tour. Proceed to Atsuta Shrine for a guided tour of this important site.  Evening on own.  (B,L) Atsuta shrine
9	Thursday, January 18	NAGOYA (Seto).  Morning departure with English-speaking local guide by private motorcoach for Seto. Arrive Seto and proceed to Kitagama Kasen for a pottery making class. Group lunch in a local restaurant, followed by a guided walking tour of Seto. Free time for independent exploration before returning to Nagoya for overnight.  (B,L) Kitagama Kasen
10	Friday, January 19	NAGOYA/KYOTO.  Morning departure walking with English-speaking assistant to train station for departure (9:00 a.m.) via Shinkansen to Kyoto. Arrive Kyoto Station, meet our English-speaking local guide and walk to RYOKAN GINKAKU for check-in. Depart with guide, by train for visit to Nijo castle with audio headsets. Continue on to Tofukuji temple, a Zen temple, for a faculty-led tour followed by a visit to Fushimi Inari shrine. Return to our ryokan for group dinner an overnight. (B,D) Nijo Castle
11	Saturday, January 20	KYOTO.  Morning departure by public transportation with local English-speaking guide for a guided tour of the Yasaka shrine. Walk to nearby Kenninji temple for a guided visit.  Enjoy lunch on own near the temple, dining from the many street vendors. Continue for guided visit to Sanjusangendo temple. Return to our ryokan for group dinner and overnight. (B,D) Zen garden at Kenninji temple
12	Sunday, January 21	KYOTO.  Morning departure with local English-speaking guide for Kyoto subway station. Travel by subway to Kitaoji Station and transfer via bus to Kinkakuji temple for views of this amazing structure with gold leaf covering the top two floors. Continue onto Nanzenji temple for a guided tour of this most important of all Zen temples in Japan. Group lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon enjoy authentic geisha, kimono, and samurai experience.  (B,L) Kinkakuji temple
13	Monday, January 22	KYOTO/HIROSHIMA. Morning (8:45 a.m.) walk to Kyoto Station with our English-speaking local assistant, for departure by public train via Shinkansen to Hiroshima (approximately 2 hr. ride). Arrive Hiroshima, meet our English-speaking local guide and proceed to Peace Memorial Park for group lunch at Serenade, or similar. After lunch, a guided tour of the park and the Peace Memorial Museum, entrance included. At the museum listen to a lecture from a survivor of the atomic bombing of 1945.  Take the public train to the ferry port, for the ferry to Miyajima Island, included in rail pass. Arrive Miyajima island and take the free shuttle to the MIYAJIMA SEASIDE HOTEL for check-in. Group dinner at the hotel.  (B,L,D) Peace Memorial Park
14	Tuesday, January 23	HIROSHIMA/TOKYO.  Meet your local English-speaking guide for a morning walking tour of Miyajima and the Itsukushima shrine.  Following time for lunch on own, depart with local guide to the ferry to Hiroshima. Take the local train to the Hiroshima Station, proceed to Japan Railways for the train to Tokyo. Stop at Osaka Station and purchase ekiben dinners on own. Continue to Shinagawa Station, Tokyo. Arrive Shinagawa Station and transfer to take train to Ikebukuro Station and walk to DALI-ICHI INN IKEBUKURO for check-in. (B) Itsukushima shrine
15	Wednesday, January 24	TOKYO.  Free day for independent exploration. Departure (5:00 p.m.) to Hamamatsucho station to board a Yakatabune for a farewell group dinner, sailing on Big Tokyo Bay.  (B,D) A yakatabune
16	Thursday, January 25	TOKYO/ATLANTA.  Morning at leisure for independent exploration.  Afternoon proceed with our English-speaking local guide by private motorcoach to Narita International Airport for departure (5:35 p.m.) on Delta Air Lines to Atlanta.  Arrive (4:04 p.m.) Atlanta International Airport for customs clearance.  (B)

Accommodations

Students will stay with host families while in Tokyo. In Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and the final nights in Tokyo, students will stay in shared hotel accommodations.

Program Costs
Program fee: $6,620 This cost includes international airfare, lodging, transportation to and from the airport, on-site transportation, all breakfasts and some lunches/dinners, entrance fees/tickets for all pre-arranged activities, gratuities, and international health insurance.

Additional expenses: Meals: $250 Passport: $150 (all students must have a valid passport to participate)

Applications for this project are now open: click here. (First-round deadline is May 4.)

Wofford Travel Grants: The Wofford College Travel Grants provide assistance to students who are participating in an Interim Travel/Study program. Financial need and academic merit are the principle considerations in awarding these grants. Please note that an application for a Wofford Travel Grant does not substitute for the Travel/Study project application for Interim. To be eligible to apply for a Travel Grant, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (except first-year students applying in the fall) and be in good social and academic standing with the College. Awards range from $500 – $1,500. The number of awards granted will depend upon the number of applicants as well as available funds. The award is directly applied to the applicant’s program fees. To apply, complete the online Wofford College Travel Grant application. The deadline for first-round applications for travel grants is April 30, 2017.

For More Information: Contact Dr. Jim Neighbors or Dr. Christine Dinkins

For the Interim 2018 calendar, click here.