Japan Program :: Department of Geography, University of Kentucky

May 22 through July 1 Annually

3-week Rail Trip or 6-week Rail + Homestay Trip Options

Japan is one of the most influential nations in the world today, with a culture and history very different from our own. This summer program provides a wonderful opportunity for you to gain knowledge and insights that will aid you in your professional development.

The Department of Geography's 6 week Summer Program in Japan is designed for a small group of students to travel throughout Japan and gain valuable insights into the environment, culture and landscapes of Japan. The group will spend the first 2 weeks traveling from Hokkaido to Kyushu examining physical and cultural differences and likenesses among outer regions and such well-known areas as Tokyo and Osaka. Once in Kumamoto, we will take field trips into the surrounding area to visit locations not easily accessed by public transportation, such as the depopulating mountains and volcanic complexes.

About the Rail Trip

The rail trip is available as the complete trip in the 3-week option, or as the first part of the 6-week option which includes the homestay in Yatushiro.

The rail portion of the program will encompass a wide variety of landscapes around Japan, including the remote North of Hokkaido as well as the "Core Area" of Honshu. Stops of physical and cultural interests will be made in these areas such as at Sapporo, Hakodate, Morioka, Lake Towada, Tokyo, Matsumoto, Takayama, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, ending in Fukuoka Prefecture.

There is usually an essay question pertaining to each stop along the way, emphasizing what is being covered on the year's particular trip. Sometimes the question is a mapping exercise, to learn data gathering methods, and other times it concerns the area passed through on the train.

We stay in inexpensive business hotels or youth hostels, depending on the area we visit, most often near the train stations, using most of our time on day trips.

The Program in Yatsushiro

For those continuing to Yatsushiro, the class consists almost entirely of field trips around Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and Kyushu. This is to gain directly an introduction to the history and geography of this area.

After the field trips have concluded, students will begin to gather data on their own concerning the research topic they have selected. Students in the past have selected topics from fields such as urban development, land-use policy, migration, high-tech industries, environmental problems, westernization, impacts of automobiles, linquistic differences, rural depopulation, and natural hazards. Both sections are due by the end of the summer. The below photo is of Yatsushiro and the Kuma River from a nearby mountainside.

Weekends will of course be free, and there are variety of entertainment options available. Your host family usually enjoys taking you to someplace unusual or interesting.

We will take full advantage of the small class size, so there will be ample room for discussions and questions. This section of the trip is limited to 6 students.

Yatsushiro Field Visits and Projects

During the field visits students will have the chance to appreciate the many facets of the area and will have a chance to directly observe the issues discussed. In the past, these visits have included:

Mt. Aso : In the center of the island of Kyushu is the volcanic complex that built the island. Only in one year were we unable to get close to the crater due to excessive out-gassing (2007). The picture below is the caldera with clouds as viewed from the north.

Minamata and coastals areas: Minamata is infamous for the sickness caused by methyl mercury being dumped into the Yatsushiro Sea. We drive down the coast to visit the center and museum there.

Kirishima National Park: Another volcanic complex, together with one of Japan's oldest shrines is often a destination. We travel through the middle of Kyushu (we go through 29 tunnels in one direction) before climbing up to the park and shrines. The shrine is dedicated to the founding of Japan, which began when a local god came down to the top of one of the volcanoes in the park. A more active volcano to the south, Sakurajima, can be viewed from Kirishima when the weather is clear as in the below photo.

In addition, we visit port facilities, new economic areas, and old fading economic centers, museums, and gardens. We also take various routes into the mountains to visit remote villages to observe the contrasts with main-stream Japanese life in the coastal plains.

Grading

The final grade for the students who only go on the rail portion of the trip will be based on a series of essay questions pertaining to the observations made during this part of the trip. For the 6-week students, an additional preliminary research paper of 10-15 pages is required which is based on data gathered in the field while based in Yatsushiro.

Faculty

Prerequisites

The prerequisites are a minimum sophomore standing and approval of the instructor. Students will also be required to show proof of international health and accident insurance (This is taken care of in the Education Abroad & tuition forms).

Registration

Undergraduate students should register for two courses (a total of 6 credit hours):

These courses are listed in the Second Summer Session under GEO-Geography or JPN-Japan Studies

Graduate students should register for two courses (a total of 6 credit hours)::

Resident Undergraduate	$4806
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$353
Total	$5159

Resident Graduate:	$4806
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$488
Total	$5294

Non-Resident (Grad or UG):	$4806
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$731
Total	$5537

Above Fees Include:
* Tuition for 6 UK GPA credits
* $50 Education Abroad at UK Application Fee
*$100 Education Abroad at UK Administrative Fee
* ISP 599 (1 credit hour)
* Airfare to Japan
* JR Rail Pass
* Hotels, entries, & public transport on the rail portion of the trip
* Home stay lodging for 3 weeks
* Two meals per day at the homestay (breakfast and dinner) while in Yatsushiro
* Program Field trips
* Travel Medical Insurance for 6 weeks
Items NOT included in the Program Fee:
* Meals on the rail trip
* Miscellaneous Expenses (minimum $750 = $18/day, including meals on the rail trip, lunches in Yatsushiro, souvenirs, entertainment, etc.)
Other possible expenses include:
* Passport ($100)
* Youth Hostel Membership ($25)
Note: Program participants will be enrolled by Education Abroad at UK in ISP 599 for one credit hour and will be charged one credit hour of tuition (included in the program fee.) Students will enroll themselves in 6 credit hours of Summer II courses. No extra tuition will be charged for the 6 credit hours.
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Resident Undergraduate	$4055
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$353
Total	$4408

Resident Graduate:	$4055
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$488
Total	$4543

Non-Resident (Grad or UG):	$4055
Tuition, Study Abroad Fees, Insurance	$731
Total	$4786

Fees Includes:
* Tuition for 3 UK GPA credits
* $50 Education Abroad at UK Application Fee
*$100 Education Abroad at UK Administrative Fee
* ISP 599 (1 credit hour)
* Airfare to Japan
* JR Rail Pass
* Hotels, entries, & public transport on the rail portion of the trip
Items NOT included in the Program Fee:
* Meals on the rail trip
* Miscellaneous Expenses (Minimum $375 = $18/day, including meals on the rail trip, souvenirs, entertainment, etc.)
Other possible expenses include:
* Passport ($100)
* Youth Hostel Membership ($25)
Note: Program participants will be enrolled by Education Abroad at UK in ISP 599 for one credit hour and will be charged one credit hour of tuition (included in the program fee.) Students will enroll themselves in 3credit hours of Summer II courses. No extra tuition will be charged for the 3 credit hours.
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1) Program Fee Payment Schedule:

$1000 program deposit is due on 03/15/2011. The deposit will be charged to UK student account.
The rest of the program fee (program fee total - $1000 deposit) will be charged to UK student account during the first week of June 2011
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2) Education Abroad & Tuition Fee payments:

Applications will be accepted until the program is full.

Program Cancellation Policy

If an applicant withdraws from a UK-Sponsored program:

*Non-recoverable costs include any financial commitments (such as housing deposits, field trip pre-payments, etc) made on behalf of the applicant. These costs vary by program and typically increase closer to the departure date. Calculation of these costs may take time as the Education Abroad staff determines the refund policies of vendors and whether exceptions can be made.
If the program is cancelled, all fees will be refunded.
Fees may be paid by check, cash or credit card.

Please contact Education Abroad at UK (EA) for more details. 257-4067 ext 252; EducationAbroad@uky.edu
http://abroad.ad.uky.edu/

Application Deadlines:
EA General Application due April 1st
Education Abroad Application Forms
http://abroad.ad.uky.edu/