Kyodo News “Rural JET alumni” series: Nic Klar (Niigata)
Article/Journalism, Japan Local, JET Alum Author Beat, JETs in the News, LifeAfterJET, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment 
Comments Off on Kyodo News “Rural JET alumni” series: Nic Klar (Niigata)
News agency Kyodo News has recently been publishing monthly articles written by JET alumni who were appointed in rural areas of Japan, as part of promotion for the JET Programme. Below is the English version of the column from October 2013. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
********
Originally from Australia, Nicholas Klar (Niigata-ken, Itoigawa-shi, 1995-97) wrote the book “My Mother is a Tractor” about his life as an ALT in Omi, Itoigawa, Niigata-ken. After JET he worked for many years as a college counsellor and History teacher in international schools before returning to Japan to live. He now runs a small business in the Japan Alps, “Explore the Heart of Japan” as well as a popular travel website (http://myoko-nagano.com).
Ghosts of the Blue Sea
Remember that here all is enchantment, – that you have fallen under the spell of the dead, – that the lights and the colours and the voices must fade away at last into emptiness and silence. –Lafcadio Hearn
It was a stark winter’s day as usual in Niigata-ken, grey like sodden blanket. Not one that I had set out on seeking ghosts, but it suited the mood. As I changed trains in Naoetsu for Ōmi the old tempura stand I had been hoping for a snack at was still there, but today it was closed. It seems even the sturdy yukiguni could not stand the sort of weather that was being hurled at them this winter from across the Japan Sea. I settled into my seat, its soft orange covers familiar like an old friend, and waited for the delayed departure. I scrubbed the mist from the brown streaked windows with my hand as the motor idled and the minutes slipped by. Outside schoolboys in their traditional Prussian kit seem oblivious to the biting gusts of artic-like snow. Eventually with the sound of the station attendants whistle the doors snapped shut and the blue and white carriage groaned away from the platform.
As we crossed over the dark frigid waters of the Himegawa almost an hour later I grew excited. I hadn’t been back to the haunts of my old town for years. It was an unplanned visit and no-one really knew I was coming. I looked over for the local chugakko as the train passed by, obscured now by the construction of the new Hokuriku shinkansen. Framed behind those were the mountains I had loved so much. So many times I had taken my bike up into those North Alps making new discoveries, getting lost in the awesome beauty of its nature. Days of sunshine, days of rain. How I missed them. And the ghosts that inhabited them.
To the right there was a slight glimpse of my former apartment block. Not mine anymore, not for many years. In fact I think it now lays empty, apart from maybe a ghost or two, as the town depopulates. Tall, grey, forbidding – once referred to by a friend as, “…classic 1950’s communist Romanian style architecture”. The memory of that remark brought a brief smile to my face. Yet, it is the only place I will ever live in that has a sea view at the front and the mountains at the back. Grand views of God’s great vista on tap.
When the doors clunked open at Ōmi eki it was if nothing had changed. The chimes rang the same they had all those years ago and the black asphalt platform lay several centimetres thick with windswept snow. It felt soft under my feet as I began my ascent up the cold cement stairs. Standing in his post was my first metaphorical ghost – Watanabe-san the station master in the same blue-clad uniform, looking not a whit older than when we had last met a few years ago. He didn’t recognise me of course, even though I had taught his daughter at Ōmi chugakko. During my stay many of the station attendants had greeted me by name each time I passed through the gate. The inside of the station was a time capsule still painted the same green, apart from a more modern poster here and there, populated by even more ghosts of my memories. Local oba-chan in the waiting room still sat chatting on wooden bench seats around the kerosene heater behind glass doors. The three old shuttered-up ticket windows still existed – a sad reminder from the more grandiose boom days of Ōmi. Perhaps they were stubbornly retained in the forlorn hope that those times may yet return once again. Read More
CLAIR Magazine “JET Plaza” series: Anthony Bianchi (Aichi)
Article/Journalism, LifeAfterJET, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on CLAIR Magazine “JET Plaza” series: Anthony Bianchi (Aichi)
Each month, current and former JET participants are featured in the “JET Plaza” section of the CLAIR Forum magazine. The November 2013 edition includes an article by JET alumn Anthony Bianchi. Posted by Celine Castex (Chiba-ken, 2006-11), currently programme coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo.
********
“Once you are in the programme, you are in the programme for life. As an Italian kid from the streets of Brooklyn, I get that. Like they say, when you’re a JET you’re a JET all the way, from your first cup of tea to your last hanami.”
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Kiyosu City, 1989-91), graduated from New York University with a degree in film making. After working on a number of television programs in Hollywood, he joined the JET Programme and spent two years working as an ALT in rural Aichi. A few years later, after overcoming many difficulties, he started the Native English Teacher (NET) Program, a teachers programme tailored for Inuyama City. Feeling there was a wall between the citizens and the city hall, he decided to run for the office and was voted into the city council of Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture in April 2003. Anthony is currently serving his third term.
JET Generations
As anyone who has done so knows, living and working overseas in a different culture has a profound effect on all sides.
I have written before about how being on the JET Programme changed my life. To make a long story short, I would definitely not be here in Inuyama doing what I am doing had I not been involved in JET. Sometimes it still amazes me how things worked out. I mean, sometimes while I am making an argument on the council floor about some very local issue I still think, “How in the world did I end up here?” Conversely, I wonder at times what I would be doing if I had not joined JET some 25 years ago. Definitely something very different and most likely not as rewarding.
But the JET experience is certainly not only about what you get out of it, as I mentioned at the top, it is about the effect it has on all sides. As time passes I realize more and more that being a JET alumnus is a living thing that goes on after your contractual duties end. I still meet people involved with the programme that leads to great relationships and opportunities. Especially opportunities to give others even a small glimpse into another culture like the one we had by being part of the JET Programme. I am always impressed by the willingness of JET alumni to give back. A couple of summers ago I was asked to be on a panel at a national conference in Washington DC. Of course, there again, I met many outstanding alumni who are doing great things to promote cultural exchange and understanding between Japan and their home country. But I also realized that there is something about meeting former JET participants that has a camaraderie that is different and,in many ways, surpasses any other alumni association that I have known. I include in this group also Japanese staff and officials who have worked on the programme.
I would like to talk about a recent example. Out of my office, we run an exchange program called B. Bridges. We are a volunteer exchange group in our tenth year of existence. The idea for the group was seeded at an event the Brooklyn Borough President,Marty Markowitz, held for me at Borough Hall after my first election in 2003. There I was reacquainted with the administration of Xaverian High School. On that same trip I visited the school before returning to Japan. During that visit we decided to hold some kind of exchange.
JQ Magazine: 2013 JETAA Oceania National Conference Spotlights Sister City Relationships
Article/Journalism, Japan Local, JETAA Chapters, JQ Magazine, Local Government, Return on JET-vestment, Sister City Comments Off on JQ Magazine: 2013 JETAA Oceania National Conference Spotlights Sister City Relationships
Hiromi Hakuta, assistant director of CLAIR Sydney, addresses alumni at the JETAA Oceania National Conference, Brisbane, Nov. 2013. (Courtesy of Hiromi Hakuta)
By Eden Law (Fukushima-ken, 2010-11). After the JET Programme more than fulfilled its promise of “an experience of a lifetime,” Eden returned to Sydney, Australia, where he joined the JETAA New South Wales chapter to take advantage of the network and connections available to undertake projects such as an uchiwa design competition for the Sydney Japan Festival. He also maintains the JETAANSW website and social media. Other than that, he’s a web designer and a poet, gentlemen and raconteur.
One of the best things about being a member of JETAA is the community, and over the weekend of 15-17 of November, the Oceania community of JETAA got together for our annual antipodean regional conference. For those of you up north who don’t know, JETAA Oceania comprises of five Australian chapters (the state chapters of Queensland, New South Wales, Canberra, the uber-chapter of South Australia-Victoria-Tasmania, Western Australia) and three New Zealand chapters (South Island, Auckland and Wellington). Representatives from Sydney’s CLAIR office (Tsuyoshi Ito, Hiromi Hakuta and Julien Ansart) attended as observers of the proceedings. This year, JETAA Queensland played host in Brisbane, the northern capital that looks to Asia and is close to the Gold Coast, a favoured destination for young Japanese looking for sun, surf and sand. Appropriately, we had our first lunch meet on Friday at MOS Burger, the famous Japanese fast food chain whose only non-Asian presence internationally is right in Brisbane.
JETAA Oceania was invited to attend the Welcome Back Reception for returning JETs at the Japanese Consul General’s home in Brisbane on the Friday night, a chance of course for us to network and hobnob with the cream of Brisbane’s Japanese cultural community. And after the reception finished (early, predictably), JETAA kicked on in town for a night out (hint: it’ll always involve karaoke—usually lots of obscure Japanese songs sung by that one quiet serious person who turns into a blurry, hip-thrusting maniac).
The first day of the conference began on Saturday, early (for some, too early) at our hotel and Laura Tasharofi, president of JETAA Qld, began proceedings by explaining the theme of this year: Australia-Japan sister-city relationships. As explained by Hakuta-san, of all countries, Japan has the most links in Oceania, with 108 sister city relationships in Australia and 44 in New Zealand. Therefore, the potential for JETAA to get involved is great, and the conference’s objective is to find ways to participate and be more prominent in our local communities. To start discussions and provide ideas and examples, two guest speakers, Ross Humphreys and Barry Hancock, were invited who are respected members of the Brisbane community and its influential sister city relationships.
【RocketNews24】Japanese elementary school teachers may tell you “5 x 100 = 500” is wrong
Article/Journalism, Writers Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】Japanese elementary school teachers may tell you “5 x 100 = 500” is wrong
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Master Blaster, writing team for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.
Here’s an elementary school math question for you all:
Apples are sold for 100 yen each. If you buy 5 what is the total amount?
If you said “5 × 100 = 500” then I’m sorry but you just flunked second grade math in Japan… if there were only one question all year. The reason is an old teaching method that is employed in elementary and middle schools throughout the country. It’s also a method that many, such as a blogger by the name of Uncorrelated, want stopped as it leads to strange logic where six times seven does not always equal 42 and five times 100 might not equal 500.
JQ Magazine: JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Aids Recovery
Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, Film, JQ Magazine, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JQ Magazine: JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund Aids Recovery
Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund founder Andy Anderson (center) with members of the JET Alumni Association of New York at Columbia University, Oct. 30, 2013. (Courtesy of JETAA New York)
By C-M Daeley (Saga-ken, 2008-2011) for JQ magazine. C-M is a poet, rap lyricist, and travel enthusiast currently working as an English teacher in Tokyo. For a look at some of his other writing, poetry and lyrics, check out his blog at http://spikedaeley.wordpress.com.
With today’s 24-hour global news cycle, it is sometimes difficult to keep even the most severe events in public memory. The Great East Japan Earthquake that struck on March 11, 2011 has not received much recent coverage in global news, but the issues faced by those still rebuilding remain monumental. Fortunately, there has been significant international aid from a number of sources, one of which is the JETAA USA Earthquake Relief Fund. This grant has raised almost USD $90,000 and has been used to provide seed funding to assist grassroots programs in areas severely impacted by the earthquake.
Due to the complex nature of fund allocation, this article will focus mainly on projects and programs directly supported through JETAA funds. However, it is significant to note that the Earthquake Relief Fund was only one of several avenues used to bring aid to the region and that, to date, roughly $500,000 has been raised through JET-affiliated groups and organizations worldwide. Jim Gannon (Ehime-Ken, 1992-94), current executive director at the Japan Center for International Exchange in New York, and Jessyca Livingston (Hokkaido, 2003-06), one of the three JETAA USA Country Representatives serving during the immediate aftermath and current JET Program coordinator at the Consulate-General of Japan in Denver, spoke about some of the initiatives the Earthquake Relief Fund has helped support.
“It is very difficult to give a concise yet comprehensive picture of what the JETAA funds have done,” Gannon explained. “The best way to describe it is that they have played a catalytic role in supporting some key projects in the early stage that have been supported by a range of others in more generous fashion once they proved their merits. JETAA cannot take full credit for all of the successes, but it did play an important role in getting things moving.” He also noted, “The real heroes are these incredible people from Tohoku who have championed these projects, the inspirational young people who have relocated to Tohoku to help operate them, and those who have been shuttling back and forth from Tokyo and elsewhere to help formulate and drive these initiatives.”
After a national discussion and several rounds of voting in each of JETAA USA’s 19 chapters, a final decision was made about how the fund should be allocated. “In the end, it was very obvious that chapters found it important to support education-related efforts in those areas most affected,” Livingston said.
Justin’s Japan: J-LABO Brooklyn Opens in Park Slope
Art, Article/Journalism, Justin's Japan Comments Off on Justin’s Japan: J-LABO Brooklyn Opens in Park Slope
Click image to read story
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Shukan NY Seikatsu. Visit his Examiner.com Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Since its launch in 2008, social network J-COLLABO has been working with numerous artists to make innovative Japanese-themed collaborations accessible to the public. Now it has taken the next step in its evolution with J-LABO Brooklyn, which had its pre-opening party in Park Slope last month.
“J-LABO is a place where the conventions of intercultural chemistry are challenged and the possibilities of creative collaboration and experimentation are deeply explored as a unifying effort between Japanese culture and the cultures of the world,” explained John Figueredo, marketing and PR supervisor for J-COLLABO. “Artists who gather under J-LABO can collaborate, create and implement Japanese-themed works.”
The organization now seeks to raise $40,000 to renovate J-LABO Brooklyn through crowdsourcing funds and events.
“When it is complete, J-LABO will provide a dedicated exhibition/performance space, an artist residency program, classes, and a design lab,” Figueredo said. “With these facilities as a base, J-COLLABO will provide a venue for learning and cultural exchange as well as a generator of new art and design.”
The names of all donors will be carved on a plate for display inside the venue. J-LABO’s next event is an opening reception on Dec. 7 featuring live painting by Fukuoka-based calligrapher and artist Sugita Koki preceding his newest exhibition entitled Kotokama, which will be on display through Dec. 20.
For more information, please visit www.j-collabo.org.
【RocketNews24】10 things Japan gets awesomely right
Article/Journalism, Writers Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】10 things Japan gets awesomely right
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Philip Kendall (Fukushima-ken, Shirakawa-shi, 2006–11), senior editor and writer for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.
At the end of our recent article listing the 10 things that we think Japan gets horribly wrong, we assured you that we’d be back soon to focus on some of the positives and introduce the things that we really, truly love about living in Japan. True to our word, we sat down and decided on what we as (mostly) foreigners most love about this great little collection of islands, and it turned out to be a lot of fun.
Although Japan is not without its faults, it is nevertheless an incredibly efficient and easy-to-live-in country, and we’ve discovered that there are numerous things that the Japanese get not just right, but awesomely right.
Join us after the jump for our top 10 things we love about Japan.
“The Wind Rises is a combination of everything that makes Studio Ghibli as we know it today. It also adds several new elements which make this film dynamic and, some say, controversial.” (Touchstone Pictures)
By Alexis Agliano Sanborn (Shimane-ken, 2009-11) for JQ magazine. Alexis is a graduate of Harvard University’s Regional Studies—East Asia (RSEA) program, and currently works as an executive assistant at Asia Society in New York City.
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises is like no Studio Ghibli movie I have ever seen. No. Wait. It’s like every Ghibli movie I have ever seen. You want fantasy? You got it. You want airships à la Castle in the Sky or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind? You got it. You want deliciously portrayed food? You want nostalgic scenery from bygone days of Tokyo or picturesque European towns? You got that, too. The Wind Rises is a combination of everything that makes Ghibli as we know it today. It also adds several new elements which make this film dynamic and, some say, controversial.
One of the most differentiating factors is that The Wind Rises is the only full-length feature to focus on an actual historical figure—Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the Mitsubishi A5M, a fighter aircraft of World War II. Granted, Miyazaki used his artistic license to embellish the narrative—but he does that only to make things more beautiful and fantastical. (And that’s why we love Miyazaki, right?)
Watching The Wind Rises, you feel repeatedly—and indeed the entire plot more or less focuses on—Japan’s desperation to achieve modernity according to “Western standards.” But modernization was not a smooth road, and Miyazaki makes that message clear. Despite the beautiful veneer, the crux of this film lies in the frustration of a country and its people. Economic deflation, poverty, and limited resources repeatedly arise as roadblocks. (This may explain part of the reason for its amazing popularity in Japan. Frustrations, impatience and desperation exist within every generation.) Yet, as Jiro is reminded, even with setbacks and disappointments, one must live on and progress despite it all.
【RocketNews24】10 things Japan gets horribly wrong
Article/Journalism, Writers Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】10 things Japan gets horribly wrong
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Philip Kendall (Fukushima-ken, Shirakawa-shi, 2006–11), senior editor and writer for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.
It should come as no surprise to our readers to hear that we’re big fans of Japan. Pretty much everything here works as it should, the food is amazing, the culture rich, and people are on the whole likeable and friendly. But there are times when Westerners, and Japanese who have spent any amount of time abroad for that matter, realise that Japan gets some things not just wrong but horribly wrong. So join us after the jump as we redress the balance no doubt offset by our constant admiration of Japan by discussing the 10 little things that drive us nuts in this otherwise great country.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Marco Lienhard, Artistic Director of Taikoza
Article/Journalism, Interview/Profile, JQ Magazine Comments Off on JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Marco Lienhard, Artistic Director of Taikoza
“I always seem to discover new things and different aspects of the music when teaching people from different backgrounds. When trying to explain some of the music, some things seem to come back to mind that were deep inside myself.” (Courtesy of Marco Lienhard)
By Rashaad Jorden (Yamagata-ken, 2008-10) for JQ magazine. A former head of the JETAA Philadelphia Sub-Chapter, Rashaad currently studies responsible tourism management at Leeds Metropolitan University. For more on his life in the UK and enthusiasm for taiko drumming, visit his blog at www.gettingpounded.wordpress.com.
Marco Lienhard has been involved in Japanese music for more than 30 years, first as a member of Ondekoza and then as the artistic director of Taikoza. When building his reputation as a professional taiko player in Japan, Lienhard also mastered the shakuhachi, eventually peforming at four major shakuhachi festivals around the world. He is also the founder of shakuhachi and koto group the East Winds Ensemble.
Lienhard has also released several albums, and his music can he heard on the score of the Nintendo Wii games Red Steel and Red Steel 2. His music has also appeared on ESPN, the History Channel and PBS. In this exclusive interview, Marco discusses his efforts to expand taiko’s global audience, the biggest influences in his career, and his personal highlights among 6,000 performances (and counting).
Where are you originally from and what sparked your interest in Japan and its traditional music?
I originally came from Switzerland, the French part. I went to Japan when I was 18 on some exchange program. I was very interested to go to Japan, but did not know much about it. Once there, I discovered the shakuhachi and the taiko. I had been studying the flute, but that sound of the shakuhachi just was amazing and I decided to study the instrument and master it. The first time I heard it was when I saw Ondekoza. There was taiko, too, and that was just so exciting to see. I did not know that I could play taiko too, but the flute seemed more approachable at the time.
I joined Ondekoza a few months later thinking I would stay just a few months, but it turned into 18 years.
For me, the sound of the shakuhachi was what drew me into it, though I fell in love with the traditional art forms as well. I enjoyed the theater as well as the music. I would go see two to three plays a month, noh or kabuki.
What drew you to taiko in the first place and to become a performer? What are the most important lessons it has taught you?
When I went to Japan, I had been studying piano and flute for many years. To become a performer was just a natural progression from studying with Ondekoza and becoming a member of the group. One thing led to another—studying with them and getting into the whole practice and running aspect of the group.
Marathon running was part of the training, and before long I was running marathons. I joined in August but by November they had me run a full marathon. My first performance was in January for the Imamiya Ebisu Festival on Dotonburi Street in Namba, Osaka. Once I started performing, I got the bug and just wanted to get better at it and study the shakuhachi as well. I was the only one who studied the shakuhachi so I was put on stage very quickly. Taiko has taught me a lot. It is sort of a college or university if not more—a life lesson.
Mr. [Tagayasu] Den, who was the founder of Ondekoza, [influenced] what taiko is now. He was a great influence in the development of modern taiko, though he never really played taiko. He was the brain and the force behind the group. He would lecture us on everything. He would turn a book into lessons for us to learn and apply to stage or performing or taiko. His vision as a director also influenced me on staging of a show
You were a professional taiko player in Japan. How does one become a professional taiko player?
While I was in Japan, I joined Ondekoza and as a member of Ondekoza I studied and later performed professionally with Ondekoza, traveling around the world to perform. At the time, Ondekoza and taiko groups were still not that popular and they did not yet have an apprenticeship system. As a member, you learned the repertoire and practiced with the regular members until you were at their level and were performing among them. It took me about four months before I had my debut on shakuhachi, and taiko drummer Den, the director of Ondekoza, is the person who would decide who was playing and what instrument.
【RocketNews24】Acronyms and in-jokes: The origins of your favourite Japanese video game companies’ names
Article/Journalism, Writers Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】Acronyms and in-jokes: The origins of your favourite Japanese video game companies’ names
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Philip Kendall (Fukushima-ken, Shirakawa-shi, 2006–11), senior editor and writer for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.
As much as we like to think of ourselves as free thinkers and immune to corporate advertising, there’s no denying that brand names have found their way into pretty much every facet of our daily lives. Many North Americans routinely use “Kleenex” in place of the word tissue; in the UK it’s not unusual to hear people say that they’re about to “hoover up” when referring to running a vacuum cleaner; and in its heyday pretty much any portable gaming device was casually referred to as a Gameboy.
The likes of Nintendo and Sony have been household names for years, but did you ever wonder where these names come from and what they might mean in their native language? Author of Japanmanship and game developer James Kay sheds some light on the origins of the names Japan’s biggest video game companies use, from Capcom to SNK, and has generously shared a few snippets of info with RocketNews24 for our enjoyment and nerdy enlightenment.
Find out where those world-famous names really come from after the jump.
JQ Magazine: Book Review – ‘Dreams of Love, Etc.’ from ‘Monkey Business Volume 3’
Article/Journalism, Books, Reviews, Roland Kelts Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Book Review – ‘Dreams of Love, Etc.’ from ‘Monkey Business Volume 3’
“Most striking about this piece is how astute Kawakami is in capturing not only the loneliness and boredom of daily life, but the paradox of how absurd life is and how, ultimately, it’s also really no big deal.” (A Public Space)
By Sharona Moskowitz (Fukuoka-ken, 2000-01) for JQ magazine. Sharona is interested in fresh, new voices in fiction and creative nonfiction.
In the latest issue of contemporary Japanese literature anthology Monkey Business Volume 3, Japanese novelist Mieko Kawakami writes of roses, post-earthquake malaise and a friendship that never quite consummates.
We first encounter the narrator, who inexplicably calls herself Bianca, as she stands on her porch tending to her bed of roses.
By her own admission, Bianca’s days are filled with nothing—“I don’t work. I’m not pregnant. I don’t watch TV. I don’t read books. Come to think of it, I do absolutely nothing.” What she is, however, is a wife—a loaded title for a Japanese woman with its implications of duty and decorum. Yet she wants more—much more. What exactly, she isn’t quite sure.
Stuck in the doldrums of her daily existence, she thinks and rethinks the simplest decisions, her inner monologue playing out like T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” (“Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?”) What little volition she has is spent on tending to her plants, a hobby she developed after the earthquake, perhaps as an outlet for her nurturing tendencies, or, more likely, as a reminder that life was returning to normal after the shaker and its ensuing chaos.
【RocketNews24】Ninja life skills: 7 tips to make learning Japanese that little bit easier
Article/Journalism, Language Study, Writers Comments Off on 【RocketNews24】Ninja life skills: 7 tips to make learning Japanese that little bit easier
Posted by Michelle Lynn Dinh (Shimane-ken, Chibu-mura, 2010–13), editor and writer for RocketNews24. The following article was written by Philip Kendall (Fukushima-ken, Shirakawa-shi, 2006–11), senior editor and writer for RocketNews24, a Japan-based site dedicated to bringing fun and quirky news from Asia to English speaking audiences.
Despite its apparent difficulty, Japanese is fast becoming one of the world’s most desirable languages to learn, with more and more Westerners studying it every day. Eventually, though, we all hit a wall with our studies and feel like we’re not making any progress. The books you threw yourself into with such enthusiasm start to become a chore to open, the army of kanji characters you have yet to study stare back at you with mocking disdain, and despite all the hours you put in you still can’t quite keep up with that anime you were determined to watch without subtitles. It happens to the best of us, but there are ways to break out of this rut, not to mention rekindle that love for studying Japanese, or any other language for that matter.
So today we’d like to bring you our short list of tips and tricks for boosting your Japanese language ability and make studying less of a chore. The following is a combination of both tips and experiences of foreigners who have achieved varying degrees of fluency in the language and our combined knowledge. It’s by no means the final word in language study, but give some of these a try and we’re sure you’ll be surprised at how quickly your Japanese proficiency improves.
JQ Magazine: 2013 JETAA National Conference in Minneapolis Recap
Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, JETAA Chapters, JQ Magazine, Return on JET-vestment, Sister City Comments Off on JQ Magazine: 2013 JETAA National Conference in Minneapolis Recap
JETAA USA National Conference participants in Minneapolis with former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale, Sept. 26, 2013. (Courtesy of Yeu-Li Huang)
By Yeu-Li Huang (Yamanashi-ken, 2007-2010) for JQ magazine. Yeu-Li is the current chapter secretary of the JET Alumni Association of the Southeast (JETAASE).
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The JET Alumni Association of Minnesota (JETAAMN) hosted this year’s USA National Conference from Sept. 26-29 with assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Attendees included delegates from all 19 JETAA USA chapters, as well as representatives from CLAIR, MOFA, and the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago.
Each national conference spotlights particular challenges facing the JETAA community. This year was no different, as critical topics included continuation of the JETAA national initiatives, common issues facing JETAA chapters, membership outreach, and collaboration between JETAA chapters and other Japan-related organizations.
Thursday, Sept. 26
The conference got underway with an evening reception at the restaurant Crave, featuring former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale as a special guest. A native Minnesotan, Mondale was also the U.S. ambassador to Japan from 1993-96. In his speech, Mr. Mondale praised the work that the JET Program has done in building personal relationships between Japan and the U.S., and called for “JETers” to continue fostering those ties.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Producer Jeron Moore on ‘The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’
Article/Journalism, Events, Interview/Profile, JQ Magazine, Music Comments Off on JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Producer Jeron Moore on ‘The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’
Producer Jeron Moore on Symphony of the Goddesses: “We cater to all ages. You’ve got to remember that Zelda is 27 years old now. We’re seeing fans spanning three generations buying tickets to the show.” (Andrew Craig)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer.
F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “There are no second acts in American lives.”
Fortunately, there are Second Quests.
Over 25 years after the blockbuster Nintendo video game series first hit the scene bearing its namesake in honor of Fitzgerald’s wife, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses returns for an encore run in some of North America’s most distinguished theater halls (including, for the first time, a pair of dates in Mexico). Presented by Jason Michael Paul Productions, the show—currently on tour through December—presents the very best of Zelda’s lush symphonic scores paired with a live orchestra and visual effects.
In this JQ exclusive, producer and lead creative Jeron Moore sounds off what’s new about the show, the experience of working with Nintendo to bring the ultimate live experience to fans, and the evolution of Link throughout the saga’s rich history.
What was the inspiration for this installment of the show?
Well, if you’re a Zelda aficionado, you’ll recognize the term “Second Quest” from the New Game+ mode from the original 1986 entry, The Legend of Zelda, on the NES. It’s a mode you’d unlock once you defeated the game, and what it did was reorganize the game a little bit, made the dungeons a bit harder, made the items a bit more challenging to find, made the bosses a bit more difficult to defeat. We’ve taken the idea of visiting familiar places while encountering new challenges and applied that to the Second Quest, which has been revamped to include a half hour of new material while keeping all of the classics that make The Legend of Zelda what it is.
What surprises can we expect from the Second Quest?
They wouldn’t be surprises if I told you! But I will hint that we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of a particular, very special handheld title. We’ve also finally included some music from one of the most recent Zelda games, which we steered cleared of with the first season program. And at the request of Mr. Eiji Aonuma, you can also expect to see a fully revamped Wind Waker segment, featuring gorgeous visuals from the game’s recent HD release on the Wii U. The Wind Waker has never looked better.
How did the idea for format of the show come about? The large screen, the orchestra?
It’s simple. There’s just nothing classier than a large orchestra tuning up, then performing powerhouse symphonic interpretations of your favorite music, no matter the genre. For The Legend of Zelda, we wanted Symphony of the Goddesses to be as accessible as possible. There’s nothing worse than sitting in a room and feeling left behind because you didn’t walk in with a prerequisite knowledge of the material. The music undoubtedly stands on its own, but incorporating visuals opens it up and informs the entire audience of context, not just those who’ve played the games before. Of course, being the fans that we are, we’ve carefully edited the footage into an entertaining narrative that, we feel, makes sense. With that, we’re able to hit on many of the important moments universally adored by fans, so yeah—lots of inside jokes, but we try not to let anything fall flat.
