Honestly I was really nervous for this class because I've only taken a few history courses in the past. I was only taking the class because it was my last enrollment pass, every other class was taken and I needed to fulfill a GE requirement. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this class. To be honest, you really don't have to do ALL of the reading (which is an absurd amount). I probably read the first 5-10 pages of each reading that was assigned and just payed good attention in lecture + discussion. You do have to participate in discussion but if you just pay attention to lecture/read a couple pages of the reading you'll be set. Theres only two 1-page reading reflections a week (due before every lecture) that are grades on completion. The best part of this class is THERE IS NO TESTS only two papers (1 midterm paper and 1 final paper) and you get to choose your prompt out of like 5 choices. Just choose the easiest one to write about HAHA! Oh and just pray you get a good TA because they do the grading on the essays, but a heard that the professor tells them not to grade them TOO hard. Trust me take this class, it was super lightweight and interesting. I actually am thankful that I took this class because it taught me about an important topic that previously didn't know a lot about.

Great lecturer, I learned a lot from his class but I had a terrible TA. The TA basically determines your grade for all three essays so I'm really bummed out that my TA was a harsh grader. Nonetheless I recommend this professor for great insight for the history of Japan

I really like Prof. Hirano's Hist 172A and 172B. A great professor and a nice person.

Really really great professor in my opinion. Very knowledgable yet humble.

I felt like I really learned a lot from his class, and not just about Japanese history. He didn't just present the facts, but forced us to analyze history in more depth than other history and social classes I've taken. I also appreciated that this class forced me to realize the biased views I applied to history, how many of us are used to forcing the past to fit modern ideas and concepts. I left this course a significantly different person. Sounds dramatic, but it's true.

Highly recommend any course with him. He knows what he's talking about so you'll definitely learn. Only downside are the harsh TA's. Hopefully you'll get one that realizes you're not an expert at Japanese history since it is an intro class.

Great professor. I had a terrible TA who did not give good reasons for assigning poor grades. My TA was not very helpful. Professor Hirano made the class enjoyable.

Professor Hirano is one of my favorite professors at UCLA. He's an expert in the field, gives interesting lectures, and is very open to helping understand material outside of class. He's all about giving you information that will get you thinking about the material yourself, rather than memorizing facts.

He does take attendance in class, so you will have to go, but you will enjoy his presentations, and he doesn't have any 8AMs (took two classes with him), so it is not that bad. He also bases your grade on three essays (he gives a choice of questions) and has no midterm or final. I think this is a much better way to go, because the essays are easy to write and you can get a good grade if you understand the readings and try a bit. The subject of your essays also stays with you longer - I still remember the topics I wrote on very well.

Overall, I highly recommend this class to History majors who need their distribution for non-Western history, and anyone who is interested in Japanese history.

This class is fairly easy. The class is out of 100 points. 40 points are weekly assignments and discussion, but you're practically guaranteed full points if you attend and just do the assignment, which is two paragraphs per week. There are three essays, about 4-5 pages each. Hirano discourages memorization, so there are no midterms or finals. They're not harsh graders, so it is fairly easy to get an A. If you really need help, go to the history writing center, but make sure to schedule an appointment early or else they get booked quickly.
Hirano is passionate about the subject, which makes it nice. He does take attendance each lecture and discussion. His syllabus states if you miss a discussion, you automatically get a F. Not sure how true that is. Overall, it's an easy GE and fulfills the diversity requirement.

Katsuya Hirano is amazing. He offers a refreshing perspective on studying history, through examination of the intellectuals who evince the sentiments and conflicts of the time period. I must commend the TA's for doing an amazing job and helping students pinpoint their ideas during the office hours. I really enjoyed Hirano's lectures, as I feel that he speaks in an ardent and engaging manner. He is really passionate about what he teaches, and he has a great personality. He is extremely kind, and willing to help you tremendously if you attend his office hours, which I recommend. One of my favorite classes at UCLA by far. You might feel lost in the first few lectures, but it will all come together by the end of the quarter, if you are persistent. Every lecture connects to the next, so missing lectures is not advised. I also enjoyed that we were inclined to attend lectures because of the assignments, which were simple and straightforward, but encouraged you to read thoroughly. Great professor, hope to take more of his classes.

I enrolled into this class during week 2 and Professor Hirano was very lenient about me making up missed assignments. Every week there are two assignments due based off of the readings. Some of the readings are from his course website and some are from the books he assigned. Professor Hirano is without a doubt a leader in his field, the sheer amount of knowledge he has with regards to Japanese History is astonishing. His lectures are extremely helpful and clear, if you go to lecture and take good notes, you will be more than prepared for the Midterm (paper), and the Final (paper). There are no in class exams. This class is not your typical history class, rather than just spewing historical facts, he takes the class through Japan's history through the lenses of various Japanese philosophers. Take this class if you like history, you will learn a lot.

This class is very easy if you do the assignments. It takes some time but is very worth it. I liked the assignments because they forced me to become acquainted with the readings, and the homework is a good percentage of your grade (maybe 30%?). Professor Hirano's lecture may not be the most compelling in the world, but I still found them to be pretty enjoyable.

I would advise students to go to this class on time. Do not leave early unless you tell him beforehand! He will ask you why in front of the entire class. This did not happen to me, but please be respectful in this class. You do not want the embarrassment of being called out.

I never personally talked to Professor Hirano and he didn't know my name, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this class.

I got a B on the midterm paper because I thought we were supposed to use material from the lectures to prove our points. They said my paper was well done, but I didn't input my own perspective in my paper and regurgitated the lecture material. This was due to my misunderstanding of the prompt. Remember to base your paper on the readings! I was able to get a high A for the final when I understood this.

I think this is a class where as long as you fulfill the requirements, Hirano leads you to success. He also has very a nuanced perspective on Japanese history and I thought the information he gave us was very valuable.