Since 2009, I have spent time presenting and educating fans about the culture of Japan. Monsters, temples, beliefs, and history have all been laid out to the masses, and it has been a most amazing journey. But I have done all this from afar, learning from books, Japanese friends, academic sources, and a lot of shared stories. Despite my love for the culture and history of Japan, Ive never actually been there. 

Now the time has come for this lecturer to experience the nation firsthand. 

Thanks to the generosity of friends living on the other side of the Pacific, and several conventions stateside that I have been presenting at for years now, I now have the chance to travel to Japan this September, and tour the islands extensively. Much of this trip is only possible because of the friends Ive made through the fandom, who are making sure I have places to stay, and a long list of experiences to document.

By contributing to this campaign, it closes the last of my funding gaps- namely paying for a flight to and from Japan. Everything else has generally been settled, and I just need this last step to insure my trip goes off smoothly. This way, upon my return, I will have the ability to present a new set of lectures to those fans who have supported me all along.

I also wish to extend special thanks to Anime Mid Atlantic and Katsucon for providing reward tiers for this project.