JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — ‘Your Name’ Premiere, Hougaku Quartet, ‘Girl X’
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By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
Stay warm this winter with some hot local events, from an exhibition that will transport you to another time and place, some new an classic anime screenings, and a mash-up multimedia performance you won’t want to miss.
This month’s highlights include:
Courtesy of Cmom.org
Now through May 14
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd Street
$12 children and adults, $8 seniors
Back for the new year, this exhibit highlights how old and new traditions coexist in Japan, giving visitors a family-friendly window into Japanese culture. Children will have fun learning about life in present day Japan in this playful, immersive environment. Hello from Japan! is a new interactive exhibit in the Museum’s Lower Level Gallery. It will transport families to two distinct areas of Tokyo that exist side by side: the serene and exquisite Shinto Shrine Park, and the too-cute-for-words Kawaii Central.
Courtesy of Citycinemas.com
Feb 7-8
City Cinemas Village East Cinema, 181-189 Second Avenue
$15
Before the release of next month’s live-action adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson and Takeshi Kitano, catch one of the greatest anime films of all time (based on the manga by Masamune Shirow and directed by Mamoru Oshii) on the big screen! In the near future, an elite group of police cyborgs called Section 9 works to stop hackers from commiting cyber crimes across the globe. However, there skills are put to the test when they come up against a hacker known as the Puppet Master. The pair of Feb. 7 screenings will be in Japanese with English subtitles; Feb. 8’s screening is English dubbed.
Courtesy of Asiasociety.org
Thursday, Feb. 16, 8:00 p.m.
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
Free, tickets available here.
Re-envisioning Japanese traditional instruments for contemporary music, the Hougaku Quartet explores everything from traditional Japanese music to cutting edge new compositions, all performed on traditional instruments. The quartet is made up of a group of young virtuoso musicians who graduated from Tokyo University, who have mastered the art of creating music for today and for the future, through traditional Japanese instruments. The Hougaku Quartet carries out its mission through commission, revival performance of masterpieces composed after the 1960s, and performance in the traditional “Sankyoku” ensemble style. A group of young musicians who are committed to both sustaining and expanding tradition, Hougaku Quartet is a fresh approach to Japanese music. With a special guest performance by Ralph Samuelson.
I’ll Make It Myself!: Katsudon Fatale for Two
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LM (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. Ze works in international student exchange; writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan and the US; curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan; and admins The JET Alumni Culinary Group on LinkedIn.
Channel your inner katsudon fatale with this recipe, plus a review of hit anime Yuri!!! on Ice.
Job: International Program Coordinator: Japan and International Programs – NorthWest Student Exchange (Seattle, WA, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: International Program Coordinator: Japan and International Programs
Posted by: NorthWest Student Exchange
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Contract: Full-time
Here’s a job via Idealist:
Join the NorthWest Student Exchange team in Seattle as International Program Coordinator. As a vital part of the NorthWest Student Exchange team, the International Program Coordinator will coordinate exchange programs of high school exchange students as well as other related duties.
Responsibilities include:
- Coordinate programs of Japanese students and students of other countries.
- Work with international partners, U.S. local coordinators, host families and students
- Coordinate program in compliance with CSIET and Department of State regulations
- Maintain excellent communication with local coordinators, students, host families, and partners
- Accurately collect, track, and record required programmatic documents and reports
- Prepare extensive student documentation for annual audit
- Screen students and host families and their applications
- Coordinate “inbound programs” of students to the U.S. as well as “outbound” American students abroad.
- Work with aspects of invoicing procedures for participants and partner organizations
- Work with aspects of the J-1 visa as well as student health insurance
- Collaborate with NWSE team members on team projects, e.g. orientations, presentations, events, outreach.
Job: High School English Teacher – Torrance Sister City Association (Kashiwa, Chiba)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: High School English Teacher
Posted by: Torrance Sister City Association
Location: Kashiwa, Chiba
Contract: Full-time
Received this from the Cultural News Email Update:
The Torrance Sister City Association is seeking applicants for one experienced English teacher to work at Kashiwa Municipal High School from August 1, 2017. Kashiwa in Chiba Prefecture, is the sister city of Torrance. Applicants must live or work in Torrance, hold a Bachelor’s degree and have a teaching credential/certificate. A minimum one-year contract runs from August 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018. The contract is renewable for a maximum three-year assignment.
Compensation: Annual salary of approximately 4,800,000 Japanese yen; One-way airfare from Los Angeles to Japan; National health insurance (deducted from monthly salary); Subsidized housing and transportation allowance; Paid Japanese holidays and personal days.
Application Process: Please send resume, cover letter, and two letters of recommendation by U.S. mail only. Applications must be postmarked by April 14, 2017, and received by April 21, 2017.
Please mail to Lori Chong Eurich, Chair TSCA English Teacher Selection Committee, Attn: Community Services Dept. c/o 3031 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503.
Qualified applicants will be scheduled for panel interviews in May. For more information, call Lori Eurich at (310) 373-6146.
Job: Publicity Coordinator – Japan Information & Culture Center (Washington, D.C.)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Asia Program Research Associate
Posted by: Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC)
Location: New York, USA
Contract: Full-time
This listing is from of the JICC, Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC.
Center for Publicity Coordinator
The posting and information on how to apply can be found here: http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/employment/pc.html
Life After JET: Fil Ha
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By Jon Dao(Toyama-ken, 2009-12) for his podcast Discussions with Dao. Jon works as a speech coach and personal trainer.
Filmore Ha (Ibaraki-ken, 2006-08) on growing up in the South and living in Japan.
WITLife #309: An Evening of Umami and Shokuiku
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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 obs
ervations.
Last night I had the opportunity to interpret for Chef Kiyomi Mikuni at an event at Japan Society entitled “Umami and Other Japanese Culinary Secrets.” Mikuni is an entertaining speaker whose wide-ranging presentation covered everything from how important it is to develop taste buds at a young age to working with Japanese children on 食育 (shokuiku, or dietary education). Mikuni runs the gourmet French restaurant Hotel de Mikuni in Tokyo, but his culinary journey started in a fishing village in Hokkaido. Growing up he would go out with his fisherman father, and enjoy the fruits of the sea bestowed upon them. At 15 he went to Sapporo to work as a chef at a hotel there before moving to Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel. At 20 he was sent to Geneva to be the chef at the Japanese Embassy, where he Read More
Teshima: On Hearing Loss, My Son, and the Sea
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Please take a look at this touching piece by JET alum Austin Gilkeson (Aichi-ken):
https://catapult.co/stories/
Job: Asia Program Research Associate – Committee to Protect Journalists (New York, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Asia Program Research Associate
Posted by: Committee to Protect Journalists
Location: New York City, New York (Preferred)
Contract: Full-time
Thanks to Dominic Abordo (Akita-ken) for passing along this JET-relevant job opening:
Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, non-profit organization defending journalists worldwide without regard to their political ideology. Through its work to safeguard journalists, CPJ protects the rights of all people to have access to diverse and independent sources of information.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is seeking a research associate for its Asia program to research, report, and document attacks on the press in a diverse region where freedom of expression has been facing new challenges in many countries.
The ideal candidate will have passion for and knowledge of press freedom and human rights issues in the Asia region.
Strong research, reporting, and writing skills, and the ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with a small team are a must. Strong oral and written communication skills in English are essential. Fluency in a regional language, especially Chinese, Urdu or Bengali, is an asset. The ability to effectively use social media to promote the Asia program’s work and advocacy goals is also an asset. Read More
Job: Business-related positions (Marketing, Finance, etc.) – Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. (Warrendale, PA, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Business-related positions (Marketing, Finance, etc.)
Posted by: Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc.
Location: Warrendale, PA, USA
Contract: Full-time
Here’s a job received from Susan Garvan who works directly for Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc:
Would you like to use your Japanese language skills in the business world? Do you have the desire to lead new business initiatives? Do you have the technical knowledge to support an industry leader? If so, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. (MEPPI) may have the ideal opportunity for you. We are seeking talented individuals with experience in business, business development, finance, coupled with Japanese (as a second language) to work at Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. headquarters. We are seeking individuals with:
-
A powerful intellectual curiosity
-
Enjoy working in a collaborative environment
-
Japanese (as a second language)
-
Desire to work in Japan; on assignment and/or extended travel.
If you would like to utilize your expertise in disciplines such as business development, market analysis, strategic planning and/or finance ….we encourage you to apply today! Read More
Job: Electrical/Mechanical Engineers – Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. (Warrendale, PA, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Electrical/Mechanical Engineers
Posted by: Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc.
Location: Warrendale, PA, USA
Contract: Full-time
Here’s a job received from Susan Garvan who works directly for Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc:
Would like to use your Japanese language skills in the business world? Do you hold a degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering? If so, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. (MEPPI) may have the ideal engineering opportunity for you. We are seeking Electrical/Mechanical Engineers with Japanese (as a second language) to work within one of the dynamic divisions at Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. headquarters. We are seeking Engineers with:
-
A powerful intellectual curiosity
-
Enjoy working in a collaborative environment
-
Japanese (as a second language)
-
Desire to work in Japan; on assignment and/or extended travel.
If you would like to utilize your engineering expertise in disciplines such as Project Management, Program Management, Design Engineering, Sales Engineering and more….we encourage you to apply today!
Fellowship Opportunity: Rotary Peace Fellowship (Various Locations)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Thanks to Rotary Peace Centers Marketing and Recruitment Specialist (Programs and Grants) Sarah Cunningham for the following fully-funded opportunity. Please see her message below:
I’m reaching out because The Rotary Foundation is once again recruiting applicants for the 2018 Rotary Peace Fellowship. We believe this fully-funded opportunity might be of interest to you and your network, in particular the opportunity for master’s level study at the Rotary Peace Center at International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan.
Since 2002, Rotary Peace Centers has provided over 1000 social change leaders with peace and conflict resolution education and field experience. Our alumni work in over 100 countries with organizations ranging from grassroots peace initiatives in Africa to the United Nations.
We are asking organizations like yours to post this fully-funded fellowship opportunity to your website, listserv(s), internal communication channels, newsletters, and/or social media as a way to identify potential candidates around the world. Below is a short description of the fellowship:
The Rotary Foundation is now accepting applications for the fully-funded Rotary Peace Fellowship. The fellowship provides academic and practical training to prepare scholars for leadership roles in solving today’s global challenges.
Up to 100 fellows are selected globally every year to earn either a master’s degree or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies at one of six Rotary Peace Centers at leading universities in Japan, Australia, England, the United States, Sweden, and Thailand.
To learn more about the program, applicants are encouraged to visit the Rotary Peace Centers website. All applications are due 31 May 2017.
If you have any questions about the fellowship or have any ideas for collaboration, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you in advance for helping Rotary promote a more peaceful world!
どうぞよろしくお願いします。
Warm regards,
Sarah Cunningham
Rotary Peace Centers Marketing and Recruitment Specialist | Programs and Grants
Tel 1.847.425.5682
Rotary.org/en/peace-fellowships
Concert Review: Yoshiki Classical Special at Carnegie Hall
Article/Journalism, Celebrity, Events, JQ Magazine, Music, Reviews Comments Off on Concert Review: Yoshiki Classical Special at Carnegie Hall
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). For more of his articles, click here.
On Jan. 12-13, Yoshiki of the band X Japan—the nation’s number one rock group, which has sold out the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome a record 18 times and has moved more than 30 million singles and albums since forming in the 1980s—fulfilled a lifelong dream by debuting, and also selling out, two consecutive nights at Carnegie Hall in New York City with his Yoshiki Classical Special performance.
Backed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuga Cohler with arrangements by Shelly Berg, the nearly three-hour concert brought an arena vibe to the traditional concert hall setting. Featuring a mix of X Japan classics, new material, and pitch perfect renditions from the book of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, Yoshiki brought the tunes to life at the piano, and additional turns from guest vocalists Katie Fitzgerald and Ashley Knight provided bright spots of witty banter (unlike other Japanese superstars poised for American fame, Yoshiki’s English is fluent).
The production team pushed the limits of imagination for Carnegie Hall, with lighting so intense that Yoshiki himself had to ask his crew mid-song to reposition of one of the rigs. Videos and still images (courtesy of last year’s internationally released documentary We Are X) were amply beamed overhead throughout the show, giving the audience the full scope of Yoshiki’s lifelong artistic journey.
In the final stretch following the X Japan epic “Art of Life,” an instrumental version of “Endless Rain” spotlighted a colossal mirror ball that bathed the hall in brilliant, swirling light, as those in the front rows unexpectedly belted out its bilingual chorus to the delight of longtime fans.
While X Japan supporters might have to wait a bit longer to witness another full band performance in New York (they last headlined Madison Square Garden in 2014), Yoshiki Classical Special easily lived up to its name, making another dream come true for both performer and audience.
For additional photos and videos of the concert, visit Yoshiki’s homepage at www.yoshiki.net.
Click image to read article
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Shukan NY Seikatsu. Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
While riding the bullet train through Japan in 1989, the New York filmmaker Martin Scorsese was reading “Silence,” the award-winning 1966 Japanese historical novel by Shusaku Endo abut a Jesuit missionary’s persecution in 17th century Japan at a time when Christianity was practiced in secret following a national prohibition that lasted well into the mid-19th century.
Drawing from some of Endo’s personal experiences as a Japanese Catholic (as well as the director’s own religious upbringing as an altar boy in Little Italy), the film stars Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Issei Ogata, and Tadanobu Asano. The film has drawn comparisons to Scorsese’s own 1988 film “The Last Temptation of Christ” with its themes of faith and perseverance, and has endured a decades-in-the-making journey to the big screen.
In a 2011 interview with “Deadline,” Scorsese said ahead of filming, “‘Silence’ is just something that I’m drawn to in that way. It’s been an obsession, it has to be done…it’s a strong, wonderful true story, a thriller in a way, but it deals with those questions.”
Released on Dec. 26, reviews have been glowing (reflecting an 87% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes at press time), with the site calling it a “thoughtful, emotionally resonant look at spirituality and human nature that stands among the director’s finest works.”
“Silence” is now playing at select theaters in Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey. For more information, visit www.silencemovie.com.
Job: Japanese Specialist Travel Consultant – InsideJapan Tours (Boulder, CO, USA & Brisbane, Australia)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Japanese Specialist Travel Consultant
Posted by: InsideJapan Tours
Location: Boulder, CO, USA & Brisbane, Australia
Contract: Full-time
Thanks to Executive Director for USJETAA, Laurel Lukaszewski for passing along the following job opening:
InsideJapan Tours, part of InsideAsia Tours Ltd, is an award-winning travel company that offers unique group tours, tailored travel and cultural experiences in Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Originating in the UK we also have offices in Japan, Australia and have our US base in Boulder, Colorado. We now have a team of eighteen in the U.S., and are looking for new Japan travel consultants to help us grow onward and upward.
We organize small group tours and tailored packages for private clients and third-party travel agents.
This position presents the perfect opportunity for a former JET to begin a career in the travel industry and use their knowledge and love of Japan. Boulder and the surrounding area is a fantastic place in which to live and work.
For more information about the company, role, great benefits and to apply, please see our website: https://www.insidejapantours.com/about-us/jobs/
