INDD Expands Study Abroad Program to Japan

In Spring 2025, the School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD) expanded its study abroad program offerings with a three-month trip to the land of the rising sun, led by Associate Professor Ben Bush, Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Chair Rusty Lay and Professor Shu-Wen Tzeng.

The junior-level students traveled through Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Fukui, Okayama, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and more, exploring ancient monuments and touring cutting-edge manufacturing facilities.

“Tokyo is perhaps the antithesis of Auburn—big, bright and very technology forward. There are also temples in and around the city that predate the founding of the United States,” Bush said, mentioning how the culture blends “old and new in a very charming way.”

Some of the trip’s other major highlights included playing everything from an upright bass to the drums at the Yamaha Piano Factory in Kakegawa and climbing through the Himeji Castle built in 1333.

“I really enjoyed touring the different factories or museums and learning about the traditional Japanese crafts,” said INDD student Elisabeth Doss. “I think the way [Japanese citizens] approach design is inspiring, especially through the way they can blend culture and tradition with modern design principles. They take so much pride in their design and work, and it inspires me to do the same through my own work.”

Biking around Naoshima Island to explore the museums was INDD student Ryan Fletcher’s favorite excursion.

“The Chichu Art Museum was probably one of the most impressive I’ve been to with its architecture and exhibits,” he said.

During the semester, the junior-level students participated in a product design studio, first creating culturally inspired Gashapons, or small toys often inspired by Japanese manga characters and dispensed from a toy machine.

Then, working with Michael Buquet, a former student of Bush’s and current lead service designer at Ubie Health, the students conducted global healthcare design research and studied how to improve the future of healthcare interactions through apps.

“I was able to really understand the connection from Japanese culture and history to its own design philosophy,” Fletcher said. “Understanding why Japanese design and manufacturing is the way it is.”

Planning is already underway for the 2026 trip with continued partnership with Ubie Health.

“The Ubie team is an ever-involved partner that gives us feedback during our development and then at our final presentation,” Bush said. “Their involvement in our projects gives us relevant industry insight into the complex problem-solving situations that industrial designers can lend their skills towards.”

In addition to the design work, the students who participate in the 2026 trip will tour major manufacturing plants and boutique craft centers to see the combination of high precision and handmade work—both of which emphasize the Japanese cultural expectation to do one’s best.

“Care, thoughtfulness and pride are unavoidable in the daily Japanese experience,” Bush said. “It’s a passion that I hope rubs off on the students.”