By Hallie Stiff / Photos by Chieko Hara
The Saturday following finals week, I woke up at 5 a.m. to board a plane and begin my nearly 24-hour voyage across the globe, eventually landing at an airport in Osaka. This marked the beginning of an intense and densely packed two-week journey across Japan.
As a student minoring in the history of architecture and design, I am constantly immersed in images and readings about ancient buildings. While I enjoy this, the chance to experience history in person was something I could not pass up. Japan’s cultural values create a haven of preserved architecture and traditions—a snapshot of its history that the U.S. cannot match in scale or age. Our trip, organized around six cities in Japan, followed a rough timeline of Japanese history, viewing architecture and sites from various historical periods. It was an incredible experience, life-changing to say the least.
Hallie Stiff is an honors architecture student who traveled more than 6,000 miles across the globe with Honors Passport: Japan, a study abroad program led by Kelly Hammond, associate professor of East Asian history, and Kim Sexton, associate professor of architecture. Each student who participates in the Honors Passport experience researches and presents on a historic site or monument, taking an active role in teaching the course. It’s a unique “give and take” where honors students and professors learn from each other.
Nara
After landing in Osaka, we boarded a bus to our hotel in Nara. Though one of the smaller cities we visited, Nara was still denser than Fayetteville. From our hotel, I could see a Buddhist pagoda, a pond, mountains and a Starbucks nestled in between. It was like nothing I had ever seen, yet I quickly realized this was normal—so many different places coexisting. Throughout Nara, we saw temples, palaces and the sacred bowing deer. It was a perfect introduction to Japan, blending old and new seamlessly.
Koyasan
In the mountains near Nara lies the temple town of Koyasan, our second destination and one of my favorite spots on the trip. Koyasan is renowned for its temples and monasteries. We spent the night at a “temple-inn,” enjoying modest yet satisfying meals that monks traditionally eat and staying in traditional rooms with tatami mats. Here, we experienced our first public bath, a regular practice in Japanese culture but quite unique for us. In the morning, we participated in an Esoteric Buddhist service, burning incense and observing the monks as they chanted and performed rituals. It was like nothing I have ever experienced, and it really opened my eyes to a different religion, and how it interacts with the historic Buddhist architecture.
Kyoto
On our way to Kyoto, we stopped at the Obubu Tea Farms, where we learned how green tea and matcha are grown, processed and properly prepared. We made and sampled five teas made from one type of leaf. Tea is an integral part of Japan’s culture and history, and the tea ceremony was historically used to socialize with and impress others. Kyoto, the first larger city we visited, immediately felt different due to the increase in tourists. While the sites were beautiful, the influx of visitors added a distinct atmosphere to this part of our journey.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima was one of the most important and sobering cities we visited. At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, I gave a presentation about World War II in Asia, the atomic bomb’s impact and controversies surrounding the museum’s information and architecture. Understanding World War II from an Eastern perspective provided valuable context to our Westernized history.
Image, top left: Matsushige, Yoshito. 1945, photograph. The Collection of the Chugoku Shimbun at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
Itsukushima
Itsukushima offered a deep dive into the spiritual aspects of Japanese culture, particularly Shintoism. Throughout our trip, we visited various shrines, temples and gates, learning about the blend of Shintoism and Buddhism. Unlike the concrete concept of religion in the Western world, in Japan, these beliefs are often practiced simultaneously.
Naoshima
Naoshima, a renowned art island, is a 20-minute ferry ride from the mainland and attracts visitors worldwide. We visited three art museums designed by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, known for blending Japanese culture, nature, and modern architecture. As we explored the island’s history, we rented e-bikes to admire the stunning art and architecture. There’s nothing quite like appreciating contemporary art while biking in
the breeze of the Seto Inland Sea.
Image, top right: Lee Ufan, “Porte vers I’infini” 2019.
Tokyo
Last semester, I traveled to New York City for the first time, but even our largest city pales in comparison to Tokyo’s structural density. Despite the numbers, I was surprised that Tokyo lacks the dramatic heights Manhattan is known for. The city’s cleanliness and the hospitality of its people were refreshing. Although it was the end of our trip and we were exhausted, Tokyo offered no shortage of things to do and see, with its diverse districts and neighborhoods, each providing a unique experience.
The most surprising aspect of Tokyo was its public transportation. While I knew it was famously crowded, experiencing the sheer volume was eye-opening. Navigating the trains and stations is not for the faint-hearted, but it was an invaluable experience, starkly different from our car-centered societies. It was clear that Tokyo was more Westernized than the other places we visited, but it was still distinctly Japanese. The infrastructure alone was fascinating, with pockets of traditional architecture and gardens offering a peaceful escape from the bustling city.
Tokyo was the perfect place to conclude our trip. Experiencing the world’s largest city, with its cutting-edge technology, extensive infrastructure, and bustling population, all within a country no bigger than California, was truly remarkable. Navigating Japan meant exposure to a new culture with completely different language and customs. It opened my eyes to a different way of living, and while uncomfortable at times, I loved my time there and the many things I learned.
Courtesy of Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum.
Courtesy of Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum.