Once again, Yokohama becomes the world's bridge to Japan.

In 1858, after centuries of isolation by the shogunate, Japan opened its gateway to the world through the quiet fishing village of Yokohama. The town prospered, welcoming visitors and trade to its international port.

In 1994, the Yokohama University will welcome YPOers from around the world, opening doors to Japan as only YPO can. Join off-sites around the city and day trips to Tokyo and Kyoto, and enroll in an academy for a look around the country. You'll experience the extensive culture, industry and intellect of this island nation to the fullest. Yohkoso, Yokohama-e: Welcome to Yokohama!

Yokohama
Twice reborn in this century after falling to earthquake and war, Yokohama has emerged as a modern industrial center influenced by a multi-ethnic population of 3 million and its proximity to Tokyo on central Honshu.

Home of Japan's first telephone (1869) and fastest passenger elevator (1993), the city bespeaks diversity at every turn. You'll find chic Motomachi Shopping Street and the traditional markets of Japan's largest Chinatown within blocks of each other. From the world's tallest lighthouse, you can see both the ancient clan villa of Sankei-en Garden and the new Pacifico Yokohama International Convention Center, home base for the 1994 Yokohama University.

Rising from Tokyo Bay like the twin sails of a catamaran, the elegant Yokohama Grand Inter-Continental Hotel waits for your arrival next October. The hotel's panoramic view takes in the recently developed Minato Mirai 21 ("Port of the Future") and the Yokohama Bay Bridge, symbols of a university that will change your future forever as "A Bridge to Understanding."

Education
Expect nothing but the best in education. After all, this is the home of the juku, where many students spend after-school hours studying to enhance their future. At the Yokohama University, you'll spend every waking hour building your own bridge to understanding.

Learn about the country's culture and character from the brightest resources in Japan: international industry chiefs, university scholars, and celebrities from sports and the arts. The best of YPO's proven resources will balance the program covering topics with universal appeal. Expect to hear from Stan Davis, Kenneth and Marjorie Blanchard, Tony Buzan, Lee Haussner and Michael Ledeen.

Invited keynote speakers, chosen for expertise in Japan's inner workings, include former Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone, Akio Morita of Sony and other, equally respected resources from different segments of Japanese society.

Jump onto the "Business in Japan" track, and you'll come away privy to the philosophies of Japanese management (with a few myths debunked along the way) and attuned to in-depth forecasts for the country's business climate. Morning classes in business and geopolitics will share the secrets of successful cross-cultural alliances and explore opportunities throughout the Pacific Rim's western shores. Scholars and CEOs will debate during afternoon panel discussions.

Can cultures meet without colliding? You'll learn about business etiquette and national idiosyncrasies, spirituality and religion, and the modern role of the Imperial family. Hear firsthand about cross-cultural communications from a foreign family living in Japan.

Virtual reality will be more than a dream on the "Science and Technology" track. Robotics and the newest telecommunications breakthroughs for the office of the future will dazzle you, and resources from Kyoto University and MIT will explain that there's more to DNA research than cloning dinosaurs for Jurassic Park. A look forward should always include a nod to the past, so specialists in acupuncture, herbs and other forms of traditional medicine will present time-tested methods of healing.

Will leadership techniques change in the 21st-century information age? Can Zen teachings be applied to leadership? How do leaders differ between the East and the West? The answers to these and more top-of-the-pyramid questions will come from invited resources such as Takeo Shiina, the chairman of IBM Japan; Hayao Nakayama, the president of SEGA; and Sojun Matsuno, a Buddhist priest and the former vice president of ESSO Japan.

Gentler subjects will also make a mark in Yokohama. Spend an afternoon at the movies with legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Explore the nuances of your own brain from the Japanese point of view. Take hands-on lessons in Japanese arts such as calligraphy and sculpture, and prepare for a weeklong exhibition featuring your finest work.

Perhaps the most telling clue to the quality expected of Yokohama's education program is that nearly every invited resource, Japanese and non-Japanese alike, accepted the invitation to attend this university. (The lone holdout: a Harvard professor who just couldn't rearrange his classes.) Can you afford to miss out on the rich promise of the Yokohama University?

Social
Four years of planning will culminate in opening ceremonies truly depicting "A Bridge to Understanding." Members of the Royal Family have been invited to open the university, welcoming you to a weeklong odyssey through the Japanese experience. Following the opening ceremonies, a traditional Japanese garden will appear among the very modern surroundings of the Pacifico Yokohama International Convention Center as a backdrop for cocktails, cuisine and cultural performances.

On Jipang Gourmet Night, dine in the company of couples from the Japan Chapter at the city's finest Japanese restaurants. Whether your tastes run to teppan-yaki, tempura or yakitori, if you're eager to try local cuisine, this is your night.

Traditional folk arts and fireworks will highlight the Jipang Fall Festival at Nippon Memorial Park. Decked out in your Happi coat aboard the Nippon-maru, a 1930 windjammer, you'll gain a deeper understanding of Japan's ancient influences through this special celebration.

Yokohama's international flavors will be yours for the tasting on your free night. Besides myriad Japanese restaurants, you'll find that the country's largest Chinatown offers menus inspired by every province. If you long for a taste of home, you'll likely find familiar cuisine. But the evening doesn't end with dessert in Yokohama: Be sure to check out the nightlife!

The Japan Chapter customarily hosts a YPO Salon Night at every university, and Yokohama will be no exception. It's an open-door evening for gathering casually, with food, drinks and entertainment by a live band -- and you. (What's a Japanese night out without a rousing round of karaoke?)

Join your friends at Yokohama's tallest building, the new Landmark Tower. You'll ride Japan's fastest elevator to the top of the tower for a last look at the city, then it's back down to earth for a formal dinner, folk performances and dancing. In the spirit of wa (unity), the evening will end with a group blessing for the future of YPO.

Off-Sites
Indulge your brain and body -- you'll find plenty of ways to immerse yourself in commerce and creative arts during the university.

On Sunday and Wednesday, take a day trip into Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, or Kyoto via the bullet train. Various off-sites will emphasize art and antiques, architecture, photography, and fashion from Tokyo's designer shops and amazing department stores.

Whether you opt for zazen (meditation) at the Zen-inspired Sojiji Temple, the conviviality of the communal baths, the bustle of the fish market or a T'ai-Chi workout -- you'll be back in time for morning classes each day.

Don a kimono for a traditional afternoon tea ceremony and flower arranging lesson among the pagodas and ponds at beautiful Sankei-en Gardens. Possibly the most peaceful setting in Yokohama, Sankei-en was built by a 19th-century silk impresario and arts patron; over the years, historical temples and a farmhouse have found a new home among the garden's fragrant blossoms and lily ponds.

The off-sites program carries education beyond the classroom. For example, if the future of industrialization interests you, join factory visits to Fujitsu, Nihon Kokan and Nissan to observe quality control in action. Small- to medium-sized companies will welcome you for an afternoon visit, too.

You'll have plenty to tell the kids back home after joining off-sites in Japanese martial arts, virtual reality with SEGA, and at a juku (cram school). Impress your friends with your newly acquired skills in cooking, sumi-e painting, pottery and traditional dance, and discuss the strategy and finesse of Go, Japan's ancient board game of skill and intellect.

Tokyo: Past, Present and Future
October 13 - October 15
Host: Natsuo Kawada (Japan)
Before Tokyo, there was Edo, the ancient city that lent its name to an historical era. This academy begins in the ancient district of Asakusa, where the 7th-century Sensoji Temple watches over traditional craftsmen and modern businesses. Find Tokyo past and present on exclusive tours of the Edo Museum, the Meiji Shrine and the National Diet Building, which houses the Japanese Parliament. You'll also cruise the Sumida River on a private boat, go backstage at a kabuki theater, and dine in YPO members' homes.

"The Great Nature"
(Mt. Fuji, Hakone and Tokyo)
October 11 - October 15
Host: Keikoh Fujita (Japan)
Co-host: Hideo Takeuchi (Japan)
Escape to the majestic beauty of Japan's tallest peak, Mt. Fuji, to witness the harmony of nature that surrounds Hakone. A scenic tramride takes you partway up the mountain for lunch at a mountain villa with panoramic views, and back down to earth for an enjoyable tatami party. You'll appreciate nature's influence in every aspect of your visit, such as the soothing hot-spring baths and the cliffside sculpture garden at the Hakone Open-Air Art Museum.

Shogun Tour
(Nikko and Tokyo)
October 11 - October 15
Host: Hiromu Ikeda (Japan)
The massive Toshogu Shrine at Nikko, the mausoleum to a warlord who became a god (the inspiration for James Clavell's novel Shogun), is nothing less than overwhelming. Most surfaces are carved, and more than 2 million sheets of gold leaf adorn the walls and ceilings. In striking contrast, the surrounding forest displays its own shades of gold in October, and provides a beautiful backdrop for a cruise down the Ryuo Gorge to the Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel. Prepare to create your own masterpiece on your visit to a traditional pottery-maker!

Emperor Tour
(Kyoto)
October 13 - 15
Host: Tatsuo Kotani (Japan)
Kyoto, Japan's historical center, conveys the glory of an ancient royal city through its temples and traditional art. The Kyoto Imperial Palace and Katsura Imperial Villa will open for exclusive tours. See the influence of tradition on a textile center where kimonos are made, and in a special tea ceremony at Konnichi-an (the Master House of the Ura-Senke Tea Ceremony School). You can also look forward to a tatami party and your stay at a ryokan (inn). One evening will be reserved for dinner in the special garden of the Nomura Second House, attended by maikos (apprentice geishas).

Light and Shade of Japan Tour
(Nara and Kyoto)
October 11 - 15
Host: Tatsuo Kotani
Spirituality reigns in the ancient city of Nara, home of Buddhist and Shinto temples dating from the 8th century. From its founding in 710, early Chinese and Korean influences have coexisted harmoniously in the city's architecture and abundant crafts. Reflect on the many shades of life as you visit the 53-foot Great Buddah (the largest in Japan), a Ninja mansion, exquisite Nara-Koen Park, visit Horyuji, Japan's oldest temple, and other landmarks of Nara's past. And save some room for a meal of Matsuzaka beef, which is said to be even more delicious than Kobe beef.

Ninja and Pearl Tour
(Ise and Kyoto)
October 11 - 15
Host: Eijiro Ito (Japan)
"Oh, I yearn to visit Ise, to see the way to Ise, be it just once in my whole life," goes a generations-old Japanese ballad of the land of cultured pearls and seafood delicacies. Tour the magnificent Ise Grand Shrines, which were visited over centuries by emperors and others seeking the mecca of the Shinto religion, and recently renewed according to the custom of sengu (rebuilding every 20 years). A cruise on the brilliant Bay of Ise, birthplace of pearl cultivation, will lead to the pearl shops of Mikimoto island so you may purchase from the source.

High-Tech and Gourmet Tour
(Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto)
October 11 - 15
Host: Haruyuki Yoshimoto (Japan)
Osaka -- the modern, earthy City of Merchants -- holds charms beyond its commercial facade, contrasting with the greener, more sedate city of Kobe. Watch for architectural delights and other surprises on a walking tour of Shinsaibashi shopping street and the harborland. You'll be welcomed at Panasonic, Matsushita and other YPO-member factories and companies, and taste your fill of okonomi-yaki, tako-yaki and other local flavors.

Another Side of Japan
(Takayama)
October 11 - 15
Host: Iyoshi Kawashima (Japan)
Escape the bustling cities to a heartwarming journey of discovery. In Takayama, "Little Kyoto" nestled in the Hida Mountains, start your day at the colorful morning market, wander historic streets to the shoguns' home of Jin-ya and visit artists' studios and craft shops. You'll spend the day in Kanazawa observing yuzen (traditional fabric dyeing) before unwinding at Kenrokuen Park, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and in the hot springs baths at your ryokan (inn).