For a while now, I've been meaning to draw the class's attention to the Japan House, an excellent learning resource here at UIUC. If our readings in Enlightenment-era Japanese literature (Matsuo Basho's Narrow Road to the Deep North and Chikimatsu Monzaemon's Love Suicides at Amijima) have sparked your curiosity about Japanese art and culture, the Japan House is definitely worth a visit. And for that matter, even if those readings have not been high points on the syllabus for you, a visit to the Japan House and its grounds can be a refreshing change from the fatigues of the semester--I definitely recommend it!
For those who will be around for Spring Break, it's worth noting that the Japan House is holding a tea ceremony on Saturday (3/19) to raise funds for disaster relief in Japan. Click here for more information.