SAH Announces 2019 Japan Field Seminar

The Society of Architectural Historians is pleased to announce the 2019 Field Seminar to Japan, December 6–18. Past SAH President Ken Tadashi Oshima, Co-Chair of the Japan Studies Program and Professor of Architecture at University of Washington, will lead participants on an immersive 12-day tour of museums, temples, buildings and sites in Kyoto, Nara, Awaji Island, Takamatsu, Kurashiki, and Osaka. Professor Oshima led SAH’s last tours to Japan, in 2006 and 2007, and we are thrilled for him to once again share his expertise and knowledge of both classic and contemporary architecture of Japan with SAH members.

Highlights include:

• Three nights in Kyoto with visits to the Kyoto National Museum, Sanju-Sangen-Do Hall, Tofuku-Ji Temple and Garden by Mirei SHIGEMORI, and Chochikukyo (1928) by Koji FUJII.

• A day trip to Nara to visit Todai-Ji Temple, Horyu-Ji Temple, and Byoudouin

• Travel to Awaji Island to visit Awaji-Shima Water Temple by Tadao ANDO.

• Three nights in Takamatsu with visits to the Kagawa Museum to view an exhibition on Japanese architecture, Kagawa Prefectual Hall, Kagawa Prefectual Gymnasium, Shikoku-(Farmhouse) Mura, Ritsurin Garden, and Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art by Yoshio TANIGUCHI.

• Travel by chartered ferry to Teshima Island to visit the Teshima Art Museum and travel by chartered ferry to Naoshima Island to visit the Chichu Art Museum

• Travel to the preserved historic townscape of Kurashiki to visit the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft

• Visit to the recently renovated 17th-century Himeji Castle.

• The final two nights in Osaka visits to the landmark Umeda Sky Building by Hiroshi Hara (1993) and Doton Bori commercial district.

• Farewell dinner at Osaka Nadaman in the Imperial Hotel Osaka

Sites and locations to be visited are subject to change.

Funding opportunities to participate in this Field Seminar will include an SAH Study Program Fellowship for advanced graduate students and emerging scholars, as well as a GAHTC Field Seminar Travel Grant. Full itinerary and pricing information will be available soon. Registration opens on Thursday, April 4 at 3:00 pm CDT.






Images courtesy of Ken Tadahsi Oshima. Top: Interior and exterior of Chochikukyo in Kyoto. Middle: Kagawa Tange Garden and interior. Bottom: Tofuku-Ji (left) and Benesse House Park, designed by Tadao Ando, in Naoshima.