2023 Daily Blog Posts Featured

SJMC Japan 2023 wraps up an unforgettable trip

13 undergraduate students. One graduate instructional assistant. Two faculty members. 11 memorable days in Tokyo, Kamakura and Kyoto. 13 daily blog posts written by students. 13 mini-documentaries. 54 feature stories about Tokyo and Kyoto. 13 insightful personal essays (plus a professional essay and personal essay by graduate student Jamie Gonzalez). Three company visits (with the […]

Read More
2023 Daily Blog Posts Featured

SJMC Japan Team presents work on Friday

Now that all members of the SJMC Japan Team have returned home to Texas safely, they are gearing up for final presentation day, and you’re invited! Students will share their mini-documentaries, highlights of the stories they wrote and insights about what the SJMC Japan program meant to them starting at 10 a.m. Friday, June 30, […]

Read More
the SJMC Japan team takes a selfie at the Tokyo International Airport
2023 Daily Blog Posts

またね! Mata ne!

The SJMC Japan Team says goodbye to Japan as the students make their way back to Texas, their pets and, of course, Whataburger.

Read More
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Waving goodbye to Kyoto

As we bid farewell to Kyoto, the SJMC Japan Team visited one last shrine, Fushimi Inari, before taking the bullet train back to Tokyo to spend our last evening together.  Fushimi Inari: the rice shrine After a four-stop train ride to Fushimi-Inari Station, the team took a brisk walk up a hill to the Shinto […]

Read More
The emperor's quarters in the Imperial Palace.
2023 Daily Blog Posts

A royal day in Kyoto

Day eight was a decadent experience for the team. We visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and attended a traditional tea ceremony before attending our official farewell dinner. Impressive Kyoto Imperial Palace Our first stop was the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The wide and rocky pathways at this palace are rich with history from the […]

Read More
2023 Daily Blog Posts

A front-page newsworthy day

The second day in Kyoto found Texas State students at a Japanese newspaper, a monkey park, and the famous Gion area.

Read More
An ornate pagoda at Kiyomizudera Temple
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Good morning, Kyoto!

Day six of the SJMC Japan team’s trip found them at Kiyomizudera Temple, Yasaka Shrine and the geisha district of Gion.

Read More
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Time’s up in Tokyo, fast train to Kyoto

On day five of the SJMC Japan team’s trip, they went to Time Out Tokyo, rode the bullet train and explored Kyoto.

Read More
Texas State University students standing in front of the Great Buddha
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Tokyo drift: adventures in Kamakura

Day four in Tokyo led students to visit the Great Buddha, shopping and dining in Kamakura, and Goshuin stamps!

Read More
Texas State University students walk into Rikkyo University in Tokyo.
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Day three in Tokyo: meet, greet and stay safe

Day three left SJMC Japan team full of smiles, food and safety tips for the days to come in Japan. The team met with Rikkyo University students, took a tour of the campus, and had a very unique and pleasurable dining experience with some of those students. Then they received disaster safety training geared for […]

Read More
Photo of Tokyo Tower ascending into the clouds, highlighting the hight of the structure
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Tokyo tales: an iconic day two

The second full day called the Texas State School of Journalism and Mass Communication students to several iconic Tokyo sights. Our group took an engaging tour of Tokyo Tower, heard valuable tips from the Tokyo bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal and finished off with an electrifying game at the ballpark! Insightful advice from […]

Read More
Sake barrels in the Meiji Jingu Shrine.
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Day one in Tokyo leaves us full and satisfied

The Texas State School of Journalism and Mass Communication Japan team wraps up day one in Tokyo 2023. Here’s what the group did on their first full day.

Read More
Lit lanterns above restaurant
2023 Daily Blog Posts

A first night in Tokyo like no other

Nearly everyone in our group has now made it to Japan safe and sound, and the first night is in the books. It was a night of new food, new friends, a new place and new memories. A lot has happened in just one night, and it is just the beginning. First stop: the hotel […]

Read More
2023 Daily Blog Posts

Airplane food making a comeback

After leaving behind friends, family, and beloved pets, the SJMC Japan team began their long-awaited journey. Eight of the 14 members all met at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. For the majority of the group, check-in at the airport was a breeze. Some team members arrived a few hours early just in case they were faced with […]

Read More
Daruma Doll placed on my windowsil
2023 Daily Blog Posts

‘All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go’

The Texas State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s trip to Japan is imminent. Here’s a look at how the participating students are preparing for the journey.

Read More
Introductions

Introducing the SJMC Japan 2023 Team!

I’m excited to introduce the SJMC Japan Team 2023! These are the students who are accompanying Jon Zmikly and me to Japan in June 2023. They’ll write daily blog posts for each day we’re in Tokyo, Kyoto and the surrounding areas. They’ll also write feature stories and personal travel essays and create mobile storytelling content […]

Read More
Multimedia

Gonzalez’s 360° and promotional videos highlight program’s media and cultural visits

As a graduate student and graduate instructional assistant, Jamie Gonzalez had graduate-level work and assignments. You can read about her role — and what she learned — in her professional essay. She also shared her reflections in her personal essay. In addition, Ms. Gonzalez created 360-degree videos about Time Out Tokyo, Kyoto Shimbun and Shinjuku […]

Read More
Multimedia

Mini-docs explore facets of Japan and the program

Along with daily blog posts, feature stories, personal essays, and Instagram posts, reels and stories, SJMC Japan Team members crafted mini-documentaries about a specific aspect of their experiences. All videos below are organized by alphabetic order of last names and can be found on the SJMC Japan channel on YouTube. Briana Archer: Allison Binkley: Bre […]

Read More
A woman sitting on a photo prop at Arashiyama Monkey Park.
Personal Essay

A taste of Japan: how I sampled the culture and cuisine

I spent my first 30 minutes in Tokyo quietly crying in the Tokyo International Airport.  Prior to my arrival, I was feeling pretty proud of myself for my roll-with-the-punches attitude I’d had all day. I’d been traveling about 30 hours, 17 of which were in the air, and only about five of which were spent […]

Read More
Personal Essay

A professional discovery: finding a new part of me

My mother has spent the last 30 years of her life as a teacher, molding the minds of the youth. My only explanation for how she has survived this career path is that she is a superhuman, à la The Flash, or Wonder Woman.

Read More
A few of us laying in a circle in the grass.
Personal Essay

An emotional trip

To be completely honest, I didn’t know how I felt about going to Japan. As someone who’s been interested in various aspects of East Asian culture nearly my whole life, I’ve seen a lot of discourse between people who romanticize/admire Japan far too much and those who demonize it because of its bad traits. Both […]

Read More
Personal Essay

A journey through Japan

Why was I interested in the Japan program? I wanted to be apart of the study abroad program to revisit and explore more of what Japan has to offer than what I remembered when I was 12 years old living in Misawa, Japan; basically the country and closed off part of Japan. I genuinely wanted […]

Read More
Personal Essay

Experiencing a new nation

It had been an established want of mine to travel to Japan. My attention was caught by the appeal of its beautiful cityscapes, rich cultural heritage and delicious cuisine. Among the many sites to visit in Japan, Tokyo and Kyoto stood out as the must-see locations for discovering the country’s various sides. I found myself […]

Read More
Personal Essay

A soulful journey

In a world teeming with nearly 8 billion people, it’s easy to feel lost and disoriented. We spend our lives searching for meaning amidst vague symbols and attempting to discover our purpose, only to find ourselves with more questions than we had before. Yet, in Japan, I feel as though I am finally found. It’s […]

Read More
Personal Essay

Capturing the unforgettable in Japan

On the second day of my adventure in Tokyo, I ran out of storage on my phone. I’ve never been an avid photographer, often going months without opening the camera app on my phone. After all, why capture life through pictures when you’re living it, right? When I take pictures, they usually come out blurry […]

Read More
css.php