The next application deadline is Mar 1, 2026
See other program dates

Based in rural Japan, this pilot program brings students, faculty and the local community together in an immersive learning environment spanning the mountains, rivers and coastlines of rural Japan. A small group of students will study history, ecology, anthropology, literature and economics while planting rice, cutting bamboo and harvesting oysters in an experimental program that reimagines liberal arts education from the roots up.

The 2026 theme, Thinking Like a Watershed, explores the relationship between water and human society at multiple scales. How have river systems shaped the way people have lived, and how have human interventions throughout history rechanneled the flow of water through watersheds? And what would it mean to live with water sustainably?

The program is designed using a three pillar pedagogical model pioneered by small-scale, place-based learning programs:

1. Physical Labor: Learn about Itoshima’s environment and society by working alongside farmers, fishermen, foresters and conservationists. Understand different local perspectives on river system governance and get to know nature through labor.

2. Deep Reading: Take a break from your screen and retreat to a remote fishing village to read classic texts with students, instructors & local experts. Draw on approaches from history, ecology, anthropology, literature and economics to understand the place you are living in.

3. Shared Governance: Form an intentional community with your fellow students. Live together in a restored farmhouse and collectively plan cooking and cleaning; how to spend the group meal budget; and the final project in consultation with the instructors.

This program does not provide academic credit. Students who successfully complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion and an evaluation if requested.

The program is sponsored by the Weatherhead Institute for East Asian Studies and is generously funded by the Unson Foundation, a philanthropic foundation that exists to study the most challenging social and environmental problems generated by capitalism and to help build new social systems that will foster long-term human wellbeing.

Eligibility and Application

  • Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate or MA student in good academic and disciplinary standing at Columbia or Barnard.

  • Must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Students must also maintain a 3.0 GPA during the semester before going abroad.

  • Japanese language proficiency is not required, but preference will be given to applicants with some knowledge of Japanese language or culture, or who have completed coursework relevant to the program.

How to apply?

Want to apply? Click the “Start Your Application" button at the top of this page. If the button doesn't appear above, the program is not yet accepting applications. You will be asked to set up a short profile, which will allow us to send you relevant information about your application. Once you’ve created a profile, you will see a checklist of items that you will need to submit. These generally include:

  • Application questionnaire

  • Personal statement (500 words): Describe your relationship to a watershed you have lived in or visited. What coursework and life experiences have prepared you to succeed in this program?

  • Official transcript(s)

  • One recommendation letter testifying to your good character, your intellectual curiosity, your mental resilience and/or your ability to work collaboratively under pressure.

  • Interview

  • Study abroad approval form

People

Paul Kreitman, Summer Program Director

Paul is Unson Microcollege Program Director and an associate research scholar at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute. His research interests include Japanese history, environmental history, migration history, and Pacific history. He received his PhD in History from Princeton in 2015, and since 2016 has taught and researched in various capacities at Columbia: the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, the Department of History, the Heyman Center for the Humanities, and the Weatherhead East Asian Institute. His article "Attacked by Excrement: The Political Ecology of Shit in Wartime and Postwar Tokyo" was published in the journal Environmental History in 2018 and won the Association for the Study of Environmental History's Leopold-Hidy Prize. His monograph Japan's Ocean Borderlands: Nature and Sovereignty was published by Cambridge University Press in 2023. He has taught a range of courses on Japanese history as well as upper-level courses on "Asian Mobilities," "Japan 1968," "Troubled Islands of the Indo-Pacific," and graduate seminars on "Borderland Japan," “Introduction to Historical Interpretation and Methods” (GR8910), and "Science, Environment and Technology in Japanese History." His writing has also appeared in The Financial Times, The Japan Times,Asahi Shimbun, Tōyō Keizai Online, and The New Statesman. He is currently researching the history of labour migration regulation in the Pacific plantationocene.

Paul has also been a junior research fellow at the University of London's Institute of Historical Research, a senior teaching fellow at SOAS, University of London, a Japan Foundation visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo, and a JSPS visiting fellow at Osaka University. Before entering academia he worked as a carbon offset consultant at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities in Tokyo, accrediting greenhouse gas emission reduction projects under the Kyoto Protocol.

Junho Peter Yoon, Summer Assistant Director

Junho Peter Yoon is the Assistant Director of the Center for Korean Research and Unson Microcollege Program at the Weatherhead East Asian institute. His research encompasses various fields, namely critical theory, cultural studies, ethics, and ecological thought, among others. In his doctoral dissertation project at New York University, tentatively titled "Toward Planetary Ethics," Junho traces the contours of what ethical thought and action might look like in the age of Anthropocene, contextualizing this inquiry through modern and contemporary Korean history, literature, and cinema. He holds an interdisciplinary M.A degree from University of Chicago, and a B.A in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University.

He has also previously worked with journals and various cultural institutions like e-flux Journal and Screening Room as a fellow, Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTIK), and New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF). He is currently co-editing two special issues on global Asian photography and the archive, and posthuman visuality in contemporary South Korean art and media.

Life in Japan

Program Calendar

Program arrival and check into housing: May 21, 2026

Program departure and check out of housing: June 7, 2026

Arrival in Japan

Students will fly into Fukuoka Airport, from where they can take a 25 minute train to Hatae Station. It is a 23 minute walk or five minute taxi/Uber from Hatae Station to where the students will be staying.

Housing and Meals

A group of 10-12 students will live together in a restored farmhouse, the Guesthouse Itoyui in Itoshima. It has cooking facilities so students can prepare most of their own meals. A cooperative farmers’ market and an udon restaurant is a ten minute walk from the farmhouse. Bathrooms are shared and students will sleep on futons in open-plan rooms, so should expect limited privacy. For more information on amenities, please see https://guesthouseitoyui.com/ for images and a floorplan.

What to Expect

This is a unique pilot program unlike anything else you will experience during your time at Columbia given the small-scale, immersive, place-based pedagogies that integrate academics, physical labor, and shared governance to promote civic responsibility.

While the temperatures for May and June may look reasonable for the end of spring and early summer, the humidity will make it feel hotter than it appears. Applicants should be prepared to work up to four hours in hot weather on certain days. A typical day might include any combination of the following activities:

More specific information and a schedule will be provided at a later date. Students wishing to travel and explore other parts of Japan should plan to do so before or after the program.

Itoshima, Japan

Itoshima is a coastal city in Fukuoka Prefecture, just a short train ride from Fukuoka City, and is often described as one of Japan’s hidden gems. Surrounded by the Genkai Sea and lush mountains, it offers a beguiling mix of rural charm and a creative, laid-back lifestyle. The area is famous for its beaches, surfing spots, hiking trails, and scenic views, as well as for its thriving local food culture, including oyster huts, organic farms, and artisanal cafés. Itoshima has also become a hub for young artists, entrepreneurs, and craftspeople who have moved from urban centers to build sustainable businesses and communities. It is home to Kyushu University’s new Ito Campus, putting it on the doorstep of a large community of students and academics conducting cutting edge research.

The program will also include a short visit to Sansonjuku, a community-based learning center in Yame in the mountains south of Itoshima. The Sansonjuku program emphasizes hands-on experiences, like tea cultivation and forestry, while fostering deeper connections with nature and the local community.

Financial Considerations

Financial Considerations

For this pilot program, all program-related expenses are covered:

  • Visa, if applicable

  • Airfare to and from Japan

  • Housing and meals

  • Program activities and excursions

The following expenses are not covered:

  • Passport

  • Airport transfers

  • Personal expenses such as weekend activities, souvenirs, and gifts. It is recommended that you budget $500. Some may spend less while others may spend more.

Withdrawal Policy

Find out More

Speak to an Adviser: Want to learn more? Make an appointment to chat with the adviser for this program! You can also email them with any questions or to arrange a meeting if you are unable to make the listed times.

Applying: Make sure to review the dates and deadlines section at the bottom of the page.

Resources: View our Steps to Study Abroad page to see advice on Where to Begin, how to Prepare to Go, and what you need to know when Returning from Abroad. We will share many resources with you throughout the application and pre-departure process for preparing to study abroad.

We recommend reviewing the following before you apply:

Once accepted, make sure to review the Prepare to Go page for more resources and information about preparing for your experience abroad.