03/17/2026
Twenty Honors students spent spring break immersed in the cultural and historical landscapes of Hiroshima and Kyoto, Japan. Centered on the Buddhist teaching “Out of the mud, blooms the lotus,” the course explored themes of loss, regeneration, and resilience.
Led by David Horan, Associate Professor of Practice for Photography, the group visited significant historical sites such as the A-Bomb Memorial Peace Park and Museum in Hiroshima, along with Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, engaging with both traditional and contemporary cultural practices. Students examined historical architectural styles alongside efforts at preservation, while also confronting stories of destruction, renewal, and rebirth as symbols of peace and the human capacity to overcome adversity.
Throughout the journey, students reflected on Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concepts such as Wabi-Sabi and Iki, deepening their understanding of impermanence, simplicity, and beauty shaped by experience. The trip offered a powerful lens through which to consider how cultures respond to loss and cultivate regeneration, both physically and spiritually.
