[Report] Yamanakako (Lake Yamanaka) Field Trip | Blog | East Asian Academy for New Liberal Arts, the University of Tokyo

The EAA organized the “Yamanakako (Lake Yamanaka) Field Trip” on December 9th and 10th, 2023, with the aim of offering an opportunity for participants to reflect on the “Irony of Modernity and Nature as Ruins” in a natural setting, free from the confines of the classroom. Inspired by the sentiments expressed by Jean-Luc Nancy, who stated, “Romanticism is our innocence,” the expedition sought to explore the feasibility of returning to the pure essence of “nature” or “classics” in today’s society, and how the influence of capitalism-infused modernity shapes these possibilities.

The Yamanaka Ryo (UTokyo Yamanaka Dormitory) proved to be a fitting venue for immersing in this theme. Despite being affiliated with the University of Tokyo, its use was a rare opportunity. Given this, it became a valuable occasion for EAA students from both Peking University and the University of Tokyo to come together for a collaborative retreat. Participants took part in activities such as leisurely walks in the “Fuji Healing Forest,” the hands-on dish making experience of the traditional regional dish, “Hōtō,” and etc. These engagements allowed them to contemplate the interplay between nature and human beings, nature and modernity, as well as nature and the urban/rural divide.

The reports from participants showcased a diverse array of reflections on their interactions with nature. It is our hope that readers will discover “moments reminiscent of a cold breath on early winter mornings” in these reports; I mean, the moments of a profound and intimate connection with nature.

KOO Yoojin（EAA Project Associate Professor）