Ike Tamanaha

Why did you decide to major in East Asian Area Studies (EAAS)?

I started my undergrad doing something very different from the humanities, as I took classes in the engineering and business schools during my first year of college. Neither field really spoke to me, but a summer studying in Japan in 2019 changed my career goals.

At least for myself, I am Japanese American and grew up going to Japanese school on weekends. I spent parts of my life in Okinawa, an island south of the Japanese main islands, and I felt a strong connection to the community through my family. After studying abroad in Japan in 2019 and taking a leave of absence during COVID, I realized that growing up bilingual and reading, speaking, and learning in Anglophone and Japanese languages were really personal experiences that I wanted to continue throughout my life. So I returned to school last year as an EAAS major with a regional focus in Japan and Okinawa. Haven’t regretted it since.

Are there any EAAS related courses or events that have been particularly memorable?

The major is pretty flexible and interdisciplinary. I mainly focus in history and politics and dabble in some literature. In spring 2024, I took a course on the Allied Occupation of Japan after World War II taught by Professor Ben Uchiyama. A paper I wrote for this course, which was on red light districts during the Allied occupation, developed into a published article by the end of the year. Currently (in Spring 2025) I am completing a senior thesis on Okinawa under the U.S. military government after World War II and taking a course on Japanese Foreign Policy with first-year PhD students. The senior thesis is a personal project of mine, and the latter course is challenging but integral to my career goals.

In the summers, the department offers something called a maymester course, which is a selective 4-week course where a small cohort of around 18 students does fieldwork and cultural immersion abroad. My cohort in May 2024 studied the Heian Period (794-1185 CE) and visited Kyoto, Japan—and this has been one of the most formative experiences of my undergrad years so far.

Is there any research or project you are currently working on that you would also like to share?

I am currently also researching something called Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), which is a legal contract signed between U.S. military command and the government of another country when the U.S. builds a military base in said country. These agreements differ between different countries with US forces, so U.S. soldiers have more leniency in some countries than others. Sometimes these freedoms clash with civilians’ lives and activities. I am looking at Japan’s case in particular, and especially Okinawa, where most of Japan’s US bases are.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?

I guess in a nutshell, do what makes you excited and speaks to you. And find your niche. I think it’s okay—in fact, it’s healthy and important—to be honest with yourself, wander a little, change your major and direction. Parents and peers may frown upon it, but this is integral to your journey too. Remember that.
I can only speak for myself, but I chose this major and a focus in Okinawa because of my cultural background. I think exploring parts of your identity (however defined) can teach you meaningful things about you, whether that’s through a major, a class, or just a friend you make on campus.

If you have too many interests and cannot narrow down one major (as I was), Area Studies goes really well with any field (law, business, econ, and so on). Consider a minor, even if you can’t major.

If you’re feeling lost, talk to a friend. Or, Kaitlin or Justine! Or me (I’m on Instagram: @itamanaha5).

What are your plans after graduation? 

I will begin the EASC Masters program in the fall of 2025!! I hope to narrow my discipline, but my interests include Amami and Yaeyama labor migration in Okinawa Island after World War II, the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), and Okinawa’s place in US-Japan relations. Wish me luck, as I’m both nervous and excited 😊.

I hope to use the next two years to clarify whether I’m going into academia (and pursuing a phD), policy / think tanks, or community work. Or a combination of the three (lol).