Kats is really cool and smart. However, this class isn't very well structured and you don't end up coming away with much. You jump around history constantly in a way that doesn't really make sense. You have to do weekly vocab write ups which are graded on completion so it's just busy work. If you're interested in Japanese history take the class, it can offer a lot if you want it to. Otherwise you just don't gain that much. There are easier GEs too.

This was an amazing class! Professor Hirano is such a great and engaging lecturer and I looked forward to his classes. He gave such great insight and though this is a rather unconventional history class, I enjoyed it. Grade is basically participation and 2 essays, so it is very heavily dependent on TA. Shoutout to Xiaowen, who was absolutely amazing!! Would definitely recommend this GE!

Japan history is no longer a dull subject thanks to Professor Hirano and my best TAs!

BTW, here shows how the grades calculated for this course:

15% Weekly assignments (one-page, double-spaced reading response each week)
20% Participation (as long as you attend the discussions and make meaningful points)
30% Midterm Paper
35% Final Paper

I highly recommend this for a GE! Professor Hirano is super nice, but lectures aren't mandatory so I never went. Your grade is basically based off discussion participation (basically just show up to discussion), weekly one page double spaced responses, and a midterm and final essay (no tests). All you really need to do for this class is go to discussion and skim the weekly readings to write a one page response since they're only graded for completion. Lectures aren't super important because you go over material in the discussion and you can write the papers solely off the readings. The TAs are also super nice and helpful. Take this class!!!

Maybe it was just me but this class was a lot harder than expected. Yes, it was good to have only a paper for the midterm and final but the prompts are convoluted. If you bomb one, then you kind of already bomb the class. Had a really good TA and he was incredibly nice and helpful so go to discussion to understand what's going on. He doesn't take attendance anymore in lecture but go to lecture to get the gist of the class for the essay.

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.

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.

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.

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 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