Independent Researcher, Historian
A very tangible outcome of my year on the Japan Foundation fellowship was eleven boxes of field notes and copied documents…. The Japan Foundation fellowship gave me the assurance that I could stay focused on my research, undistracted by financial concerns.
Dr. Griffiths conducted research at the Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo for 12 months in 2004-2005.
The Japan Foundation fellowship was a paramount factor in conducting research for my dissertation on the history of the Pure Land Buddhist group, jishū, and similar medieval itinerant Buddhist nuns of Japan. The year spent in Japan on the fellowship made it possible to track and locate neglected primary sources, conduct fieldwork, and meet Ji-sect scholars and members. While at the Historiographical Institute, I was able to connect with scholars from around the world, which inspired me in novel directions.
A very tangible outcome of my year on the Japan Foundation fellowship was eleven boxes of field notes and copied documents. These sources provided the means to complete both my dissertation and the monograph, “Tracing the Itinerant Path.” It has also led to invitations to conference talks and lectures, giving me an opportunity to disseminate my findings to the academic community.
The Japan Foundation fellowship gave me the assurance that I could stay focused on my research, undistracted by financial concerns. I know I would not have accomplished what I had done without the support of the Japan Foundation fellowship.
Dr. Griffiths remembers her time on the fellowship with “great fondness,” and her interest in Japan has expanded over time.
Whenever possible, I try to visit Japan and explore a new area, seeking the old-paths and tales forgotten from the written records.
I look back at my time on the Japan Foundation fellowship with great fondness. I have gathered many treasured experiences: my daily commute to Tokyo University entering through the historical Red-Gate; exploring the ‘100 Parks of Tokyo’ on the weekends; the fieldwork trips that led me across Japan; and the coffee breaks and museum trips with fellow scholars.
Whenever possible, I try to visit Japan and explore a new area, seeking the old-paths and tales forgotten from the written records. Stemming from the travels conducted both during the fellowship year in Japan and since, I have become interested in local legends and tales, especially those relating to the ocean.
