Kats is really cool and smart. However, this class isn't very well structured and you don't end up coming away with much. You jump around history constantly in a way that doesn't really make sense. You have to do weekly vocab write ups which are graded on completion so it's just busy work. If you're interested in Japanese history take the class, it can offer a lot if you want it to. Otherwise you just don't gain that much. There are easier GEs too.

Class:
This class is about themes, for example, examining how myths were created and utilized by different governments to achieve their goals, not chronology/historical events. The discussion sections complemented the lectures well and helped us understand the readings better. I would definitely take this class again and I think it's a pretty easy GE.

Professor:
Very engaging lectures, fun to listen to. I feel that I probably could have gotten a decent-ish essay grade without listening to the lectures but doing the readings + looking at lecture slides which Kats uploaded while we wrote our essays + going to my TAs office hours. But the lectures do help you understand the overarching ideas and break down the essay prompts and formulate a thesis.

Grade breakdown:
Weekly assignments: 17 points
The weekly assignments were basically a one page response paper based on the readings due at the start of every lecture. Graded based on completion.
Section discussion: 9 points
These points were based on attendance and 'participation' in the discussions.
1st paper: 34 points
2nd paper: 40 points
Extra credit: We got 3 points extra credit for going to and writing about a symposium and a film screening that complemented our course work, which were extremely meaningful. 8 students also got extra credit because their essay prompts were chosen.

Professor Hirano is a really engaging lecturer, and I really enjoyed the way he structured his class. He makes you examine the themes in history which allows you to see history in a different lens. The class is not a lot of work just a biweekly assignment for completion and two essays. I really recommend taking this class with him.

This class is a philosophical approach to understanding the socio-political context of Tokugawa period Japan leading into the early modern era. Beware, this is not your typical history class. The professor teaches abstract intellectual concepts that intercept with historical contextualization of major events. Professor Hirano is a gem, he truly is passionate about what he teaches and genuinely cares for his students. However, the course is definitely dense at times (I'm a history nerd so I geek out about this type of stuff) but if you're not in the history department and you're taking this class for an upper div credit I would recommend finding a more straight forward history course that doesn't require so much work. We had daily essays due before every class, one midterm paper (which was a killer), and a final. Overall, I probably wouldn't take this class again but if you need to fulfill your eastern history credits this class isn't a bad place to start.

Japan history is no longer a dull subject thanks to Professor Hirano and my best TAs!

BTW, here shows how the grades calculated for this course:

15% Weekly assignments (one-page, double-spaced reading response each week)
20% Participation (as long as you attend the discussions and make meaningful points)
30% Midterm Paper
35% Final Paper

Class:
This class is about themes, for example, examining how myths were created and utilized by different governments to achieve their goals, not chronology/historical events. The discussion sections complemented the lectures well and helped us understand the readings better. I would definitely take this class again and I think it's a pretty easy GE.

Professor:
Very engaging lectures, fun to listen to. I feel that I probably could have gotten a decent-ish essay grade without listening to the lectures but doing the readings + looking at lecture slides which Kats uploaded while we wrote our essays + going to my TAs office hours. But the lectures do help you understand the overarching ideas and break down the essay prompts and formulate a thesis.

Grade breakdown:
Weekly assignments: 17 points
The weekly assignments were basically a one page response paper based on the readings due at the start of every lecture. Graded based on completion.
Section discussion: 9 points
These points were based on attendance and 'participation' in the discussions.
1st paper: 34 points
2nd paper: 40 points
Extra credit: We got 3 points extra credit for going to and writing about a symposium and a film screening that complemented our course work, which were extremely meaningful. 8 students also got extra credit because their essay prompts were chosen.

Professor Hirano is a great lecturer and very knowledgeable about the time period. The material is much more philosophical than I expected, but I learned a lot and would highly recommend taking this class. There were readings and reflections required before each class. The readings were sometimes a lot but you got participation credit as long as you wrote anything for your reflection. The midterm and final were essays. Both weren't too bad, but make sure you go to the workshops to understand what is expected for both.

Professor Hirano is very knowledgeable about the material and an excellent lecturer. The class consisted of two weekly lectures and a discussion. There were reflections due before every lecture graded for completion, two graded papers, and no exam. The class was structured thematically rather than chronologically, which was a fresh way to learn history. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone, whether you're looking for a GE, trying to satisfy a major requirement, or just want to learn about Japanese history!

Prof. Hirano was a great professor for a GE class. He formats this class based on "themes" rather than the usual history class (no memorizing dates, no memorizing historical figures). I also liked how he ended his class with current issues in Japan (eg. Nuclear Power). Especially with the protests going on throughout this quarter, Prof. Hirano was very flexible and understanding of our situation (and of the TAs striking). I am not sure how a usual quarter would have been with him (the format of midterm/final changed a lot for us), but if you put in a okay amount of work I think you will be able to do well in this class.

This class is great! There are two 5-6 (double spaced) page papers, and 2 assignments per week (graded for completion). If you have good time management you'll be fine, but it'll be tough if you don't, as there can sometimes be 100+ pages of reading in a week. The class is manageable if you pay attention in lectures and do the readings, it will be hard to write the essays if you don't. Lectures were interesting and covered a lot of different anti-colonial thinkers. Overall, I really enjoyed the class and the material, but it might be a little tougher than other History GEs.