Japan House has been a cornerstone of the UIUC campus since its founding in the 1960s. After taking office in 2011, Director Jennifer Gunji Borsrud has been working with teaching and engagement specialist Diana Liao and assistant director of academic programming Lindsay Stilek to lead academics at Japan House’s universities. She made it a priority to extend her interests beyond the classes she offered. These dedicated leaders of Japan House have made the dream a reality by launching a new Arts and Aesthetics in Japan (ARTJ) minor, which will begin accepting students in Fall 2022.
For more information, speak to the Japan House team and current student Sidney Nielsen, one of the first students to enroll in an ARTJ Minor, about Japan House and how the new Minor can enhance its impact on campus. I heard
What is Japan House’s mission?
Professor Gunji-Ballsrud: The mission we have established since our establishment is to share traditional Japanese art and culture in an experiential way…The foundation of why we exist is that we share the Japanese tea ceremony. It is an aesthetic practice and discipline that encompasses so many aspects of traditional Japanese art. we can just go on and on. That is why the Japanese tea ceremony is like the cornerstone of our mission.
Therefore, our mission is not only to share the traditional Japanese art under its umbrella, but also to share the four principles of tea: harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. That is exactly why we are here on this campus.
Why should students enroll in the Japanese Arts and Aesthetics minor?
Professor Stilek: It’s like what did you create and what classes did you decide to include in it. But the important part about this minor is that it’s based primarily on experience and deep thought, instead of always creating something just for grades.
Students seeking a deeper understanding of not just Japan but how cultures interact and how past cultures influence present cultures will find a place in our minor increase. Students who want to expand their career opportunities by interacting with Japan in this way and acquiring cultural competence can also find it here.
What are some examples of classes students can take?
Professor Stilek: [We have] This is an internship at ARTJ 399. This semester he has four students. That class is a very popular internship that Jennifer developed some time ago.
In addition, there are two sections of Tea Ceremony class ARTJ 209. … Each week Jennifer will perform a tea ceremony and learn how to be a guest. Through reading and discussion, you will learn about the philosophy of tea and its broader artistic and cultural context.
There is also 299 which explores my anime through the work of the Studio Ghibli class. For homework, I watch Ghibli movies and read about Ghibli. … we talk about Ghibli films, storytelling, music design, character design, art, color, all these things that really affect it, and of course the animation itself.
My introductory manga class, ARTJ 301, is about manga, the Japanese comic. Students should draw at least a little. There are many projects they do. They then work together as a group to create a manga. final projectThere are also some reactions they have to make to digest the larger history of manga.
Ikebana, 199 years old, flower arrangement, actually creating flower arrangements every week.It’s an 8 week course. …it all culminates in a display of their flower arrangements. And it’s really fun.
I think I covered everything for this semester. …in the spring, more classes.
From a student’s point of view, what was the best part about being involved in Japan House?
Sydney: My favorite part is the people involved in Japan House. [They] They are my favorite people I have ever met. They are some of the sweetest people. Whenever you need something, you can reach out to other staff, other interns, [or] past intern. There are so many people involved, which makes it a very unique place on campus.
What classes did you take at Japan House?
Sydney: I took ARTJ 199’s flower arrangement class last fall. [It was] Super fun. You can take any class at Japan House, and I think this is very attractive to students. It is a very small class, as there is usually only one, and at most two, sections provided in a given class. And I am currently participating in their internship program. [which] It counts as an ARTJ 399 class. Of course, their main class is ARTJ 209, which is the tea ceremony.
Please tell us why you decided to major in Japanese art and aesthetics.
Sydney: Japan House has always been like a second home to me. It doesn’t feel like a class to me when I go there. I feel like I am participating in something I love rather than an obligation. Anyway, I spent a lot of time there between classes, volunteering, and now all the different jobs there. is. So it will head for that too. It was really easy because I loved all the classes I took there.
And as I said, I met some of my favorite people there.The things I learned there will help me in what I want to do in the future, as I see it in international business, especially in Japan. So any kind of cultural information that comes from education is very important to me. There are not many other schools that offer programs like this. This minor is actually the first in the country.
How has participating in the Japanese Arts minor helped you grow in other areas of study?
Sydney: I hope to be involved in international business in Japan in the future, so just that extra knowledge alone is very helpful, as is the culture itself. It was helpful for me to know that it was curated for students interested in these exact topics. When I went there, I was like, “Oh, I’ve been to a tea party before.” Not many people are able to do that.
I have always said that my dream company is Nintendo’s position. And Nintendo always has a position for people traveling between America and Japan. You can take classes in exactly that area to help you in your future career.
In terms of leadership, what are Japan House’s future goals?
Professor Gunji-Ballsrud: I have been in this position for 11 years and my goal has always been to grow my academic offering. Thanks to both Lindsey and Diana, I was able to do it in a way that is now structured and recognized by institutions. University.
An annex is also under construction. … [The] The pandemic has slowed us down, but we’re on track next year. So we’re adding another 6,000 square feet to Japan House. This dynamically changes what you can offer in terms of how you can offer it. If you’ve been to our space, we have one main room. It’s a conference room. And since this annex has designated classrooms, I don’t have to constantly change the main room in my current space.
What would you say to students who want to participate in Japan House or the Japanese Arts and Aesthetics Minor, but are worried that they might not be the right fit for them?
Professor Gunji-Ballsrud: One of the great things about it is that it doesn’t attract any particular type of student. The field is very broad. that’s pretty awesome. If you look at my class roster, [we have students from] It spans all disciplines, including aerospace engineering, computer science, music, education, business, and mathematical sciences. So it’s really great to me that people come from all walks of life and want to learn about Japanese art and culture.
