Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (November 2009)
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The November 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
It Just Gets Worse
Did You Know? Rice Harvest Timiing
Guided Sakagura Tours
Sake and Pottery Seminar
Sake Professional Courses in Japan
Learn More About Sake through eBooks
Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive
JETAA UK: Sake tasting at Tsuru (Oct 20)
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Via JET alum Vanessa Villalobos, the Communications Officer for JETAA UK as well as the publisher of the Isshoni London website.
In case you didn’t know, sake tastings are all the rage in London. Do you really know your Nihonshu? Following the great success of our last chilled sake tasting in June, we’ll be holding a cosy autumn tasting with delicious, warming sakes. Join us for an educational night, with sake and accompanying nibbles.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 20, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Tsuru Restaurant tasting includes 4 different types of sake, served with sushi and a selection from Tsuru’s Japanese Tapas menu. At only £18 per person this is truly great value! First come, first served… reserve your place quickly to avoid disappointment.
If you’d like to attend, please register by sending an email to Vanessa at londoncomms [at] jetaa.org.uk
Details of how to secure your place by sending £18 will then follow.
JetWit BlogBeat 10.11.09 by Crystal Wong
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JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She is now working as a freelance strategist and writer in New York and relishes her constant hunt for the best cheap(ish) eats in the city.
Happy October, everyone. It’s been awhile, so let’s take a look and make sure you have a chance to catch up on some posts you might’ve missed in September:
Interesting post from Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima-ken, 1988-90) over at Gaijin Mama about her son’s Japanese education – this should be enlightening for former JETs since we’ve had a chance to work on the other side of the teaching equation, but likely never had a chance to interact with parents.
Over at Chin Music Press, exciting things are happening as they get set to ship their latest publication. The book will literally be hot off the presses shortly, so be sure to check back for updates!
James Kennedy (Nara-ken, 2004-06) visits his teen fans at the Schaumburg Library, and it looks like some funny stuff went down.
We also covered JET alum Janice Momoko Chow (Saitama, 2005-2006) here a few posts back, and wanted to make sure that you all knew about her recent blog move to this site.
Finally, if you’re looking for a culinary reason to celebrate autumn while conveniently warding off any pesky autumn germs all at the same time, Elizabeth White (Toyama-ken, 1995-98) has the recipe for you. Looks delicious! 
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (October 2009)
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The October 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
The Boyz of Nada
Did You Know? Sake Day
SCHEDULED AND CONFIRMED: Guided Sakagura Tours
NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
Learn More About Sake eBooks
Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive
Subscribe
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (September 2009)
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The September 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- The Hazards of Nama
- Did You Know? The Toji
- Guided Sakagura Tours
- NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
Vote for ‘Herbivores’ on Food2
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Hi, it’s your Jetwit webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken ’03-’06) here. I have a quick favor to ask you all.
“Herbivores,” the stop-motion animation video that I made with my friend Elizabeth Fuller last year has made it to the top 10 semifinals of the First Annual Food2 Summer Challenge. We desperately need your votes to help us win the grand prize. Please vote for us here. You need to sign in to vote, but you can log in using your Facebook or MySpace account. It only takes a minute.
Thanks so much for your help!
New York de Volunteer Happy Hour Fundraiser – Friday 9/25
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7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Enjoy Drink Specials, Raffles, and Prizes
http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html
Location:
Slattery’s Pub
8 E 36th St. (btwn. 5th and Madison Ave.)
100% of cash tips will support to
NY de Volunteer’s
“Explore Japanese After School Program”
@ New York City Parks and Recreation Center
For more information regarding the FUNdRaiser please visit:
http://www.nydevolunteer.org/activities/2009/2009.09.25_e.html
Isshoni London: Top 5 Picks for Summer in Japanese London
Article/Journalism, Blogs, Events, Food & Drink, Japan Fix, Japan Trends, JETAA Chapters, Music, Website, Writers Comments Off on Isshoni London: Top 5 Picks for Summer in Japanese London
*******************
Great article from the Isshoni London website run by JET alum Vanessa Villalobos (who is also the Communications Officer for JETAA UK).
There’s a welcome lull in frenetic London life over August… time to enjoy some of the finer things in life: food, music and the great outdoors.
If you, like I am, are counting down the days to the Japan Matsuri at Spitalfields this September 19th, you should indulge in a little Japanese cultural exploration over the summer!
1. EAT FOR FREE AT TOKYO CITY
I know! I couldn’t believe it either! Simply book your table in advance at Tokyo City Japanese Restaurant near Bank on any Tuesday in August, anytime from 11.30am to 10pm at night. A tasty offer too good to miss, you simply pay a £2.50 service charge and the cost of drinks you order.
City workers can feast for free on everything from handmade sushi and sashimi to bento boxes filled with Japanese classics, plus other traditional Japanese dishes, and help Tokyo City celebrate their 10th birthday and the launch of their new August menu.
Tokyo City is at 46 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7AY
Call 020 7726 0308 and quote the Tokyo City offer when you book.
2. DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE MUSIC
You’ll be pleased to hear Tsuru Sushi plays host to new Japanese music the last Wednesday of every month! Their 100% Genki events showcase Japanese musical and performance talent.
The events have been running for one year on the last Wednesday of each month, and attract a diverse crowd from the Japanese and local communities. Performers are also diverse, ranging from Wataru Kousaka, a sanshin player, to contemporary electronic composer Anchorsong and many others.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of this article
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (August 2009)
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The August 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- Cost of Sake & that of Rice
- Did You Know?
- Guided Sakagura Tours
- NEW! Sake Professional Course in Las Vegas
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
JetWit Blog Beat 8.5.09 by Crystal Wong
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JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She is now a freelance writer and digital strategist in New York and relishes her constant hunt for the best cheap(ish) eats in the city.
Interesting post from Dave Jacobson over at Chin Music Press about the continuing lack of interest in Japan as a news story from mainstream media, despite it being the world’s second largest economy. Dave points out that this is a great opportunity for the smaller companies and bloggers who continue to produce great content on Japan. We here over at Blog Beat would be interested to hear your thoughts on this trend – Have you noticed this as well? What does it mean for Japan?
JET alum Toby Weymiller reports on the progress on his new house from Hokkaido – how extremely cool to track the construction of a new home!
Also, check out a new addition to our blogroll – adventure writer Elizabeth White (Toyama-ken, 1995-98), lives in San Luis Obispo County and her new blog is well worth reading as it details all the delicious delights of life in paradise (and its challenges, of course) with great writing and photos.
Event: NYC Japan Street Fair – Sunday, August 23
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For a big, 15-block New York street fair coming up, one stretch will be devoted specifically to things Japanese. Further indication of how much Japanese culture has become part of the New York scene. (Rumor has it that New York-ken might even soon have its own ALTs!) Demo majime ni, read the press release below for more info:
The NYC Japan Street Fair Debuts at the Daytop Madison Avenue Festival!
NEW YORK, New York, (July 22, 2009) – On Sunday, August 23, 2009, the NYC Japan Fair will make its debut at the Daytop Madison Avenue Festival, one of New York’s largest street fairs that spans 15 blocks – from 42nd to 57th Streets – and attracts 10 million visitors annually. Hosting a diverse array of companies specializing in distinctly Japanese products and food, the NYC Japan Fair invites New Yorkers to immerse themselves with the rich culture of Japan for a day, while using the event as a test market to introduce new Japanese products to the U.S.
The Fair’s approximately 40 booths offer everything tangible about Japanese culture: food, merchandise, Read More
JetWit Blog Beat: Isshoni London by Vanessa Villalobos
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Just learned about a terrific blog and resource for UK-oriented JET alums called Isshoni London (http://www.isshonilondon.co.uk/), “the Gateway to Japanese London.” And the best part is it’s written by JET alum Vanessa Villalobos who is also the Communications Officer for JETAA UK.
The site include:
As well as listing of evens covering everything from a Japanese/English meetup picnic in Greenwich to an Okinawa festival to a manga signing event.
You can also follow Isshoni London on Twitter (http://twitter.com/IsshoniVanessa), and Vanessa helpfully includes a list of the “Top Japan-related people to follow on Twitter.”
Sushi and Sake: JET alum columns
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Elizabeth White (Toyama-ken, 1995-98), the Media Coordinator for JETAA Southern California, has been helping Sushi & Sake magazine collect writing from JET alums for the last few years.
Here’s a link to the JET alum writing on their site, including the latest column by Devon Brown (Tokyo-ken, 2002-04) titled “Taking One for the Team.”
And here are links to columns from past issues:
BACK ISSUES – JET Alumni Association
2008 Issues: December • June • May • April • March • February • January
2007 Issues: December • November • October • September • August • July • June • May • April • March
For anyone interested in contributing to future issues of Sushi & Sake, please feel free to contact Elizabeth via e-mail.
Note: This is the first in what JetWit hopes will become a series of “Japan Fix” articles. Each article can be a simple guide for where to go to get a Japan fix in your neck of the woods, or a more personal account of how you get your Japan fix. (Or in Kirsten’s case below, both of those and more.) The goal is to use the collective brain of the JET alumni community for the benefit of the JET alumni community.
Japan Fix: New York City
By Kirsten Phillips (Niigata-ken, 2005-08), writer of the Kirsten’s World columns on JetWit
There are thousands of different angles to approach a story like this, particularly in a metropolitan city such as New York. But I’d really love to expand this topic and hear about Japan Fixes in other parts of the country, preferably those without a coast! Yes, I’m talking to you Wyoming! Hi there, Kansas City! Since Japan means something different for everyone who walks away from it, I’d really like to hear about where and how you find Japan. Whether its building a raft and fording rivers to reach that one Kaiten Sushi bar, renting your favorite Japanese language film, or simply chatting with your Japanese neighbor down the hall, tell us all about it!
Now let’s get one thing straight. I earned an admirable jones before I even lived in Japan.
I have my buddy Reiko to thank for the multitude of pre-JET Japanese obsessions I harbored before marching knee-deep into the trenches. In Nueva York, karaoke was only something I did when I was too drunk to care about the lyrics and the only songs I knew then were by Shiina Ringo. Tarako-spaghetti was novelty, not survival. I entered without ceremony. Tips were important. The sole purpose of a handkerchief was for gagging. Vending machines only offered one thing.
Although prior knowledge of Japanese custom, popular wastes of time and cuisine-abuses was a reasonably applicable methadone for the harder edges of culture shock, nothing can fully prepare you for the experience of living on Japanese soil. Everyone gets shocked in one way or another. However, once you get used to the vibe and start running with the pack, untangling yourself from that mentality can be equally as harsh. Three years of opening important doors with 失礼しますand public transportation that runs on time can really leave a mark. Also, it’s hard to say goodbye to your favorite onsen, izakaya, chuugakkou and depaato. A majority of these are difficult to revive even in facsimile here in the States unless you wanna fork over your rent check.
But for those who are blessed enough to live in or around Nueva York, Read More
The June 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- The Kome Khronicles
- moto-i in Minneapolis
- Did you Know?
- Sake Professional Course
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
For more information about John and about sake, go to his website at: http://www.sake-world.com
