The updated SAS news on our seminar includes our virtual joint class with the Fukui University students: Despite Lockdown, Rutgers Students and their Japanese Counterparts Find Ways to Mark Historic Friendship Written by John Chadwick | SAS Senior Writer Remembering a tragic death and a fateful journey in 1870 An undergraduate honors seminar this semester … Read More
Our seminar had a joint class with Professor Ryuhei Hosoya’s class at the University of Fukui on May 14th, 2020. An article on the joint class appeared in Fukui Newspaper on May 15th! Heated Discussion on Griffis Fukui University x Rutgers University Joint Class (partial translation) In the evening of the 14th, Fukui University held … Read More
We were featured on the SAS Newsletter! A Tragic Death and a Fateful Journey – How Rutgers and Japan Forged an Enduring Connection Written by John Chadwick | SAS Senior Writer Seminars, samurai, and t-shirts will mark a milestone year An undergraduate honors seminar this semester is exploring the early connections between Rutgers and Japan. … Read More
Transcription: July 14th, 1874 My dear teacher, I send you a shirt sketch of my life which you requested to write. It may not be so interesting, for I wrote it (quiet) as I experienced, without any addition but you will see from this how I received the previous education although … Read More
“My Autobiography” by Komura Jutaro I was born in a solidarity rural town, three years after the memorable visit of Commodore Perry. I had hardly breathed when the whole country felt a great shock which proved more direct in its effects than any ever experienced in Japan. While you’re[yer] a child, the feudal system existed … Read More
“The Sketch of My Life” by T. Okamura Though the reign of Tokugawa is the one which continued peacefully for a long time, that is, for about two hundred years, yet, from the time when I was born (1855), it gradually began to decline and many changes took place. As, at this period, the principle … Read More
“Life of John” – J. Matsumura I was born at a small castle town called Sho-Ko in a province little north of the city of Tokyo. Though small it was governed by Daimyo whose dominion was estimated to raise 25,000 koku of rice, though not exactly; as you know, all Daimyo’s dominion was estimated by … Read More
The Sketch of My Life I was born on the ninth of July, 1856, in a castle town called Himenji in the province of Harima. In those days samurais in my province were divided into three classes; some lived in the province, others in Tokio, or rather in the Yedo as it was so called … Read More
Sketch of My Life I was born in Uwajima, a town situated in the province of Iyo, on the southern part of the Shikoku Island. Uwajima is a small castled town situated on a harbor, and is enclosed by steep high mountains on one side and by green hillocks on the other. In the midst … Read More
Kusakabe Taro, born as Yagi Yasohachi, was a trailblazer who was the first Japanese student to graduate from Rutgers College in 1870. Taro was a samurai who came to the United States from Echizen, later Fukui in Japan, and his arrival marked a significant point in history for both Japan and the United States. He … Read More