We started the day with a morning lecture focused on the experience of mixed-race or 'mixed-roots' identity in Japan. Prior to class, we read diverse narratives of multicultural people in Japan complied by Dr. Steven Murphy-Shigematsu and about the experiences of high-profile mixed-race Japanese athletes, such as Naomi Osaka. We then watched the documentary Hafu which follows the lives of five 'hafus' - the Japanese term for people who are half Japanese - as they navigate what it means to be multi-racial and multi-cultural in a nation that has historically taken pride in being homogeneous.
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| Hafu documentary. |
By interweaving five unique stories, the documentary very effectively showcased the diversity of the lived experiences and perspectives of mixed-roots people. I was most struck by how influential early childhood experiences seemed to be in shaping a long-term sense of cultural identity. For the people featured by the documentary, it seemed that the degree to which they had contact with each of their respective backgrounds heavily impacted how they viewed themselves within Japan's society. The documentary inspired class discussion on instances of racial discrimination in Japan and the pressures placed on mixed-roots kids to be a cultural bridge between their backgrounds. Prior to this course, I was very naive to the experiences of mixed-race and mixed-nationality individuals in Japan and I am grateful this course has highlighted their narratives.
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| Vanessa enjoying some ramen. |
After a quick lunch, we split off with a majority of the group heading to the Mori Art Museum to appreciate some modern art and a smaller group meeting with Profesor Kamezaki at the Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering to learn about their robotics projects.
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| Heading to the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills. |
One of the coolest parts of visiting the Mori Art Museum was the view from the 52nd floor of the building, which looked out at the famous Tokyo Tower. Many of us paused to get pictures of the amazing 225° view.
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| The view looking toward Tokyo Tower. |
The first exhibit at the Mori Art Museum showcased the science behind Pixar animation. The exhibits walked through the complex process of animating the characters we all know and love. We got to pose with larger-than-life versions of famous Pixar characters and play with the many interactive exhibits that illustrated the animation design process of story-boarding, modeling, surfacing, lighting and rendering. I learned that to in order to accurately depict how Merida's curly hair in Brave would respond to physical forces the animators used a multi-spring model and in order to create realistic lighting effects mathematicians developed a complex equation that had to be solved using Monte-Carlo ray-tracing.
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| Group photo with Buzz Lightyear. |
We next went to the main modern art exhibition entitled "The Soul Trembles", featuring the work of artist Shiota Chiharu. Born in Osaka prefecture and currently based in Berlin, Shiota is world-famous for her large-scale installations and video performance art. Shiota's work attempts to articulate the intangible questioning of identity, boundaries, and existence. It was an amazing experience walking into the large installations of red or black yarn that created intricate and tangled networks connecting all dimensions of the room. I also was very impressed by the diversity of mediums featured in Shiota's other works, including photography, painting, stage design, and video performance art projects.
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| Uncertain Journey large-scale installation of red string. |
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| Uncertain Journey featuring wire boats. |
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| The artist in a series of photos inspired by a dream in which she became a painting. |
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| In Silence featuring a burned piano encased in black string. |
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| The last exhibit featuring a dangling mass of old suitcases. |
The last exhibit featured a quote by Shiota that we found especially relevant to our many class discussions on narratives of Japanese immigration and national identity, as well as our own personal experience as travelers.
"People leave their hometowns with a destination in mind.
Living among people of different nationalities you suddenly forget that you are Japanese.
Looking at yourself reflected in a mirror, you realize for the first time that
you have black hair and black eyes.
The further you drift and the more you mix,
the more you arrive at a place that allows you to stare hard at yourself, anew.
When I look at a heaping pile of suitcases, all I see is a corresponding number of human lives.
Why did these people leave the place they were born, in search of some destination?
Why did they go on this voyage?
I think back on the feelings of these people on the morning of their departure? "
Meanwhile, another group of students headed to Waseda University's Kikuicho campus to meet with Professor Kamezaki at the Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering.
Margaret, who is researching the role of robots in Japan described the experience as follows, "Professor Kamezaki introduced us to the 'Twendy-One' Project’s robot, a second generation elderly assistance robot named Wendy, that balanced both dexterity and strength to perform a variety of tasks. We were also introduced to some of the lab’s other robotic projects, such as robots that could maneuver through pipes, assist with driving, or clear up debris. Afterwards, Professor Yokota from Waseda School of Commerce joined us to take us to the Lamdux Building where we meet Professor Alexander Schmitz from the Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering and Professor Wei Wang from the Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering. They introduced us to the Waseda startup company which produces 3-axis tactile sensors and a small programmable robot that could be controlled by a Wii Remote."
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| Meeting a robot at Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering. |
On our way home we wandered through Shinjuku's busy sidewalks and small alleyways. I have come to appreciate walks through the area surrounding this busy central station for how different the crowds can be depending on the time of day. Even in the evening, the air was still warm and heavy making us crave sweet icy treats from the local convenience market before heading home.
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| Wandering through Omoide Yokocho (Memory Alley) or "Piss Alley" in Shinjuku. |
-Abby
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