The Japanese Program celebrated Homecoming 2020 by hosting a conversation with alumnus Yuri Lowenthal (’93) and Tara Platt, two of the most in-demand voice actors for anime and electronic games. Lowenthal graduated from W&M with a degree in East Asian Studies, having spent his junior year on a study-abroad program in Japan. After graduating, he returned… Read More
Every Day an Adventure: Studying Abroad at Akita International University
December 8, 2020 by
Caleb Rivers There is not a moment that I don’t think fondly of the time I spent at Akita International University (AIU). I originally went to AIU to strengthen my Japanese language skills, but the experience became so much more. The Japanese students and international students always stood beside one another and helped lift everyone… Read More
Academic, Professional, and Personal Growth Abroad
December 8, 2020 by
Kelly Shea After studying the Japanese language for several years at William & Mary, I was fortunate to expand upon my learning at Keio University. I couldn’t have asked for a better study abroad experience. I learned alongside many older classmates who were in Japan to work and sought to improve their Japanese language skills…. Read More
A Taste of Japan by Evie Tso, Class of 2021
December 19, 2019 by
Imagine the opportunity to try okonomiyaki, tempura, miso dip, plum wine, red bean paste rolls, natto, and other delicious familiar and unfamiliar Japanese cuisine. I enjoyed a summer doing that and more in Tokyo and Tatebayashi. Thanks to William & Mary’s Freeman Intern Fellowship program, I spent two months as an intern with Toyo Suisan,… Read More
Lessons in Culture and Life in Japan by Joo Young Ok, Class of 2020
December 19, 2019 by
After taking Japanese courses for several semesters at William & Mary, I decided to journey to Keio University in Tokyo for language immersion. I embarked on the experience with the hopes of improving my listening and speaking skills; however, I learned so much more. While studying the language, I enjoyed lessons about art history, religion,… Read More
Picture Perfect Moments Abroad by Peng Lan, Class of 2021
December 19, 2019 by
As the scene outside the window of the Shinkansen train gradually changed to a delightful rural view, I knew I had arrived in Kyoto. The beautiful city full of historical architecture greatly resembles Makoto Shinkai’s movie. New experiences at Ritsumeikan University were ahead of me. Its small Kinugasa campus is home to a diverse study… Read More
The Business of Japan by Kexin Zha, Class of 2020
December 19, 2019 by
The four months I spent studying in Japan were memorable and valuable. I enrolled in business and Japanese language classes at Ritsumeikan University’s Osaka campus. Significantly different from the classes at William & Mary, business classes at Ritsumeikan University focused on the comparison of distinct company culture in different countries. In-class discussions and teamwork with… Read More
A Very Special Guest
May 13, 2019 by
The Spring 2019 semester brought an esteemed visitor to campus, and an opportunity to think more deeply about Japan’s nuclear history and its unique role in shaping our global nuclear future. Setsuko Thurlow is a hibakusha–a survivor of the 1945 atom bombs. She was a 13-year-old schoolgirl living in Hiroshima when that city was destroyed,… Read More
Give AIU a try: It’ll be an experience you won’t forget!
May 13, 2019 by
Hayden Hubbard, Class of 2019. There’s really no place like AIU. On my way to northern, rural Japan, I’m not sure what I expected, but it was nothing like what I found―a diverse student body, a great group of friends and awesome surroundings. Probably one of my most rewarding experiences was as a tutor at the… Read More
J-House, a Lasting and Influential Experience
May 13, 2019 by
Rollin Woodford, Class of 2019 The Japanese House has been my home away from home ever since my sophomore year. An upperclassman who was living there at the time told me about it, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me. Having spent 4 years in high school studying Japanese, an environment where I… Read More
An Inspirational Teaching and Learning Experience
May 13, 2019 by
Ziyue Shen, Class of 2019 From professors to students, everyone I have met in my three years of Japanese studies has inspired me to become a TA and to share this cordiality. My job as a TA is to assist professor Kato in teaching JAPN 201 & 202 while simultaneously learning teaching skills in MDLL… Read More
A Dream-like Experience in Japan
November 26, 2018 by
“I had a wonderful time in Japan,” Kenneth Li answered every time someone asked about his time during the summer break. Now when he reflects on that experience, everything seems to be scenes in a dream. Every morning and evening, Kenneth rode a bike along the gorgeous Biwa Lake to commute between school and his… Read More
A Way of “Giving Back” to Her Home Town, Akita, Japan
November 26, 2018 by
Kaoru Suzuki was born and reared in Akita Prefecture, Japan. She sought a bachelor’s degree from Akita University and finished her master’s degree at Akita International University (AIU), where Ms. Suzuki studied Japanese Language Education. Akita International University is in Akita prefecture and is a proud partner institution with The College of William & Mary… Read More
Invaluable Learning Among Extraordinary People
November 26, 2018 by
Hayley Snowden, Class of 2019 Had I been able to draw an ideal picture of what my study abroad at Keio University would look like, it would have matched reality exactly. My classes in Japanese cultural studies and Asian business offered me the vastly unique opportunity to hear a wide variety of perspectives from both… Read More
Meet Daniel Johnson, New Faculty in Japanese
November 26, 2018 by
Daniel Johnson received his PhD from the joint program in East Asian Cinema at the University of Chicago in 2015. He previously taught at Union College in Schenectady, New York. His research interests include the relationship between language and popular media in Japan, and the perception of vitality in the moving image. His work has… Read More
Japan Section Year-End Prizes
May 21, 2017 by
The Japanese Section awarded several prizes to mark the end of the 2016-17 academic year. First, we are proud to announce the recipients of this year’s Kinyo Awards for Excellence in Japanese language study. The prize recognizes the hard work and achievement of the top student at each level of William and Mary’s Japanese language… Read More
Meet Tomoyuki Sasaki, New Faculty in Japanese
December 4, 2016 by
This past fall, Dr. Tomoyuki Sasaki joined the Japanese program as an Associate Professor. We spoke to him recently about his research and teaching. Q: Professor Sasaki, Welcome to William & Mary. I hope you are enjoying the campus and getting to know the town of Williamsburg. You started at W&M this August. Do you… Read More
Japan Section Welcomes New Faculty
May 1, 2016 by
The Japanese Program welcomes a new faculty member this coming fall. Dr. Tomoyuki Sasaki received his PhD in history from the University of California, San Diego. He also holds a Masters degree in Japanese studies from the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies. He has taught at Kalamazoo College and Eastern Michigan University. His research… Read More
Kinyo Prize Awarded for Excellence in Japanese
May 8, 2014 by
The Japanese section is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Kinyo Prizes for Excellence in Japanese. The Kinyo Prize has been established through the generous support of Mr. Kazuo Nakamura of Kinyo Virginia, Inc., to recognize the hard work and achievement of the top student at each level of William and Mary’s Japanese… Read More
