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 live showcases that will transport you to another time and place, a clutch of wide release screenings, and a live K-pop performance you won’t want to miss.
This month’s highlights include:
Opens Thursday, Feb. 5
Angelika Film Center New York, 18 West Houston Street
$19
This historic hit broke a 22-year-old record in late November, becoming the highest-grossing live-action film of all time in Japan with over 12.3 million tickets sold to date, surpassing $111 million USD. In December, it was shortlisted for two Oscar categories — Best International Feature, in addition to Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Nagasaki, 1964. After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, Kikuo decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. Across decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – from acting school to the grandest stages – amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master. Directed by Sang-il Lee (Hula Girls). Written by Satoko Okudera (Wolf Children) and Shûichi Yoshida (original novel). Starring Ryo Yoshizawa (Kingdom), Ryusei Yokohama (Your Eyes Tell) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai).
Opens Friday, Feb. 6
Various theaters
Various prices
Includes special IMAX screenings! From visionary Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai) comes a powerful, time-bending animated adventure about Scarlet, a medieval-era, sword fighting princess on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. After failing at her mission and finding herself gravely injured in the Otherworld that exists somewhere between life and death, she encounters an idealistic young man from our present day who not only helps her to heal but shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage. When confronted again by her father’s killer, Scarlet faces her most daunting battle: can she break the cycle of hatred and find meaning in life beyond revenge? “As we witness heartbreaking conflicts around the world, I believe that finding love and choosing to live together in unity is what will lead us towards something better. That’s why I want to share this new film with the world — now more than ever,” explains director Hosoda.
Feb. 18, 20-21
TWICE – This Is For World Tour
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike (Elmont)
From $74.20
For the first time, global K-pop superstars TWICE will perform in-the-round on a 360-degree stage, transforming arenas into immersive spaces where fans can experience the show from every angle Most recently, TWICE released their 4th full length album, THIS IS FOR, which debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the group’s seventh consecutive entry on the chart. The girl group also contributed to the official soundtrack for Netflix’s hit film KPop Demon Hunters. Members JEONGYEON, JIHYO, and CHAEYOUNG recorded a special version of the original track “TAKEDOWN,” featured during the film’s powerful end sequence and accompanied by exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the recording studio. Their rendition of the song went on to reach #58 on the Billboard Hot 100, while TWICE’s hit single “STRATEGY,” also included on the film’s soundtrack, achieved notable success on the Hot 100 as well. These accomplishments set the stage for TWICE’s highly anticipated 10th anniversary this October – a celebration of a decade of groundbreaking success, artistic evolution, and global impact. Members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu will deliver their all-new production and a career-spanning setlist featuring hits like “The Feels,” “More & More,” “FANCY,” and “STRATEGY” to arenas worldwide.
Read MoreBy Declan Somers, CEO of Mobal, and an Irish expat who has been living in Japan for a number of years.
Most former JETs will tell you the same thing:
Japan never quite lets go of you.
You might leave your contracting organisation, your apartment key, and your bike behind-but the country stays with you. In the food you miss. In the language you half-dream in. In the quiet pull to go back, even years later.
For Tony Smith, founder of Mobal, that pull never disappeared either. But the story of Mobal- one of the most familiar mobile providers to JETs didn’t begin in Japan.
It began in Malawi.
A Holiday That Changed Everything
Tony didn’t travel to Malawi on a mission.
There was no grand plan. No charity proposal. No business model.
He was on holiday.
What he saw there, though, stayed with him. Not statistics or policy failures-but people. Families. Children. Communities living with a level of poverty that was impossible to unsee once you had seen it up close. Tony returned home and did something quietly radical.
Without telling his company, without telling his staff, he began donating Mobal’s profits to charity!!
No press release.
No mission statement.
Just a personal decision that business should do more.
Then he went further.
Rather than simply donating money, Tony started using what he knew best-business- to create viable social enterprises in Malawi. The goal wasn’t aid. It was dignity: meaningful work, local employment, and long-term sustainability in the very community he had visited.
Mobal’s Secret Mission
For years, Tony kept this to himself. Until his accountant intervened.
Pointing out that companies donating to charity could legally benefit from tax breaks, the accountant asked a very practical question:
“Why aren’t you telling anyone you’re doing this?”
That moment changed Tony’s approach and he decided to come clean. He informed his staff how profits were being used, formally embedded giving into Mobal’s mission, an founded a separate charity in the UK to distribute funds properly and transparently.
What had started as a private moral choice became a public commitment.
Japan Enters the Story (Again)
Several years later, the charity began working with international volunteers, including Japanese volunteers visiting Malawi through the JICA programme, primarily on educational projects. Then disaster struck. In 2015, catastrophic flooding displaced huge numbers of people in Southern Malawi, including children who could no longer attend school-let alone eat regularly.
Volunteers gathered to ask the simplest, hardest question:
What can we actually do right now?
Tony-who had loved Japan his entire life and had a small office in Tokyo- made an unexpected suggestion:
Why not set up a charity in Japan to help?
That idea became Seibo Japan, a registered Japanese NPO.
School Meals & SIM Cards: What’s the connection?
In February 2016, Seibo Japan and Seibo Malawi, using funds donated from Mobal together began feeding displaced schoolchildren at nursery schools in Malawi. The problem? Almost nobody in Japan knew who they were.
In the early days, Seibo Japan operated out of Mobal’s Tokyo office, sharing space- and occasionally ideas. That’s when the team noticed something else: Mobal had a really good SIM card. Perfect for foreign residents in Japan. JETs included.
In an unusual pivot twist, Seibo Japan’s two staff members became SIM salespeople. Tony promised that every sale they made would be donated to the cause.
It worked. Sales took off-helped enormously by Mobal’s presence at JET orientations at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, a setting familiar to thousands of former JETs reading this now.
What began as a workaround became a partnership.
The lines between charity and company blurred, in the best possible way.
The Power of YouTube
Then came Makoto’s stardom in 2019.
If you’ve ever seen “A Day in the Life of a Japanese Salaryman” on YouTube, you’ve already met him-even if you didn’t know it.
👉 https://youtu.be/6tmjXp_AYg0
The video racked up 11 million views, countless comments, and international attention. What viewers didn’t realise was that Makoto wasn’t just a “salaryman”—he was deeply involved in Seibo Japan and the work happening behind the scenes.
After that, attending a JET orientation became… complicated.
Makoto couldn’t walk through the venue without being stopped for selfies, autographs, and the inevitable:
“Wait—aren’t you that guy from YouTube?”
Fast Forward to 2026
It’s now the 10th anniversary of Seibo Japan. Makoto continues to run the organisation, raising funds through donations and initiatives like Malawian coffee sales via the Warm Hearts Coffee Club.
Mobal, meanwhile, is still doing what it quietly set out to do all those years ago:
- Profits still go to charity
- Social enterprises still provide over 600 meaningful jobs
- More than 20,000 children still receive a hot school meal every day
- Education remains at the centre of everything
Today, the work at Mobal is led by Declan (formerly Makoto’s colleague at Seibo & ex–Malawi volunteer), working alongside Makoto- another example of how careers, causes, and Japan itself have a habit of pulling people back together in unexpected ways.
Good Coffee always leads to a Good Story
One of the most quietly powerful developments in Seibo Japan’s story in Japan came via coffee. Fully funded by Mobal and supported by the wonderfully generous Ataka Trading, Seibo Japan runs a non-profit Malawian coffee business that does far more than sell beans. Yes, Makoto and his team do of course sell coffee online but the real impact happens offline, in classrooms across Japan.
At the time of writing, over 40 partner schools are involved.
Seibo Japan volunteers work with students to organise Malawi coffee sales events- often as part of international studies, ethics, or global citizenship programmes. Students help plan the event, promote it, and run the sale themselves.
Along the way, they learn about:
- Fair Trade and ethical supply chains
- The difference between charity and social enterprise
- How business skills can be used for social good
- What life looks like for students their own age in Malawi
Every yen raised goes directly to charity.
And sometimes, the story doesn’t end there.
In some cases, students later travel to Malawi themselves, meeting communities, visiting schools, and seeing exactly how the funds they helped raise are used.
For anyone who once stood in front of a Japanese classroom as a JET and tried to explain “internationalisation” in real terms, this model feels instantly familiar—and quietly revolutionary.
Learn more here and reach out if you have a school to introduce!
👉 https://www.charity-coffee.jp/en/
Why This Matters to JET Alumni 🇯🇵
If you’re a former JET, this story probably feels familiar.
- A life changed by living abroad
- Small decisions that snowball into something bigger
- Japan acting as a connector between people, cultures, and causes
JET alumni continue to choose Mobal not just because it works but because it aligns.
- No confusing contracts
- English-friendly support
- Japanese phone numbers without the bureaucratic headache
- And purchases that directly support education and social impact
A Little Something Extra for JET Alumni (and a Coffee Warning ☕)
Because this story has always been intertwined with the JET community, there’s a small thank-you built in.
JET alumni—and their friends and family—can receive a 50% discount on a Mobal voice SIM or eSIM using the dedicated JET Alumni discount link.
And if you’re visiting Tokyo?
You’re very welcome to visit the Seibo Japan charity office, where there’s a good chance you’ll meet Makoto himself—though fair warning: you may leave with a bag of Malawian coffee beans, sold with enthusiasm, purpose, and just a hint of mischief.
It’s not a showroom.
It’s not a pitch.
It’s simply another example of how Mobal, Seibo Japan, and the JET community continue to overlap in wonderfully human ways.
Stay Connected. Do Good. Come Back to Japan.
Mobal is proof that not all meaningful projects begin with a business plan.
Sometimes they begin with a holiday.
A moment of discomfort.
And a decision to quietly do the right thing-until it becomes impossible not to share it.
For JETs who still carry Japan with them, this is a story worth staying connected to.
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Executive & Development Assistant
Posted by: U.S.-Japan Council
Location: Remote (Pacific time zone preferred)
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to the U.S.-Japan Council for passing along the following job opening.
About the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC)
Founded by Japanese Americans in 2009, the U.S.-Japan Council strengthens U.S.-Japan relations through people-to-people connections. Through our U.S.-Japan Leadership Institute, we build a pipeline of global leaders across sectors and generations committed to a strong and enduring partnership. Through signature convenings, leadership programs, and initiatives, we cultivate and connect leaders to address key bilateral issues. Our vibrant community of 1,200 members across the United States and Japan is a dynamic professional network that fosters deep connections and drives meaningful impact.
We are a global team with 13 members based in the United States and 10 in Japan. We strive to build a culture that reflects our core values of appreciation, balance, and collaboration that encourages team members to be driven, engaged and have fun.
Read More********
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Posted by: Margie Banin (Kochi, 2005-2007), a former CIR with a love of the written word. Currently she connects others to Japan through translating, writing, and editing texts on Japan. Margie also manages the JETwit Bluesky account, serves as the JETwit Volunteer Coordinator and a JETwit jobs-list welcomer, and engages in various other JETwit outreach activities.
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Did you know JET alumni are eligible for scholarships at various educational institutions, including Middlebury Language Schools, through USJETAA’s university partnerships? JET alum Sydney Michael shares her experience taking advantage of this opportunity here.
Authored by Sydney Michael (Yamaguchi, 2019-2024)
“What are your plans for after JET?”
Many JET alums can recall the confusion and “now what?” feeling after deciding not to renew their contracts or hitting the maximum number of years on the program. I know many JETs, myself included, struggled not only with what specific institution to go to, but what to do in general: to work, to continue in higher education, or something else entirely. Hearing from others was incredibly beneficial when trying to decide on my post-JET path, and I hope my story can be helpful to others in the same way.
From the Classroom to the Office
I knew before graduating college that I wanted to participate in the JET Programme. In addition…click here to read the full article on the USJETAA website.
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Inside Sales, Sales Assistant
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Plano, TX, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening via Quick USA.
A Japanese manufacturing company focusing on electronic components is currently looking for a full time Japanese-Bilingual Inside Sales Assistant to join their Plano, TX location.
This position is considered an entry level one, so if you’re looking to get your career started in Japanese companies, this could be a great opportunity for you.
Japanese & English Proficiency ( Intermediate or higher) is a must and proficiency in MS Excel is a big plus!
The yearly pay for this position is 50k and it includes great benefits.
Read More***************
Todd Van Horne (Wakayama-ken, Tanabe-shi, 2004-08) is an inbound tourism specialist based in Wakayama Prefecture. He is Operations Manager for Kumano Adventures, a company started by fellow JET alum Giuliana Alfinito (Wakayama-ken, 2017-18), who also previously served as President of the New England JETAA chapter and as a Country Representative for JETAA USA.
I was an ALT in Tanabe City, Wakayama, from 2004 to 2008. It was my 2nd time in Japan and I was a little older than most of the other ALTs. I didn’t have so many shared interests with the JET social world around me, so I found myself spending time with a small group of friends exploring the area, cooking, and studying the language hard on my own.
My placement itself was difficult, sometimes unpleasant, for reasons that probably wouldn’t surprise other JET alumni. In fact, I had my resignation letter typed and translated, and was about to turn it in after recontracting, when suddenly on that day we were assigned a new supervisor. The new supervisor was just as disconnected but much less unpleasant. With my growing independence thanks to improving language ability and understanding of bureaucracy, I could rely less on colleagues I preferred not to depend on. That growing independence was the reason I was able to stay for 4 years. It’s still very strange to me that the life I have now pivoted on that day’s “I’ll see how today goes.”
Outside of work, I became increasingly interested in fermented foods and helped my wife grow and teach her cooking class business.
After JET, the plan was to move to the U.S. for a couple of years and then return to Japan. We did exactly that, only to move back just one month before the 2011 tsunami. Like nearly everyone we knew at the time, we struggled during that time. Finally we got our restaurant open, focusing on fully handmade food served with homemade pickles, miso, and sprouted brown rice.
We ignored the naysayers who said you shouldn’t work with your spouse … and paid the price. We had a restaurant, a baby, an immediate family member in failing health, and more. To say it was a tough time is a vast understatement. For a few years I felt like the guy in movies clawing at ice from underwater, trying to find a way out.
A combination of circumstances led to an introduction to a local company, and although I wasn’t looking to be employed, it was the most practical option for a few years. I’m glad I did it, but I would never, ever repeat it. Although staying with the restaurant wasn’t an option at the time, my only keen regret about these 20+ years is that I’m not producing and selling my food and products anymore.
Becoming a parent changed things again. After my daughter was born, I developed a strong interest in the psychology and theory of parenting, likely influenced by my years in education. I separated from my ex-wife, quit that job, and found myself with the space to be the kind of father I wanted to be. My somewhat frustrated interest in education was rocked when I started raising my daughter. It was like a light bulb turning on, to coin a phrase. I began coaching Japanese parents in raising bilingual children, with a lot of parenting philosophy mixed in. It was meaningful work, and was aligned with my values and interests. I randomly met an old friend in a supermarket around that time and recall saying, “I’ve been through the f****** ringer but I’m so happy to be where I am.”
Around that time, a former JET coworker introduced me to Giuliana, who had been a JET in nearby Shingu City from 2017–2018. We hadn’t crossed paths before, unsurprising, given that I was working six days a week during her year on JET. I started helping her informally with operational challenges for her small travel startup Kumano Adventures, and over the course of a year or two, that collaboration deepened. When an opportunity came up to apply for a tourism promotion grant, we decided to partner.
In 2025, we both quit our other jobs and committed fully to Kumano Adventures.
Running a tour business in rural Japan is loads of fun but feels Sisyphean at the same time. I love connecting with local suppliers who are eager to try new ideas, and seeing what we can create together. With so many inbound tourists, sometimes I feel like we’re passing on earning opportunities too often. But our end goal is to create systems that help rural Japan, while making a living. The challenge is being creative and persistent, but also patient in balance, while finding where our vision overlaps with what the consumer base is actually looking for.
One project that feels especially full-circle for me is our Taiko Retreat. During my JET years, I played in the local taiko group for four years. Separately, the partner of another local ALT, Carrie, also began playing and teaching taiko here and has continued ever since. Carrie later reached out about creating a taiko event back in the place where they were placed for JET, and that conversation eventually became the Taiko Retreat.
Carrie is a dance teacher with a strong focus on physical health and incorporates concepts like godai, the five elements of Eastern philosophy, into her teaching. From my perspective, Carrie’s work emphasizes authenticity at both the personal and student levels while creating a space where people can express themselves honestly. We hope this becomes a recurring event.
For former JETs, there’s something familiar about returning to rural Japan not as a teacher, but as a participant, already knowing how to perceive the pause, open your senses, be thoughtful about your response. As a small way of welcoming that community, we offer a 10% discount for former JET participants.
Recently my friend invited me to his Thanksgiving gathering. During dinner he looked at me and said, “You don’t seem jaded about your time here.” Well … I’m glad that’s my vibe!
Although life’s difficulties never disappear, things are easier for me here now than they’ve ever been. My time in this region started with JET but I wouldn’t really call it a foundation. It was just another experience that had good and bad times, and was part of the path to now.
Job: Japanese Bilingual Sales Manager of Strategic Sales Engagement – interesse international inc./iiicareer (Houston, TX, USA)
Jobs 
Comments Off on Job: Japanese Bilingual Sales Manager of Strategic Sales Engagement – interesse international inc./iiicareer (Houston, TX, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Japanese Bilingual Sales Manager of Strategic Sales Engagement
Posted by: interesse international inc./iiicareer
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Seiko Maruyama for passing along the following job opening via interesse international inc./ iiicareer.
The Sales Manager, Strategic Sales Engagement, is responsible for driving sales growth through new business development and expansion of existing accounts. This role manages sales activities for existing clients, prospective clients, and network clients, while collaborating closely with business development teams, operations, and other business units across global and local markets.
The Sales Manager plays a key role in building a flexible, multicultural sales organization and securing new business opportunities through cross-selling, tenders, and strategic account management.
Key Responsibilities:
Job: Clerical and Administrative Assistant – Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Clerical and Administrative Assistant
Posted by: Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
Location: New York, NY, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Jessica Wang (Tenri-shi, Nara-ken, 2011-2014) for passing along the following job opening.
Description:
The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations is seeking an individual to fill a vacancy in the political section.
1. Brief Job Description
General clerical and administrative support in addition to attending various meetings and taking minutes of them.
2. Location
The Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
605 Third Avenue, 28th Floor, New York NY 10158
3. Qualifications
[Required]
‐ US citizen or permanent resident
– Native-level English proficiency and touch typing
‐ Graduate student or expected graduate student in relevant fields (e.g. international politics, international security, public policy, etc.)
Job: Bilingual Sales Representative – iiicareer/interesse international inc. (Schaumburg, IL, USA)
Jobs Comments Off on Job: Bilingual Sales Representative – iiicareer/interesse international inc. (Schaumburg, IL, USA)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Bilingual Sales Representative
Posted by: iiicareer/interesse international inc.
Location: Schaumburg, IL, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Seiko Maruyama for passing along the following job opening via iiicareer/interesse international inc.
Job Description
The primary responsibility is sales activities for a SaaS product focused on engineering drawing management and order processing for manufacturing companies.
Employment Flow
1. Training Period in Japan
・Location: Tokyo area, Japan
・Duration: 6 months – 1 year (depending on experience)
・Work visa for Japan will be sponsored
・Onsite work required
・Working hours will follow U.S. time zones (Night shifts required, e.g. 10:00pm / 11:00pm – 7:00am)
・Monthly business trips to the U.S. (approximately 2 weeks per trip)
Job: International Administrative Staff – Tohoku University (Miyagi, Japan)
Jobs Comments Off on Job: International Administrative Staff – Tohoku University (Miyagi, Japan)
Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: International Administrative Staff
Posted by: Tohoku University
Location: Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Tohoku University for passing along the following job opening.
Description:
Affiliation: International Research Institute of Disaster Science
Key Responsibilities:
• Translating Japanese documents to English (internal notifications, letters to external parties, various print materials, etc.)
• Assisting with the preparation of English documents (such as contracts) and coordinating with prospective foreign researchers
• Handling administrative procedures related to concluding international exchange agreements
• Providing general affairs-related administrative assistance (meetings, mail, various events, bulletin boards, joint seminars with overseas partners, etc.)
Tohoku University is one of Japan’s leading universities for education and research. It is continually increasing its international presence, partnering with top institutions worldwide and pushing for new discoveries and collaborations.
Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://sites.google.com/tohoku.ac.jp/workwithus/home
Job: Full-time English Communication Teacher – Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School (Ibaraki, Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Full-time English Communication Teacher
Posted by: Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School
Location: Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Engel Villareal (Communication Department Head at Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School) for passing along the following job opening.
TNUSS English Communication teachers are responsible for teaching English Communication and Academic English classes to junior and senior high school students, and for supporting the use of English across the school community.
We are looking for teachers who are currently residing in Japan.
Application Process: For more information and to apply, please click here – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PkzmUOOLyFoZSpuvJlmVUH-q8PRbJ85B/view
Job: Korean-English Bilingual Sales Associate – Quick USA (Houston, TX, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Korean-English Bilingual Sales Associate
Posted by: Quick USA
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Thanks to Carlos Medina (Oita Prefecture, 2019-2022) for passing along the following job opening via Quick USA.
A Japanese food company is currently for a full time, fully onsite Korean Bilingual Sales Associate to join their Houston, TX location.
The Sales Associate is the principal selling agent for the company and is responsible for achieving the short and long-range sales objectives. Objectives will be achieved by maintaining existing customers in their assigned area. As a Sales Associate we must have a high level of flexibility.
The person is required to coordinate sales activities and promotions with other employees and administrators of the company as well as customers and clients of the company with respect to their needs, concerns, and schedules.
Having sales experience in the food industry would be the best, if you have previous in the restaurants or in supermarkets, have an interest in Asian food and would like to jump into the sales field, this opportunity might be just for you. DOE and skills, the pay range for this position would be between the 42k-55k with great benefits!
JQ Magazine: ‘Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline,’ NieR:Orchestra Concert, ‘All You Need Is Kill’
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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.
Start the new year right by heading down to your local concert venue, cinema, or arts center for some fantastic new year’s fare. Whether you enjoy movies, travel, or orchestral performances, treat yourself and catch a break from the cold.
This month’s highlights include:
Jan. 4-6
Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline
Various theaters
Various prices
After fending off a series of skilled assassins, gentleman thief Lupin III and his band of allies follow a strange invitation to an uncharted island. When their plane is shot down, the gang is stranded and soon hunted by the island’s inhabitants, past enemies, and a monstrous immortal being known as Muom, who threatens to destroy Lupin’s legacy. As a deadly toxic fog settles over them, Lupin must confront his greatest enemy in his most daring escapade yet. Legendary director Takeshi Koike (Redline, The Animatrix) returns to the LUPIN THE IIIRD franchise after six years with his latest devilish spin on Monkey Punch’s original manga. LUPIN THE IIIRD: The Movie – The Immortal Bloodline infuses Koike’s signature stylish action with the classic pulpy tones of Monkey Punch’s work for an exhilarating sci-fi tour de force.
Jan. 8-11
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
Various prices
$30-$63
A group of refugees fleeing to safety. An uncompromising inspector whose life depends on apprehending the fugitive among the group. Can they cross the border? Recognized as a masterpiece of kabuki theater, Kanjincho draws its tale from the 12th century, featuring deception, quick wit, and a riotous and nail-biting tit-for-tat with impossibly high stakes as its centerpiece. Kinoshita Kabuki gleefully charges across the boundary between bombastic traditional kabuki drama and contemporary theater in a hip and pop culture-drenched take on this surprisingly evergreen tale about transcending borders. Created by brilliant young dramaturg Yuichi Kinoshita with in-demand guest director Kunio Sugihara, experience the international sensation that has cemented Kinoshita Kabuki’s place in the current pantheon of sterling modern theater companies. Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.
Jan. 8-11
Various theaters
Various prices
Fathom Entertainment presents a 40th anniversary presentation with a special featurette celebrating the fans of Labyrinth, filmed on location at the UK’s recent “Labyrinth Experience & Masked Ball,” presented by Thames Con in association with The Jim Henson Company! Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King (David Bowie). Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. To get through it in time to save Toby, Sarah befriends the Goblins, in hopes that their loyalty isn’t just another illusion in a place where nothing is as it seems.
Read MoreWIT Life #389: 今年の漢字 and galloping into 午年
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Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03) presents WIT Life, a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as art, film, food and language. Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she offers some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.
We are quickly coming to the end of another year; where does the time go? I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and is looking forward to what 2026 will bring. I’m particularly excited as next year is 午年 (うまどし, umadoshi or year of the horse), which is my animal year. If I get lucky, perhaps it will be an 当たり年 (あたりどし, ataridoshi or banner year). Funnily enough, one of my first memories from when I started to study Japanese in high school was learning how to say what our animal years were. 「午年です」will forever be inscribed on my brain (arigatou Sensei Watson!).
Job: Summer Japanese-Speaking Resident Director – American Councils for International Education (Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Summer Japanese-Speaking Resident Director
Posted by: American Councils for International Education
Location: Japan
Contract: Full-Time; Temporary
POSITION SUMMARY
American Councils is currently seeking a qualified consultant to serve as a Japanese-speaking Resident Director to work on a summer Japanese language program approximately eight weeks in length. The language program offers intensive Japanese language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains in undergraduate and graduate students.
The Resident Director represents American Councils on the program overseas. The Resident Director will work with the host institution, manage communications between American Councils, program participants and local staff, advise participants as required, and resolve medical and other issues as necessary.
The Resident Director must be available to program participants on a daily basis; regularly observe classes at the host institution; meet regularly with teachers, administrators, and participants; and chaperone group travel and cultural programs and other events and activities focused on the immersion experience. The Resident Director must be available to participants during any emergencies that arise and must communicate regularly with American Councils program staff in Washington, DC. The Resident Director is not permitted to leave the program site or group excursions to conduct personal travel. The Resident Director is required to accompany the program participants to the departure airport and support participants through the departure process as able. The Resident Director oversees a small program budget and is responsible for proper documentation of program expenditures and timely completion of a budget report at the end of each month and at the end of the program. Other reporting requirements may apply.
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