Experience language skills through Japanese, Zainichi Korean, and Indigenous Ainu Arts! This Humanities course offers a study immersion travel experience in June 2026. The application to travel is now open through April 3, 2026.
Languages & Applied Linguistics Professor Saori Hoshi is teaching the undergraduate course Japanese 111 (“Japanese Arts and Beyond”) in Spring 2026, which offers an optional, funded trip to Japan after the course concludes in June 2026.
About the course: Japanese 111
The course provides experiential learning and intensive engagement with the course content in an immersive setting. The program includes a (tentatively) 10-day international travel component and museum/gallery visits in Tokyo and Hokkaido, Japan. Students will not receive extra course credit for participating in the trip. However, minimal non-graded academic work is expected during the trip.
JAPN 111 Pre-Requisites: JAPN 104 or above; students with near-native or native language proficiency are also encouraged to enroll. Learn about taking the Japanese Language Proficiency test if you cannot enroll in JAPN 104 by Winter 2026.
Learn More About the Course
JAPN 111 is designed to help students develop critical literacies through critiquing visual
and performing arts by Japanese, Zainichi Korean, and Indigenous Ainu artists in
contemporary Japan and beyond. The course is informed by critical content-based language
instruction and museum pedagogy to…
- enhance students’ linguistic skills and critical literacy in understanding and contextualizing the content
- promote interactive and experiential learning by engaging with a different range of sources (texts and art forms) in and outside the classroom. The course integrates classroom learning, workshops, museum visits (local and international), and conversations with artists.
Students will learn about artists and their artwork through reading texts and visual materials
including artists’ own writings, articles, and audio-visual media in Japanese and English.
Students will also learn to develop criticality in discussing and analyzing aesthetic, cultural,
sociopolitical aspects of artwork related to social engagements, self and other, (im)mortality,
feminism, gender, sexuality, colonialism, and indigeneity in their target language.
This course offers an alternative pedagogical practice of translanguaging (Japanese and English), which allows students with varied linguistic and cultural backgrounds to develop
translingual, transcultural, and visual literacies as a resource for learning, critical analysis,
and aesthetic engagement through the target language. In line with the translanguaging
practice, the class will be instructed in both Japanese and English.
About the trip – Apply by April 3, 2026
Please note that the travel component is optional and space is limited, so it is not open to all students enrolled in this course. Travel expenses (within campus policy) such as airfare, lodging, food, and ground transportation will be covered by the Humanities Division.
- Trip Dates: Late June 2026 (exact dates to be announced in winter)
- Location: Tokyo and Hokkaido, Japan including museum and gallery visits
- Number of student fellowships for travel: Maximum of 10 undergraduates
Eligible students with a major or minor in the Humanities division may be given priority.
You must verify whether your passport is valid through July 2026, or if you need to renew it, or apply for your first passport. Financial support for passport fees is available.
Priority Application Due Date: Friday, March 13, 2026
Final Application Due Date: Friday, April 3, 2026
Travel Application Questions
- Full Name
- Student ID Number
- Major(s) / Minor(s)
- Expected Graduation Term
- Have you completed JAPN 104 or do you have near-native fluency in Japanese?
- (280-300 words) What interests you about the JAPN 111 course and its themes? How do they connect with your academic or personal goals?
- (280-300 words) Why are you interested in participating in the travel portion of this course? What do you hope to gain from this immersive experience in JAPN 111?
- (280-300 words) This trip involves museum/gallery visits and engagement with local artists. How do you envision contributing to group discussions and activities during the program in Japan?
- Do you have a valid passport that will remain valid through July 2026? What country of citizenship is on your passport?
- Have you traveled internationally before?
- Do you anticipate needing support to fully participate in an international trip (ex: travel preparation, accessibility needs)?
- Is there anything else you’d like the selection committee to know about you? (ex: relevant background or courses taken, commitment to the program, personal context)
Information Sessions
Attend an info session to learn more about the Spring 2026 course and enrollment, get details about the Summer 2026 trip, and find out how to apply to travel! 🌏
- Winter Quarter Info Session:
The UCSC Japanese Language Program offers a unique opportunity to explore Japanese culture through language and art. Join us as we delve into the works of contemporary artists, enhancing both your linguistic skills and cultural understanding.
About Professor Hoshi
Saori Hoshi received a Ph.D in East Asian Languages and Literatures (Japanese) from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2017 and before coming to UCSC, was previously at the Languages & Applied Linguistics department from the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on second language learning, L2 pragmatics, Japanese linguistics and pedagogy, and critical content-based instruction. In addition, she brings expertise in developing Japanese course curricula, teaching materials, and assessments, as well as in Japanese coordination.
Questions? Contact Professor Hoshi at shoshi@ucsc.edu
This study immersion course and travel experience are part of the Employing Humanities Initiative, and travel expenses are funded within campus policy by the Humanities Division.