Western Sydney University (WSU) journalism students have recently spent two weeks immersing themselves in the rich history and culture of Japan, while learning about the role of international and local media, entertainment and pop culture in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Not long after touching down in Tokyo, the students began their trip with a walking tour of the Meiji Shrine and the streets of Harajuku to experience Tokyo fashion, followed by their first lesson in Japanese language.
Throughout the experiential study tour, students visited international newsrooms and local media with talks from journalists, producers and industry leaders, a highlight for Bachelor of Creative Industries student Joel Ehsman.
“Visiting the Tokyo Bloomberg office and listening to their reporters talk about how they craft their stories really inspired me. The trip reinforced my passion for the profession of journalism,” the Parramatta South student said.
“Our trip to the ABC News Tokyo, expanding on our previous visit to the ABC in Sydney, was great because it showed me how even smaller teams can report and produce important high-quality stories.”
WSU’s partner university in Tokyo, Meiji University, hosted the students on campus with lectures highlighting Japanese cinema, literature and society and culture.
The group also enjoyed exploring all that Tokyo has to offer including visits to Mt Fuji, Tokyo Sky Tree, the Imperial Palace, anime museums and Mori Art Museum.
Reflecting on the study tour, Bachelor of Communication student Elise Williams felt the trip was an immersive experience that allowed her to further develop the skills she has been working on.
“It was an exciting and engaging way to practice what we had learned in the classroom in an environment that reflects the global perspective that is fundamental to journalism,” Elise said.
“I thoroughly enjoyed visiting culturally significant sites and having the opportunity to report on them while learning from journalists while over there.
“This program was incredibly valuable and enriched my university experience greatly. The hands-on learning, new interactions, and producing stories in a foreign country with a different culture provided practical and useful insights into journalism in a globalised society.”
After leaving Tokyo and taking a bullet train to Kyoto the students toured the oldest anime and samurai film studio in Japan, Shochiku Films, with movie producer Ichiro Yamamoto as their guide for an experience usually not accessible to the public.
Academic leader of the trip Margot Dunphy, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, said a highlight of the trip was the opportunity for students to dress in summer kimonos (Yukata) and visit Tokyo’s historical Aksakusa and Sensoji Shrine, a first for most.
“Many of these students had never been overseas previously, or travelled without family, so this opportunity is a great way to expose students to culturally rich experiences,” she said.
“These memorable experiences, such as visiting the Gion district, home of the Geisha, allowed students to deepen their understanding of the world and other cultures.”
The ‘Media and Storytelling in Japan’ experience was made possible for students from the Bachelor of Communication, Screen Media & Creative Industries degrees through funding by the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan (NCP).
The NCP aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific region by providing scholarships for students to tour those regions.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.