Posted on 03.17.25 by Mariah Johnston '25 in
College of Arts & Science
A time to remember
Traveling with students and professors who are just as curious and excited as you are creates the perfect environment for learning new concepts and a new culture. This January, I experienced just that while taking the 2025 January Term course, The Story of Japan’s Health and Food Innovations, which explored storytelling and food in Japan.
This trip was life-changing for my studies (and my taste buds). We explored many temples, shrines and cities, making lasting memories. We also participated in cooking classes, where we learned about traditional foods and healthy eating. The hands-on learning was invaluable. I learned so much about a new culture, and that’s something that isn’t taught in the classroom.
From subway station to subway station, every stop brought something new. By the end of the trip, Rocco, Marco, Kami, Tina and the rest of our class were professional subway surfers.
Our most fun cooking class was the ramen-making class at the Cup Noodle Museum in Osaka. We made the noodles from scratch, decorated our noodles’ plastic wrap and made a customized cup of noodles. Our arms started to hurt from running the ramen dough through the press, but it was all worth it when we watched our ramen sizzle in the deep fry machine and get packaged for us to take home. Plus, we got awesome chicken bandanas courtesy of the cooking class that Kami, Emma, Ethan and Salem are rockin’.
Geikos and maikos are both traditional Japanese performers — maikos are apprentices, on their way to becoming geikos. Maikos will play music and perform, and geikos will entertain the guests. It was a special moment for all of us to see them walk by.
As a class, we also had the opportunity to see many castles, shrines and temples. Here, Emma is posing in front of Himeji Castle in the town of Himeji. We climbed nearly 10 floors to get to the top of the castle, and along the way, awed at the beauty of its architecture. Every excursion brought new information about Japanese history.
Sensoji Temple was the first temple we visited in Tokyo. There is a giant lantern at the entrance that Karl, Maro and Emma are touching for good luck. Leading into the temple, the streets were packed with visitors perusing the small shops selling souvenirs.
The Buddha statue at the Kotoku-In Temple in Kamakura stands over 30 feet tall. The temple sits right next to the Pacific Ocean, so the view also includes the beaches along the Yuiga-
