JFOU Summer 2027 S5 Cross-Cultural Studies(Japanese Culture in the Modern Era).xlsx

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1	Syllabus format 2027
2	Semester	2027Summer
3	Course	Cross-Cultural Studies(Japanese Culture in the Modern Era)
4	Instructor	TBD
5	Instructed only by foreign languages
6	Instruction Language		English
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10	Active Learning included
11	Active Learning Type		Discussion, Debates			Group work	Presentation
12			Flipped Classroom		Practicum/Fieldwork		Experience
13			Investigation		Mock classes	PBL	Others
14	Course Description	This course will provide a general overview of Japanese society and culture in the postwar period. This course will introduce students to the historical background and modern social implications of contemporary Japanese culture. We will explore a wide range of artistic mediums including music, art, manga, animation, fashion, advertising, and film. Topics will include hikikomori (shut-ins that refuse to leave the home for work or school), chronic over-work including karoshi (death from overworking), declining population and the population bomb, and extreme population density in cities. In addition, the concepts of kaizen (continuous improvement), and wa (social harmony) will be introduced and analyzed. The course meets for a minimum of 45 hours per two-week period. Students receive 4 Oberlin University credits and a Certificate of Completion for passing with a minimum grade of a D.
15	Course Objectives	By the end of the session, students should be able to understand: 1) A basic understanding of contemporary challenges facing Japanese society 2) The major influences that have shaped postwar culture in Japan 3) How to view the positive attributes of modern Japanese society through an international perspective
16	Course Schedule　※Fill in according to the number of times the class is to be held.
17		Date		Details
18	1st	13-Jul		Introduction: Class Orientation and House Rules Nihonjinron, Japaneseness and Homogeousness: Japan Phenomenon and the Politics of Identity Building
19	2nd	14-Jul		Film viewing: Muhomatsu no issho (Rikshaw Man, Inagaki) 1958 Class Activity POSTWAR CULTURAL IDEOLOGIES: RECONCILING PRE WAR NATIONALISM WITH POSTWAR DEMOCRACY
20	3rd	15-Jul		Class Tour: Tokyo Imperial PalacexYasukuni Shrine
21	4th	16-Jul		HISTORY AND MEMORY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN Class Activity and Discussion
22	5th	19-Jul		Guest lecture
23	6th	20-Jul		Film viewing: TBA
24	7th	21-Jul		BODY, DRESS AND FASHION CULTURE IN JAPAN Class Activity and Discussion
25	8th	22-Jul		FOOD, CONSUMPTION AND CONVENIENCE DEATH AND CARE IN JAPAN Class Activity and Discussion
26	9th	23-Jul		ECOLOGY, NATURE, LANDSCAPES CULTURE CULMINATING ACTIVITY/GROUP PERFORMANCE
27	Supplementary Activities　※Fill in according to the number of times the class is to be held.
28		Date		Details
29	1st	13-Jul		Identity-map activity examining Nihonjinron, homogeneity, and constructions of “Japaneseness.”
30	2nd	14-Jul		Film-response journal connecting postwar democracy with prewar nationalism and cultural ideology.
31	3rd	15-Jul		Site-observation reflection comparing the symbolic meanings of the Imperial Palace and Yasukuni Shrine.
32	4th	16-Jul		Memory-study activity examining how museums, monuments, films, and public spaces represent history.
33	5th	19-Jul		Guest-lecture response connecting the speaker’s topic with broader themes in modern Japanese culture.
34	6th	20-Jul		Film-analysis worksheet focused on postwar social or cultural change in Japan.
35	7th	21-Jul		Tokyo fashion observation examining identity, body image, dress, and subcultural expression.
36	8th	22-Jul		Consumer-culture journal exploring food, convenience, aging, death, and care in contemporary Japan.
37	9th	23-Jul		Ecology and landscape reflection connecting nature, urban life, and modern Japanese cultural identity.
38	Feedback Method		Critique and Commendary in class
39			Provide feedback via email, etc.
40			Correct and return tests and reports
41			No feedbacks
42			Others(Details=>)
43	Textbook	The instructor will provide class materials.
44	Supplementary Reading	Rear, D. (2017). A critical analysis of Japanese identity discourse: Alternatives to the hegemony of Nihonjinron. https://asj.upd.edu.ph/mediabox/archive/ASJ_53_2_2017/Critical_Analysis_Japanese_Identity_Discourse_Alternatives_Nihonjinron_Rear.pdf Nippon.com. (2025, October 23). Japan’s overlooked ethnic diversity. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g02551/ House of Representatives of Japan. (1946). The Constitution of Japan. https://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_kenpou.nsf/html/kenpou/en/constitution.htm Read the Preamble and Articles 1–9, 14, and 19–21. Primary-source preparation on postwar sovereignty, the emperor, peace, equality, and freedoms. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival. (n.d.). The Rickshaw Man. https://www.lpafilmfestival.com/en/the-rickshaw-man/ Brief festival synopsis and identification of Hiroshi Inagaki’s 1958 film. Use with the film analysis guide to discuss class, duty, gender, and representations of an earlier Japan. Imperial Household Agency. (n.d.). The Imperial Palace. https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/en/learn/institution/shisetsu/kokyo.html Imperial Palace field trip: historical and architectural background; examine the relationship between institutions, public space, and postwar symbolism. Yasukuni Jinja. (n.d.). Yasukuni Shrine English website. https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/ Yasukuni field trip: read the history and institutional descriptions as primary sources representing the shrine’s own perspective. Compare language, symbols, and omissions with the Constitution and site observations. Web Japan. (n.d.). Fashion. https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e34_fashion.pdf Dress, cultural identity, Western influence, and changing fashion. Read the 4-page PDF as cultural and historical background. Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. (n.d.). All about visiting Harajuku: Fashion, culture and more. https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/western-tokyo/harajuku/index.html Neighborhood preparation for observing dress, identity, and subcultural expression. Web Japan. (n.d.). Japanese food culture. https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e36_food.pdf Culinary traditions and changing eating practices. Read the complete 4-page PDF. Nippon.com. (2026, May 11). Japan’s convenience store restrooms: A public service or a business burden?. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g02594/ Contemporary case study connecting convenience, consumption, business practices, and public services. Nippon.com. (2025, March 19). Funeral etiquette in Japan. https://www.nippon.com/en/guide-to-japan/gu020007/ Death, ritual, family responsibilities, and funeral customs. Web Japan. (2026). A better tomorrow: Japanese technology improving life for older adults. https://web-japan.org/trends/11_tech-life/202601_eldery_tech.html Aging, care, independence, and changing technological responses. Web Japan. (n.d.). Gardens. https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/26Gardens.pdf Designed landscapes, aesthetics, and cultural interpretations of nature. Read the 4-page PDF. Web Japan. (2026). Exploring Japan’s dynamic and unique geoparks. https://web-japan.org/trends/11_food/202601_geoparks.html Geological heritage, conservation, landscapes, and the relationship between nature and culture. Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. (2026). Shibuya — the epicenter of modern Japanese culture. https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/western-tokyo/shibuya/index.html Web Japan. (n.d.). Tea ceremony: The Way of Tea. https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/e28_tea.pdf Tea ceremony preparation: history, aesthetics, hospitality, utensils, and guest etiquette. Read the complete 4-page PDF. Web Japan. (n.d.). Shodo. https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/shodo/ Calligraphy preparation: introductory explanation of Japanese brush writing and its practice. Web Japan. (2026). A stroke of brilliance: Calligraphy performances in Japan. https://web-japan.org/trends/11_fashion/202603_calligraphy.html Calligraphy and cultural change: traditional brush writing adapted to contemporary group performance. Japan National Tourism Organization. (2019). Guide to enjoy the kimono and yukata experience. https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/guide/guide-enjoy-kimono-and-yukata-experience/ Kimono and yukata preparation: garment differences, occasions, and cultural context. Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. (n.d.). A guide to Asakusa — an area of true Japanese tradition. https://www.gotokyo.org/en/destinations/eastern-tokyo/asakusa/index.html Asakusa preparation: Senso-ji, neighborhood heritage, shopping streets, tourism, and the presentation of tradition.
45	Grading	90-100 = A 80-89 = B 79-70 = C 60-69 = D 50 and below = F Breakdown: •Class Participation: 25% •Attendance: 25% •Assignments: 20% •Final Project: 30%
46	Contact with Instructor
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48	Courses taught by faculty with practical experience
49	Keywords
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