Ganbatte Rob!

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.

How to Pass Your Love of Japan onto Your Kids

By Jessica Kennett Cork (CIR, 1997-2000, Hiroshima-ken)

(Note:  Click here to join the JET Alumni Parents Facebook group.)

My kids (7, 5, 2 and 4 months) are the only blond-haired kids in their school.  My two oldest know the names of all the Pokémon characters in both English and Japanese. My toddler can sing the Totoro and Anpanman theme songs in Japanese.

No, we don’t live in Japan. We live in a suburb of Atlanta.  But I knew that even though we live in the United States, I wanted to share my love of Japan with my kids.  I don’t want to “force” Japan on them, and it is fine with me if their future careers have nothing to do with Japan. But at the same time, I want for them to appreciate our family’s adopted culture, and to understand that since I met their dad in a Japanese class in college, they wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Japan.

And so I decided to enroll them in Japanese/English bilingual immersion school. We’re lucky to have several here in Atlanta: two daycare centers and one elementary school. Almost all the other kids in the school are full Japanese or half Japanese, so it is not always easy on my blondies.  The elementary school is Japanese Ministry of Education approved, which means homework every day, even during summer vacation, and lots of parental involvement expected from the PTA.  Not to mention the pressure to come up with a decent o-bento for lunch. My seven year old often wonder why his o-bento doesn’t have cute rabbits made out of apples and carrot flowers. But at the same time, he got to pound rice for New Year’s, grow tomatoes and morning glories as part of his life skills class, has mandatory music and art class, and can use chopsticks better than I can.

But what I love most about the school is the global perspective he is learning. Take Social Studies class. The class is taught on some days in English using an American textbook and on other days in Japanese using a Japanese textbook. Imagine the discussion the kids will have when covering World War II.  My kids are native English speakers, so obviously English class is easier for them, but sometimes they really struggle with Japanese.  When they see the native Japanese speakers struggling in English class, they understand how the Japanese kids feel and they help them out. They realize that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and if we help each other out, we can all reach the same goal. They are also learning that even if the Japanese kids know more words than they do, they don’t necessary know more kanji. My oldest son takes great pride in beating the Japanese kids on kanji tests!

If you are lucky enough to have a school with a bilingual immersion program in your area, I encourage you to consider it. It can be a bit daunting at first, and you may be concerned about what effect it will have on your child to perhaps be the only non-Japanese in the school. But the benefits to your child far outweigh the negatives, and once your child begins to speak and understand Japanese more fluently, things get easier.

If you do not have such a school near you, I encourage you to seek other options. Many large cities throughout the United States have Japanese Saturday schools. While these are primarily for Japanese kids who are attending local English-only public schools to keep up with their Japanese, anyone is welcome to attend. You can get information on the Saturday schools from your local Japanese Consulate. Another idea is to hire Japanese nanny for your child, either full time or after school.  Many Japanese wives of expatriate businessmen are interested in this type of work since it does not require a high level of English. Advertise in your local Japanese newspaper or put up an ad at an Asian grocery store or Japanese owned restaurant. You could also start a playgroup of parents who want to teach their kids Japanese and invite local Japanese parents who want to teach their kids English. And you can ask your local Japan-America Society or JETAA chapter to plan kid-friendly events so that you will get to know the other Japanese parents in the area.

I didn’t start studying Japanese until college, and there was so much to learn in just four short years. I remember hours of cramming to try to remember 50 kanji per week, which were promptly forgotten to make room for the next 50 kanji required on the subsequent test. I’m glad my kids have the opportunity to take it slow and truly master a foreign language. And I love it when my son says to me, “Kanji is my favorite thing to study at school.”

Via the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) website:

“Spring 2012 will be a special season as it marks the centennial anniversary of Japan’s Gift of Trees to the U.S. To celebrate this anniversary, we’re giving you and a guest the chance to explore Japan inside and out. Read through all 6 itineraries, pick your favorite, and enterfor your chance to win your dream vacation!”

JET alum Shaun Dakin, anti-robocall activist

JET alum Shaun Dakin (Shimane-ken, 1989-91), founder of StopPoliticalCalls.org which seeks to stop the use of robocalls in political campaigns, was quoted recently in several articles about the Republican primary battle, including one today on Huffington Post (“Newt Gingrich Robocall: Mitt Romney Forced Holocaust Survivors To Eat Non-Kosher Food“).

The Republican primary and upcoming national election will likely be busy times for Shaun.  But whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat, or some other category, Shaun seems to have found an issue that most everyone who owns a phone can likely support.  And, hey, maybe after the 2012 elections Shaun can head back to Japan and team up with Inuyama City Council Member Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi, 1988-89) to fight back against the political campaign trucks with the obnoxious loudspeakers.

Ganbatte Shaun-san!

*Read the Fall 2008 JETAANY Newsletter interview with Shaun by Stacy Smith(CIR Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03).

http://www.japandaynyc.org/news

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of gift of cherry trees given to the U.S. by Japan, Japan Day 2012 invites visual artists to submit their artwork to the “Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest”. The chosen artwork will become the official image of Japan Day @ Central Park 2012, and will be used for the Official Poster, Program and Flyer. The winner’s award, and up to four honorable mentions, will be presented the day of the event. Please see below for details.

DEADLINE

Friday, February 24th, 2012

CONTEST RULES

• Art must incorporate the themes of “Cherry Blossom(s)”, “New York”, ”Japan”, and “Central Park”.
• Size must be 24″ tall X 18″ wide.
• Artist must be available to accept their award on the day of the event, Sunday, May 13th.
• Only two-dimensional media is accepted.
• All entries must be the original work of the entering artist.
• Artwork submitted to previous contests and/or which has been previously shown or published is NOT eligible.
• Art must not contain explicit sexuality, violence, or any discriminatory elements.
• Only one submission per artist will be accepted.
• Layout designs for the poster, flyer and the official program are subject to the final approval  of Japan Day, Inc.
• By submitting their artwork, artists grant Japan Day the right to use their work for the purpose of marketing, exhibition and other Japan Day-related uses.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please submit a digital image (JPEG format: 300 pdi or more) of the artwork with an essay (about 300 words) describing it. Send via e-mail (info@japanday.org) or mail to the Japan Day Project Liaison Office.  (Attn: Japan Day – Cherry Blossom Art Contest / 226 West 47th Street 8FL, New York NY 10036) **Please do not send the original artwork. Japan Day Inc. will not be responsible for the return of the works.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The winner and honorable mentions will be announced in early April.

JURORS

• Adrian Benepe – Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
• Douglas Blonsky – President, Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator
• Shigeyuki Hiroki – Ambassador and Consul-General, Consulate General of Japan in New York (Honorary Chairman of Japan Day, Inc.)
• Mitsuhiko Kawai – President, Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. (President of Japan Day, Inc.)
• David Revere McFadden – William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator and Vice President for Collections and Exhibitions, Museum of Arts and Design
• Cora Rosevear – Associate Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
• Kumiko Yoshii – President, Gorgeous Entertainment (Executive Producer of Japan Day @ Central Park)

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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Administrative Assistant / Sales Coordinator (Fort Lee, NJ)

Job Details:

Japanese Trading company is looking for Administrative Assistant / Sales Coordinator.

Location: Fort Lee, NJ
Position: Administrative Assistant / Sales Coordinator
Salary: 35-38K/yearWorking Hour: 9-5:20/M-F
Requirement: 1-2 years office administrative experience – Entry level is welcome.
Basic PC skills (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

How to Apply:
If you are interested in this position, please contact at mtakemura@pasona.com.

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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Business Developmen​t/Sales at Japanese NPO (NY)

Job Details:

Responsibilities:

Main purpose of this position is to find and assist small-mid size US companies to start business in/with Japan. You will attend conferences and trade shows to find new clients. Identify sales prospects and contact these and other accounts as assigned. Will be in charge of retail services and health care field.

Frequent business trips included.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

1. Must have advanced to native-level English communication skills.
2. Some sales/marketing experience strongly desired.
3. Japanese skill preferred.
4. Must have a BA/BS.
Salary: $36.4K+ Excellent Benefits
Location: Midtown, NYC

Company Information:

Established in 1951, the hiring non-profit government related organization has been promoting trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.

The hiring company also provides information and support to foreign companies looking for successful entry and expansion in the Japanese market. They provide a wide-range of services, such as timely market intelligence, extensive business development support, and relevant business events, designed to encourage new business between foreign companies and Japan. They also provide current information on the laws and regulations surrounding new business operation in Japan to assist companies in expanding their business to Japan.

The company attracts high-caliber staff and you will be able to work in the stimulating environment. Known for their excellent team work and good relationship among employees. The experience will provide you with precious learning opportunity and advance your career.

How to Apply:

Please forward your most recent resume and cover letter to stakeda@actus-usa.com as an MS Word attachment. Make sure to mention which position you are applying to in your cover letter. We will contact qualified candidates to have a preliminary interview. We are a Japanese staffing agency and currently searching for candidates for the above position at one of our client companies. We look forward to your application. Thank you!

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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Resident Care Manager (RCM), Nikkei Concerns (Seattle)

Job Details:

Nikkei Concerns, a non-profit elder-care organization primarily serving the Japanese-American and Asian-American Communities in the Greater Seattle area, is seeking qualified applicants for their Resident Care Manager vacancy.

The position will plan, direct and implement the clinical care program to support each resident in attaining his/her maximum level of physical and psychological well being. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to lead and manage, possess the ability to relate to residents and staff of diverse backgrounds and a passion for enhancing the lives of our residents and elderly community.

How to Apply:

Interested qualified individuals should email their resume and a cover letter to jlardizabal@nikkeiconcerns.org (Jeannette Lardizabal, Human Resources Specialist, 206-726-6525). Complete job descriptions are available upon request.

Please visit the Nikkei Concerns website at www.nikkeiconcerns.org for more information about our organization. Position advertisement is open until filled. First considerations will be given to resumes and cover letters received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2012.

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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Women’s College in Tokyo seeks female TA

Job Details:

Women’s college in Tokyo seeks female TA to work from September 2012 – August 2013. Emphasis on English conversation tutoring. Must be friendly, outgoing, talkative & enthusiastic about working in Japan!

Applications by mid-February 2012.
Interviews for successful applicants in late-March (LA & Seattle)

How to Apply:

If you are serious about applying and feel that you have the right personality & skills contact Lynn ASAP at transitions[at]pnwjetaa[dot]org

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***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Development Associate/ Grant Writer

Job Details:

Are you interested in Japan, Japanese culture, and meeting Japanese people? Would you like to hone your development skills, the area most desired by non-profit organizations? If so, this may be your perfect internship!

About the Organization:

Located in New York City, NY de Volunteer (NYdV) is a grassroots 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to address critical needs in New York by empowering the local Japanese population and its friends to become positive change-makers through volunteerism and intercultural exchange.

About the Position:

The Development Associate/Grant Writer will work as a member of the Development Team, which is comprised of the organization’s full-time Executive Director and several volunteers including members of the Board of Directors and other interns. The Development Associate/Grant Writer will concentrate on fundraising, mainly through writing grant proposals, submitting grant requests, requesting funding renewal, and completing letters of inquiry to foundations and other potential funding sources.

Because NYdV is a small organization, your work will make a tremendous impact on the organization, your input will be valued, and your results will be clear and demonstrable. Few other organizations can offer an opportunity to make an immediate positive difference, and when you succeed, credit will be yours to take.

Specific duties include:
1. Research and identify potential funding sources;
2. Write grants;
3. Organize and maintain a tracking system for grant requests and other fundraising efforts;
4. Create budgets for proposed programs;
5. Serve as liaison to program officers and other staff at supporting foundations;
6. Assist in other development-related activities.

Qualifications:
• Excellent English writing skills and an interest in grant writing, report writing, and development research; experience in grant writing a plus but not required;
• Self-starter who is highly organized and has a strong attention to detail;
• Creative, energetic individual who understands and shares the NYdV mission.

NYdV is an equal-opportunity employer. Knowledge of Japanese and/or the Japanese community in New York is a plus but not a requirement. Learn more about the organization at:
http://www.nydevolunteer.org

Commitment: In-person meetings, email communication, skype and conference calls (approximately 5 hours per week).

Please submit resume and cover letter to:

Noriko Hino, Executive Director
Staff@nydevolunteer.org

This opportunity can also be used for a practicum or internship credit, where applicable.

Tsurugajo Castle in Aizuwakamatsu City.

By Kris Gravender (Fukushima-ken, 2002-06) for JQ magazine. Kris was one of eight American JET alums selected for the Tohoku Invitational Program sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Tourism Agency. This article was originally printed in the Oct. 21, 2011 issue of Chicago’s bilingual newspaper Chicago Shimpo.

What could I do? What could I really do? I was fighting the urge to return to Aizu simply because I knew the possibility for contracting some kind of cancer, but I felt I just had to do something. When the earthquake hit we knew it was bad, but the tsunami made everything worse. Then, to top it all off, Fukushima was becoming a “nuclear wasteland,” according to the news reports we were getting, and there was nothing we could do for the place we love.

My wife, being from Aizu, was distraught for weeks. She called her family, friends she hadn’t talked to in years, and even the local International Association, to get as much news as possible. Her aunt and uncle live in Sendai, and there was no communication from them, not to mention that her brother is a police officer and was being sent into the radiation zone to assist with evacuations. Eventually we were told everyone was safe and healthy, and yet this didn’t do much to make us feel better. We donated money, clothes, and food to the Red Cross, but it just didn’t seem to be enough to make us feel like we were helping.

Then I heard from a friend about a program the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sponsoring for JET alums to return to their hometowns and tour, as long as they communicated with the outside world about what they saw, felt, and experienced. It was almost as if God was trying to tell me, “Here’s your chance.”  My wife and I talked about it for days: If I go, what kinds of problems would I face; what would I do while I was there; could I go into the zone for just a couple of hours to see for myself what was happening; and a whole list of questions and ideas. No matter what the answers became, I knew I had to go.

The good news was that the Ministry was very open to whatever needed to be accomplished. Their objective for this program was to allow JET alums (who were there for longer than a year) to return to the areas they lived, tour around their “hometowns,” talk to friends and/or family to make sure everyone was all right, and generally see for themselves how the country was handling the devastation. Their only request, other than to stay in a hotel and keep track of what money we spent, was to document our time by social media, YouTube, Twitter, or any other internet-based form. I believe their hope was to show the international community that what we had been seeing on the news is not exactly the whole story.

I was selected as one of only 18 participants from the thousands of JETs who have participated over the years and was sent back to my second hometown of Aizu, in the western third of Fukushima Prefecture. After spending a night in Tokyo and meeting with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative the next day, I boarded the Tohoku Shinkansen and headed for Koriyama, which is in the central section of Fukushima; only 40 miles or so from the nuclear reactor. Along the way, I noticed how much greenery there was in the area on the way into Fukushima. It was the first week of August, so the rice fields were a healthy dark green, and as the buildings started to become less prevalent and the nature started to take over, I knew I was heading home.

Upon arrival in Koriyama I quickly changed trains and headed for Aizu. The symbol of Aizu, the red bull called Akabeko, stared at me from the walls of Koriyama Station, and followed me in the train all the way to the city of Aizuwakamatsu. The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Aizu was the general lack of change. For an area that was supposedly in decline due to the lack of economy, Aizu seemed to have been unaffected by it. Leaving Wakamatsu Station was still difficult thanks to the number of cars and buses trying to exit at the same place, and the traffic from the station to my hotel, which was about a 10 minute drive, was full of cars, bicycles, and people walking. In other words, it was a typical Monday in Aizu, showing no ill effects of the troubles on the coast.

And yet, there was something wrong. It took me a little bit, but I finally noticed there were no tourists during the busiest tourism season of the year. No groups of school kids on their field trips to study the past; no busloads of the elderly coming to use the spacious onsens; and no families spending their children’s summer vacation time checking out the gorgeous Aizu nature. In that manner, for the first time I had ever seen, Aizu was empty.

I had found my calling: I understood why I was chosen. Aizu’s main industry is tourism: over 40 percent of the area’s income stems from the travelers that visit throughout the year. However, due to the media’s characterization of Fukushima as a slow death by nuclear radiation (even though the mayor himself had used a meter and taken negative readings at multiple places in the city), no one was coming.

In order to do what I could for my second hometown, I spent the next few days walking around an area of Japan where I lived for six years, seeing places I had not seen before, and revisiting those I had. My goal was to document my trip by Flip video camera; a simple way to upload video to websites like YouTube and Facebook. As of this moment, my group on Facebook called The Aizu Experience has over 200 members, all of whom have seen most of the videos I created.

My earnest wish, at this moment, is for more people to see the videos and know that I was there, saw one of the most beautiful areas of the world, and lived through it. I ate the food, drank the water, had some sake, and have had no health problems since. No matter what we hear from government, media, or other opinionated “experts,” Aizu is alive and thriving, and still one of the best places to visit in the world. If you don’t believe me, look at my Facebook group, my videos on YouTube, or, better yet, go to Aizu and see for yourself. You will be welcomed in my hometown.

 To watch videos from Kris’ experience, visit the YouTube Channel AllforAizu. Visit The Aizu Experience on Facebook here.

Honto ni otsukare sama deshita.

2.  Once we have enough here, someone in the JET/JET alum world can make the “Shit JETs Say” video using the below suggestions as source material.

Let’s see if this works.  Gambarimashou!

-Steven

When I visited Shirakawa-go over the long weekend in January, I found Hîragi, a cute restaurant along the snow-covered the vehicle-access road to the lookout point in Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go. I was intrigued, of course, because one of my favorite kanji is 柊 (hîragi), holly, because the radicals mean tree-winter. What sealed the deal was the menu: I wanted to introduce my friends to hôba miso yaki（朴葉味噌焼き), and they wanted to try Hida beef (飛騨牛).

CLICK HERE to read the full post.

For their 28th annual KidFilm Festival, USA Film Festival paid tribute to Studio Ghibli by screening 10 of its films, plus Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind which was made before the studio’s founding. Since The Secret World of Arrietty was sold out, I decided to catch Pom Poko with some friends. I had heard some odd things about the film and wasn’t sure what to expect.

Pom Poko , directed by Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies), revolves around a group of tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dogs (incorrectly called “racoons” in the dub), who have banded together to face the transformation of their forest in Tama Hills into a suburban neighborhood. They cook up various ideas to reclaim their homes, ranging from sabotaging construction sites to tracking down legendary tanuki for assistance. Eventually the fun-loving tanuki have to come to terms with the harsh reality and learn to adapt to the changes around them.

The tanuki in the film appear in various forms: animal, mythical creature, and cartoon. In the presence of humans, they look much like their real-life counterparts. Amongst one another, they assume anthropomorphic forms with personality traits based on the lazy shape-shifting tricksters of Japanese folklore. When they get carried away with their emotions and behave ridiculously, they become even less realistic with their appearance based on characters of manga artist Shigeru Sugiura. The audience gets to see the tanuki in all its forms: animal, myth, and cartoon.

Click here to read the rest of the review.

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.

Kudos to 22-year old tennis pro Kei Nishikori for being the first Japanese man in 80 years to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open!  Unfortunately, once there he was vanquished in straight sets by Scot Andy Murray, but his impressive showing in his previous five-set win over France’s Jo-Wilfred Tsonga bumps his world ranking up to 20 from 26.

Nishikori, who currently lives and trains in Florida, is known as “Air Kei” for his leaping groundstrokes.  I can attest to the fact that watching his play is thrilling.  A few years ago I caught a match of his at the US Open that turned into a nail-biting five-setter, and was hooked.

Here’s hoping he can build on this impressive showing in Australia and have further success in 2012!

JETAA New York

• JET Alumni Survey – JETAANY is asking members and friends of JET to fill out a brief survey requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as part of the “Return of JET-vestment.” The survey asked about what people have been doing following their time on JET and the data will be kept confidential, so take 5 minutes and help out. The survey can be found here
• Carnegie Hall Flower Exhibit – Thursday, January 26th, 8:00 at Carnegie Hall. JETAANY is headed to a Japanese style bouquet arrangement exhibit at Carnegie Hall.
• Shinnenkai - Saturday, January 28th, 1:00 at Restaurant Riki. Celebrate 2012 Year of the Dragon with your fellow JET Alumni at this year’s shinnenkai. Izakaya style dishes and all you can drink fun.

I participated in the JET Programme as an ALT in 1999 and 2000. During that time, I lived and taught in Kesennuma-shi in Miyagi Prefecture. It was a very formative time in my life, and over the years I have remained close with many people in the community. As you are well aware, Kesennuma was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

My wife Kathleen and I recently got married, and for our honeymoon we are traveling to Japan in April to assist in the tsunami relief efforts and contribute what we can to the town’s recovery. It may not be the most conventional honeymoon, but this is a cause that is near and dear to our hearts. Kathleen and I met while working for the same Japanese company here in the US, and although we are no longer with that organization we still have deep connections to many people in Japan.

We hope to be able to get to Kesennuma for part of the trip, and we are coordinating several fundraising efforts involving family, friends, and colleagues. We are trying to garner as much support as possible from our contacts here as well as in Japan, and we would be very interested in speaking with anyone willing to discuss ways in which we can make this trip have as much impact and meaning as possible. We are also seeking some guidance and advice about lodging & travel options in Kesennuma.

I can be reached at andrewberne [at] gmail.com. If you have the ability to Skype, my username is berneandrew.

Our schedule is as follows:

- April 13-15: Sendai

- April 15-19: Kesennuma

- April 19-22: Tokyo

We’ve planned the trip around the beginning of the school year and sakura season. I’ve also been folding paper cranes like mad, hoping to reach 1,000 by the time we leave for Japan.