Hi everyone! My name is Dylan Christie and I am a junior economics major. I will be spending my week in Japan developing the Digital Sojourns Project with Professor Del Testa. I was introduced to the project through history coursework where I learned Geographic Information Systems (GIS), where I used digital mapping to track historical events and sites. I decided to apply my newly found interest in GIS to aid Digital Sojourns and attend a conference in Yamaguchi, Japan, where I could present my research findings last spring. During that extraordinary visit to Japan I was also able to collect video footage of Eiheiji Temple in Fukui, a sacred temple which pertains to Digital Sojourns through its role in the travels of the poet Basho. I also experienced Japanese lifestyle and culture for the first time in person, having delicious food and lots of fun with my fellow students.
Fast forward to today, I am able to return to Japan a year later to continue my aid with Digital Sojourns, this time to collect audio footage of Eiheiji Temple. While the temple is visually captivating, the role of sound is equally important for immersing users in the full experience of the temple. The audio footage will also aid in Digital Sojourns’ goal of becoming accessible to blind and visually impaired people through the use of sound.
My trip to Japan this week is not only a learning experience from the perspective of the project but also an opportunity to immerse myself fully into a new culture which differs in many ways from my daily life in the United States. By experiencing the culture and daily practices within both the city environment of Tokyo and the rural prefecture of Fukui, I have developed a fascination with Japanese lifestyle and culture and improved my multicultural awareness. I can’t wait to see Digital Sojourns take form through our work and give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Japanese culture as I have. Follow along our journey through Japan as we explore Japan one sound at a time!
