JPN 397 - Exploring Japan: Culture, Language & Life

This course emphasizes the practical application of observational, analytical, and interpretive methods to experiential cultural questions that arise in lived environments. Rather than offering a broad historical or cultural survey, it focuses on hands-on inquiry to understand social and cultural phenomena in everyday spaces. Course materials and activities draw directly from on-site experiences such as neighborhoods, marketplaces, religious and heritage sites, museums, and other public environments. Class time centers on analyzing cultural data generated through observation, interaction, and engagement with place. Students begin with online readings and written responses that introduce key frameworks for understanding how culture, history, and society shape everyday life in Japan, followed by fieldwork-based learning on location. The course culminates in a final integrative project that synthesizes field observations, methodological approaches, and cultural insights.