WIT Life #298: Sake production and dorayaki creation in film
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
This weekend I had the chance to see two fabulous Japanese films being screened here in the city, one documentary and one fiction. The former is The Birth of Sake being shown at IFC, and the latter is Sweet Bean playing at Lincoln Plaza Cinema, both through this Thursday, March 24th.
The Birth of Sake, directed by Erik Shirai who was on hand for a post-screening Q&A, has already won awards at Tribeca and other notable film festivals. I had heard of it in passing a few years back when the Kickstarter campaign raising money for the film took place, and the result is a sneak peek inside the normally cloistered world of sake creation. The film takes an in-depth look at this process carried out by the hard working staff of the 144-year old Tedorigawa Brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture. Their business is unique in that everything is done by hand, whereas the majority of modern Japanese breweries are automated.
Tedorigawa’s workers range in age from 20-70, and one requirement of their grueling job is that they must live at the brewery during the sake-producing six months from October until April (and according to Shirai, due to Tedorigawa’s new popularity thanks to his film, this season has been extended to May!). They are willing to taking time away from their families and home lives to make this sacrifice, and many are veterans of their craft looking to cultivate the next generation of workers. Not only will this film educate viewers about the sake-making process, but it offers a rare glimpse of the people behind it. In particular, I loved the scenes humanizing the workers, like when they were splashing each other in the bath, teasing each other while shopping or breaking out into karaoke after a long day of work.
Dire
ctor Naomi Kawase’s 2015 Sweet Bean (あん or an, sweet red bean paste) is a surprisingly tender film about the creation of an equally treasured aspect of Japanese food/drink culture, dorayaki (どら焼き or red bean pancake). This dessert is ubiquitous in Japan, from pre-packaged types found in convenience stores to freshly made dorayaki at food stalls. The film centers on a dorayaki proprietor whose Read More
WIT Life #297: 人魚に会える日 (Girl of the Sea)
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
Last week I returned from a short business trip in Japan when Tokyo was enjoying unseasonably warm weather. People were in t-shirts over the weekend, and with 梅 (ume, or plum blossoms) already in bloom an early 桜 (sakura, or cherry blossom) season is predicted for this year (if only I could have stuck around for a few more weeks…). However, this morning’s Japan news reported the weather dipping back down to chillier temps, so who knows when actual blooming will take place. Stay tuned to the 桜前線 (sakura zenzen, or cherry blossom front)!
While in Tokyo I had the chance to check out the film 人魚に会える日 (Ningyo ni aeru hi or Girl of the Sea), made by 20-year old Okinawan director and Keio University student Ryugo Nakamura. He made his debut at age 13 with the film やぎの冒険 (Yagi no bouken or The Catcher on the Shore), and has produced over 30 movies, amazingly prolific for his young age! After debuting in Okinawa, Girl of the Sea had a limited four-day run at the cool venue Eurolive in Shibuya (which also houses the Tokyo Film Academy). Nakamura created the film in collaboration with his classmates over two weeks of their summer vacation.
In the Q&A after the movie he detailed how in addition to the efforts of these classmate volunteers, the actors were kind enough to drive themselves from Naha (Okinawa’s capital city) to the northern city of Nago when they realized how limited the film’s resources were. I was particularly starstruck by the participation of one of my favorite Japanese singers/songwriters, the Okinawan artist Cocco. Nakamura recounted how during an intense scene Cocco has with two high schoolers who were overwhelmed to be acting with her, she put them right at ease.
Girl of the Sea deals with the theme of the proposed Futenma Marine Corps Base relocation and how the base issue affects Okinawans, especially young people. This topic is of extreme interest to me since I Read More
JETAA Chapter Beat 3.11 5th Anniversary Memorial Edition
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Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Vice Chair and Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
This month marks the 5th anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake and the loss of the lives of the two JETs Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson. Many JETAA chapters around the world are getting together to remember those affected by the disaster as well as raise money for various organisations in Tohoku. This edition of the JETAA Chapter Beat will focus on these events.
About the film: In March 2013, Wesley Julian launched and successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign to create Tohoku Tomo — a documentary film telling the story of true friendship and commitment to Japan’s recovery by the international community following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Julian and a small team traveled across the United States and Japan to interview individuals who have made and continue to make a difference in Tohoku.
Many of these people dropped what they were doing and dedicated themselves to Japan’s recovery. Many of them even took it upon themselves to establish non-profit organizations aimed at connecting with and rebuilding Tohoku and its communities. At the core of all of these organizations are individuals. Many of these groups were founded by members of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET Program). What started as a love of Japan through teaching blossomed into a true friendship and commitment to the Tohoku region. These founders and many other volunteers have truly become friends of Tohoku. They are, in Japanese, Tohoku Tomo.
Locations
JETAA Alaska
When: February 29th, 6:00pm
Where: The BP Energy Center, Anchorage
JETAA Midsouth/NOLA
When: March 3rd, 5:30pm
Where: Tulane University, Newcomb Campus, Jones Hall 102, New Orleans
JETAA Toronto
When: March 9th, 6:30pm
Where: Revue Cinema
Sasakawa Peace Foundation and JETAADC
When: March 11th, 4:30pm
Where: The Mayflower Hotel, Washington DC
JETAA NSW
When: March 16th, 6:00pm
Where: Japan Foundation, Sydney
JETAA Southern California
When: March 18th, 7:00pm
Where: Occidental College, Choi Auditorium, los Angeles
Florida JETAA-Miami
When: March 30th, 8:00pm
Where: Florida International University, modesto A. Maidique Campus, Room GL 100
Florida JETAA-Orlando
When: March 31st, 8:00pm
Where: Asia Trend/ Y.E.S.S Center
About the Project: The mission of the 113 Project is to create a venue for dialogue and action that reclaims the message of the Tohoku disaster as an opportunity for good. The 113 Project will encourage collaboration among thought leaders, activists, community members and volunteers to continue the critical work of recovery and revitalization in Tohoku as well as to look at and address together challenges faced by others through the lens of lessons learned out of the Tohoku experience.
JETAA Northern California
When: March 8th, 6:30pm
Where: JCCC NC , 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco
JETAA Rocky Mountain
When: March 13th, 2:00pm
Where: Sie Film Center, Denver
PNWJETAA
When: April 22-24th
Where: Cherry Blossom Festival, Seattle
For a full list of Tohoku Tomo and 113 Project events, please see the Tohoku Tomo website at http://tohokutomo.com/screenings/ or email them at info@tohokutomo.com.
Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story
About the film: This film is a story about Taylor Anderson and all the young people who travel the world trying to make a difference. Taylor was an extraordinary American who dedicated herself to teaching Japanese children, living her dream right up to the events of March 11, 2011. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan were a disaster that no one could have expected.
When:March 13th, 1:00pm
Where: Sendai Mediatheque, Sendai, Japan
Details: http://jetprogramme.org/en/info/greateastjapanearthquake/
Additional Events around the world
D-prep: A disaster Preparation Event
When: March 13th,10:00-3:00
Where:Canadian Academy ,Rokko Island, Kobe
RSVP: by March 10th at this link
For more information, please e-mail Rose Tanasugarn at jetaawj@gmail.com
JETAA Vic/Tas/SA
The Big Bento Lunch
When:March 1st-31st
Where: Anywhere you wish
Hosting a Big Bento Lunch is as easy as rounding up up a group of your friends and work mates and eating some delicious Japanese food!
Since 2012, Big Bento Lunch participants have raise more than $30,000 for many charities by holding family picnics or parties or and getting bentos delivered to work places. It is simple and fun!
To register your lunch and help us support the Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund, visit the Big Bento Lunch website at www.bigbentolunch.com.au
WIT Life #296: Kauai’s Japanese lantern
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
I just returned from my 3-week State Department interpreting trip and subsequent mini vacation in 
Hawaii!
While enjoying some R&R on my favorite island of Kauai, I discovered something that I hadn’t noticed in previous visits. I was staying in Kapa’a, a centrally located area boasting a beautiful bike path that I love using for morning runs overlooking the ocean. During a run, I happened to turn my gaze away from the ocean and a Japanese-seeming lantern in the distance caught my eye. I was curious about its location on what looked like the edge of a playing field.
Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that what I saw was a 15-foot cast concrete lantern built in 1915 by Kauai’s Japanese community to commemorate the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and Emperor Taisho’s 1912 ascension to the throne. Here’s a bit more of its story courtesy of the Historic Hawaii Foundation website (lightly edited by me): “By World War II, pro-imperial sentiments were a problem for a later generation of Japanese-Americans who literally buried the lantern in 1943, both to protect it from Read More
Let’s Talk Japan – Episode 28, Recent Japanese Cinema with Maurice Maloney
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Let’s Talk Japan is an interview format podcast covering a wide range of Japan-related topics. Host Nick Harling (Mie-ken, 2001-03) lived in Japan from 2001 until 2005, including two great years as a JET Program participant. He practices law in Washington, D.C., and lives with his wife who patiently listens to him talk about Japan . . . a lot.
In this episode, Nick and fellow JET Program Alum Maurice Maloney (Fukui-ken 2004-06) review the 2015 Cinematsuri Japanese Film Festival and share their opinions on which of these films you should see for yourself.
If you have not already done so, be sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @letstalkjapan and leave a positive rating/review in iTunes.
JETAA Chapter Beat February 15th 2016
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Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Vice Chair and Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
Book club (The Professor and the Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa)
When: February 28th, 3pm
Where: Uptown Espresso, 500 Westlake Ave N Seattle, WA 98109
PNWJETAA are reading and discussing The Professor and the Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa (she also authored The Diving Pool) this month. It is available everywhere, but here it is on Amazon. They look forward to seeing you all.
2015 Returning JET Reception Luncheon
When: February 20th, 1pm CST
Where: contact jetcoord@ho.mofa.go.jp for address
All the little JETs have grown up! Time for JETAA Texoma to welcome them into the JETAA world. If you can make it please get involved! Please contact Alisa Tobin to confirm your attendance and get the address. Her contact email is jetcoord@ho.mofa.go.jp
The Luncheon Reception will officially begin at 1:00 PM.
When: February 20th, 5pm MST
Where: Tokio 2907 Huron St, Denver, Colorado 80202
It’s time to celebrate the year of the monkey. Remenisce about the old times in Japan while celebrating the new year over a proper bowl of hot Ramen. Chat, network, befriend, and be merry. Bring your +1’s and Kodomo’s. Space is limited to 30 (fire Marshal’s orders) – Reserve your spot by following the PayPal link below.
https://www.paypal.com/
Dinner is just $15 and includes ramen and a beer (or a softdrink with free refills). If you haven’t been to Tokio, take a gander at their website and check out their amazing space: http://www.mytokio.com/
When: February 28th, 11am
Where: Castor Bay Beach Area, (parking available on The Esplanade, Castor Bay)
Enjoy some chilled beach time together before the beautiful weather disappears. They are just meeting at Castor Bay Beach, bring your own picnic and beach things etc. JETAA will provide limited refreshments. Long term weather forecast doesn’t look too bad but watch this space for any changes.
RSVP: If you can, just drop JETAA a line to say you’d like to go along – just to get an idea of numbers for the refreshments and also so that they can organise a few games.
Questions? Contact aucklandjetaa@gmail.com.
Job: Media & Marketing Assistant Manager @ JNTO (Sydney, AUSTRALIA)
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Posted by Eden Law, JETAA NSW President and Country Representative for Australia. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Short description
Seeking candidates for the position of Media & Marketing Assistant Manager. You will be responsible for organising events and developing relationships with the media and MICE industry partners to promote the organisation’s activities.
The full advertisement, and application details are available on Seek.com.au.
Note that JNTO looks on candidates with JET experience very highly. They have specifically reached out to the JETAA community for suitable candidates and past employees have often been ex-JETs. Good luck!
JETAA Chapter Beat February 2nd 2016
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Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Vice Chair and Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
February is a big month for JETAA chapters around the world , with many of them hosting elections for the next JETAA councils and representatives. However, that does not stop JETAA chapters from holding some really great events too! Let’s have a look at some of the events happening this month.
Shinnenkai 2016 @ Grand Central Restaurant & Bowling Lounge
When: February 18th, 7-10pm
Where: Grand Central Restaurant & Bowling Lounge (808 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97232)
It may already be February, but it isn’t really the new year until you’ve celebrated it with JETAA Portland! This year JETAA Portland are bringing you a Shinnenkai full of food, fun, and games for the whole family. Join them at Grand Central Restaurant & Bowling Lounge for a casual evening of tacos and bowling as they celebrate the year of the monkey. 明けましておめでとう!
When: February 13th, 5-7pm
Where: Ottawa Curling Club ,440 O’Connor St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1W4
Curling, the king of sports! Come and enjoy casual, beginner-friendly curling at the Ottawa Curling Club. You don’t need any experience or equipment to have a nice time! JETAA Ottawa has reserved two sheets of ice as well as instruction for the first half hour.
When: February 7th, 8:45-12pm PST
Where:859 E Sierra Madre Ave, Glendora, CA 91741
Want to go hiking ? This is a pretty easy 1.5 mile hike, but then the last part definitely gets your heart rate up. It’s about 1 1/4 hours to the top and about an hour down, depending on how much time the group spends taking breaks. It’s a good hike with great views from the top.
If you would like to go please RSVP on the JETAASC Facebook page.
JETAANC Volunteer Nite for Berkeley-Sakai Sister City Association!
Berkeley-Sakai Sister City Association needs our help! Come enjoy some pizza and beer and learn how you can assist their efforts to re-establish their student exchange programs and prepare for their 50th Anniversary in 2017.
**Register here:
http://
JET alumni and friends have helped revitalize U.S.-Japan sister city groups across the Bay Area and now we are turning our attention to Berkeley-Sakai! What they are trying to do is at the heart of the grassroots exchange mission of the JET Program and so it is naturally close to our hearts.
When: February 18th, 6:30-8:30pm PST
Where: Jupiter, 2181 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley,California 94704
Celebrate 2016 with drinks and nibbles at Space Academy on St Asaph Street. Anyone/everyone welcome for casual conversation in English or Japanese. It is a great place to meet new people and practice your language (or just hang out). JETAA South Island are looking forward to seeing lots of new and old faces!
When: February 2nd, 5:30pm ~
Where: Space Academy, 371 St Asaph Street, Christchurch, New Zealand 8011
Shinnekai and talk on the ‘other’ side of Japan
JETAA Hawaii is pleased to announce that for it’s 2016 Shinnenkai, that they will be hosting a presentation on the “other” side of Japan — organized crime (aka Yakuza) and its effect on Japan’s government, business and financial worlds, and society-at-large.
The speaker will be US Marine Colonel Grant Newsham, a senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo. Colonel Newsham lived in Japan for 20 years, and worked as a US diplomat and military officer, and in the investment banking and high-tech industries.
RSVP to jetaahawaii@gmail.com by Tuesday, February 2, 2016
When: February 5th,6-8pm
Where: Box Jelly Co-working space, 07 Kamani St, Honolulu, HI 96813
Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Vice Chair and Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
Welcome to the second chapter beat for 2016 . There is so much happening in January in the JETAA world so I have selected just a sample for everyone to enjoy. For more information on events around the world please visit your nearest chapters Facebook pages or websites.
When: January 31st, 12pm
Where: Coogee Beach, NSW
Head to Coogee Beach to join JETAA NSW for their annual summer BBQ.
Take along your swimmers, snacks and BBQ favourites and help them kick off the new year with a bang!
JETAA SG Welcome Back Reception
When: February 2nd, 6:30-9pm
Where: Japan Creative Centre (JCC), 4 Nassim Road, Singapore 258372
Join JETAA SG for the Welcome Back Reception organised by Embassy of Japan and CLAIR!
You’ll get to meet fellow ex-JETs, old and new, and also external companies and associations like JCCI, JUGAS, and SSEAYP.
Please RSVP your attendance by 24th January here: http://bit.ly/jetaasgwelcomeback2015
Annual General Meeting and Shinnenkai
When: January 29th, 6-9pm
Where: YWCA Hotel, 733 Beatty Street (Between Robson and Georgia St)
JETAABC is proud to invite all JETAABC members and their guests to the Annual General Meeting and Shinnenkai 2016. This is a great opportunity to stay connected with JETs and continue contributing to Japan/Canada relations in an amazing way. Please consider joining the JETAABC Board of Directors whether you are a recent returnee or have been beck for decades.
First Thursday (Muses Parade Edition)
When: February 4th, 8pm
Where:TBC on Muses Parade Route
First Thursdays are a casual monthly get together designed to allow JETAA members to meet up and hang out. If you are interested in attending please feel free to drop in.
5.JETAA Northern California
JETAANC East Bay Networking Nomikai
When: January 21st, 7:30-9:30pm
Where:Diving Dog Brewhouse. 1802 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, California 94612
Join alumni and friends at our New Year’s East Bay Networking Nomikai (happy hour)! Let’s ring in the Year of the Monkey together at Diving Dog Brewhouse in the heart of Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood.
Register here.
YPC Koval Whiskey Tour, Tasting & Discussion
When: January 21st, 6:30-8pm
Where: KOVAL Distillery, 5121 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
Join JASC and JETAA members for a tour, tasting and discussion of Chicago’s very own KOVAL Distillery, set on the Northside of Chicago in Ravenswood.
Sample whiskey, gin, vodka and liqueurs while touring the distillery and learning more about the whiskey making process, and what sets KOVAL apart from the competition. The tour will end with a discussion from Fuyuko Kojima, Japanese market manager for KOVAL, who will lend insight into KOVAL’s marketing strategies in Japan and discuss cultural obstacles and challenges. Products will be available for sale during the event with a 10% discount for all attendees.
Dallas-Fort Worth(DFW) Shinnenkai Karaoke
When: January 30th, 2-4pm CST
Where: Round One Arlington Texas 76015
Sing you hello to 2016 and a belated welcome to returning JETAA members at Round One in Arlington with the DFW JET Alumni.
When: February 3rd , 6:30~
Where: King O’Malleys, Civic
JETAA Canberra’s February Oshaberikai and get together will be at held at King O’Malleys.
If you can’t speak Japanese come along anyway, we all speak English too! This is a great way to meet the other JET Alumni in Canberra.
For those who haven’t been before here’s how it works: You only pay for what you eat/drink and JETAA Canberra provides the bar snacks.
That’s all for this fortnights chapter beat. If you have any events that you want listed please contact me on my email ashlie.oneill@ajet.net.
Have a great week
JETs in Academia: Understanding Privacy in Japan
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Nathaniel Simmons (Nara-ken, 2007-2009) is currently a communication professor at Western Governors University and lives in Columbus, OH, USA. He teaches a variety of intercultural, interpersonal, and health communication courses. He has researched and published several scholarly articles regarding privacy management between foreign English teachers and Japanese co-workers in Japan and is currently working on turning his research into a book.
What is private in Japan?
If I tell my co-workers I have hemorrhoids, diarrhea, or need to go to the OBGYN will they tell everyone else?
These may not be questions JETs think about when they first go to Japan. It also may not be something JETs consider when they are ill and trying to gain medical care or just discussing information (i.e., relationship status) about themselves with their co-workers.
The reality is Japanese cultural conceptions of privacy might be different than many JETs’ expectations. Depending upon how individualist or collectivist your home country is will influence how privacy is interpreted, expected, and maintained. The concept of “what is private” or “privacy” differs cross-culturally, as do the ways in which privacy values are expressed.
Japan is no exception.
Japan has been largely classified as a collectivistic culture. As you know from your own experiences in Japan, the group matters more than the individual. In other words, in Japan the “we” wants and goals come before the “I” or “me” wants and goals. For collectivists, the very notion of privacy might be viewed as selfish due to an individual’s wants and goals taking precedent over the group’s desires.
Ever notice that privacy is in katakana, the Japanese syllabary used for foreign words? Puraibashi, or プライバシー, is taken directly from the English word for “privacy.” Since traditional Japanese language has no word for privacy, a unique cultural conception of privacy emerged. For example, the idea that one has “the right to be left alone” might signal a lack of cooperativeness with the group and an inability to work well with others. Additionally, controlling one’s privacy information might be perceived as an excess of mistrust. Even Japanese scholars have commented that gaijin might perceive the group interdependence of Japanese people as “suffocating.”
Japanese language use two distinct, yet interrelated meanings of Japanese privacy: shakai ( 社会), or “public,” and seken (世間), or “world/society.” Such terms stress the importance of relationships, interdependence, and group harmony. Shakai contributes to negative aspects of crimes being withheld from the media in order to protect victims and their families. If one was to “break shakai” it would involve speaking publically about private matters which might harm another’s reputation. Seken emphasizes human relations and allows Japanese people the ability to “understand” or at least “explain” what went wrong in a given situation. To the foreign eye, this might look intrusive, or like “gossip,” as one tries to understand one’s home life or culture to explain a tragic event.
As JETs operate on differing values of privacy, this might result in individuals feeling “violated” or “exposed.” Perceived privacy violations can lead to relationship withdrawal, isolation, and negative assumptions/stereotypes about one’s co-worker or Japan in general. Throughout my research, gaijin English teachers reported feeling that their co-workers invaded/violated their privacy expectations. In other words, if they told someone something, it was then told to someone else, who then told someone else…etc. You get the point. In my research, gaijin felt victimized when people knew things about them that they didn’t disclose (i.e., So and so sensei told me you went to the doctor and are on X medication), even if it was something positive (i.e., I heard your dental checkup went well!). My participants felt like “celebrities” because “everyone (i.e., Japanese people)” in their communities knew “everything” about them.
Critics of my participants’ stories have said “Well, they should know it will be different from their home country.” It is easy to say “expect things to be different.” To what extent should this responsibility be shared? No recruiting organizations discuss privacy in their trainings. Perhaps privacy is something so engrained in one’s culture that it is perceived to be “common sense?” Perhaps that “common sense” is where the most difficulties exist when what one “commonly” thinks doesn’t work.
Regardless, this is a collective issue that requires further dialogue and research to better understand how to cultivate meaningful relationships. Several of my participants chose to cut their contracts short or to not renew because of their interpersonal privacy experiences.
That’s costly – it costs financially and personally.
This blog post is an adaptation of the scholarly article: Simmons, N. (2012). The tales of gaijin: Health privacy perspectives of foreign English teachers in Japan. Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research, 11, 17-38. Retrieved from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/kaleidoscope/vol11/iss1/3/
Job: Consular Staff – Political Section, (Sydney, AUSTRALIA)
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Posted by Eden Law, JETAA NSW President and Country Representative for Australia. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
About the role
Seeking a candidate to fill a full-time Consular Staff position in the Political Section at the Consulate General of Japan in Sydney. The employee will perform a wide range of administrative duties.
Duties/responsibilities
- Secretarial tasks
- Research
- Answering enquiries from the public
- Organising Events
Skills/Experience
- Tertiary qualification required
- Strong writing and fluent English skills are essential
- High level proficiency in word processing, email applications and database maintenance
- Attention to detail and strong organisational skills
- Japanese skills are desirable but not essential
How to apply
To apply, please send your CV by 29th January, 2016 to:
ATTN. Political Section,
Consulate-General of Japan,
GPO Box 4125,
Sydney NSW 2001
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Original link to ad here.
JETAA Chapter Beat- January 7th, 2016
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Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
Welcome to the very first chapter beat for 2016 and a big Happy New Year to everyone around the world.
Let’s see what JETAA has coming up in January.
Monthly Board Meeting and Second Sunday Social Meetup
When: Sunday January 10th, 12-4pm
Where: Coffee at The Point, 710 E 26th Ave, Denver, Colorado 80205
JETAA Rocky Mountains will host their monthly board meeting and Second Sunday meetup this Sunday, January 10th.
Any interested JET alums are invited to join the board meeting from 12-2pm. Then from 2-4pm, kick back and relax, reminisce about teaching, living in Japan, practice Japanese, or just catch up with friends.
2. JETAA Northern California
SF Networking Nomikai
When: Thursday January 7th, 5:30-7:30pm (PST)
Where: Crystal Jade San Francisco.
4 Embarcadero Ctr, Ste e, Lbby Level San Francisco, California
Join alumni and friends at our San Francisco Networking Nomikai (happy hour)! Ring in the new Year of the Monkey together!
Come out, make new friends, and catch up with old ones. This is a great chance for networking.
Heartland JETAA January Meeting
When: Thursday January 14th, 6:30pm (CST)
Where: Blackdog Coffee House
12815 W 87th St, Lenexa Kansas 66215
Join Heartland JETAA at their January meeting to discuss upcoming events,ask questions and share ideas.
When: Sunday January 24th, 6-8pm (EST)
Where:Michael Maloney’s House in Tampa (email for RSVP and directions)
Join Florida JETAA for their Annual Shinnenkai celebrating the start of 2016.
When: Tuesday January 12th, 5-7pm
Where: Laughing Man Tavern, 1306 G St.NW
Join members of JETAADC at their first networking event of 2016. For those interested, there will be trivia starting at 7pm and JETAADC are planning on forming a JETAADC team (or 2 depending on numbers)!
When: Throughout January 21st to February 25th
Where: Birmingham’s MAC Arts Centre
This January, JETAA Midlands are hosting tailored Japanese lessons every Thursday evening from January 21st to February 25th at , mac Birmingham in Cannon Hill Park.
Lessons will be with other ex-JETs enthusiastic about learning Japanese again. The class size will be small at 8 students which will allow you the teaching time you need to get started learning Japanese again or get help to improve weaker areas and take your Japanese ability to the next level.
Job: Copy editor at The Japan News (Tokyo)
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Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba 1989-91), who works at The Japan News.
The following notice appeared on the front page of this morning’s Japan News:
To reinforce our team ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, The Japan News is now seeking a full-time rewriter/page editor.
Essential requirements are native-level English and basic Japanese language skills, an undergraduate or higher degree, and proper visa and resident status in Japan. The starting date is Jan. 1, 2016. Please e-mail your resume and a cover letter explaining why you want the job, along with a scanned copy of your visa, to
jncopy2015@yomiuri.com
by Nov. 21. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview and written exam by the end of November. No telephone calls are accepted.Speech
“Bakuman” – Film Review from the 19th Japanese Film Festival (Australia and New Zealand)
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Rafael Villadiego (Nagasaki-ken 2010-2013) writes reviews “Bakuman”.
From the manga makers of Deathnote.
Friendship, struggle, triumph!
Armed with this eponymous mantra and the indomitable seishun spirit, prepare to jump into this contemporary boys-own adventure based on a manga about making a manga.
The story of two accidental high school friends who form an unlikely writer/illustrator comic combo and embark on an epic quest to fulfil a lifelong dream they had no idea they shared – to have their creative collaboration published in the legendary Shonen Jump comic magazine.
Courtesy of the same creative team responsible for the undisputed suspense classic, “Deathnote” – Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi – Bakuman channels all the hallmarks of a runaway bestseller but with a quirky, comedic bent and a decidedly lighter feel. There are still definitive moments of emotion and rare insight, but there is far more humour and levity this time around that keeps the pacing breezy and fun.
The story follow talented but reluctant artist Moritaka Mashiro – Satoh Takeru – who is haunted by the untimely loss his uncle – a famous manga-ka – who passed away during his childhood. Left traumatised by the experience of seeing his uncle brought low by the realities of an unrelenting schedule and an unforgiving audience, he is reluctant to reveal his burgeoning artistic talents. Enter Takagi Akito, an aspiring writer, who discovers Moritaka’s notebook filled with idle drawings of his unrequited love. While Moritaka initially rebuffs Takagi’s advances, he is eventually dragged into the undertaking after a dramatic encounter with his high school crush – Komatsu Nana – in which they both reveal their feelings and dreams for the future. Each third year junior high school students on the cusp of adulthood, they encapsulate that mix of innocent naivete and exuberant optimism with aplomb.
And so, mix in this dash of high school romance and youthful promises – easily and earnestly made, but remarkably difficult to keep when confronted with the realities of the “real world”, and you have all the hallmarks of a seishun classic, with a twist. Set in the fast-paced world of serialised manga, the pressure to meet deadlines and the rigour of catering to impossible reader expectations, eventually takes its toll on our dynamic duo. But during the journey they are aided by an understanding editor and a colourful collection of other artists pursuing the same dream, who each teach them invaluable lessons along the way.
The film is an unabashedly commercial endeavour. A walking billboard for “Shonen Jump” and the countless manga it has produced over the years, it unashamedly targets a specific demographic and aims to captilise on this existing and eager audience of manga readers. While these numbers are inevitably declining, the film takes pains to point out that at its peak it comprised a tremendous percentage of the Japanese population. It is no surprise then that the producers aim to recapture this nostalgic spirit by freely referencing the classics of the genre and aim to live out the Shonen Jump slogan writ large. There is even a point in the film where the characters break the fourth wall and point out their own self-referential corniness.
But if you have ever harboured secret dreams of becoming a manga-ka or have fond childhood memories of trawling through old Shonen Jump magazines to peruse cult classics such as Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk, or Bakuman, then this film will stir something in you, long thought lost, but only forgotten. A collective recollection of the exuberance of youth, the importance of friendship the struggle to succeed when everyone else doubts you, and the ultimate elation of triumph upon achieving your goal. An at-times-clumsy but earnest reminder to follow your dreams at all cost.
Watch this film if…
…you are looking for an invitation to recapture your youth, raise your fist and jump up high, as you scream “friendship, struggle, triumph!” At the top of your lungs…
Quick Notes:
– The film is based off the manga “Bakuman” by Ohba Tsugumi and Obata Takeshi.
– The duo are also responsible for the manga classic “Deathnote”.
“Miss Hokusai” – Film Review from the 19th Japanese Film Festival (Australia and New Zealand)
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Eden Law (Fukushima-ken ALT 2010-2011) reviews “Miss Hokusai”, a film about the little known but just as talented daughter of Hokusai. Go out and grab your pre-school paint kit.
And you thought your Instagram pics were pretty sweet
The name Hokusai is instantly recognisable – or should be, given that his most famous work, The Great Wave Over Kanagawa, has been credited with helping give birth to impressionistic art in the 19th century. Prodigious in his output and talent, he covered a large and diverse range of subject matter, from courtesans and actors, to landscapes, ordinary life and erotica, using not just traditional Japanese methods but also experimenting with Western styles and materials. This probably explains the rather surprising and unexpected use of a modern electric guitar number that opens the film – a melding of new and traditional probably.
The story of the man as a legendary figure in art is well documented, but it has obscured other aspects of his story, such as his familial relationships. Such is the case with his daughter Oei, the “Miss Hokusai” of this movie, who not only inherited her father’s talent, but seemed to be a fascinating personality in her own right. When I say “seemed to be”, it’s because not much unfortunately is known about Oei’s life. So overshadowed is she that, apart from 10 artwork confirmed to be her work, the authorship of others are disputed, as she worked in such close partnership with her father, that their artistic output has been tightly tangled and woven, which the film expertly alludes to in several scenes.
Because of the gaps in the historical Oei’s story, a straight-out traditionally told biography would be impossible. Instead, “Miss Hokusai” is more of a collection of scenes and situations, like the historical manga “Sarusuberi” (by Sugiura Hinako) that the film is adapted from. Oei is fleshed out by her interactions with the people around her – whether it be her contemptuous treatment of “useless” men, which includes her shabby and flaky father (whom she only ever refers to by name rather than by the usual honorifics); her patient and protective love for her sightless younger sister Onao; or her clumsy and shy missteps in love (pining for one, and completely oblivious to another). All these experiences, or lack thereof, is shown to inform her ability as an artist, whether as inspiration, education or as a source of frustration (in more ways than one).
Gorgeously animated, the film pays tribute to the art and skill of the Hokusai duo, drawing from the style and palette of their work, sometimes even including some famous pieces as scenic backdrops here and there with knowing wink at the audience. 19th century Edo is stunningly brought to life, but like the floating world of the ukiyo-e that Hokusai produced, it has a dreamlike quality of another world – the film quite vividly employs some touches of supernatural effects as a poetic illustration of this point. The artistic ability of Hokusai and Oei are depicted as being mystical, the duo being basically spiritual mediums, rare individuals who can see and depict this other world for mundanes to see, from capturing the dragon’s twisting, sinewy body and gargantuan claws through the storm clouds, to vividly bringing to life the symbolism and weight of religious imagery, to inspire or terrify. Contemplative and beautiful, “Miss Hokusai” deserves widespread viewing.
