iCLA’s iEXPerience Program brought students to temples in Kofu steeped in Yamanashi’s history. The group of iCLA students were accompanied by Professor William Reed and the iEXPerience Program organizing staff member. The itinerary featured a morning rich with historical sights and cultural activity in the local area.
The iEXPerience Program offers organized activities and trips for students to experience Yamanashi and Japanese culture, with guidance from local experts or professors specializing in the subject. Practicing wadaiko with an award-winning high school Taiko club, visiting a vineyard to learn about grape cultivation and harvesting for wine, or learning traditional flower arrangement and tea ceremony – the program provides a range of unique experiences. All iCLA students are welcome to sign up to the iEXPerience Programs which are held several times throughout each semester.
The first stop in the program was Zenkoji Temple. Before entering the main hall, Professor Reed delved into the history of the temple, explaining how it was founded by Sengoku-era warlord Takeda Shingen to house the Buddhist treasures of the original Zenkoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture, fearing that the temple might be burned down in the raging war going on at the time. Professor Reed and the students also looked closely at the temple’s Shorodo Dosho, a large bronze bell transported from Nagano to Kai Zenkoji Temple by Takeda Shingen, still bearing the marks from when it was dragged. Then, students enjoyed perusing historical artifacts housed in the main hall of Zenkoji Temple, and experiencing the Naki-ryu (crying dragon) on the temple ceiling, as well as the pitch-black underground passage way, Okaidan Meguri.
The next destination was Tokoji Temple, one of the Five Great Zen Temples of Kofu designated by Takeda Shingen, where students participated in a Haiku Drawing Workshop. Led by Professor Reed, the activity encouraged students to learn fall-season haiku and hone their artistic skills by drawing upside down. Students were able to enjoy a peaceful workshop amid the beautiful historical grounds of Tokoji temple. Afterward, students could explore Tokoji’s temple grounds, including seeing the temple’s famous Japanese garden and the Buddha Hall, which has miraculously escaped multiple fires since its construction in the Muromachi Period.
“I learned a lot of new Japanese history and culture. My favorite part of the field trip was clapping in Zenkoji temple to hear how the dragon growls, it’s interesting to see how engineering something like that so long ago still maintains its purpose.” – iEXPerience Program Participant
Links
iEXPerience: Discovering Japanese Traditional Culture Through Tea and Flowers
iEXPerience: Immersing in Viniculture, a Hands-On Experience at Yamanashi Winery
iEXPerience: Wadaiko with Nirasaki Technical High School
iEXPerience: Local Temple Tour and Haiku Workshop
iEXPerience: Visit to Lumiere Winery to Learn about Yamanashi Wine Industry