Spotlights

Harvard Summer School (hereinafter referred to as HSS) in Kyoto successfully took place at Imadegawa Campus, Doshisha University. It was about 8 weeks program started from June 3rd to July 29. Due to Covid-19, the program was not held from 2020 to 2022, but this year we were able to implement the program for the first time in four years. HSS students usually stay with host families, but this year, due to uncertainty about the future of COVID-19, they stayed at the Keishiryo Dormitory.

This year, twelve Harvard students participated in this summer program, and attended two academic courses: “East Asian Religions: Traditions and Transformations” by Professor James Robson, and “Medicine and the Body In East Asia and In Europe” by Professor Shigehisa Kuriyama. In addition to classroom lectures, students went on various field trips related to the lecture content. In addition to field trips to Nara, Kinkakuji, Kiyomizu-dera, and Fushimi Inari, students deepened their understanding of Japanese history and culture by experiencing incense listening and ikebana flower arrangement.

In this program, six Doshisha students participated in lectures as study partners. The study partners contributed to the program not only by sharing their perspectives and insights as local students in class, but also helping them learn about Japanese culture and day to day life. The study partners were very stimulated by the HSS professors and students and learned a lot from them. Outside of classes and field trips, they actively deepened exchanges through activities such as picnics along the Kamo River and Gion Matsuri Festival. HSS students and Doshisha study partners built strong bonds and friendships by spending fulfilling 8 weeks together.

On the last day of the program, the farewell party was held in French restaurant “will” in the Kambaikan building. HSS professors, HSS students, Doshisha study partners, and host families who have welcomed HSS students in the past attended the party. One HSS student gave a speech in Japanese. Also, HSS students hold flowers to express their experience in flower arrangement and creatively shared their learning and appreciation for the past two months. All the participants shared their memories, laughed a lot untill the last moment, and the program was closed with lots of smiles in a cheerful atmosphere.