Six students from the M.S. Textile Design program participated in a Study Abroad Program conducted in Kyoto, Japan during the summer of 2004. Course credit for two classes at the graduate level was awarded. Students experienced Kyoto as a study of Japanese culture and it’s textile traditions.

The University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of Art offers this opportunity, and with the help of students, faculty and the Study Abroad staff at Philadelphia University , the program was a huge success for everyone involved.

Japan provides a rich experience for studying textiles. Kimono culture and the traditional techniques used to make them are studied. Contemporary fashion and art are also thoroughly examined through museum visits, cultural exchange with Japanese students, and day-to-day life while living in Kyoto for one month.

The school the students study at, Kawashima Textile School , is a training center built and maintained by the Kawashima Textile Company, a major textile producer in Japan of car upholstery, home furnishing and apparel fabrics. The school is located next to the companies Kyoto Headquarters where the company produces exquisite Obi for Kimono, large-scale tapestry, and jacquard fabrics for home furnishings.

Students studying textiles at Philadelphia University are encouraged to participate in this program: they will return with memories, portfolio material, future business contacts, and a desire to return to Japan .