Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Asian Center's Japan Majors Go On Six-Day Study Tour in Japan

Five Japan majors of the UP Asian Center took part in a six-day study tour in Japan from 15 to 20 December 2020. They visited various sites and temples, met the students of Osaka University and Ryukoku University, and visited the Panasonic Eco-Technology Center (PETEC) in Hyogo, as well as the Panasonic Museum and the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka.

Sponsored by K. Matsushita Foundation, the study tour had its first stop in Kyoto where the students visited the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Fushimi Inari Temple. They also had a half-day visit to Nara and its famous sites, including Todaiji Temple. Accompanied by Dr. Jocelyn Celero, Assistant Professor at the UP Asian Center, they then took part in a cultural workshop, "A Multicultural Workplace: Understanding Work Ethics, Work-Life Balance, and Gender in Japan" in Ryukoku University, and in Osaka University where they interacted with Japanese students. Fencing and traditional Japanese playing cards were part of the visit, as well as the Asian Center students' rendition of "Sekai ni Hitotsu", a popular Japanese song.

A highlight of the trip was a visit to Panasonic Eco-Technology Center in Hyogo and Panasonic Museum at the Headquarters Office in Osaka, followed by a meeting with the grandson of the company's founder and President of the K. Matsushita Foundation, Masayuki Matsushita. The students—Domar Balmes, Julius Mañalac, Faith Ong, Arlene Santiago, and Christel Sobredo—are specializing in Japan for their masters degree in Asian Studies. Japan specialization is one of the MA programs offered at the Asian Center, under the Northeast Asia track. To learn more about our graduate programs, visit the Academics page.

The Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D.  program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. The Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded atthe journal's website. For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here.