JETAANC(Northern California)’s Pacific Bridge Spring 2012
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETAA Chapter Beat 
Comments Off on JETAANC(Northern California)’s Pacific Bridge Spring 2012
The new issue of the official JETAANC magazine, Pacific Bridge, is now available. Read it online here.
In this issue you will:
-Learn about local efforts to support the recovery of the Tohoku region.
-Hear about how new JETs are settling into the Tohoku area.
-Read about recent events in the JETAANC chapter.
And much more!
Hawaii JET alums volunteer as Hiroshima City Mayor Matsui leads visiting delegation (Japanese article)
Cultural Outreach, JETAA Chapters, Local Government, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on Hawaii JET alums volunteer as Hiroshima City Mayor Matsui leads visiting delegation (Japanese article)
*******************
JETwit recently posted a JETAA Hawaii article by chapter President Darryl Toma about Hawaii JET alums volunteering to support a visit by the Hiroshima City Mayor along with a visiting delegation from Hiroshima.
FYI, there’s also now an article in Japanese about Mayor Matsui’s visit on the Japan Local Government Center (aka CLAIR-NY) blog: http://www.jlgc.org/TopicList.aspx?topicCategoryID=16&topicID=279&languageTypeID=2&controlType=Display
23 students from Taylor Anderson’s high school to visit Ishinomaki as part of Japanese government sponsored exchange program
Cultural Outreach Comments Off on 23 students from Taylor Anderson’s high school to visit Ishinomaki as part of Japanese government sponsored exchange program
Thanks to Andy Anderson for sharing the information about this exchange.
Twenty-three students from Taylor Anderson’s high school, St. Catherine’s, will be visiting Japan, including Ishinomaki, as part of “The Kizuna Project.” The Kizuna Project, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is sending around 1,000 American high school students to Japan this summer for a 2-week trip including sightseeing, a homestay with a Japanese family, and volunteering in the Tohoku area. All expenses – transportation, lodging, food – are covered by the Japanese government.
The Kizuna Project is being coordinated by the Laurasian Institution in Seattle (where JET alum Megan Bernard works and is very involved in the project) as well as the Center for Global Partnership in Tokyo.
CULCON announces new clearinghouse for information about Japan
Cultural Outreach Comments Off on CULCON announces new clearinghouse for information about Japan
Saw news about this on the JETAA DC yahoogroup:
CULCON (U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange), a binational advisory panel to the U.S. and Japanese governments, recently created a new page on its website that is a clearinghouse for information about Japan and may be useful to many JETs and alumni. (Notably, JET alum Paige Cottingham-Streater is the Secretary-General for CULCON.)
According to the site:
The U.S.-Japan Resources section of this website is divided into the categories below. In some instances a specific institution or program will be listed under more than one category. In general, this section on resources is designed for an American audience.
These are all non-profit, educational or government-sponsored programs and organizations. There are also some instances of private sector resources when the company is providing a free database. If you would like to suggest we list an additional resource, please send the name, URL and a brief description to: culcon@jusfc.gov.
CULCON provides this list as an informational resource only; inclusion on this list is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation of any specific organization or program.
- Exchanges and Fellowships
- Professional and Volunteer Opportunities
- U.S.-Japan Related Organizations
- Guides to Japan
Visit resources beyond our web site —
- Japan-US Friendship Commission
- Japan CULCON Homepage
- US-Japan Bridging Foundation
- ON THE RECORD re: JAPAN
- Cross Currents: An Educational Resource on Japan-US Cultural and Educational Relations
JETAA Northern California Pacific Bridge : Alumni Spotlight on Ryan Kimura
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising Comments Off on JETAA Northern California Pacific Bridge : Alumni Spotlight on Ryan Kimura
JETAA Northern California’s Pacific Bridge recently interviewed Ryan Kimura (Shizuoka-ken, 2004-06) who currently serves as the Director of Programs and Community Affairs at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC).
How did you wind up in this position after JET?
After JET, I opened up a small purikura [Japanese photo booth] business, Pika Pika (www.pikapikasf.com), in Japantown’s Japan Center Kinokuniya Building. I owned, operated, and grew this business for five years before hearing about an opening at the JCCCNC for a Programs Director position. When I was a student at UC Berkeley, I interned at the JCCCNC and formed many strong relationships with the staff there, including Executive Director Paul Osaki. Additionally, managing a Japantown business and staffing a number of Japantown non-profits really motivated me into playing a larger role in the community. I decided to call Paul up, interviewed, and have been serving at the JCCCNC since May of 2011.
Seeing as we have recently passed the first anniversary of the 3/11 earthquake. I know the JCCCNC has been doing so much to support Tohoku and bring awareness to the community. Can you talk about that?
Immediately after news of the earthquake reached state-side, volunteers from all over the Japanese American community staffed an all-day, all-night telethon on NBC in the Bay Area, where we raised over 400,000 dollars. All of this money was soon after transferred to the JCCCNC-led Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Additionally, we took our efforts online and put up a Causes.com page for the fund. Our page has since received donations from over 25,000 people.
Speaking on the scale of the Japantown community, the JCCCNC has hosted numerous fundraisers for the cause. The 2011 Cherry Blossom Festival, which occurred about a month after the earthquake, had many of our staff and volunteers selling merchandise to generate money. Donation cans were located at every festival booth, and, throughout the year, many Japantown merchants used those same cans in their stores. The JCCCNC has also received money from smaller community charity events, including a lemonade stand run by kids, taiko concerts, and cultural performances.
On the February leading up to the first year anniversary, the JCCCNC flew in six Tohoku students who were studying to enter the hospitality industry at the Sendai YMCA. These students’ lives were devastated by the earthquake—they lost property, loved ones, and so much more. Some of them had not even gotten over the shock. Through the relief fund, we were able to pay for their tuition, show them around famous San Francisco hotels to enlighten them about hospitality in the West, and saturate them with American culture through homestays and preschool volunteer programs. We wanted to show donors how their money was being used, and because of the community’s generous spirit, these six students have the chance to realize their futures—to arise from tragedy and push forward.
JET alum James Kennedy curates Second Annual 90-second Newbery Film Festival
Cultural Outreach, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Writers Comments Off on JET alum James Kennedy curates Second Annual 90-second Newbery Film Festival
This just in from the so-original-you-have to see/meet/read-him-to-believe-him James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06), author of the acclaimed young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish. Make sure to watch the “Heart of a Samurai” video below–one more example of a JET alum generating interest in Japanese language and culture in ways the Japanese government could never have possibly imagined. (See explanation further below.)
Preparations for the Second Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival are underway! The 90-Second Newbery is a film festival I curate in which filmmakers of any age are challenged to make movies that tell the story of a Newbery award-winning book in 90 seconds or less.Full details here. The deadline for video submission is October 29, 2012. Details about screenings in New York and Chicago—including special celebrity guests—below!
But first, check out the latest submission above! It’s of Margi Preus’ fantastic 2011 Newbery Honor book, Heart of a Samurai. The movie is by Alex, Amy, Izzy, Asher, and Zach from Burley Elementary in Chicago. Full disclosure: I helped with this one! And here’s our twist: we did the film in Japanese, even though the students, er, don’t know Japanese. I helped with the script and pronunciation. There are storms at sea! Whales! Burning beards! Fistfights! It’s also slightly longer than 90 seconds. Oh well. ENJOY! Read More
Return on JET-vestment: JETAA Northern California’s Kabuki Club Becoming an International Resource for Japanese Performing Arts
Cultural Outreach, JETAA Chapters, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on Return on JET-vestment: JETAA Northern California’s Kabuki Club Becoming an International Resource for Japanese Performing Arts
**************
By Mark Frey (Kumamoto-ken, 2002-06), JETAA Northern California’s Communications Coordinator and former Newsletter Editor.
JET Alumni Northern California’s Kabuki Club Becoming an International Resource for Japanese Performing Arts
The Kabuki Club of the JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a small Oakland library conference room two years ago. A handful of friends with a shared passion and interest in Kabuki gathered to study and talk about Fuji Musume, a very beautiful and popular Kabuki dance drama. Little did any of them realize that two years of hard work later the “Kabuki Club” study group would be an important part of the programming of two local cultural centers, often drawing more than 50 people from the greater San Francisco Bay Area interested in learning more about Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku, Butoh, and other Japanese performing arts.
It must have seemed just as unlikely to those first members that a small online discussion group that the group started would soon grow and encompass participants from across the U.S. and around the world. “It’s gotten to the point where students from around the world are contacting Kabuki Club for help and guidance with research projects,” said Mark Frey, director of the Kabuki Club. “Just this week we received a request from a high school student in Luxembourg looking for information about props and stagecraft in the Kabuki playSukeroku. We’re happy to help!”
The Kabuki Club has unexpectedly returned a nice dividend on the Japanese government’s investment in the JET Program, helping to promote the treasures of Japanese culture locally and to a growing worldwide audience. “While on the JET Program, so many of us were lucky enough to have Japanese friends who took time to introduce us to the unique magic and power of Japanese performing arts. It’s very gratifying now that we’re able to do the same for people all over the world. I feel like it’s a small way we can say ‘thank you’ to Japan for the joy and friendship we received,” said Mark.
Check out what JETAANC Kabuki Club is up to at http://www.jetaanc.org/kabuki.
Attention JET alums in Hawaii: Support Requested for Hiroshima City Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Festival
Cultural Outreach, Japan Local, JETAA Chapters, Local Government Comments Off on Attention JET alums in Hawaii: Support Requested for Hiroshima City Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Festival
Via the Hiroshima City Government with assistance from Naomi Maki of the Japan Local Government Center in New York (aka CLAIR-NY):
A tourism promotion and exchange delegation from the City of Hiroshima is visiting Honolulu!
Purpose: Hiroshima City and Honolulu City established a sister city relationship in 1959, and over the years, they have enhanced their friendly relations through promoting peace, culture, sports, and other causes. In 2009, they exchanged delegations in commemoration of the 50 years of their sister city relationship. Also the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce and the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce established a relationship in 1971, and last year was the 30th anniversary for them. So this year, the City of Hiroshima and the Hiroshima Chamber of Commerce are sending a delegation to Honolulu to promote tourism in Hiroshima. They will visit Honolulu by a charter flight with around 200 citizens.
Schedule: From June 7 to 12
Support Requested for Hiroshima City Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii
We are looking for JET alumni who worked in Hiroshima on JET, because the City of Hiroshima would appreciate any volunteers who might be able to help with their tourism promotion in Honolulu on the following dates:
*From 11:20am to 11:35 on June 9, Saturday for a stage event.
*From 3:00pm to 7:00pm on June 10, Sunday for distributing Hiroshima’s tourist information at a booth.
If you or any other JET alumni know someone who worked in Hiroshima as a JET, please share this information. If anyone is interested in this program, please contact Darryl Toma, President of JETAA Hawaii at Jetaahawaii [at] gmail.com.
And if you are interested in Hiroshima and connecting with other Hiroshima JET alumni, please join the Hiroshima JET Alumni group on LinkedIn!
Also CLAIR and the City of Hiroshima would greatly appreciate it if JET alumni could share the above information with other JET alumni.
From Naomi Maki, Assistant Director, Japan Local Government Center.
About the Pan-Pacific Festival: http://www.pan-pacific-festival.com/index.html
JETAANC Pacific Bridge: Connecting with Japanese Exchange Students through Ayusa
Career, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, JETAA Chapters, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on JETAANC Pacific Bridge: Connecting with Japanese Exchange Students through Ayusa
By Rachel Peters (Fukuoka, 2004-07) for the JETAANC Pacific Bridge magazine. Rachel works at Ayusa International and is helping out with the upcoming Tomodachi Initiative to bring Japanese high school students to the Bay Area during the summer.
After returning from the JET program in 2007, I was eager to enter a field where I could continue to promote cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, and awareness. I was extremely fortunate to find my way into Ayusa International, a division of Intrax Cultural Exchange that brings foreign exchange students to the United States for both year-long and short-term programs.
At Ayusa, I work in our Partner and Participant Services Department, which is where I cultivate and maintain relationships with our international partners and resolve issues that arise with our students while they are in the United States. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit our branch office in Japan, travel domestically to visit our students, host families and staff, and work on a variety of projects that foster international exchange.
Working at Ayusa has been a rewarding experience for me both professionally and personally. It’s inspiring to see the impact of the work we do in the lives of our students and the families who graciously host them. This coming summer, I am thrilled about a new program that we will be facilitating here in the Bay Area—the Tomodachi Softbank Leadership Program—and feel that it would be a great opportunity available for JET alumni in the Bay Area.
JETAANY representing at JapanDay Central Park
Cultural Outreach, JETAA Chapters, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JETAANY representing at JapanDay Central Park
JETAANY apparently did a great job of running the Yo-Yo Fishing Tent at JapanDay in Central Park on Sunday. Minna-san o-tsukare sama!
***************
Video: JETAA NY featured in Fujisankei TV story on Japan Day Central Park
Cultural Outreach, JETAA Chapters, JETs in the News, Return on JET-vestment, Video Comments Off on Video: JETAA NY featured in Fujisankei TV story on Japan Day Central Park
********************
Click the link below to see the Fujisankei TV video (in Japanese) about JETAA NY’s preparation for Japan Day Central Park. The video includes quotes from JETAA NY President Monica Yuki and Vice-President Kendall Murano among others.
http://www.fujisankei.com/video_library/local-news/japan-day2.php
JETAA Chicago’s Bingo Nights with Japanese Senior Living Facility
Cultural Outreach, JETAA Chapters, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer Comments Off on JETAA Chicago’s Bingo Nights with Japanese Senior Living Facility
*************
JETAA Chicago’s Bingo Nights with Japanese Senior Living Facility
By JETAA Chicago Treasurer Thomas Osugi (Hokkaido, 2005-07)
I believe that one of the missions of JETAA is to volunteer and to help out the community at large. As much as I love eating sushi and singing karaoke, it’s always great when JETAA Chicago can give back to the community, and I just wanted to say that our alumni here in Chicago have been doing a great job!
Every month, we regularly help out at a local retirement home called Heiwa Terrace on the north side of Chicago. This place was created by a group called JASC (Japanese American Service Committee) whose mission is to help out the Japanese and Japanese-American communities. (I should mention that Heiwa Terrace is HUD-certified and abides by the rules of equal housing opportunity.)
About the event: Bingo is on the third Thursday of every month, and usually a few of us come in and help call out numbers. It’s very regular and short – in a very Japanese fashion, it promptly starts at 7 and ends at 8. When I first started, I was surprised to see so many residents – 20 or so mainly Japanese, Koreans and others, and how passionate they were about the game. There are always prizes to be won, usually very small things such as a cans of green beans, soap, shampoo, picture frames, but the most popular item is toilet paper! During the game, extra volunteers usually chit-chat, walk around and help out those who are hard of hearing. At the end a few minutes before 8, we play for a grand prize which we call “super” bingo. In order to win “super” bingo, players have to match both top and bottom row. If you can imagine, there is a fair amount of tension in the room to see who is the winner.
Volunteering at Heiwa is great because we get a chance to practice our Japanese, and for us working professionals, it’s right after work and very low stress – unless we miscall numbers (then all bets are off). Afterwards, we usually go out for dinner and catch up.
Although small, I think having this kind of regular volunteer event is great for alumni and the community and a gives a sense of reason for JETAA. I’m not sure if something like this is available in other cities, but I think it is a good model for local chapters everywhere.
JETAA Ottawa Fundraising Concert to aid Smile Kids Japan and the Tohoku Kids Project
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, Music, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JETAA Ottawa Fundraising Concert to aid Smile Kids Japan and the Tohoku Kids Project
Via jetaaottawa.ca
JETAA Ottawa will be hosting a charity concert at the Black Sheep Inn on May 24th, 2012 to help raise money for Smile Kids Japan, and the Tohoku Kids Project.
JET Alumnus Jordan Patrick (Aichi-ken, 2009-11) will open the show with his mix of indie and modern folk music. Headlining the event will be the Hornettes who will keep the energy peaked and revive classic Motown, soul and funk sounds that will leave you sweaty and satisfied. The Hornettes formed in Ottawa in 2010, and since then have developed a loyal following of music lovers drawn to their ability to keep the dance floor moving. The band consists of two female front women, Anna and Irina, backed by a hot horn section and the classic trio of guitar, drums and bass.
A shuttle bus will be provided from the corner of York Street and Dalhousie Street at 6:30 p.m. to the Black Sheep Inn, and will return once the concert ends.
Tickets for the show and space on shuttle service are limited!
RSVP: events[at]jetaaottawa[dot]ca
Event: Smile Kids Japan Charity Concert
Date: Thursday, May 24th, 2012
Time: starting at 7:30pm (doors open at 7:00pm)
Location: Black Sheep Inn, 753 Riverside Drive, Wakefield, Quebec
Admission: $15.00 minimum donation (cash or pre-paid donations through JETAA Ottawa or Global Giving only) *bring a printed receipt of all pre-paid donations
Shuttle: $5.00 (cash/pre-purchased tickets only) – leaving at 6:30pm from the corner of York/Dalhousie St.
Hope to see you there!
JETAA Ottawa Newsletter: Q&A with JET Alumnus Colin Rivers on producing a play in Japan
Career, Cultural Outreach, Interview/Profile, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment Comments Off on JETAA Ottawa Newsletter: Q&A with JET Alumnus Colin Rivers on producing a play in Japan
***************
By Gemma Villanueva (Fukushima-ken, 2008-11), editor for the JETAA Ottawa Newsletter. Visit the Canadian chapter’s website here for more stories. Written and photo submissions are always welcome. Please contact the editors at newsletter[at]jetaaottawa[dot]ca.
The Canadian play “2 Pianos 4 Hands” is giving its farewell performances as creators-performers Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt retire from the show. “2P4H” follows the youngsters “Ted” and “Richard” as they tackle their love-hate relationship with piano lessons, exams and recitals. In January, “2P4H” played at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The show, which made a three-week stop in Tokyo in 2004, finds itself again in Japan this May.
Colin Rivers (Nara-ken JET, 1997-2000) is now the Theatre Producer/Agent for Marquis Entertainment, which produces “2 Pianos 4 Hands.” I had the chance to ask him about his time on JET, life as a producer and bringing 2 Pianos 4 Hands back to Japan.
What is it like to be a producer?
“A Producer manages the business behind the show. A General Manager does the same thing, but without the risk and the pressure to find the money. A New York theatre blogger sums it up perfectly… “Producers do everything! We are the bank, the therapist, the negotiator, the scapegoat, the creative, and we rarely get credit! I should add it’s awesome. Because I think it is.”
How was your JET experience been relevant to producing?
“The JET experience strengthened my Read More
JETAA Portland: Iron Chef 2012!
Cultural Outreach, Food & Drink, JETAA Chapters Comments Off on JETAA Portland: Iron Chef 2012!
JETAA Portland has been doing this event for 10 years now. They extended an open invite to the Pacific Northwest JETAA folks, so there’s no reason why Texoma, Chicago, and other alums can’t “jet” in for the event, deshou? And if you can’t make it, well then just start your own JETAA chapter Iron Chef event. (Make sure to let JETwit know about it, too.)
(From the JETAA Portland website)
JETAA Portland’s 10th Annual Iron Chef Competition
It’s time to sharpen those knives and dig up your best recipes as contestants, judges, and other hungry mouths gather for one of our most popular (and delicious) events of the year!
Headline from the 2010 Iron Chef event. (Click image to read the article.)
When: Saturday, May 12th
(Judging begins at Noon, prizes awarded at 1:00pm)
Where: Demaree Raveaux’s House
RSVP for directions to Gloria Jung: glo888 [at] hotmail.com
(Please respond by May 2nd and include what you plan to bring)
There are three categories for Iron Chef entries:
- Side Dish
- Main Dish
- Dessert
There will be prizes awarded to the 1st and 2nd place winners of each of the categories.
This year, we will be adding a special event. Marcus Pakiser, sake sommolier, will talk about pairing sake with food and there will be sake to sample.
We are inviting our sister chapter, Pacific Northwest JETAA to join us in this event. This is a great opportunity to meet the members from the PNW chapter of JETAA. They will be traveling from northwest locations such as Seattle to attend our Iron Chef event and using the “Tatami Timeshare” program to stay with Portland-area members. Please e-mail any questions you have.
This is a BYOB event.
