Travel writing tells about places visited, but also tells us a lot about the travelers themselves. In this course, we will read writings by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean travelers to places both real and imaginary, within and outside of Asia. Readings will range from the 2nd century BCE to the 20th century, and will describe visits to Central and Southeast Asia, India, the U.S., and Europe; the writers include explorers, diplomats, Buddhist monks, poets, soldiers, novelists, and shipwrecked sailors. The class will be conducted as a seminar: there will be three 10-page papers and no final exam. All readings will be in English.