Course Info

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Course Info for HIST - 117 - 01, Spring 2026
Class number: 2786 Title: Tokyo and Its Past Department: History
Career: Undergraduate Component: Lecture Session: Regular
Instructor's Permission Required: No Grading Basis: Graded Units: 1.00
Enrollment limited to 25 Current enrollment: 24 Available seats: 1
Start date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 End date: Friday, May 8, 2026 Mode of Instruction: In Person
Schedule: M: 1:30PM-4:10PM, LSC - 136 Instructor(s): Said Monteiro, Daniel
Prerequisite(s): None
Distribution Requirement: Meets Humanities and Global Requirements
Course Description:
This course explores Tokyo's history from its beginnings as a militarized shogunal city to the bustling capital of modern Japan. To understand this metropolis and its people, we encounter Tokyo and its predecessor Edo through specific spaces that constitute its sprawling landscape. We look at the shogun's castle and daimyo compounds, Japan's oldest zoo, revitalized neighborhoods, aging suburbs, nightclubs, and funeral parlors. You will learn about urban, cultural, and social history and acquire skills in analyzing politicized spaces across time. By the end of the course, you will not only have a better grasp of Tokyo's place in Japanese history, but also appreciate how cities emerge, grow, and decline, following a case study of one of the largest metropolitan areas on earth.