Mel Maghuyop and Manna Nichols in rehearsals for ‘Tokio Confidential,’ playing Feb. 5-19 at the Atlantic Theater Stage 2. (Philip Smith)

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.

Words, music and the history of the world collide next week with the new theatrical presentation of Tokio Confidential at Atlantic Theater Stage 2 from Feb. 5-19 and Our Planet at Japan Society for one night only on Feb. 6.

A new musical penned entirely by Eric Schorr and helmed by Joanna McKeon (the associate director of the Broadway and national tour editions of Green Day’s American Idiot), Tokio Confidential (a Richard Rogers Award finalist) is set in 1879 the hidden pleasure quarters of Meiji era Japan.

Isabella Archer, a young American war widow, crosses an ocean in search of a lost love—and is about to cross a line from which she can never return. When Isabella falls in love with a renowned Japanese tattoo artist, she enters a world of extreme beauty, becoming an object of unexpected desire—in a realm of unspeakable danger. It’s a journey across the boundaries between pleasure and pain, art and artifice, the secrets of the flesh and the sins of the heart.

ちょっと遅くなりましたが、明けましておめでとうございます！ I hope that your 2012 has gotten off to a good start, and that the year of the dragon is a fortuitous one for everyone.

I’m down in DC with a new group of International Visitors invited by the State Department to study U.S. energy policy.  In light of the Fukushima accident nuclear is obviously a big focus, but we are also looking at renewable energy options like solar and wind (as well as geothermal which will take us to a plant on the Big Island of Hawaii!).  As part of our cultural activities outside of the professional program, the other night we attended Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center where a Japanese artist was featured.

Her name is Yoko K. and she hails from Nagano, and she is an electronic musician, producer, engineer and vocalist.  I was not very familiar with that genre of music, but her performance kept me entertained throughout.  She incorporates various tools in her sound creation, and you can see the basis of her classical training in piano from the age of 3.  I particularly liked her bilingual and often humorous lyrics, especially from the song “Laptop on Top of Your Lap” (“I want to be a laptop on top of your lap”).

This song was from her 2nd album “Heaven’s Library”, which is available on iTunes and worth a listen if you are a fan of electronic music or looking to be introduced to it.  We got to chat with Yoko after the concert, and she was super personable and eager to discuss her music.  I look forward to following her continued success!

Author Roland Kelts and musician Keiko Matsui join Akiko Yano and Ian Buruma for The Global Salon: Cities in Japan at The Greene Space on Jan. 19. (Kaz, Bobby Quillard)

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.

JET alum and half Japanese American writer, editor and lecturer Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) will appear with acclaimed musicians and writers connected to Japan for an intimate talk and performance called The Global Salon: Cities in Japan at The Greene Space in New York on Jan. 19.

Kelts, who lives half of each year in Tokyo and New York, is the author of Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture has Invaded the U.S. and writes about contemporary Japan for several publications in the U.S. and Japan. He is a frequent commentator on Japan for National Public Radio and the BBC.

Hosted by WNYC News host Eddie Robinson and presented in cooperation with the Consulate General of Japan, The Global Salon: Cities in Japan presents compelling stories of courage and resiliency, while the country continues to face unprecedented hardships of increased suicidal rates and unemployment, before and after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Robinson will engage the audience and esteemed guests through captivating dialogue and enchanting musical themes about the country’s economic future, advances in technology, and the preservation of its remarkable culture.

For the complete story, click here.

This week I attended the Japan Society’s member screening of Norwegian Wood, the film version of this Haruki Murakami novel.  I haven’t read the book, but the movie was quite moving.  It takes place in the late 1960′s with student riots as a backdrop.  It is a love story centering on the university student Toru Watanabe, who is torn between his first love from his hometown, Naoko, and a new women he meets at school, Midori.  His relationship with Naoko is complicated as their mutual best friend (and Naoko’s boyfriend) committed suicide when they were in high school.  They share this bond, but it is also the source of Naoko’s mental instability.  Midori is a bit of a brighter character, though her life has been overshadowed by family members’ untimely deaths.  The film is quite tender in its exploration of these relationships and the direction Toru’s future will take.

The movie was made in 2010 by the French-Vietnamese director Anh Hung Tran, who was on hand at the screening along with Rinko Kikuchi who plays Naoko (pictured above with Kenichi Matsuyama who plays Toru).  They offered some behind the scenes stories, such as how Tran didn’t see Kikuchi as being right for the role but was overcome by her persuasion and powerful audition.  One poignant anecdote he shared was of a night when Kikuchi asked him, “Why is it that when I cry during a scene, it feels more real than when I cry in real life?” to which he answered, “Because you are an artist.  And to an artist, expression is more real than experience.”  This exchange captures Kikuchi’s artistic process and offers insight into her poetic performance.  I had the opportunity to interview her the following day, and found her to be both down to earth and impressive in her approach to the craft.

Norwegian Wood will be coming to the IFC Center on January 6, and my Kikuchi article will be in the February issue of Chopsticks magazine so keep your eyes peeled!

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Feature article:
Spotlight on… Captain Minami

Other articles this month:
POSTCARDS FROM JAPAN – A Message from Tohoku Artists
Films at the Embassy of Japan: Always – Sunset on Third Street 2
UK-Japan Music Society 20th Anniversary Christmas Concert
Tohoku students play at Wembley!
Japanese Food: Interview with award-winning chef Asuka Kobayashi
Japanese representatives visit London ahead of the 2012 London Olympics
New Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia
Tokyo: “What is the city but the people” by Simon Wright
Supporting Tohoku through volunteering and tourism

JET alumni Emily Duncan and Mellissa Takeuchi presenting at Georgia’s annual JapanFest, Sept. 17, 2011.

By Emily Duncan (Hyogo-ken, 2005-08) for JQ magazine. Emily is a graduate of the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia.

When I was a JET, I worked at Himeji Nishi Senior High School and enjoyed my time there immensely. I would love to return to Japan, if only for a visit.

Since a transcontinental, transpacific trip is a bit too much of a stretch for my wallet right now, I, like many of you, have an application essay ready for the day that JNTO begins their campaign for the 10,000 free flights to Japan (should the Diet rethink approving this plan for next spring, of course).

On March 11, 2011, I was asleep when the massive earthquake struck northeastern Japan (after all, it was about 1 a.m. in Atlanta). When I awoke, there was an e-mail news alert on my phone. I spent a chunk of time that morning trying to call friends in the Himeji area, but everyone was fine as they live about an hour west of Osaka. Plenty of room between them and disaster.

The rest of the day—the rest of the weekend, really—I spent occasionally checking in on the progression of events in Japan through news sources online. I reached out to the JETAASE and the Japan-America Society of Georgia with fundraising ideas. But neither group had decided upon a plan of action.

Impatient, I called my friend, Mellissa Takeuchi, fellow Hyogo-ken JET alum, to brainstorm. We thought of ideas for fundraising, but the one immediate and tangible takeaway from the conversation was that we should establish a Facebook page to catalogue the ongoing narrative of the Tohoku Earthquake, the tsunami disaster and the ensuing recovery effort.

Once we started the page I spent a considerable amount of time researching stories and curating the contents of the page. Through Facebook I sought out JET alumni groups from around and invited as many contacts as I could to this site. At its height the page had a following of almost 300 people. Soon I received a request to establish a Twitter feed in order to share information through this platform as well. In response to this I created a Facebook fan page and incorporated a Twitter feed.

Twitter has actually proven to be a wellspring of news and insight into the Tohoku recovery. I’ve tried my best to share the best of what I’ve found on the Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief Idea Exchange page. It has been exciting to see that others find the content to be of value since @ganbare_tohoku_ makes a regular appearance in The #JETAA Journal, an online publication curated by JETAA International and powered by Twitter.

In July the Consulate General of Japan invited Mellissa and I to present at JapanFest, the largest Japanese festival in the Southeast and one of the largest in the U.S. In its 25th year Japanfest is still growing in popularity and at final count 19,000 visitors came to the Gwinnett Center in Duluth the third weekend of September. JapanFest 2011 took on special significance as 100 percent of revenue from ticket package sales was donated to the Tohoku recovery effort.

The theme of JapanFest 2011 was Wasshoi Nippon (Rise Up Japan!). To reflect this, organizers scheduled presenters to address various aspects of the earthquake in Japan. Mellissa and I presented information on media, international participation in the recovery effort, and the best ways for individuals can help Japan. In addition, visitors could learn about JET alum Kristopher Willis‘ experience as a volunteer in Tohoku. Georgia Institute of Technology professor Dr. Hermann M. Fritz offered visitors a chance to gain a more in-depth understanding of the March 11th earthquake and its effect on the Earth and Japanese infrastructure.

Mellissa and I had rather small audiences both days, but they were very attentive and interested in learning more about how to help with the recovery effort. Following the advice offered during University of Tokyo Professor Motoshige Itoh’s presentations in the Atlanta area regarding the Japanese economy a few weeks prior, we both agreed not to promote fundraising for specific groups. According to governmental sources, this is not the most pressing need. Instead, the most help comes from promoting tourism and the purchase of Japanese goods. So that’s what we did—suggest visitors purchase Japanese saké from the onsite vendors, purchase Japanese vehicles, visit Japan or, if that’s not an option, donate occasional Facebook or Twitter posts to promote tourism and/or Japanese products.

In the weeks since JapanFest there has been plenty of news and insight regarding the ongoing recovery in Japan. Through organic discussions via Facebook and Twitter as well as the stories published in the mainstream media, it has been amazing to see, in real time, how interconnected we all are. Remaining mindful of the complex economic and environmental systems that bind humans together, those of us who are working to help our friends in Japan recover have a vested interest in continuing to help. We must continue to raise awareness of what is left to be done. If this seems overwhelming, it always helps me to think of a great quote from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Visit Ganbare Tohoku online at www.facebook.com/GanbareeTohoku and on Twitter @ganbare_tohoku_.

WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

Time truly flies, as I can’t believe it has been so long since I’ve been here.  At any rate, tadaima!

Although almost nine months have passed since the earthquake/tsunami in Fukushima, and I am glad to say that the recoverｙ effort is still on people’s minds.  Last night I went to the Artist Showcase and Fundraiser for Japan held at Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki’s Residence. The event featured a reception honoring a visiting Fukushima prefectural government delegation to New York, along with artwork (some from JET alumni!) available for silent auction purchase.

Ambassador Hiroki offered his comments, and a representative of the Fukushima prefectural governor read a letter from him on his behalf.  On display were Fukushima goods, and guests partook of Fukushima sake as well as local culinary offerings such as delicious rice and peaches.  The filled to capacity crowd seemed to enjoy themselves and were glad to be able to contribute, even in a small way, to the ongoing struggle to restore normalcy in Fukushima.

For those who weren’t able to attend last night but feel like they want to do something to help the cause, there is an event tonight in Union Square being held by the Blue Sky Project, a group of young Fukushima enterpreneurs, with backing from the New York Fukushima Prefectural Association.  For details, please see the press release below and hope to see you all there!

New York, NY – November 25, 2011 – Members of Young Entrepreneurs Group in various regions of Fukushima, Japan formed and established a group called “Blue Sky Project” and will be in New York to raise their spirit of rebuilding their hometown after experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami followed by ill-fated Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear disaster. New York is the aspiration for Fukushima that the city also has experienced September 11th, and has been recovering financially and mentally from the tragedy. Fukushima has been suffering from financial damages and harmful reputation from radiation scare even after 8 ½ months later. In order to overcome the negative images and views towards Fukushima, the members of “Blue Sky Project” and its supporters of New Yorkers will conduct the event: Support Fukushima Candle Night.

JETAANY held its annual Career Forum/Welcome Back Reception on Saturday at the Nippon Club in NYC.  And in addition to the usual combination of useful advice, networking, natsukashii talk and reconnecting in general, this year’s Welcome Back Reception was notable for one other reason:  It was attended by approximately 25 participants in Japan’s new Japan-U.S. Training Training and Exchange Program for English Language Teachers (JUSTE) program, sometimes referred to as the “Reverse JET” program.

The program selected 96 Japanese teachers of English to spend 6 months in the U.S. studying ESL teaching methodology–in English–at 6 different universities across the U.S.:  Rutgers University (NJ), University of Delaware, University of Michigan, University of Texas, University of Iowa, UC Irvine and UC Davis.  The teachers are in turn supposed to bring back their learning and share it with their respective school systems as part of an effort to improve English ability of Japanese students.

The Reverse JETs attending on Saturday came up from Rutgers and the University of Delaware.  It was a terrific opportunity to get to know them and learn more about the program.  Following a brief intro by all of the returning JETs, the Reverse JETs were asked to do the same.  And as they said their names and prefectures, there was an almost instant connection as JET alums from various prefectures cheered when the Reverse JETs called out their own home prefecture.

It was also apparent that these were top rate teachers–the really genki, creative and engaged teachers you remember from your JET days.  (We all were fortunate to have had at least one of these if not more.)  This was made rather apparent when the Delaware contingency decided to forego the traditional introduction style and instead go with a teaching game they had all learned in class the day before.  (See video below.)

Throughout the reception and the nijikai at Faces & Names, JET alumni found the Reverse JETs extremely friendly and easy to talk to.  And it was interesting to hear about their situations and the parallels with our own first time experiences in Japan.  For example:

• While the Rutgers participants are all living on campus in a dormitory for foreign students, the Delaware participants are all living with homestay families and generally need to rely on them for transportation to and from the campus (as they’re not permitted to drive while in the U.S.)
• Most participants were surprised to have been selected for the program.  That’s because most of them hadn’t even known of the program’s existence until their principals called them into their offices and asked them if they’d like to go to the U.S. for 6 months.  In same cases, participants only had hours to contact their spouse and decide whether to say yes.  Though in everyone’s eyes, this was too good an opportunity to pass up, not to mention a terrific honor.  They realized they had been 1 of 96 selected out of a total pool of 50,000 English teachers in Japan.  It sounds like each prefecture is permitted to select a few school systems, and then the Board of Ed in those school systems chooses the teacher.  Interestingly, some schools apparently passed on the opportunity because they didn’t feel they could afford to be without one of their top teachers for 6 months.  And in some prefectures, the selection process is different and teachers can actually apply to be a participant.
• The teachers seemed to be aware of the costs involved in sending them to the U.S. and expressed a strong sense of obligation to study hard and share their learning upon return.  Though one confessed to worrying about maintaining a delicate balance of sharing knowledge while also not wanting to be the nail that sticks up.
• And perhaps most interesting of all, in talking with one of the participants from Aichi (my JET prefecture), I learned that she grew up in Inuyama City and had JET alum and Inuyama City Council Member Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi, 1988-89) as her ALT when she was a student!  Now that’s full circle.  (If anyone knows a good Japanese kotowaza for that idea, please share.)

Hopefully, the Reverse JETs through the U.S. will be able to find JET alumni in their area.  And it would be really terrific if JETAA chapters as well as the JET alumni community in general could do its best to reach out to the participants wherever they are.  They truly appreciate getting to spend time with the New York JET alumni on Saturday.  Imagine how great it must feel to be from Tottori-ken and find an American who is also familiar with Tottori.

Unfortunately, they’re only here through January.  So now is the time to reach out.  In addition to meeting some great people, you’ll also be helping to support a very unique Japanese education program that we hope will continue in the future and grow to meet the English learning needs of Japan’s society.

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Japan Society in NYC. Hidden behind an outwardly unassuming facade across the street from the United Nations, The Japan Society has been promoting Japanese-American relations since 1907. Inside, the Society shows its true character as the indoor gardens, water features, and shoji-inspired walkways wow visitors as much as the broad range of classes, exhibitions, and lectures they hold each year.

"W-Orbit" by Akio Hamatani

Currently showing (until December 18th) is “Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers.” It’s a collaboration between The Japan Society and Textile Network Japan along with Tama Art University Museum. As you enter the exhibit, you walk through the first piece of art! The doorway is covered with a noren, or traditional door curtain, made of space-age materials that look like watered silk and gold leaf. It was one great example of how the 30 artists who contributed pieces combined traditional techniques and modern materials to show the versatility and beauty of textiles….

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE POST…

Kirsten Phillips strikes a Yosakoi pose.

By Sierra Soleil (Fukushima-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Sierra works at an ESL school in Manhattan. He enjoys teaching, writing, and riding his bike.

The first weekend of November marked the ninth annual Japan Arts Matsuri (JAM) in New York, this year at the Theater for the New City in the East Village. With about 30 volunteers and a handful of business sponsors, JAM put on an excellent show for roughly a thousand people over the three exciting days.

The entryway and lobby of the theater was crammed with tables selling everything from okashi and yakisoba to clothes and handicrafts, though most people in the know went directly for the Sendai miso cream puffs, and for good reason. There were even two carnival games: a simple one involving throwing a plastic katana at prizes, and an incomprehensible one where people poked little cookies with needles for some reason. Nearly every table was also raising money for earthquake/tsunami relief.

Every day of the three-day matsuri had music and dance performances, but Saturday was Talent Night, where performers could compete for a special invitation to perform at next year’s JAM. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Talent Night, which was good, because it was as wildly erratic as any cross-section of modern Japanese music and dance should be. The first act I caught was Robin’s Egg Blue, a cheerful acoustic pop group. They were followed by a band called Firesign, which was meant to be metal, though any spell they cast dissipated immediately when, as they left the stage, one of the emcees decided to reassure us that they were all very polite in person. After that there were modern and traditional dances, a gospel singer, a karaoke cover of Cee Lo Green’s smash hit (the “Forget You” version, of course), and a fascinating collaboration between a belly dancer and a beatboxer.

The show was billed as being like Amateur Night at the Apollo, and there was some resemblance. The acts were short, and before each intermission the audience chose their favorite via applause. Looking at the lineup, it occurred to me that JAM’s offering was a lot more diverse than anything I’ve seen at Amateur Night. One of the matsuri’s goals is to share Japanese culture with Americans, and the lesson to take from Talent Night is that culturally, the Japanese really are into everything. It also occurred to me that the power to vote by cheering for a performer we liked meant a lot less without the power to impeach them by booing.

I came to Talent Night specifically to meet with JET alumna Kirsten Phillips (Niigata-ken, 2005-08), a member of the Yosakoi Dance Project 10tecomai. The first impression she makes is everything a JET is supposed to be: energetic, cheerful, with a kind of wide-eyed enunciation that makes everything sound exciting. She went directly from teaching in Japan to teaching special education in New York, and it immediately seems like she would be good at it.

10tecomai in action. Their blend of traditional and modern dance is as fun to do as it is to watch.

Phillips started dancing in a Yosakoi group while in Niigata, and entirely by accident. Her school had a Yosakoi club, which she discovered the way many of us discovered such things: while wandering around the school during her free time. After some practice, she was hooked, and when she came back to New York, the melancholy of reverse culture shock led her to the Internet to search for a local troupe. She was lucky. Though Yosakoi clubs are not unheard of in the U.S. she says they are mainly recreational. 10tecomai, however, is specifically focused on performances, and you can catch them at just about any matsuri within striking distance of the Five Boroughs.

In all fairness, I should say that I had never heard of Yosakoi before my trip to Talent Night, and I had no idea what to expect. My brief research told me only that it was a blend of traditional and modern styles, but I could have said the same thing about the Spam musubi on sale outside the theater. It turns out that “traditional and modern” is exactly what Yosakoi is. It has some of the aggressive swinging and gesticulating I remember from my school’s taiko club, but also uses the gentler sweeping motions of a more sedate bon odori. 10Tecomai throws in some more modern moves, plus a little popping and locking for good measure, all of which Phillips was glad to demonstrate in the theater’s crowded lobby. According to her, it all began in the ’50s in Shikoku to entertain tourists, and has been spreading ever since. It’s not hard to see why, since the basics are simple enough for anyone to get into, but there seem to be few restrictions on how far a dancer can take the genre. 10tecomai’s version is definitely a crowd-pleaser, making them the hands down winner of the Talent Night competition.

The question the members of 10tecomai get the most is not about what 10tecomai means. Phillips told me that everyone asks if they teach workshops. As it happens, they will for the first time on November 13th and 20th at Ripley Grier Studios in Hell’s Kitchen. Full details are on www.10tecomai.com. You can also catch them at their rehearsal space in Chinatown (55 Christie Street, 3rd floor) on Saturday nights from 7:30 to 10 p.m., or pretty much anywhere there is a hanami.

For more on JAM and its sponsor JaNet, visit http://japanesenetwork.org/en/amnet-jam.

10tecomai accepts their award as the audience's choice on Talent Night. They were a hands down favorite.

Recently I wrote a review of THE LAST DAYBREAK, the latest EP by exist†trace, for Purple SKY. The all-female J-rock band made their major label debut this past June and are now gearing up for a U.S. tour. They will play in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, as well as Tekkoshocon in Pittsburg, in March.

THE LAST DAYBREAK opens with a primal call from Jyou, but instead of singing in her trademark growling alto, she keeps her voice light and clear in “Daybreak ~Jyusan gatsu no shikisai.” Unexpected moves like these are the highlight of exist†trace’s new album.

Read the rest of the review here.

Thanks to JETAA Chicago’s Elizabeth Gordon (Iwate-ken 2003-05) for sharing this info:

JETAA Chicago will host its annual Job and Networking Fair on Saturday, November 5th from 1pm to 5pm at the Japan Information Center in downtown Chicago.

This is a great opportunity for JETs that have recently returned from Japan, current JET Alumni, friends of JETs as well as professionals looking for new networking and career opportunities.

A lot of JETs return from Japan looking for ways to maintain and even build upon the experiences they made while living abroad and we hope to provide support in helping you reach those goals. This is also a wonderful opportunity for individuals that are interested in pursuing a new career and would like some guidance from current Alumni or other established professionals.

There will be an open table top session with booths from various Chicagoland companies and organizations as well as a wine and cheese reception. We are also planning on having a speaker to kick off the event so please stay tuned as there will be more specific information to follow!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email our Social Activities Officer, Daniel Martin: social@jetaachicago.com

Location: Consulate General of Japan at Chicago (JIC – Japan Information Center), 737. North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL (map it)

Japan Arts Matsuri 2011 runs Nov. 4-6 at Manhattan's Theater for the New City. (Kenji Mori)

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here for related stories.

For every Japanese artist and entertainer in New York with a dream to make it big, the ninth annual Japan Art Matsuri (JAM) is the place for their star to shine. Held this year from Nov. 4-6 at the Theater for the New Cityin Manhattan’s East Village, this year JAM 2011 offers its biggest and most diverse lineup to date.

Hosted by Yoshi Amao and Saori Goda and presented by JaNet in association with Faune Dance Troupe, JAM 2011 has established itself as one of America’s largest Japanese art and music festivals, presenting Japan and its unique culture with performances by Japanese artists, musicians and entertainers in a true matsuri (festival)-style atmosphere, and to enhance friendship and communication among New York City’s cultural communities.

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event that features, in addition to live entertainment, a variety of street stall-style shops in the theater lobby that sell everything from Japanese food and drinks to artworks and traditional goods. There will also be charity booths to help those in Japan devastated by the 3/11 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster.

For the complete story, click here.

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

I was so excited when I saw a friend post on Facebook this morning that the most recent Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli film, “The Secret World of Arrietty” will be in theaters in the US in February of 2012! I was lucky enough to see it in theaters in July of 2010, and I was blown away. You can watch the Japanese trailer here.

The story is based off the classic children’s novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. Essentially, the Borrowers are kobito, literally “tiny people,” who live by borrowing the things they need from humans. They live under the floorboards or close to human’s houses so they can sneak in when no-one’s around to borrow what they need. The main characters are Arrietty and her family, the last remaining Borrower family in their area. One day, while borrowing sugar from the house, Arrietty is seen by the sick boy who’s come to visit the house for the summer. What will happen now that a human has seen her? The adventure begins!

Studio Ghibli films are always beautifully produced, but I thought that Arrietty was even a step above their normal production. The scenery from the garden around the house was exquisite… every leaf, flower and dew drop was so fresh and colorful that when you watch it on the big screen you truly feel you are the size of a Borrower, walking though the jungle of an overgrown garden. The soundtrack was equally amazing – ethereal and quirky, performed by the immensely talented French singer and harpist Cecile Corbel. I’m not one for buying movie soundtracks, but after I saw the movie I immediately went to the closest Tower Records and bought the “Kari-gurashi SONGBOOK” soundtrack, which has all of the best themes and songs from the movie on it. Check out the main theme here.

Disney will be releasing Arrietty in February. Although I’m a die-hard subtitle fan, I’ve been really impressed by Disney’s translation and dubbing for the other Ghibli movies. They bring in top-notch actors and really smooth out the dialogue while keeping close to the original meaning and feeling of the Japanese. Translation of movies has got to be one of the hardest jobs ever – it’s not just language but a whole different set of cultural cues that you’re translating for another audience. Arrietty will be voiced by Bridget Mendler and supported by a great cast including Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnet.

I know that most of us have seen or heard of Miyazaki’s movies before – perhaps Studio Ghibli’s movies are part of what drew us to Japan.  Movies, anime, and traditional artwork were the things that got me interested in Japan in the first place!  What are some of your favorite Ghibli movies?   Mine include:

Porco Rosso (紅の豚 Kurenai no Buta), the Casablanca-esque story of a mysteriously enchanted pig-cum-bounty hunter who swoops around the Adriatic saving school children and the hearts of beautiful cafe owners…

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ Tonari no Totoro), a story of two little girls who move to a new house in the country with their father. Strangely enough, the house is inhabited by an amazing array or spirits that can only be seen by children, including the large, fuzzy, and toothy monster called Totoro and his friend the Cat Bus.

Howl’s Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城 Hauru no Ugoku Shiro), based on the Diana Wynne Jones YA book of the same name, is a light tale of love and magic with a twist of Miyazaki’s anti-war messages…

Thanks to Osaka JET Cailin Arena for letting us know about this:

From Miyagi JET alum Monique Moloney:  ”Here is the press release (and photos) for the fundraiser in Hong Kong on April 16. It was a great way to connect with the Japanese community in Hong Kong and to put our energy towards a positive outcome for Miyagi.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former Miyagi Residents Raise Funds Through Hong Kong Event

Hong Kong – 25th April, 2011

Two former residents of Miyagi Prefecture have pooled the creative expertise of five photographers in a silent photographic auction in Hong Kong to raise money for the March 11 earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.

The event entitled “Kampai for Sendai” was held on Saturday, April 16 at Shore Restaurant and Bar and was attended by approximately 180 people. The silent auction of distinctly Japanese photographs including 13 original mounts and three canvassed photographs, was the main focus of the evening. Additional funds were raised through the live auction of Simone Legno autographed Tokidoki merchandise and the sale of raffle tickets.

The total amount raised from the event was HK$30697 (US$3950). 100% of these funds were be donated to Peace Winds Japan andShine Humanity, two non-government organisations that have been highly visible in Miyagi Prefecture and are committed to using all designated funds for the Japan relief effort.

The event organizers, Monique Moloney and Matt Jones, both Australian nationals living in Hong Kong, were Assistant Language Teachers on the JET Programme in Miyagi Prefecture between 2003-2006. Having maintained strong connections with their former home, they were deeply affected by the devastation and suffering in communities where they’d often visited and fondly remembered. Their reaction was to organise an event that could raise awareness and funds in a meaningful way.

Through online groups, Monique found photographers who were willing to contribute their work to the cause. She also connected with other former JET participants who were living in Hong Kong. These people helped promote the event and attended to show their support.

“We may have moved on but we haven’t forgotten our friends in Miyagi Prefecture. It was our turn to give back for the kindness and good will we were shown during our time there.”

For more information, please contact Monique Moloney at mnqmlny@gmail.com or phone +852 90300243

Feeling a bit homesick for the full moon, momiji and manju that are signs of fall in Japan?  Despair not, for 4 days remain of the wonderful “Fall Flowers of Japan” display at the New York Botanical Garden.  It will continue until Sunday, October 30th, 10AM to 6PM, and costs (a completely worthwhile) $20 to see.  The main focus of the display is kiku, chrysanthemums.  They have dozens of varieties to see, including traditional shapes and colors from Japan trained into waterfalls or bridges, and new strains bred in American which look like bird’s nests and exploding stars.

These mums were bigger than a grapefruit, and were so glossy and translucent that they should be made of spun sugar!

They also have an amazing piece of sculptural art there, a massive ikebana piece created by world-renowned Sogetsu school artist Kawana Tetsunori.  Dubbed Tanjou, or Rebirth, it is entirely made of branches and storm-wrack recovered from the Botanical Garden after Hurricanes Irene and Jeff.

Tanjou is displayed in the center of a still pool in the Conservatory greenhouse... its beautiful reflection in the water doubles its grandeur.

This special event also brings traditional music and dancing to the Garden, with two performances by Tomofuji-kai on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm and 3pm.  Afterwards you can explore the rest of the Botanical Garden with its stunning Conservatory and chilling display of carved pumpkins!

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIINSSSSS...

One down, six to go: Voice actors Christopher Sabat, Justin Cook, and Sean Schemmel of 'Dragon Ball Z.' (Justin Tedaldi)

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his page here for related stories.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of its English-language debut, Dragon Ball Z is coming to Blu-ray for the first time in America. The November release of Dragon Ball Z Level 1.1 contains the first 17 episodes of the anime series that dominated Japan’s pop culture scene in the 1990s and later, the rest of the world. This newly remastered collection restores the original, director-approved color scheme and 4:3 aspect ratio in stunning 1080p HD, and each volume will include rare never-before-seen special features.

In this exclusive interview conducted at New York Comic Con/Anime Festival (where I also talked with Stan Lee), I spoke with three of the English dub cast members: Christopher Sabat (Vegeta/Piccolo/Yamcha/voice director), Justin Cook (Raditz/Super Buu/ADR engineer), and Sean Schemmel (Goku/King Kai/Nail) about the release, their favorite Dragon Ball memories, and the proper context for discussing one’s favorite cartoon crush.

Regarding your approach to the characters’ voices, how much of the original Japanese voice work did you watch? For the voices you replaced, how much of that did you take into consideration?

Chris: At the start, a lot of consideration was taken to the original voices, and when I say original voices, I mean the Canadian cast [whose English dub work aired from 1996-98], because at the time [Dragon Ball’s North American producers] FUNimation had decided for a multitude of reasons that it was just physically impossible for them to record in Canada any longer. It was difficult to keep the actors consistent on the roles, because a lot of the Canadian actors were cast in other things, and sometimes it would make their job difficult. In fact, they had to recast Goku several times in Canada; they didn’t want to do that anymore. And it also made more sense to be closer to the parent company, so they moved it all down to Fort Worth.

We tried to take a lot of care at the beginning to match the Canadian cast, only because we didn’t want it to be too much of a shock, and when I say “we” I guess I mean the people who hired me—they didn’t want it to be too much of a shock to the American culture when they changed out these voices. And to be honest, when we first started recording this, we didn’t really have access to the Japanese versions of the show; we were dubbing off the Spanish version of Dragon Ball Z. So if we ever listened to the original language on the tape, it was like (speaks in a rapid mock Spanish): “Goku! Dragon Ball Zeta!” [Goku’s wife] Chi-Chi’s name was Milk.

We were just trying to keep it consistent to the first 68 episodes, and it wasn’t until later that we were redubbing the show that we actually started getting in the real Japanese versions of the show and had the technology to be able to quickly preview the Japanese files. We didn’t even have digital files yet, and sometimes we didn’t even get all the original materials that had the Japanese track on it; sometimes we were lucky if it had any sound on the tape at all…the [original] Japanese wasn’t an option.

Have you been to Japan before? If not, what would you want to do there?

Sean: I have plenty ideas about what I want to do in Japan. I have not been to Japan; I really want to go. My goal is to become a background character in an anime, so I can say this (with mock surprise): “Nani?!” (what) and that’s it. I want it to be one line, to be a Japanese seiyū [voice actor]. Give me something longer than that (in a gruff voice): “Ware ware…” (we) something, but just one line; that’s my goal. And, to meet  Masako Nozawa [the original voice of Goku] and maybe, if I were lucky, [Dragon Ball creator] Akira Toriyama, but that’s probably never going to happen.

If you met Toriyama-sensei, what would you ask him?

Sean: I would just thank him, because when you think about it, here’s this guy that draws this comic book, there’s this massive explosion—that I’m on the periphery of, if you think about it—[that] radically changed my life forever. So I’d be extraordinarily grateful to that guy.

Read the complete story here.

Here’s a link to coverage (including video) of JETAA Heartland’s Japanese Film Festival fundraiser for Japan earthquake/tsunami relief back in March 2011.  The video features an interview with JETAA Heartland President Warren McAllen!

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/lifestyle/japanese-film-festival-at-johnson-county-cc-to-raise-money-for-victims-of-earthquake-and-tsunami

Here’s the video and article:

By: Beth Vaughn

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – Two and a half weeks have passed since an earthquake struck Japan, triggering a huge tusnami that has killed more than 10,000 people. Another estimated 18,000 people are still missing.

Though time has passed, the disaster is still at the forefront of many minds in the Heartland.

All proceeds from the Greater Kansas City Japanese Film Festival Sunday afternoon at Johnson County Community College went directly to agencies working in the Japanese relief effort.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association and the Heart of America Japan-America Society are putting on the event.

The film festival was planned even before the quake shook Japan. The original purpose was to promote Japanese flims in the Heartland and to grow a greater understanding of Japanese culture.

This year’s films include Chocolate Underground, Harimaya Bridge and Red Beard.

JETAA also plans to send volunteers to Japan in the coming months to help rebuild areas that now face devastation.

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Featured Article:
Exclusive interview with Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP

Other articles this month:

Tsunami Appeal: exhibition by British artists
Rescuing Archaeology and Culture: assessing the impact of the March 2011 disaster on cultural heritage
Films at the Embassy of Japan: My Secret Cache
JAPAN-UK Events Calendar
Great Grand Master of the Urasenke School of Tea visits the UK
Dr Nicole Rousmaniere honoured for her promotion of Japan and its arts in the UK
UK students brew sake in Tohoku
A sporting spectacle in Wales
25 years of JET: looking back and looking forward
Geoffrey Bownas – the man I knew
Embassy honour for Japanese students
The mystery organiser behind the Quakebook project

Subscribe:

To subscribe to the Embassy of Japan in the UK webmagazine, please email webmagazine@ld.mofa.go.jp with the subject ‘subscribe’.

On Friday August 26, we had the great honor of giving a presentation about the Pacific Northwest JET Alumni Association at the Hyogo Seminar, which was hosted by Hyogo Prefecture (coordinated by theHyogo Business and Cultural Center) and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). The Governor of Hyogo Prefecture, Toshizo Ido, gave a comprehensive presentation on the many great qualities of Hyogo. Consul General Kiyokazu Ota, Masaaki Akagi, the Executive Director of The Japan Local Government Center (CLAIR New York), and Ginn Kitaoka, the Executive Director of the Hyogo Business and Cultural Center all gave warm opening remarks.

During our presentation, we highlighted the great things our chapter does. Ryan Hart (Chiba-ken, Ichihara-shi, 1998-99) (former PNW JETAA President, JETAA USA Country Representative and JETAA International Vice-Chair) shared what JETAA and current JETs are doing on the national and international level, Karin Zaugg-Black shared how her JET experiences shaped her career and her personal involvement with Japan, and Erin Erickson explained how we have supported Japan Relief efforts. Leela Bilow, Jana Yamada, and Casey Mochel shared their memories of Japan and how they continue to be involved with the Japanese community after JET.

Ryan Hart very generously allowed us to share his speech with you. Below is a brief excerpt, and his full speech is below the cut.

From its inception, the JET Alumni Association has helped former participants of the JET Program “Bring Japan Back Home.” What does this mean? We help former participants network, make new friends and transition their careers. We help the JET Program by recruiting, interviewing and training new teachers for their journey. We also help our communities we live in to support Japanese culture and raise awareness of the strong ties between our countries.

On March 11, 2011, like so many other things in our lives, this changed. Instead of “Bringing Japan Back Home”, our chapters and membership have rallied not only to raise money for immediate earthquake and tsunami relief, but also to strengthen the value of our relationship with local communities and organizations in Japan.

The JET Program, since 1987, has grown into the largest and most successful work exchange program in the world. Each year, the program brings thousands of teachers to Japan to promote language education and to strengthen Japan’s relationship with a number of countries. Since 1989, our Alumni Association of former program participants, has mirrored that growth and has steadily grown as a true grassroots organization, built from our individual members up. JETAA is now 53 chapters in 18 countries. As a former chapter president here in Seattle, a former Country Representative for JETAA USA’s 19 chapters and as former Vice Chair for JETAA International, I have been truly blessed to have had the chance to work and be a part of this growth.

From its inception, the JET Alumni Association has helped former participants of the JET Program “Bring Japan Back Home.” What does this mean? We help former participants network, make new friends and transition their careers. We help the JET Program by recruiting, interviewing and training new teachers for their journey. We also help our communities we live in to support Japanese culture and raise awareness of the strong ties between our countries.

On March 11, 2011, like so many other things in our lives, this changed. Instead of “Bringing Japan Back Home”, our chapters and membership have rallied not only to raise money for immediate earthquake and tsunami relief, but also to strengthen the value of our relationship with local communities and organizations in Japan.

• Immediately following the earthquake and tsunami, JETAA USA started raised money as a national organization and chapters voted to allocate this money directly to the affected local communities. We have formed a national advisory committee for the relief fund, of which I am proudly serving as a member. To date, the JET alumni have raised over $60k in funds and we are exploring continued fundraising efforts to make an even bigger impact.
• AJET, as an organization of current JETs living and teaching in Japan, has been partnering with organizations such as Peace Boat, Second Harvest, Foreign Buyers Club and 5toSurvive to raise money and awareness of recovery efforts. The Osaka AJET Chapter has worked on food drives with Kozmoz International of Kyoto, and have driven food and supplies themselves to Tohoku from Osaka.
• Mike Maher-King, a Fukui JET, formed Smile Kids Japan, a program of visiting orphanages throughout Japan. After March 11, he partnered with an organization in Tokyo called Living Dreams to start the Smile & Dreams project for Tohoku children to make sure the needs of the orphanages and the needs of the children who rely on them are met. He recently presented at TED Talks in Tokyo.
• Paul Yoo, an Akita JET, founded the Fruit Tree Project (delivering $23,571 worth and 38,612 items of fresh fruit to Tohoku) and VolunteerAkita, which was the backbone of the BIG CLEAN project that was directly involved in the cleanup of Kessenuma. He is now working as the Home Communication Manager for two orphanages in Sendai to ensure their needs are communicated with organizations involved with relief efforts.
• Hotdogs and Hugs was an aid organization of JETs from Saga-ken, who traveled from Saga Prefecture in western Kyushu, all the way to Tohoku, raising awareness and funds for relief efforts along the way.
• Save Miyagi was founded by Canon Purdy, a JET Alumni who was in Miyagi-ken.
• Billy McMicheal, a CIR in Fukushima, has formed Hearts for Haragama, which is raising funds for the Haragama Youchien Kindergarten in Soma, Fukushima.
• Kat Geeraert, an alumnus who also lived in Soma, has started Friends of Soma to raise money for relief efforts.

These are just a few examples of the direct impact JETs and JET alumni have had. Given the number of teachers who have taught in Japan since 1985, there probably are many more individual efforts out there that we don’t know about.

What we do know is that, in light of what happened on March 11, JET alumni around the world are not only focused on “Bringing Japan Home”, but also “Bringing Home to Japan.” Collectively, we have a renewed focus not only on strengthening US/Japan relations, but also the ties with the communities we once lived, worked, and taught in. We know that our contracts we were given to us by local governments and boards of education throughout Japan, weren’t just annual contracts, they were invitations to a legacy. It should be very clear to the many communities across Japan who have invested in the JET Program since 1987 that there is a long-term value in the relationships that have been formed with the many JET Program participants that have come and gone. Whether it be through media campaigns, tourism promotion, school exchange programs, or relief and fundraising efforts, JETAA is now looking to continue our legacy in “Bringing Home Back to Japan.”

Thank you.

Ryan Hart, Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, 1998-99