Return on JET-vestment: AJET Chair Matthew Cook on the recent 25th Anniversary JET Programme Symposium
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Originally posted to the AJET website by National AJET Chair Matthew Cook (Osaka) who was an attendee of the 25th Anniversary JETProgramme Symposium, where, notably, JET alum Jim Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94), Executive Director of the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA), was invited to speak about the JET Programme and the JET Alumni Association.
It’s been a significant month in the world of the JET Programme.
On September 8th, the ministries hosted a commemorative symposium at the University of Tokyo to discuss 25 years of the JET Programme; what it has accomplished, and what challenges it faces today. The symposium featured many notable
speakers, such as United States ambassador to Japan, John Roos, and Ms. Yoko Kimura, the Chair of the Board of Directors of CLAIR.
On behalf of AJET, myself and AJET council members Mark Noizumi (treasurer) and Amelia Hagen (Block 10 rep) attended. After brief opening statements by the ministry heads, many speakers were given the chance to spotlight JETs’ achievements, and voice issues pertinent to the program.
One issue, for Japan as a country, that repeatedly came up was the fact that the number of Japanese students who study abroad or attend universities in foreign countries has been on a steady decline for years. This is particularly troubling in light of Japan’s efforts to globalize as more and more businesses are enforcing English as a required standard.
A highlighted concern for the JET Programme itself was the increasing number of Boards of Education who hire ALTs privately, or through recruiting companies other than JET. One of the many challenges the programme faces is how to best promote the value of what we do, and the return on investment that we can provide to the communities we serve.
As the Chair of AJET, I am fortunate enough to work with many people who have done amazing things with their time on JET. As such, I am aware of the many benefits of the JET programme that are sometimes overlooked. However, this made me question…. is everyone else?
How do we as JETs promote the value of what we do and the return on investment that we provide to the communities we serve?
For example, did you know that over 20 of the employees at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo are former JETs? Did you know that after the March 11th disasters, current JETs raised an estimated ¥140,000,000 yen towards the relief efforts? These are only two examples of ways that JETs have given back to Japan. The benefits of JET are vast, and the elimination of the program would have far reaching consequences.
Toward the end of the day, the governor of Kyoto made an interesting point that stuck in my mind. He said that he believes the competition of privately hired JETs and the decrease of requests for JETs is actually a good thing! He reasoned that this competition would serve as a stimulus for positive change in our programme to become better and to show more quality than it ever has in the past.
That’s when I realized…. We ARE the positive change in the system now. As we speak, AJET has been working on more ways to provide resources to make JETs better teachers. Ways to learn Japanese more fluently. Opportunities to develop ourselves professionally in the field of education.
Not only that, but we’re finding better ways to connect to each other online and in person via social media and larger scale, better planned volunteer efforts! We’re finding better ways to let JETs VOICE their opinions and concerns to the not only the ministries, but to the people we interact with in our communities and workplaces everyday!
So, do we need to wait for the ministries to “save JET”? Should we wait for JET Alumni to prove that the Programme is a world-renowned program, that should be held in the highest regard so that we have luck with future employers?
No.
We need look no farther than to ourselves for this. We ARE the future of JET. Current JETs lay the ground-work for our successors who come next to fill our shoes.
I feel honored to have attended a symposium of so many people who have made amazing contributions to the JET Programme, and who all have a stake in its survival. I think we should take this symposium as a reminder that now
is the time for us to make more of this experience. The time is now for us to work together to be something MORE. I personally can’t wait to get started making that happen. I hope you’ll join us.
Matthew Cook
National AJET Chair
Symposium Speakers
Jim Gannon
Former JET and Executive
Director of the U.S.
based Japan Center for
International Exchange.
Keiji Yamada
Governor of Kyoto
Prefecture, President of
the National Governors
Association
Masao Niisato
Professor at Tokyo
International University
Angus Lockyer
Chair of Japan’s Research
Centre, University of
London
Jin Ah Kim
Director of International
Cooperation Department,
Governors Association of
Korea
Yoko Kimura
The Chair of the Board of
Directors, CLAIR
Akira Nakamura
Emeritus Professor
Return to Tohoku: “Don’t Speak, Just Move On” by Audrey Shiomi
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The following is a personal essay by Audrey Shiomi (CIR Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, 1999-2001). Through generous sponsorship by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she spent a week in September visiting her former residence in Sendai City, one of the areas affected by the March 11 earthquake. In lieu of volunteering in disaster-stricken regions, she spent each day meeting with friends and former coworkers to listen to their stories.
Click here to read other Return To Tohoku updates on JETwit. You can also check the JETAA USA website post (“JET Alums Return to Tohoku”) for additional information.
Don’t Speak, Just Move On
By Audrey Shiomi (CIR Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, 1999-2001)
I couldn’t believe how normal it all felt to spend each day hanging out with old friends in Sendai. They hardly talked about what had happened six months ago, and if they did, they were calm, reflective and grateful. They didn’t suffer the way they did in the north, along the Pacific coast.
Within city limits, homes were damaged and people were left without running water, electricity and heat soon after the earthquake. It was late winter, and they had no clue when things they’d taken for granted—warmth, hot food and information—would be readily available. The minute it looked like a market was about to re-open, people formed long lines out the door. Luckily, by Day 5, water and electricity had been restored.
Now, six months later, my friends are with me, laughing, drinking and eating like there’s no tomorrow. We were doing everything but dwelling on March 11 and for good reasons. For one, it was simply time to more forward. For another, talking about your own situation made it seem like you were complaining about it, and—as my friend explained—the only people who are socially allowed to lament are those whose loved ones died in the tsunami.
Another reason few people talk about the events of March is that if someone were to mention they temporarily fled the prefecture after the nuclear reactor meltdown, they’d face the silent scorn of their peers. For some, leaving town was a logical safety measure. For others, leaving town was the moral equivalent of abandoning your family. It’s these opposing schools of thought that make it difficult to openly talk to one another. “It’s like in the U.S. where people don’t bring up religion,” said one Japanese friend. “People don’t talk about certain parts of their experiences after the disaster.”
So instead of dwelling in the past, my friends have no option but to move forward. For many of them, March 11 instilled a newfound reason for living. Many have taken up new hobbies and started traveling more. My friend, Nanae, has been making a living by holding private cooking classes at her home. March 11 fueled her to hold more classes. The way she sees it, she’s lucky to be alive, so not living life would be like besmirching the memory of all those who’d died.
I’m glad my friends have emerged from this tragedy with their heads held high. It would have been a sad reunion if they’d greeted me with distressed tears. If they’d told me, “Take me back to the U.S. with you!” I would have stowed them all away in my suitcase. But, no, instead we’re able to share a drink, enjoy great izakaya food and laugh about old times.
That’s the Japan I know.
JET Alum Author Beat 10.05.11
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JET Alum Author Beat is a new feature by Ling Tran (Saga-ken, 2009-11) intended to keep readers informed of what various JET alum authors are up to. Contact Ling at jetwit [at] jetwit.com if you’d like to see something included in upcoming posts. She is also interested in providing exposure for aspiring authors/writers among alumni and current JETs – excerpts and updates are all welcome.
- Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1998-90), author of Losing Kei and fiction editor for Literary Mama, reflects on the recent loss of a dear friend through a post about her first sushi experience on Gaijin Mama (a personal blog). Check it out and give some JET support.
- Sam Baldwin Ono (Fukui-ken, 2004-06) hails from the UK and made a life altering decision when he decided to move to Fukui-ken through the JET Program. The quiet facade of inaka Japan gradually revealed its colorful nature, eventually leading Sam to share stories and insights in For Fukui’s Sake: Two years in rural Japan. Whether for reference (newbie JETs, holla!), nostaliga, or reflection – ESID aside – this book is available electronically. If you want to be notified of its hard copy release, click here. Visit the website For Fukui’s Sake for details. (Fukui t-shirts are also available for purchase.)
- Author of The Order of Odd-Fish James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) recently did a Q&A with JQ magazine as he will be curating the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival (Nov. 5 @New York Public Library | Nov. 16 @Harold Washington Library, Chicago). Read here.
- Robert Paul Weston’s (Nara-ken, 2002-04) Zorgamazoo will be honored at the Author Banquet of the California Library Association Conference for a California Young Reader Medal on Nov. 12. Details of the upcoming event are available on Weston’s blog. Congratulations!
- What is Japanamerica blogger Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) reading these days?
- Cartoonist Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken, 2003-06) has been busily settling into his new home and schedule in Kameoka, Kyoto. He managed to fit in a brief post after a short hiatus. Eager followers can see how he is doing here – more substantial updates to come!
Return to Tohoku Update 10.04.11
Article/Journalism, Blogs, Earthquake Tsunami, Japan Local, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Writers Comments Off on Return to Tohoku Update 10.04.11
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Here are updates from a few more of the 20 Tohoku region JET alumni selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to return to their town to both engage in volunteer efforts and also help document and share what’s going on there.
- Audrey Shiomi (CIR Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, 1999-2001) has had some of her excellent writing and observations published in a series titled Tohoku Travelogue (http://rafu.com/news/tag/tohoku-travelogue/) including:
- “Moving On From Tragedy” (Oct 1)
- “Scenes from an Izakaya” (Sept 15)
- “Nearly Swept Away” (Sept 14)
- “Ah Matsushima!” (Sept 11)
- “Signs, Signs, Everywhere!” (Sept 10)
- “Gambarimasu” (Sept 9)
- “The Telephone Booth” (Sept 8)
- “Letters to Sendai” (Sept 8)
- “Ganbarou Nihon!” (Sept 7)
- “Omiyage 101” (Sept 6)
- “To Be Afraid or Not To Be Afraid….” (Sept 2)
- Brent Stirling (Fukushima-ken, Fukushima-shi, 2006-10) – “Why This is Only Blog #3.5” – Brent tries to explain the overwhelmingness of visiting Soma and how it has affected his approach to blogging about his trip. He shares photos and questions why he has taken them.
- Sharon Van Etten (CIR Iwate-ken), President of JETAA Sydney, has blogged about her trip here: Revisiting Iwate: http://revisitingiwate.blogspot.com/ Here are some recent posts:
Click here to read other Return To Tohoku updates on JETwit. You can also check the JETAA USA website post (“JET Alums Return to Tohoku”) for additional information.
JQ Magazine: Japan Society Launches Beer Revolution
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Green Tea IPA, one of over 20 beers ready for tasting at Japan Society's Beer Revolution event Oct. 5. (Courtesy Baird Brewery)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer.
With an exploding market for craft beer here in the U.S., Japan’s contribution to the industry, known domestically as ji bīru (地ビール), has seen tremendous growth over the past 17 years.
On Oct. 5, beer buffs and those who simply enjoy an occasional cold pint alike will get an opportunity to sample from at least 20 kinds of beer at New York’s Japan Society‘s “Japan’s Beer Revolution: The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Japanese Craft Brewing.”
While previously held back by government regulation, Japan’s microbreweries took off in 1994, and have since been experimenting with a variety of traditional ingredients such as ginger and oysters to create rich and complex flavors to replace the standard lagers in order to satisfy local taste palettes. Since many of the beers are produced in age old sake breweries, the Japanese had no trouble adapting Western methods to manufacture a product whose quality would no doubt impress even the pickiest connoisseurs of Belgian brew.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Author/JET Alum James Kennedy on the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival
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"As for how being on JET has influenced my writing—definitely, a lot of the fantastical world in my book 'The Order of Odd-Fish' is inspired by what I saw and experienced in Japan." (Courtesy of James Kennedy)
By Renay Loper (Iwate-ken, 2006-07) for JQ magazine. Renay is a freelance writer and Associate Program Officer at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership. Visit her blog at Atlas in Her Hand.
James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of the acclaimed young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish, will be curating the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival at the New York Public Library on Nov. 5 and with the Harold Washington Library in Chicago on Nov. 16.
Named after John Newbery (thought to be the founding father of children’s literature), the Newbery Award is considered the highest regarded honor given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American children’s literature, and the American Library Association has awarded it every year since 1922. James took a moment to tell us a little about the festival, curating, and his path as an author.
What is the premise of the festival?
[It is a contest, or challenge of sorts] open to anyone, to make a video that compresses the story of a Newbery Medal (or Honor)-winning book into 90 seconds or less. No book trailers! It has to be the entire story. For it turns out that any book, no matter how worthy and somber, becomes pleasingly ludicrous when compressed into 90 seconds. The goal is comedy.
In a previous JETwit posting, you mentioned three award winners who wrote about Japan and the Japanese that no one has tackled yet. Why do you think that is?
Only because the books aren’t as famous—people are naturally inspired to make movies of books they’ve already read and loved. Everyone has heard of Newbery Medal winners like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, or Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.
The three Japan-related books that won Newbery Medals or Honors—Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus, and Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun by Rhoda Blumberg—are just not as well-known, and so it’s less likely someone would be moved to make a video. Their oversight is your opportunity! (To make it more interesting, you could even do it in Japanese and add subtitles!)
If you had to give one word of advice to entrants, what would it be?
Don’t merely recap the book. Transform the story! Either in style or substance. Some great examples of successful 90-Second Newbery entries are this full-scale musical version of The 21 Balloons, or this shadow puppet version of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
As I mention in the contest rules, it’s fun to switch up the genre style, like doing Charlotte’s Web in the nightmarish style of David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Or even cross two Newbery books: how about the rodents of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh fight their counterparts in The Tale of Despereaux? Rat fights make for gripping cinema! Basically, make it funny. The deadline for entries is Oct. 17.
JET alum Lee-Sean Huang in Fast Company, recruiting alumni interested in design for social innovation for new MFA program
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JET alum and JETwit webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, Nakatsu-shi, 2003-2006) recently appeared in the Fast Company article “An MFA Degree For Designers Who Want To Change The World” by Michael J. Coren.
So you want to change the world? Cynics may send you off to Wall Street or a white-shoe law firm. Those with gumption will look for another way. The new Master’s of Fine Arts in Design for Social Innovation has opened its doors just for them.
“We’re adamant this not be a program where people sit in a classroom and talk about how great it’s going to be when they go out and change the world,” says program chair Cheryl Heller at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York, and a board member of PopTech. “It is helping designers go beyond self-expression, which is how most designers are taught, and how to put [design] into practice to create a change.”
Read the full Fast Company article here.
Lee-Sean, a faculty member in the department, is reaching out to the JET community and encouraging returning JETs and alumni to apply to the MFA Design for Social Innovation program. The program is for applicants from a broad range of backgrounds with an interest in design and social innovation, and not just those with college degrees or prior professional experience in design. Email leesean@purpose.com with inquiries, and apply here. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2015 for Fall 2012 enrollment.
Photo: Lee-Sean with fellow MFA Design for Social Innovation faculty member Alessandra Orofino.
JET alum author Bruce Feiler’s latest NYTimes column
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September 23, 2011
By BRUCE FEILER
I RECENTLY attended a chaotic, kid-friendly gathering at the home of a friend. On my way to the bathroom to seek some solace, I decided to indulge in one of my favorite antisocial activities: scrutinizing someone else’s bookshelf. For a veteran sleuth, a bookshelf can offer a trove of insights worthy of any Freudian’s couch. Does a person alphabetize the books or clump them? Do they arrange their books by genre, order in which they were purchased, or color? Are these books unopened hardcovers or dog-eared paperbacks?
I was several minutes into my investigation (Bill Clinton’s memoir; “The DaVinci Code”), when I had a heart-sinking realization: Read More
Coverage of Anderson family visit to Ishinomaki and dedication of “Taylor’s Library”
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Thanks to Andy Anderson, father of Taylor Anderson, for sharing this information:
- NHK coverage: “Bereaved Parents Bond” – http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/findex_japan.html (Though my computer is telling me “Missing Plug-in” which is preventing me from watching the video. If you get it to work on your computer, please share any helpful comments.)
- Translations of various Japanese newspaper articles, provided by a friend for the Andersons:
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Daily Yomiuri
An American Teacher Falls Victim to the Tsunami
Our Daughter’s Best-Loved Books to Her Students
Family of the Deceased Donates to Ishinomaki
The family of Taylor Anderson (then 24), an American woman engaged in English language instruction at elementary schools in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture before falling victim to the tsunami, visited Mangokuura Elementary School in Ishinomaki on the sixth and presented the school with 40 books. Anderson’s father, Andy (54) addressed 60 students saying, “Find your dreams and live. That is what my daughter did.”
The woman of whom he spoke was Virginia-native assistant language teacher Taylor Anderson. Anderson came to Japan in 2008 and taught English at elementary schools in Ishinomaki City. On the day of the earthquake, she watched over the school children from Mangokuura Elementary to see that they had evacuated before heading back for home. She was swallowed up by the tsunami waves.
Donated on the sixth was a collection dubbed “Taylor’s Library,” 40 volumes in total. Anderson’s personal favorites were included in the collection, which was purchased using money from a fund established by the surviving parents and Anderson’s alma mater.
At the dedication ceremony held at Mangokuura Elementary, Andy shared memories from Taylor’s childhood. “Once she started reading, she wouldn’t stop. She read and expanded her imagination.” He also shared the power of reading that brought her dream of becoming a bridge connecting Japan and America to fruition.
Kaito Hikiji (12), a student representative who expressed thanks to Andy and family in English, said, “Ms. Anderson told us about Harry Potter, and it was easy to feel close to her. We will think of these books as Ms. Anderson and treat them with care.”
The family plans to donate books in succession to each of the six schools at which Anderson taught.
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(Not sure which publication this is from.)
“Find your dreams and live.”
An Expression of Love through Books
Surviving Family of the American ALT who Fell Victim to the Earthquake Disaster Donates Picture Books
The family of Taylor Anderson (then 24, U.S.), the Ishinomaki City assistant language teacher (ALT) who perished in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, donated books Anderson read as a child to a local elementary school as “Taylor’s Library” on the sixth of this month.
In attendance at the dedication ceremony held at Mangokuura Elementary School in Ishinomaki City were 64 sixth-grade students (then fifth graders) who had class with Anderson on the day of the earthquake. Father Andy (53) greeted them saying, “It will make us so happy if you will read these books, find your dreams, and live on.”
“Ms. Anderson was nice. I want to read these books with care,” said Moeka Abe (12), a student of Anderson’s.
Donated were approximately 40 volumes comprising children’s literature and picture books newly-purchased by Andy and family. The books are now kept on a bookshelf built by local carpenter Shinichi Endo, who currently resides in temporary housing in Higashi Matsushima City. Endou lost his three children to the tsunami. His eldest son and second daughter were both students of Anderson.
“I built the bookshelf while picturing Ms. Anderson’s cheerful spirit. I felt that this job was my opportunity to start looking forward in life,” he explained.
Anderson first came to Japan in 2008. Besides Mangoku Elementary, she instructed students in English at one kindergarten and a total of six elementary and junior high schools in Ishinomaki City. “Taylor’s Library” will also be donated to these institutions.
On the day of the earthquake, Anderson saw that the students from Mangoku Elementary evacuated to nearby Mangoku Junior High and was on her way home on her bicycle when she was swept away by the tsunami.
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Asahi Shimbun
Students of our Daughter: Learn English through Books
“She loved to read as a child. I hope that you will all find your dreams in these books, too.” On the sixth, the family of Taylor Anderson (then 24), the American assistant language teacher who passed away in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture on the day of the Great East Japan Earthquake, visited Mangokuura Elementary School where their daughter had taught and presented the school with 40 English-language books and a bookshelf. They have named it “Taylor’s Library.”
On the day of the earthquake, Anderson, along with other faculty, saw that the children had evacuated, and upon parting with them was hit by the tsunami.
“Had she lived, she would have been working for the people of Ishinomaki.” Anderson’s father, Andy (53), who resides in the state of Virginia, decided to donate books to the kindergarten and elementary and junior high schools—seven institutions in total—where his daughter taught.
The students who had class with Anderson on that fateful day greeted Andy and his wife, Jean (53), in English, saying, “Taylor’s class was fun. It made us like English.” Jean shared that her heart was warmed at the chance to stand in the place where her daughter once stood.
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By Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) and Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine.
Presented by The Playwrights Realm, the drama Crane Story stars Angela Lin (a veteran of JET alum Randall David Cook’s Sake with the Haiku Geisha) as Cassis, a young Japanese American on an odyssey to rescue her brother’s soul from the land of the dead.
Written by Jen Silverman and directed by Katherine Kovner, Crane Story runs through Oct. 1 at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York’s Greenwich Village. Here’s what JQ‘s critics had to say at a Midtown diner after a recent performance.
Justin Tedaldi: What were your thoughts about the production?
Vlad Baranenko: Given the limited resources that they have being Off-Broadway, they did a very good job with the imagery and the special effects.
JT: I really liked the way the creative team put everything together with the scenery and the costumes, especially the sound effects. There’s a raised wooden stage where most of the action happens, and at the very beginning they describe rain, but you see the rest of the cast drumming their fingers on the stage, which creates the illusion of falling rain. Very creative ways of getting around the limitations that come with being an Off-Broadway production.
VB: I agree on that. The cast obviously remembered their lines really well. It didn’t seem forced, actually; very natural. In that regard, I give them high marks.
JT: I’m reading here that the actor who plays Ishida, Louis Ozawa Changchien, appeared with Adrien Brody, Topher Grace and Laurence Fishburne in the movie Predators.
VB: He looks like someone who’s got some pretty good experience under his belt. He comes off as very authentic in the way he acts, and that’s one of the first things that I noticed.
Justin’s Japan: Hiroshima lends its divine sound to NYC Japan benefit concert
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Hiroshima brings its soothing sound to New York City Sept. 21.
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here for related stories.
A staple of the Los Angeles jazz scene since 1974, Hiroshima returns for an East Coast engagement tonight (Sept. 21) to headline a Japan relief benefit concert with special guest stars at New York’s B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.
The only Asian American band to have been nominated for a Grammy, the group’s most recent album, 2009’s Legacy, celebrates Hiroshima’s 30th anniversary of recording and serves as a re-visitation of songs (like the easy listening favorite “Roomful of Mirrors” and ’80s hit single “One Wish”) from the band’s first decade.
Led by original members Dan and June Kuramoto, the group proved itself a musical chimera from the start with its self-titled debut, mixing elements of jazz, pop, and R&B with traditional Japanese instruments. Dan has remarked that at the time in America, music was the only outlet of cultural diversity available, and the resulting disc was a pioneering voice in the world music movement that followed.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: Japan Society Remixes a Greek Masterpiece with ‘Medea’
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Micari stars in Satoshi Miyagi's production of 'Medea,' running Sept. 23-25 at New York's Japan Society.
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here for related stories.
Looking for an Eastern take on a Western classic? Japan Society kicks off its fall 2011/spring 2012 performing arts season with the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC)’s production of Medea with a three-performance engagement from Sept. 23-25.
Directed by SPAC artistic director Satoshi Miyagi, the performance makes its North American premiere as a visual feast on the scale of a kabuki play. Set in 19th century Japan among the nation’s imperialist, gender-divided late Meiji era, this bold reinterpretation of Euripides’ evergreen features a company of 19 presented in Miyagi’s distinct bunraku puppet theater-inspired style accompanied on stage by live music.
Performed in Japanese with English subtitles, this stunning and internationally acclaimed production has traveled to 20 cities and 11 countries since its premiere in 1999. It also marks the return of SPAC to Japan Society, where the troupe mounted productions of Electra and Oedipus Rex during national tours for both.
For the complete story, click here.
JQ Magazine: Art Review – ‘Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers’ at Japan Society
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From left to right: 'Feel the Wind' (2010), by Fuminori Ono; 'Birth' (2011) by Hitomi Nagai; 'Su no hana' (Nest Flowers) (2011) by Takaaki Tanaka. (Vlad Baranenko)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer.
Opening this week at New York’s Japan Society is the exhibit Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers, which showcases the works of Japanese textile masters and explores the ever evolving relationship between traditional fabric manufacturing and the uses of unconventional technology and materials to create awe-inspiring works of art. To commemorate the opening of the gallery and the designation of the Japan Society building as a city landmark, a special preview event was held on Sept. 14 with many of the artists in attendance along with an exhibition walkthrough from gallery director Joe Earle.
Originally conceived in 2007, the project received approval following this year’s devastation in Japan, and is jointly presented by Japan Society and the International Textile Network Japan in collaboration with Tama University. According to Japan Society, the collection of 35 works on display was thoroughly selected by a special committee to showcase the work of 30 contemporary masters of a movement originally envisioned in the 1950s to “reflect the fecundity of the Japanese artistic tradition and ingenuity.” Since many of the pieces had to make a long journey from Japan to New York, unique containers had to be meticulously designed for each piece to preserve the artist’s intended presentation and allow the viewer to fully appreciate each work.
To simply describe the collection as a stunning example of creativity and the profound Japanese insight into the coexistence of nature and man would not be enough to credit the artists on display. The exhibition explores such themes as the passage of time and seasons just to name a few. While many of the works are composed of traditional materials such as silk and washi paper, modern materials such as stainless steel, vacuum deposited aluminum, and complex chemical dyes are also added to create three-dimensional enchanting expressions.
JQ Magazine: Photos from the 2011 JETAANY Softball Tournament
Article/Journalism, JETAA Chapters, JQ Magazine Comments Off on JQ Magazine: Photos from the 2011 JETAANY Softball Tournament
Team JETAANY, ready for some softball. (Photos courtesy of Monica Yuki)
By Monica Yuki (Saitama-ken, 2002-04) and Pam Kavalam (Shiga-ken, 2007-09), the JET Alumni Association of New York (JETAANY)’s President and Secretary, for JQ magazine.
On Saturday, Sept. 10, The JET Alumni Association of New York (JETAANY) hosted its Annual Softball Tournament in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Joining the JETs for some friendly competition were Amnet, Docomo, Kintetsu, Mitsubishi, TV Japan, Quick USA, and Yusen. Despite some ominous looking clouds, the 175+ players and spectators enjoyed beautiful, rain-free weather. The daylong tournament was filled with many spectacular plays and great hits, and the event finished with an award ceremony and BBQ at a local bar to celebrate this year’s champion, Yusen. A big thank you to all the teams for coming out and for the tournament’s organizer (and JETAANY President) Monica Yuki!
View the tournament’s Picasa album here.
From the Kahoku Online Network:
震災で犠牲の米国人ＡＬＴ 志文庫に託す 遺族が絵本寄贈
http://www.kahoku.co.jp/news/2011/09/20110907t15011.htm
東日本大震災で亡くなった宮城県石巻市の女性外国語指導助手（ＡＬＴ）テイラー・アンダーソンさん＝当時（２４）、米国出身＝の遺族が６日、アンダーソンさんが子ども時代に読んだ本を「テイラー文庫」として市内の小中学校などに寄贈した。
同市万石浦小で行われた贈呈式には、震災当日に授業を受けた６年生（当時５年生）６４人が出席。父親のアンディさん（５３）が「本を読んで、夢を持って生きてくれたら幸せです」とあいさつした。授業を受けた阿部萌香さん（１２）は「先生は優しかった。本は大切に読みたい」と話した。
寄贈されたのは、アンディさんらが新たに購入した英語の児童文学や絵本など約４０冊。東松島市の仮設住宅で暮らす地元の木工作家遠藤伸一さん（４２）が製作した本棚に収められている。
遠藤さんは子ども３人を津波で失い、長男と次女の２人が同市渡波小でアンダーソンさんの指導を受けていた。
遠藤さんは「明るく、元気なアンダーソンさんをイメージして作った。この仕事を機に、自分も前を向いて生きていこうと思った」と話した。
アンダーソンさんは２００８年に来日し、石巻市では万石浦小のほか、市内の幼稚園１カ所と小中学校計５校で英語を指導。「テイラー文庫」はこれらの幼稚園、小中学校にも寄贈される。
アンダーソンさんは震災当日、万石浦小から近くの万石浦中に児童を避難させた後、自転車で帰宅する途中に津波にのまれたとみられている。
2011年09月07日水曜日
And here’s a very rough summary in English:
“American ALT, lost in the disaster, is memorialized in a library; Family donates picture books”
The reading corner / library contains copies of books that Taylor read growing up. The dedication ceremony was held at Mangokuura Elementary, with 64 of Taylor’s former 5th grade students attending. There are 40 books in the shelves, which were built by Endo-san, a woodworker who lost his three children to the tsunami – two of whom were Taylor’s students at Watanoha Elementary School. Endo-san said that he built the shelves thinking about how bright and genki Taylor was, and that this project helped him to move forward with his own life, too. Andy Anderson told the students that he will be happy if they read books and hold on to their dreams in life.
