JETAA Southeast to hold JLPT language course in March
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Via JETAA Southeast:
The JETAASE chapter will have a JLPT language course in March. If you are near JLPT N2 level or aspiring to be, this course is for you!
Dates:
March 5th
March 12th
March 26th
Time: 7:45pm – 9:15pm (90 minutes)
Class location: Healey Building downstairs conference room (the corner of Forsyth and Walton)
Address: 57th Forsyth St. NW, Atlanta, GA
The in-person class will be open to the first 10 participants. For those residing outside of the Atlanta area, a long distance learning option may be available. The class will be taught by Japanese language instructor Sakiko Suzuki
Please sign up at the form below if you are interested in participating.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGJxUHFWQWRJSDIxczNiYVltVHR0aWc6MQ#gid=0
Justin’s Japan: Interview with DJ Krush on His 20th Anniversary Tour
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"Everyone’s using computers these days, but when I was young analog was king. Today everyone’s using the same software, so it can sound a bit dull. On the other hand, there’s plenty of surprising music you can create, so that’s what I’m aiming to do." (Justin Tedaldi)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Born Hideaki Ishi in Tokyo, DJ Krush is one of the world’s most acclaimed electronic music artists and producers. He first made his name in hip-hop in the 1980s as the founder of Krush Posse, and his style now transcends category much like his idol Miles Davis, who dropped the “jazz” label for “music” in the late 1960s.
Continuing his world tour, DJ Krush plays at The MID in Chicago tonight (Feb 21). In this exclusive interview conducted Sunday backstage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn (his first New York City gig in four years), I spoke with the artist during sound check about his two decades as a solo artist, his shocking yakuza past, and this thoughts on the future of music.
Last year you celebrated your 20th anniversary as a solo artist. What did it mean to you?
It’s endless—I didn’t expect it would last this long, so when I realized that it was now 20 years I was surprised. My history as a DJ is 25 years, but I’ve been a solo artist for 20 years.
Before you began your career you became involved with the yakuza. Did having this reputation make it difficult to enter or be successful in the music business at first?
I didn’t want to mimic American style hip-hop; I wanted to create a style unique from everyone else. At first, I didn’t have a good reputation and they wanted to attack me, so it was really tough.
What are the central differences between Japanese and American hip-hop?
The style is the same, but the culture, lifestyle and background is different. It’s tricky to explain, but the differences are there.
For the complete story, click here.
Amy at Soma, Fukushima, with Mr. Tanji, August 2011.
By Amy Cameron (Fukushima-ken, 1998-2000) for JQ magazine. Amy was one of eight American JET alums selected for the Tohoku Invitational Program sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Tourism Agency.
I will always remember the day back in 1998 that I received my JET ALT assignment. I immediately rushed to a map to see where I would be living. I hadn’t studied Japanese before, so it was hard to pronounce the words: Nihonmatsu-shi, Fukushima-ken. My tongue tripped on the syllables and I laughed. I found the spot on a map, about halfway between Tokyo and Aomori, 35 miles or so from the coast, between some mountains. I tried to imagine what it would be like to live there. As my departure approached, friends and family asked where in Japan I was heading, but no one had ever heard of Fukushima.
Fast forward to the days following March 11, 2011, and suddenly the whole world had heard of Fukushima. Amidst the media overload of earthquake, tsunami, and radiation disaster images, friends and family called and e-mailed me, “Was that where you used to live?” I scrambled to contact friends and coworkers in the region. My former supervisor cried when he heard that I was thinking of him. People in Nihonmatsu were okay, he assured me. The earthquake had not done as much damage as in some other areas, and Nihonmatsu was far enough from the coast that it had not been hit by the tsunami. Radiation, on the other hand, was a growing concern.
At this time, my heart ached to return to Fukushima to visit the people and land I loved so dearly. I had spent two amazing years there as an ALT, and it had been hard to leave. Even as news of the disasters began to fade from the headlines, I felt distracted from my life in Boston, part of me emotionally back in Fukushima. When I heard about the Tohoku Invitational Program for JET alums a few months later, I was so excited that I had a hard time sleeping. This was it: a real opportunity to return to my Japanese hometown, much sooner than I had thought would be possible.
Justin’s Japan: L’Arc~en~Ciel Rocks Madison Square Garden March 25
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Courtesy of BAM!
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). Visit his Japanese culture page on Examiner.com here for related stories.
After 20 years, 13 million albums and 16 million singles sold, famed rock group L’Arc~en~Ciel is gearing up for a historic performance as the very first Japanese act to headline New York¹s legendary Madison Square Garden.
Formed in Osaka in 1991, L’Arc~en~Ciel (the name means “rainbow” in French) gained acclaim for their glam-influenced stage fashions, frenetic live shows, and punk/new wave inspired music. The group has achieved legendary status at home and abroad, and its new album BUTTERFLY will be released on iTunes in much of the world outside of Japan in March.
The album also includes the hit song “Good Luck My Way” as featured in the movie version of the iconic and highly popular anime full-length feature film, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Star of Milos. This band¹s hit single “Ready Steady Go” was used in the soundtrack of the original Fullmetal Alchemist television series featured on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
L¹Arc-en-Ciel¹s lead singer and occasional guitarist hyde has called BUTTERFLY “a monumental album, it’s great that we can release the album just at the right time.”
For more details and tickets, click the banner image or visit www.larc-en-ciel.com.
Zen Monk Fights Radiation in Japan
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Via MSNBC website: http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/10/10368444-zen-monk-fights-radiation-in-japan?chromedomain=worldnews
Any JETs have experiences to share about dealing with or fighting against ongoing radiation in Japan? Have any JETs met this zen monk?
“Pray For Japan” documentary screening coming to your town
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Thanks to Jessica Kennett Cork (CIR, 1997-2000, Hiroshima-ken) who works for the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta for sharing the below information about a documentary film by an American living in Japan called Pray for Japan which will be screened throughout the US March 11 and 14:
On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Tohoku coastal region was destroyed by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami that followed. PRAY FOR JAPAN takes place in the devastated region of Ishinomaki, Miyagi – the largest coastal city in Tohoku with a population of over 160,000 people. Filmmaker Stu Levy – an American living in Japan – filmed the tsunami aftermath during his trips to Tohoku as a volunteer and over a period of 6 weeks, captured over 50 hours of footage.
PRAY FOR JAPAN focuses on four key perspectives of the tragedy – School, Shelter, Family, and Volunteers. With each perspective we meet victims who faced significant obstacles and fought to overcome them. Through these four vantage points, the audience is able to understand the vast ramifications of this large-scale natural disaster – and the battle these real-life heroes fought on behalf of their loved ones and their hometown.
Find a screening near you: http://prayforjapan-film.org/page/screenings
The future of education and the future of JET
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I just came across this RSAnimate video about a progressive way to think about education in an era where we really don’t know what’s coming next, and the main skills people will need are the ability to see lots of possibilities and be prepared to adapt and evolve. It seems particularly relevant as more attention is paid to what the future of JET will look like.
JET Prefecture Round-up 2.16.12
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Sam Brewster, (Akita-ken, Kazuno-shi, 2011-present), gives a little taste of what JETs are doing around Japan. To submit items for future JET Prefecture Round-up posts, e-mail Sam at jetinfogather [at] gmail.com.
Events by Region
Chubu Region
- Snow Splash party in Hakuba at The Pub on February 25th.
- The 22nd Annual Sakura Kawazu Matsuri will take place from February 5th to March 10th.
- Ski trip 2 – Le Retour at the Aqua Alpine Hotel and Lady Diana Hotel from February 17th to 19th.
- Shizuoka JETs are heading to this year’s Fujinishiki Sake Matsuri on Sunday 18th March in Fujinomiya-shi.
Kansai Region
- Nara JETs take on Hadaka Matsuri – the Naked Man Festival – in Okayama on February 18th.
- Nara Bunkasai 2012 takes place this year on February 25th at Loco Loco, showcasing the best of Nara ALTs’ talents for charity!
Kantou Region
Ibaraki
- Makabe Hina Doll Festival in Sakuragawa, from February 4th to March 3rd.
- Charity Party for Earthquake Disaster at Recife Bar On Sunday 19th February
- The KAJET Annual Pub Quiz takes place this year on March 10th
- KumAJET is auctioning off its ALTs for charity at this year’s Valentine’s Day Auction, held on February 18th. Last year they raised a whopping 238,000yen!
- The Kumamoto City International Center Japanese cooking workshop is being held this year on February 26th
- Nagasaki JETs are holding a three day intensive English course for students to take part in various cultural activities and games, beginning February 15th.
- Ehime Jets are volunteering on February 26th, playing games and doing crafts with children at the Hatadera Children’s Center.
Most of you have probably seen these two things going around on Facebook and elsewhere. But just in case you haven’t….
1. The 101 Signs You’ve Been in Japan Too Long
2. ALT in Japan
Justin’s Japan: Robert Whiting Brings ‘Tokyo Underworld’ to Japan Society
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Tokyo Underworld 2012: An Evening with Robert Whiting will be held Feb. 16 at Japan Society. Continue reading on Examiner.com Robert Whiting brings ‘Tokyo Underworld’ to Japan Society. (Courtesy of Japan Society)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Japan Society of New York becomes your gateway to the seamy side of Japan on Feb. 16 with Tokyo Underworld 2012: An Evening with Robert Whiting. At this special appearance, the celebrated author will discuss the intractable role of yakuza in virtually all areas of modern day society in Japan. (It also echoes a 2011 Japan Society lecture by crime expert and Tokyo Vice author Jake Adelstein.)
Whiting first came to Japan with U.S. Air Force intelligence in 1962, where he was assigned to work for the National Security Agency in the U-2 program. He graduated from Tokyo’s Sophia University in 1969 with a degree in Japanese politics. His research into the ties binding Japan’s leading politicians to Yakuza bosses gained him entrée into the Higashi Nakano wing of Tokyo’s largest criminal gang, the Sumiyoshi-kai, where he became an “informal advisor.” He worked for Encyclopedia Britannica Japan as an editor until 1972, whereupon he moved to New York City and wrote his first book, The Chrysanthemum and the Bat. He later worked for Time-Life in Tokyo for a year before becoming a professional author.
Embassy of Japan in the UK Webmagazine (February 2012)
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Embassy of Japan in the UK Webmagazine round-up. Posted by JET alum and current editor of the webmagazine, Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). To subscribe to the Embassy of Japan’s monthly webmagazine, email webmagazine@ld.mofa.go.jp with the subject ‘subscribe’.
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Embassy of Japan in the UK Webmagazine: February 2012
Ambassador’s blog
My visit to Fukushima
Featured article
JAPAN: International Fashion Showcase 2012
Other articles:
Films at the Embassy of Japan: The Glass Cape
Manga Jiman 2011 Competition Results
Wasabi and chocolate?! An interview with William Curley
Tatsumi – A new film by Eric Khoo
Olympic Judo Champion Maki Tsukada to appear at HYPER JAPAN!
One Year After the Great East Japan Earthquake
JET Alum Lee-Sean Huang’s article in Fast Co.Exist on social innovation in Brazil
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JET alum and JETwit webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, Nakatsu-shi, 2003-2006) has published a new article about Social Innovation in Brazil. Lee-Sean is a member of JETAA New York, but is currently working in Brazil for a few months. He credits his JET experience as an invaluable resource for his current field of design for social innovation, where he works with cross-cultural communities to create social, cultural, and civic value.
Here is a preview of the article:
Brazil is known for its supermodels, but what about its social innovation models? Besides the economic boom, the country is finding a new groove in the field of digital collaboration and activism.
Last year, I moved from New York to Rio de Janeiro, where Purpose has opened its first overseas office. I have met with local innovators and interacted with all kinds of people on the streets, at the beach, and in botequins (informal bars). These experiences have all enriched my work in social innovation. Besides stimulating my creativity, immersion in a different culture and working in a foreign language have heightened my sense of mindfulness and empathy, reminded me of the virtue of humility, and taught me a few things about what it means to innovate.
Read the rest of the article at Fast Co.Exist.
How has your JET experience helped open doors to other cultures (besides your home culture and Japanese culture)? Are there any other JET alumni out there living in Brazil? Any other JET alumni working in the field of social innovation? Drop us a line in the comments, we would love to hear from you.
Relief effort photos
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Thanks to JETAA Chicago’s Shannon Copp (Shiga-ken) for sharing the link to these photos from The Daily Mail indicating the amazing extent of Japan’s clean-up and rebuilding efforts following the 3/11 disaster.
WIT Life #191: Multiple marathons and Honolulu highlights
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Tomorrow I head to Kumamoto, my home for three years during JET, to participate in the inaugural Kumamoto Marathon which will be held next weekend. The following weekend I will go up to Tokyo to participate for the fifth time in their amazing marathon. I’m looking forward to not only the running, but catching up with natsukashii friends, eating oishii food and most of all onsen!!!
Speaking of oishii food, 
I recently enjoyed the Hawaiian version of wagashi at my favorite shop in Honolulu, Kansai Yamato. This small stall in the food court of the fantastic Ala Moana mall sells handmade mochi in funky flavors like Kona coffee, mango and Oreo as well as Read More
Preston busts a move onstage with cosplay idol Reni Mimura. (Justin Tedaldi)
By Preston Hatfield (Yamanashi-ken, 2009-10) for JQ magazine. Preston moved from San Francisco to New York City in January 2012 and is now accepting submissions from people who want to be his friend. Abduct him from his house in the middle of the night, or find him on Facebook and ask about his JET blog in which he details his exploits and misadventures in that crazy Land of the Rising Sun we all love.
The Bennett Media Studio in New York’s West Village was filled to capacity on Feb. 11 for Saturday’s Lunar New Year Celebration and Fashion Show. This event, hosted by the ASIANinNY networking organization, treated guests to a night of Asian-oriented exhibitions, highlighted by two fashion shows and an energetic performance by cosplay singer and Japanese idol Reni Mimura.
The boys took the stage first, modeling clothes by designer Ninh Nguyen and eliciting a number of lascivious hoots and catcalls from an appreciative crowd, and the girls, wearing Meiling Chen’s new line, came out to a barrage of camera flashes. Fitting with the Year of the Dragon, the models’ hair, stylized by a team from Haruo Noro Salon, exhibited a quiet ferocity and mystique.
“For [the girls] the look is a simple and romantic boho style, center part, with a low ponytail and a braid. For [the boys] the look is a ’60s mod, edgy/punk, with a modern and clean feel,” lead stylist Noro said of his artistic intent. Having worked and studied in salons in Japan and London before coming to New Jersey and establishing his own business, Noro explained that for this event he drew mostly from his Japanese training, though having additional training and work with other cultures and participating in various fashion shows has enhanced his creative vision.
“I love that ASIANinNY is able to feature and promote various Asian designers, and my team and I are very happy to be part of it,” he said.
