AY2023 Field Workshop

Class Code：AA0251

ThemeSustainability in Western Japan

Instructors

Kohtaro Ito, Eiko Saeki

Dates

March 17 to March 20, 2024

Locations

Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga

Collaborators

Ritsumeikan University, Korea NGO Center, Ikuno Tabunka Flat, and Lake Biwa Museum

Number ofparticipants

20 students maximum
The Field Workshop (FW) offers hands-on experiences outside the classroom to further learn
about sustainability. The goals of the FW are to learn from experts who are devoted to issues
relating to sustainability, and to make connections between what we study in the classroom andobservations from the fieldtrips.

Objectives

This FW consists of a four-day trip (March 17 to 20, 2024) to Western Japan, as well as classes
that are scheduled before and after the fieldtrip.
In this FW, we will consider the aspects of sustainability with specific focus on issues
including: multiculturalism and social diversity; international conflict and diplomacy;
biodiversity and the conservation of natural habitats; as well as (over-)tourism, conservation ofcultural/historical practices/sites and residents’ rights.
March 17 (Sun) – Kyoto: History and Water ResourceLate morning: We will meet at the ticket gate of JR Ibaraki Station (Kyoto Line)
Check-in at the OIC seminar house of Ritsumeikan University
Afternoon: Lake Biwa Canal (Biwako Sosui)
It has long been a dream of Kyoto to harness the water of Lake Biwa, and in 1990 the Kyoto
Prefectural Government completed the Lake Biwa Canal, a combination of tunnels andbridges, in five years almost entirely by manpower. With the introduction of hydroelectric
power, new factories sprang up, streetcars began running, and Kyoto's economy flourished.
We will learn more about this story.

Schedule

March 18(Mon) – Kyoto: Culture, International Relations, and Sustainability(Collaboration with the Honors Program, Ritsumeikan University)
10:00-12:00 Elective Cultural Experience Workshop with Ritsumeikan University Students
1) Ceramic Art
2) Tea Ceremony3) There are many representative temples of Kyoto around Ritsumeikan University, such as
Ryoanji Temple and Kinkakuji Temple, and students will learn about Japanese traditional
culture, urban development and over-tourism.
13:00-17:00 Policy Simulation with Ritsumeikan University Students
With students from Ritsumeikan University, students will conduct a crisis responsesimulation based on scenarios that could occur in actual international politics. Participants
will be divided into teams for each country and will formulate policies to solve problems andmaximize their own national interests through diplomatic negotiations with other countries.
March 19 (Tue) – Osaka: Diversity, Social and Cultural Sustainability
Morning: Korea NGO Center （https://korea-ngo.org/study/korea_fw）
Historically, a large number of Koreans have lived in Japan. The Tsuruhashi area is known
for its high concentration of Koreans who run restaurants and shops. We will visit the Korean
NGO Center to learn about the history and challenges of integration.

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Afternoon: Ikuno Tabunka Flat （https://www.ikunotabunkaflat.org/）
Visit an NPO to learn about multicultural efforts being made in Ikuno Ward, which has thehighest percentage of foreign residents in Japan.
March 20 (Wed) – Shiga: Water Environment and Sustainability
Lake Biwa Museum (https://www.biwahaku.jp/english/)
The Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan and the home of over 60 endemic
species. This museum not only features exhibits on the geological formation of Lake Biwa
and the largest freshwater fish aquarium in Japan, but also allows visitors to learn about thechanging lifestyles of the Japanese people.
*Specific times subject to change.
Other Important Dates
Deadline for application: 11:55 p.m. on December 15 (Fri)Complete the application form and submit it through the Learning Management System(Hoppii) under the Assignment section.
Preparatory and ex-post classes: See the schedule in the section, “Classes before and after theFieldtrips.” Attendance in these classes is mandatory.
Precautions forWe will follow the precautions set forth by the government as well as the university.
Covid-19
Expenses

Program fee, including lodging and local transportation during the trip, is approximately 30,000yen. This does not include the expenses for transportation to Ibaraki and from Kyoto, and meals
during the trip.

Financial
Incentive

3,000 yen or 4,500 yen will be awarded to participants in the Faculty of Sustainability
Studies/SCOPE, who apply for the Field Studt Incentive Program (the details will beannounced on Hoppii).

Selection
Criteria

Participation of students from SCOPE, as well as the Faculty of Sustainability Studies, will beprioritized. If more than 20 students apply for this Field Workshop, however, instructors will
select participants based on the essay submitted with the application.

Classes before
and after theFieldtrips

Preparatory Lecture:
1. The Week of January 22 (specific date and time to be determined)
2. The 4th period on March 11 (Thu)
Lectures and discussions to deepen the knowledge required to understand the sites.
Ex-post class: Date and time to be determined.
Reflections on the fieldtrips*Attendance in preparatory lectures and ex-post class is mandatory.

ImportantNotice

1. If you are interested in the Field Workshop, sign up on Hoppii (Class code: AA0251).
The details of the visits and related information will be provided on Hoppii.
2. If you decided to apply, upload the application form from the Assignment section ofHoppii by the deadline. The application form is available on Hoppii as well.
3. Cancelation or schedule changes may be necessary depending on the COVID-19
situation.
4. You must participate in the activities on ALL dates listed above, including preparatory
and ex-post classes. Since this is a credit-based course, it may negatively affect yourchance of earning the credits from the course, if you fail to attend any of the field trips
and/or classes.
5. Do not cancel after we have approved your participation. Cancellation after approval
may incur the payment of program fee by the applicant.

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授業コード：AA0251
6. Field Workshop is a Global Open class.
7. Once you successfully completed this Field Workshop, you will earn credits in Spring
2024 (rather than Fall 2023). Note that if you take a leave of absence in Spring 2024,
the credits will not be awarded.
8. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Kohtaro Ito(kohtaro.ito.47@hosei.ac.jp) or (Eiko Saeki (saeki@hosei.ac.jp).

Alternatives
in Case ofCancellation

If we find out before the preparatory class that we will not be able to visit the sites due to the
spread of COVID-19, the program will be cancelled with no alternatives. If we determine that
we cannot visit sites after the preparatory class, the visits will be substituted with lectures andthe writing of a paper.

Evaluation andGrading

Participation and report3