Professor Emeritus, School of Planning, Dalhousie University
Having the opportunity to study and learn in Japan gave me important insights that shaped my research trajectory over the subsequent decade. It allowed me to bring lessons about Japanese cities into my teaching.
In 1999, Dr. Grant was a Visiting Researcher at Chukyo University in Toyota, Japan. During her fellowship, she did extensive field work in Nagoya and made visits to tokyo, Kyoto, Tajimi, Hiroshima, and several smaller communities.
I was studying neighborhood design in Japan to get a better understanding of sustainable strategies for planning high-density and mixed use cities. The research offered important insights into the potential of effective design, but also the significant role that cultural practices play in enabling denser urban environments.
The fellowship program offers amazing opportunities for learning and sharing. I wrote several papers and a book chapter on the research in Japan. Having the opportunity to study and learn in Japan gave me important insights that shaped my research trajectory over the subsequent decade. It allowed me to bring lessons about Japanese cities into my teaching. It helped me make significant contacts for further research collaborations.
The Japan Foundation fellowship helped Dr. Grant build crucial, life-long relationships. These relationships enriched both her professional and personal lives long after her fellowship ended.
Everywhere I went, people were extremely kind and generous with their time.
I was extremely fortunate to be hosted by my friends and colleagues, the Saitos. Not only did they make me feel most welcomed, they helped inform my research by answering my questions and suggesting people and places I might visit to learn more. My research assistant, ITOH Kaori, became a close friend as well as colleague. Everywhere I went, people were extremely kind and generous with their time.
While I was in Japan I met several scholars with whom I have worked since. I was subsequently invited back to Japan to participate in a workshop on sustainable cities. With two colleagues from that session I edited a book, Towards Sustainable Cities: East Asian, North American and European Perspectives on Managing Urban Regions, which has been well-received. A Japanese colleague visited me in Canada to work on and present her comparative research.
