Course Schedule & Readings

Course Schedule

Week 1: Why do we travel? What is travel writing?

Date	Time	Topic	Reading Due	Writing Due
Tues. 7.4.23	1:15-3:00   3:00-4:45	Lecture 1: Intro to Travel Writing   Guest Lecture: Japanese Language by Prof. Morita	Read: “Writer Pico Iyer On Why There's More to Travel Than Your Instagram Feed” “The Art of Being a Flâneur" “The Art of the Travel Essay”	Travel Blog 1: Ian
Weds. 7.5.23	1:15-3:00     3:00-4:45	Lecture 2: Histories of Japanese Travel Writing   Guest Lecture: Japanese Culture by Prof. Simon	Read: “A Brief History of Japanese Travel & Travel Writing” Excerpts from the Manyōshū “Voyages: Visual Journeys by Six Photographers (Tokyo)”	Travel Blog 2: Thomas
Thurs. 7.6.23	11:45	Field Trip: Visit Osaka Castle & Kaiyodo Figure Museum	Read: “The 9 Commandments of Travel Writing” Osaka Castle Guide	Travel Blog 3: John A
Fri. 7.7.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 4: Michael
Sat. 7.8.23	TBD	OMU Field Trip to Kyoto	Read: “In Kyoto, Feeling Forever Foreign” “A Guide to Kyoto Through the City’s Craft Scene”	Travel Blog 5: Rahm
Sun. 7.9.23	TBD	Post-Field Trip OMU Workshop	Read: “The Pillow-Book of Sei Shonagon”	Travel Blog 6: David    Assignment 1 Due: Osaka Guidebook Entry

 

Week 2: Multimedia Storytelling & Travel Genres

Date	Time	Topic	Reading Due	Writing Due
Mon. 7.10.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 7: Madison
Tues. 7.11.23	1:15-3:00   3:00-4:45	ERAU-OMU Mini Conference   Guest Lecture: Japanese Architecture by Prof. Kurakata	Read: “Chapter 4: Travel Blogging” by Don George (available on Google Books, Kindle, & Apple Books for $12.99)	Travel Blog 8: Aidan
Weds. 7.12.23	1:15-3:00	ERAU-OMU Student Presentations		Travel Blog 9: Colby
Thurs. 7.13.23	1:15-3:00	Field Trip: High School Visit with BP Matsui	Read: “Daily Life in Japanese High Schools”	Travel Blog 10: Daniel
Fri. 7.14.23	8:00   11:00-12:00	Field Trip: Hiroshima   Guest Lecture/Lecture 3: A-bomb Legacy Successor	Read: “How We Retain the Memory of Japan’s Atomic Bombings: Books” “The Dark Radiance of Atomic Bomb Literature”	Travel Blog 11: Race
Sat. 7.15.23	9:30	Field Trip: Miyajima	Read: Lonely Planet’s “Miyajima” Guide	Travel Blog 12: Lara
Sun. 7.16.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 13: Joseph

 

Week 3: Cross-Cultural Communication & Nonfiction

Date	Time	Topic	Reading Due	Writing Due
Mon. 7.17.23	N.A.	Free Day—National Holiday		Travel Blog 14: Samuel
Tues. 7.18.23	8:00      10:00	Field Trip: Kobe (Riken-Fugaku and Takenaka)   Lecture 4: Fugaku	Read: “36 Hours in Kobe, Japan” “The RIKEN Story”	Travel Blog 15: Athena
Weds. 7.19.23	1:15-3:00   3:00-4:45	Guest Lecture: Drones by Prof. Sasaki Lecture 5: Feature Articles & Storytelling	Read: "Chapter 2: A Short Course in Travel Writing" by Don George	Travel Blog 16: Lauren
Thurs. 7.20.23	1:15-3:00   3:00-4:45	Interaction with SSSRC Students   Guest Lecture: Drones by Prof. Yoshida		Travel Blog 17: John W.
Fri. 7.21.23	1:15-3:00      3:00-4:45	Lecture 6: Educational Equity & Coding Education by Prof. Rea (open to OMU audience) Guest Lecture: Aikido by Prof. Simon	Read: “A New Growth Engine for Japan: Women in STEM Fields; Japan" (Optional) "Coding Equity: Social Justice & Computer Programming  Education"	Travel Blog 18: Ian
Sat. 7.22.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 19: Thomas
Sun. 7.23.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 20: John A.

 

Week 4: Journalistic Travel Writing

Date	Time	Topic	Reading Due	Writing Due
Mon. 7.24.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 21: Michael  Assignment 2 Due: Photo Essay
Tues. 7.25.23	11:45	Field Trip: Nara		Travel Blog 22: David
Weds. 7.26.23	1:15-3:00	Lecture 7: Travel Article Writing Workshop	Read: "The Trouble with Paradise"	Travel Blog 23: Lauren
Thurs. 7.27.23	9:00	Field Trip: Himeji		Travel Blog 24: John W.
Fri. 7.28.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 25: Race
Sat. 7.29.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 26: Lara
Sun. 7.30.23	N.A.	Free Day		Travel Blog 27: Joseph

 

Week 5: Reflective Writing

Date	Day	Topic	Reading Due	Writing Due
Mon. 7.31.23	8:00	Field Trip: Tokyo	Read: Travel & Leisure’s “Tokyo” Travel Guide	Travel Blog 28: Samuel Assignment 4 Due: Travel Feature Article
Tues. 8.1.23	8:00	Field Trip: Nikko   Lecture 8:	Read: TBD	Travel Blog 29: Athena
Weds. 8.2.23	9:00	Field Trip: Tokyo/Kanazawa	Read: TBD	Travel Blog 30: Colby
Thurs. 8.3.23	9:30	Field Trip: Kanazawa   Lecture 9:	Read: TBD	Travel Blog 31: Rahm
Fri. 8.4.23		Farewell Dinner		Travel Blog 32: TBD   Assignment 5 Due: Final Reflection