Search results | MABEL: Multimedia Archives Based Electronic Library

Identifier: wwu:37340
Title: Giant Buddha
Date: 2019
Description: This giant statue of Buddha was originally built in 1243 in Kamakura, Japan. It was the biggest Buddha statue at the time. We went there on a field trip to see the temple behind it and go through a museum.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37533
Title: Green City - Tokyo, Japan
Date: 2019
Description: The Imperial Palace Garden in the middle of Tokyo. It really struck me how in such a huge, dense urban city as Tokyo could have these pockets of nature. It was really quiet and peaceful in the park, but you could still look up and see tall buildings in any direction. I really admired the respect for nature and allowing room for these green spaces.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37297
Title: Iyashinosato
Date: 2019
Description: This is an open air museum. It's a recreation of an ancient Japanese village. Its name means village of healing. It was my favorite day of the trip.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37635
Title: Namahage-san?? - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: The Namahage are a local tradition in Akita Prefecture. They are essentially folklore-esque monsters played by ordinary people in town, who dress up once a year and go door to door drinking lots of sake and scaring the children into behaving. They also tend to appear in tourist locations as they are somewhat of an icon of Akita. This picture presents my slightly bewildered reaction to encountering one up close.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37516
Title: Pika Pi: Japan
Date: 2019
Description: Me and my boy Pikachu at the Pokemon Center in Ikebukuro. I was looking forward to this the whole trip. Not pictured is my sick stuffed Swinub.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37665
Title: Fuji-san - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: Here we have Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, as seen from a small village called Oshino. One thing that my study abroad advisor told me that really stuck with me was, "Studying is important, but also try to take classes that you can only take in Japan." Japanese Folklore was one of those classes. One weekend, we went on a field trip all the way to Mount Fuji. We had to take a two-hour train ride by ourselves, but after we arrived, our professor had readied three rental cars for us, and he was paying for the rest of the trip. We got to go many places including a local Shinto shrine, the village of Oshino, the Narusawa Ice Caves, Aokigahara, and also Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji was still closed at this point, so we only got to go up halfway, but it was still quite the experience. I've studied a lot about Japanese culture, and I've met many Japanese people prior to my year abroad in Japan, so nothing really surprised me. But it wasn't until the very moment that I took this photo that I finally got a clear look at Mount Fuji with my own eyes; that I finally thought, "Wow, I'm really in Japan."
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:35168
Title: Natalie Payne - Japan - 2019
Date: 2019-08-31
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad

Identifier: wwu:37287
Title: Bird: Japan
Date: 2019
Description: During one of our lessons we had a traditional calligrapher come in to teach us. We got to choose a kanji character and he showed us how to write it with the correct stroke order, and then we did it ourselves. I chose the word bird because I like birds. I was really proud of how it turned out!
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37642
Title: Cherry Blossoms and Peace Signs - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: Here is a photo of my friends from Asia University (top row) and me after a day of sitting under the cherry blossoms and sipping on some sake. We asked a stranger to take our photo, and it turned out he was a local high schooler. When he and his friends (bottom row) learned that I was an American student abroad, they really wanted to get a photo together, so we took one big photo together. Here, I'm sporting a WWU T-shirt which doubled as my band uniform when I performed with my AUAP friends at WWU. And of course, no photo taken in Japan is complete without the customary peace signs.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37634
Title: SakuraSakura - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: One of the things I have dreamed of doing since I started studying Japanese was to go Hanami (literally flower viewing). Hanami involves going to the park and sitting under the beautiful cherry blossoms while enjoying food and drinks with friends and family. To me, cherry blossoms are one of the most aesthetically pleasing things to the eyes. Hanami ususally lasts about a week, and it's so big in Japan that they have blooming forecasts so that you can find out when the cherry blossoms are at their peak. It's times like these when I wish I actually had a real camera, as even this photo does not capture the true beauty of the cherry blossoms I saw that day.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37653
Title: TOKYO IS YOURS - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: Tokyo was an amazing experience for me. The city seemed so developed and alive, while still managing to keep in touch with traditional Japanese culture. I was able to see much more of just a sheer variation of people in Toyko. From businessmen in suits, to guys with crazy spiked orange hair, to girls dressed up like something out of a cartoon. With all of the different shops selling clothes matching each and every different style, Tokyo really seemed like a city where one could be themselves and do what they wanted. It also helped that the weather was wonderful. This particular photo was taken in a more edgy, counter-culture, university age district. As one can see the graffiti and alternative stickers plastered all over the sign. This photo made me realize that despite its size, even a city of 25 million people is a different space to each and every separate person in it. The people make the city, not the other way around.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37619
Title: KAMAKURA DAYS - Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan
Date: 2014
Description: Our WWU friend Daniel Lizarraga (left) was visiting from Akita located in northern Japan, so we planned a weekend trip to Kamakura, Kanagawa, better known as the home of the samurai (12th and 13th centuries). The town was filled with lots of historical monuments, mainly Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Pictured behind us is the Kamakura Daibutsu, or Great Buddha of Kamakura, and we found out that it's actually hollow inside. Kamakura is a historical city with lots to see, and the locals are very friendly, too. One elderly woman that we talked to while we were in her shop told us that our host university, J.F. Oberlin University used to be an all-girls school, something that not a lot of people know.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37459
Title: Omagari Hanabi Festival
Date: 2019-08-31
Description: Taken in Omagari, Japan at the Omagari Hanabi Festival. Hanabi means fireworks, so this was the festival of fireworks. At the festival they had food stands while the fireworks were going on.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37319
Title: Tanabata
Date: 2019
Description: Tanabata is a summer festival that dates back to the 8th century. There were taiko drummers, dancers, and street vendors. It was so cool to be able to participate in such a historic and iconic tradition. I also got to chat with some really nice locals.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37311
Title: Tokyo Skytree
Date: 2019-06-30
Description: I took this photo through my umbrella looking up at Tokyo Skytree. I thought it was incredible how it faded into the clouds because of how tall Skytree is. Skytree is the tallest building in Japan.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37335
Title: Japan
Date: 2019-07-07
Description: This is a photo of a street performer dressed as a kappa. We came across him at an Ocean Day Festival and he came right up to us with his tongue. Kappa are a Japanese folk creature that live in the water and drown/eat kids so the kids (and us) would squeal and run away before coming back to get another fun scare.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37455
Title: Japanese Kimono
Date: 2018
Description: While in Akita, Japan. My school, Akita International University, had a festival going on. At the festival, I got to try on a traditional Japanese kimono. Some internationals may be offended by this. But may I say, I didn't ask to try it on, the locals asked me if I would like to. I am really happy that Japan is open to international people trying on their traditional wear. It makes me feel more connected to Japan. I would love to come back again!
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37292
Title: Japan: Botanical Gardens
Date: 2019-06-23
Description: Neat photo of lotus flowers that I took at the botanical gardens.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37460
Title: Great Buddha of Kamakura
Date: 2019-07-13
Description: Japan. The photo is of the Great Buddha of Kamakura. Professor Tomasi took us to see some of the ancient temples of Kamakura some dating as far back as the 1200s. I took this photo before I saw the full temple. The buddha towers over the whole mountain watching anyone who gets close enough to approach. Intimidating but also inspiring.
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587

Identifier: wwu:37649
Title: Class 5-3 - Japan
Date: 2014
Description: For our Japanese Folklore class we took many field trips, including an optional volunteer opportunity at a local elementary school. Unfortunately, I'm unable to post a photo with the children, as I was unable to contact the school for their permission. It was a great experience. The children weren't interested in us because we spoke English, or because we were foreigners. They simply saw us as new friends and as new playmates. Here, I'm pictured with my friend, Keitaro Hanzawa (right), with a warm welcome message full of drawings and comments from the fifth graders that we volunteered with. My favorite part is probably the blue text right under the "W" in "Welcome," since it's just a list of random English words that they knew written in Japanese like "jump" and "magazine."
Digital Collection: Education Abroad
Type of resource: still image
Object custodian: Education Abroad
Virtual collection: Photo Contests
Virtual collection link: 587