Tadao Ando's 4x4 house (Akashi - 30 minutes from Kobe)
Classic gate (Motoyama - Kobe)
Himeji Castle (Himeji City - 1 hour from Kobe)
Tadao Ando's Hyogo Prefecture Art Museum (Nada - Kobe)
Rokuon-Ji Temple (Kyoto - 1 hour from Kobe)
Shipping container reuse (Nada - Kobe)
Traditional Farmhouse Museum (Osaka - 30 minutes from Kobe)
The exchange is open to UW CAUP graduate students who have just completed their final year of study, or are entering their final year of study with UW CAUP. The exchange is a funded by a Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Research Student Scholarship and provides for 18 months of study at Kobe University in Japan. The scholarship period begins in October and consists of 6 months of Japanese language study followed by 12 months of research. The scholarship covers Kobe University tuition expenses, provides a monthly stipend of approximately $1700 and includes airfare to and from Japan.
The Application Process:
Submit the following to the UW College of Architecture and Urban Planning:
After being selected for the scholarship by the UW faculty you will be given an email interview regarding your research proposal by three facility members of Kobe University. The interview will be used to confirm your acceptance and will help the Kobe University faculty select an appropriate faculty advisor for you.
Following the email interview you will be required to fill out the application forms for a Monbukagakusho Research Student Scholarship, this is a lengthy process and includes a physical which you will need to schedule with student health. Some of the lab tests take time, so schedule your physical as soon as you receive the form. It is important the paperwork and physical be completed on time.
Although it is unlikely you will fail to receive the scholarship after your initial selection by the UW Faculty, you will not receive final conformation of the scholarship from the Japanese Government until May or June.
Living in Kobe:
Kobe is sandwiched between the Rokko Mountains and Osaka Bay giving the city an abundance of clean air and natural beauty atypical of similar sized cities in Japan. Nearby Osaka, Japan's third largest city, and Kyoto, Japan's historical center, make Kobe a nice base for historical and architectural exploration.
You will have an opportunity to meet and befriend the local people as well as other foreign students from around the globe. There are many chances to socialize with your Japanese laboratory mates, and several organizations arrange volunteer "Host Families" for foreign students.
There are a few subsidized dormitories in Kobe available to international students. These are your cheapest and easiest options for housing. You should apply for a dormitory while your Monbukagakusho application is being processed as they book up quickly. Your Kobe University advisor will help you with your housing application. The three most popular housing options are:
Kobe University International Residence - Port Island
Pros: Dirt cheap - $90 a month for single room, party atmosphere.
Cons: Showing signs of wear, remote location, 1 year time limit, party atmosphere.
Hyogo International House:
Pros: Central location, clean and modern facilities, 2 year time limit.
Cons: One of the more expensive dorms - $370 a month for a single room.
An Apartment:
Pros: Japanese style living possible (although increasingly rare), many choices for location.
Cons: Difficult to arrange, expensive - $500+ a month in addition to a significant non refundable deposit. Most apartments are "unfurnished" which beyond having no furniture, means they also have no appliances - like a fridge, a heater, and a stove. You are expected to bring your own. I only recommend this option if you are a Japan veteran or gung ho about experiencing Japanese style living...
Studying in Kobe:
You are expected to arrive between the 1-7th of October. You will study Japanese language from mid October through mid February. Mid February to late March is a break from school and classes begin again in April. You are eligible to register for University classes if you are interested, and can spend the remaining time focusing on your research.
Architecture students at Kobe University are primarily research students rather than design students. The department is divided into laboratories that specialize in particular architectural issues. For example, one laboratory's focus is on urban housing. Of the 15 students in the laboratory; two work on housing design, and the remainder study urban planning as it relates to housing. The fact that many Kobe homes were devastated by an earthquake in 1995 give the housing laboratory a earthquake centric bent.
Useful Links:
Monbukagakusho Scholarship
Kobe University
Kobe University Architectural Studies
Kobe International Student Center (KISC)
Japan Student Services Organization
