Faculty Spotlight: Revising Japanese History, on Foot | PennStater Magazine

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Faculty Spotlight: Revising Japanese History, on Foot

For his new book, historian Greg Smits clocked many hours walking through remote parts of Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.

photo of lush green mountains and stone wall in Japan's Ryukyu Islands, courtesy

By Savita Iyer

January / February 2026

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