PhD student Christy Sher immersed herself in a six-week Classical Japanese studies program in Kyoto, Japan in June and July 2024, preparing for her dissertation research. During her stay, Christy explored several historical sites as part of her class field trips, including the Abe Seimei Shrine, Shisendō Temple, and Byodoin in Uji. She also visited Enkōji Temple, founded in 1601 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, which holds particular importance in the history of Japanese publishing and the development of domestic teaching and learning.

Christy's trip was made possible thanks to an Arts and Humanities Graduate Research Small Grant, the generous Cathleen M. Murnane Travel Fund from the Department of History of Art, and the Career Accelerator Fund from The Ohio State University.