Japan Fix London: Hyper Japan – Interview with Mary Moreton
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Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London as is currently looking for new work opportunities related to Japan, writing and translation.
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It’s not surprising that London has changed a lot during the years I’ve been away in Japan. Being the “most populous municipality in the European Union”, rapid development, modernization and globalization are to be expected. However, it still throws me of guard when my British friends now drop ‘katsu-don’, ‘kirin beer’, and ‘kawaii’ into everyday conversation. I know those words weren’t part of my vocabulary before I took off for my life as an ALT!
For a recently returned expat like me, it is a huge comfort to see Japanese culture so widely embraced in my home city. Which is why I was particularly excited to hear about HYPER JAPAN, a three day event promoting all the different aspects of Japanese culture that make it so appealing to us in the west. Determined to get my ‘Japan-fix’ to fight off the homesickness, I applied for a volunteer position and was delighted to discover one of the Hyper Japan team, Mary Moreton, was a fellow ex-JET. Not one to miss a chance to share JET stories, Mary kindly agreed to meet me one soggy London afternoon.
Hi Mary, sorry for dragging you out in this! Could you start by telling me a bit about your time on JET – why you applied, where you were based?
I was a CIR in Aomori City CIR from 2002 – 2005. I studied Classical Japanese Literature at University, which was a really interesting course that I enjoyed a lot, but not necessarily a degree that could lead straight to a clear career path. I wasn’t interested in working in say finance in the city like many of my friends, and I had spent time in Japan before (I did a year out in Osaka), so I decided to apply for JET.
How did you find Aomori compared to your experience of living in Osaka? I would imagine it to be quite different!
Yes, it was completely different to my previous experience of living in the city. I remember in my first week, there was another girl from UK who was based at the kencho, and we decided to meet up and explore one day. We walked around for about 10 minutes until we realised there really wasn’t much to see! It was totally different from my experiences of urban areas such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe.
What did you do after JET?
After returning from JET, my first job was as a PA for the European director of a Japanese electronics company where I was working in a mainly Japanese environment. Even though I had left Japan, during my working day, things weren’t too different. Although I felt that my unique point was my Japanese ability, I did not necessarily want to restrict myself to working for Japanese companies. I then went on to work for a British based Insurance broker. I worked in their Japanese department, so I was still using Japanese but not working in a completely Japanese environment as I had been used to. I had always been interested in translation, so in addition to working, I decided to do a part-time MA in translation. In the end I had to quit my job to focus on my dissertation in the last term.
With my MA finished I then decided to do freelance translation and signed up with several Japanese agencies. Not all of them gave regular work, and there were certain areas of translation (technical) that I couldn’t do, but after settling into a good relationship with a few coordinators, I managed to find my niche. Through that I did some work for the Sushi Awards, which led to my current position with Cross Media. Once again I am working as the only native English speaker in a Japanese company, but I enjoy it a lot as I get to promote all the things I love about Japanese culture and cuisine, and share it with a whole new audience.
Could you tell us a bit about the background of Hyper Japan?
The Eat-Japan Sushi Awards have been around for a few years. Japanese food is a lot more popular now in the UK than when I left in 2002 to go to Japan. Now there are so many places around where you can try Japanese food, and there is a lot more scope to promote it – which is where the idea for the sushi awards came from.
Japanese anime, manga and games have always had a fanbase in the UK and the rest of Europe, and there is a large Japan Expo held in Paris which mainly focuses on these aspects of Japanese culture.
I think most people think that Japan is cool, but not necessarily for just one thing. There are separate events to cater for cosplay, anime, and sushi fans, however there wasn’t anything that brought all these together – which what Hyper Japan attempts to do. In the same way that people who live in Japan experience the old and the modern co-existing harmoniously (you could find a Shinto shrine next door to a pachinko parlor), Hyper Japan aims to showcase both the contemporary and classic sides of Japanese culture under one roof.
To read the rest of the interview, click ‘Read More’.
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A walk across the Canadian Rockies to maintain awareness for Tohoku situation
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Posted by Alisa Wylie to the Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief Idea Exchange group on Facebook (started by Atlanta-based JET alum Emily Duncan):
Steve Johnson is a friend of a friend who returned to Canada from Japan last year. He’s walking across the Canadian Rockies to raise/maintain awareness of the situation in Tohoku.
Steve also says: “I have prepared a presentation and talk that aims to share my experience in the endlessly fascinating Japanese culture and thereby connect Canadians to this event. Furthermore, I hope to encourage people to develop their natural feeling of connectedness to current events and to take action when they feel passionate about an issue, whether it be global or local.”
The blog includes a list of charities and disaster relief projects where people can send donations if they wish. Please share this info with anyone who might be interested or even be able to help reduce their expenses!
http://www.walkforjapan.blogspot.com/
JET Prefecture Round-Up 07.05.11
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Emily Lemmon, (Hyogo-ken, Shiso-shi, 2009-present), PSG volunteer, organizer of Hyogo-ken’s PEPY Ride, student of Shorinji Kempo, and editor of the Hyogo Times, gives a little taste of what JETs are doing around Japan. To submit items for future JET Prefecture Round-up posts, e-mail Emily at jetinfogather [at] gmail.com.
Events by Region
- Iwamizawa International Mini Festival was June 18th at Higashiyama Park, and included international food and drink, as well as face painting, Smores, 3 craft tables, board games from around the world, an obstacle course, salsa dancing, national anthems, Ebingo and many more great activities for everyone to enjoy.
- Leavers’ Party (“Towada Renaissance”) will be Saturday July 9th, from 1pm until everyone falls asleep.
- 2011 Tohoku Summer Retreat – JET Christian Fellowship retreat will be held from July 16th to 18th at the Aomori Christian Center in Moya Hills, Aomori City (registration required).
- Annual Cabin Sayonara Party will be July 16th at the Yakehashiri cabins.
- Iwate JETs were invited to attend the earthquake debate session on June 16th, to share stories of the March 11 disaster and how they got news or information.
- Akita JETs are lending traditional costumes from their home countries to students of the Akita University Network for their July 10th International Festival.
Chubu Region
- The Giant Jumping Monkey – a charity bash held in Myoko on July 2nd, rain or shine, features guest DJs, a monkey bounce-house, camping, and BBQ. All proceeds to Tohoku
- ZAZA Arts Festival and Charity Event presented by AJET Nagano and Arriba Arriba Cafewill be at Ikirou near Kamishiro Stationn in Hakuba on July 9-10th: an arts, music, and performance event featuring the great people of Nagano!
- Shimosuwa was one of the first towns in the prefecture to introduce a comprehensive English curriculum into elementary schools. July 18th is the 4th annual Kid’s Expo at Shimosuwa Cultural Center; This years theme is “Japan, connections to the world” . JET volunteers may showcase their countries or a cultural activity in a mini Expo style booth and give the kids a chance to interact in English.
- KoiKoi Matsumotos, a big international festival, was held on June 26th at M-Wing, Matsumoto’s chuo kominkan. About 20 countries were represented with various shows, games, presentations, kids’ activities, an international food court, and more. Entry was free, food was cheap, and profits went to help the relief effort in Tohoku area.
- Bai Bai Beach Party to be held July 24th at Uchinada Beach.
Kansai Region
- Path of Prayer continues on July 3rd; participants will walk from Nakahechi Michi-no-eki to Kobiro oji on the Kumano Kado, invoking a speedy recovery for Tohoku while experiencing this historic trail.
- Kozagawa Kayaking and Camping will take place from July 9th to the 10th on the Koza River, Wakayama.
- Nara’s farewell to leaving JETs, the Bye Bye Bash,complete with awards, was held at the Tousembou Kidaku on June 17th.
- Ultimate Frisbee practice and BBQ in the Goon on June 18th.
- Taj Ultimate, the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, will be held July 9th and 10th.
- “There is Hope Through Music” for Tohoku – On July 9th, Ehime JET Dan will gather fellow JETs to the Asakura Kominkan in Imabari to record videos with the fireman brass band. The videos will be combined with videos from the Kurosawa Piano Music Foundation of California and broadcast both online and to the victims in refugee camps in Japan.
- Sayonara Party will be July 9th at Kashima Island.
- July 10th, Ehime JETs are invited to a tea ceremony in Imabari.
- Students now have until July 15th to apply for the Genki Scholarship for International Exchange, 2011. The Genki Scholarship hopes to assist Kochi-based students fulfil their ambitions of going on international exchange, to expand their horizons and improve their communication skills. This year’s Genki Tosaben Musical generated enough funds to provide for a scholarship of approximately 200,000 yen (exact amount depends on number of applicants, where and for how long they’re going), plus a donation of up to 100,000 yen for Tohoku’s Disaster Relief.
- The JET Farewell party and beer garden was held June 17th.
- Organic Rice Planting volunteers have been pushed back to July 2nd for lack of rain! Preparing to get muddy, JETs will assist in the labor intensive work of organic farming.
- Sayonara Party – Oita JETs say farewell on July 9th in Oita City.
- Oita JETs make a camping trip to Miyazaki Prefecture on July 23rd-24th.
- An Oita JET is organizing volunteers to help a family maintain their farm and orchard. Activities include but are not limited to: raking leaves, pruning trees, cutting grass, weeding, and setting up a wire fence.
- June 18th, the Oita International Plaza held the monthly Japanese Conversation Circle, pairing native and non-native speakers for 15 minutes and then switching partners. Participants talk freely or use materials provided based on a topic. June’s topic was talking about your hometown.
- The ‘Japan-British Society of Kumamoto’ is holding their annual ‘Tanabata “Star Festival” Party’ at 6:30PM on Friday, July 1st. This event was a huge success last year with scores of Japanese and foreigners eating, drinking and socialising in celebration of this traditional Japanese festival.
- Former Nagasaki ALT shares video from Golden Week in Tohoku here.
- This year’s international exchange party by Miyazaki City International Association (MCIA) was June 17th at the Miyazaki Shimin Plaza.
- Kagoshima’s Bon Voyage Bash will be July 9th at the Sun Royal Hotel.
JET alums involved in yoga benefit for Japan quake victims (NY)
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The below article mentions JETAA U.S.A. Country Rep and former JETAANY President Megan Miller-Yoo (Hyogo-ken). And the reporter, Seana Magee (Okayama-ken, Niimi-shi, 1988-90) also happens to be a JET alum.
FEATURE: New Yorkers turn on heat, use yoga to benefit Japan quake victims
By Seana K. Magee
NEW YORK, June 28, Kyodo
Drenched in sweat, Megan Miller Yoo and about a dozen other students were pushing themselves to new limits during a special Sunday yoga session held at a Manhattan studio.
Stretching their muscles and testing their flexibility, they intently followed the instructor moving through 26 prescribed poses at Bikram Yoga Grand Central in a humid, 40 C room.
From the outside it looked like an ordinary 90-minute Bikram class, but it was not.
The hot yoga devotees were part of a so-called donation class specifically designed to raise money to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11.
Yoo explained to Kyodo News how taking part in the special class took her practice to a new level, particularly because of her close ties to the country, where she lived for two years.
”One instructor always says, ‘If you breathe through Bikram, you can breathe through anything,’ so I often think of that when I am in a tough situation, and it makes me realize I can get through anything if I just hang in there and don’t give up,” said the 33-year-old former Japan Exchange and Teaching Program participant who taught English in Hyogo Prefecture.
”I think that is the perfect message for the people in the affected regions of Japan.”
Before the March disaster wreaked havoc in her country, Kyoko Katsura, one of the two studio owners, and her business partner were mulling over ways to motivate students. So they hit upon the idea of offering the weekly donation class to highlight various charities. Read More
Iwate International Association calls for ideas for events to help kids in disaster hit areas
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Recently posted to the Grassroots Aid for Iwate Facebook group by Hazuki Hiraga:
The Iwate International Association (IAA) is calling for ideas for events geared toward the kids in the disaster hit areas. Many of the teachers in those areas have noted that the kids are (understandably) more reserved than before, and still require a lot of care and support. But, they have also commented that ALTs have been playing an important role in making the kids smile when they stop by the schools to visit and chat.
One idea that the IAA has is organizing an English camp for kids (middle school to high school) from these areas this August, during the kids’ summer holidays. The tentative date proposed is August 5-11, 2011.
If you would be willing to help organize and/or travel to Iwate this summer to take part in the English camp, please post your thoughts on this page or send me an e-mail. The sooner the better as August is only two months away. It would be nice if some former Iwate JETs and other former non-JET Iwateans could gather to help out. I didn’t have the opportunity to participate in those summer English camps organized by some of the schools, so would love to hear what kind of sessions were held. Of course the IAA is open to hearing other event proposals as well.
The IAA has also mentioned that they are considering setting up a fund (including a paypal account) where people can donate money that would go toward organizing and running programs such as English camps for kids from the disaster hit areas, so if you are unable to travel to Iwate this time, you can make a contribution in other ways.
Auckland JETAA’s Ganbare Japan event raises over $2,500
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Via Emily Duncan’s Japan Earthquake Disaster Relief Idea Exchange via the Auckland JETAA GanbareJapan site:
The Auckland JET Alumni Association (Auckland JETAA) would like to thank everyone who attended the Ganbare Japan Charity Dinner held on 11 June, 2011, exactly three months after Japan was hit by one of the worst disasters in recent history. Thanks to your support, the evening was a complete sell-out and we were able to raise $2550.70 for the Japan Red Cross!
We’d like to say a special thank you to all those who made the evening a night to remember – our guest speaker from Sendai, Kaleb Urike, our talented violinist, Nick Jones, our MC, Linton Rathgen, AV extraordinaire, Dima Ivanov, organiser Krystal Lynes, Consul General Mr Ishida, and Mr Kawakami from CLAIR, Sydney. We’d also like to thank Limon Restaurant and Lion Nathan Breweries for their support.
The Auckland JETAA endeavors to do as much as possible to help our friends in Japan. If you are able to assist us in some way, or if you are interested in attending future charity events, we would love to hear from you.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we look forward to seeing you at future fundraisers,
Auckland JETAA
AJET June 2011 Newsletter Highlights
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Message from the Out-going Chair
Hi Everyone,
My term as AJET Chair is coming to an end on June 15th. This year National AJET has made great strides in improving the JET Programme. In December 2010 a report was given about the Tokyo Orientations, and in light of the discussions, some Tokyo Orientation workshops will be revamped to meet the ongoing needs of JETs. On May 23rd and 24th we had an opinion exchange meeting with CLAIR, MOFA, MEXT and MIC, where we presented reports about Mental Health in the JET Programme and The 2012 Teaching English in English in SHS policy. Both of the conversations were very fruitful and we are looking forward to what will come out of the conversations.
I am confident that the 2011-2012 council will do a great job and will fairly represent all of the JETs. If you have any questions or comments you can always contact the 2011-2012 Chair, Matt Cook, at chair@….
Regards,
Caroline Ideus
2010-2011 National AJET Chair
Message from the In-Coming Chair
Hello, JETs!
I’m Matthew Cook and I’m very happy to introduce myself as the Chair of AJET for the new year!
This year, we plan on helping you improve your JET experience by offering you brand new resources, such as lesson plans, more opportunities for events and networking, and promoting what JET is to Japanese communities. This year, I want to show the entire country who we are, what we do, and the differences JETs can make. How can we do this? By putting a face on JET. Let’s show them who we are. Who you are.
Looking forward to this great year with all of you!
Matthew Cook
National AJET Chair 2011-2012
What’s AJET been up to?
Wondering what National AJET’s been up to recently? We’ve been…
Having a productive dialogue with CLAIR, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications about the 2013 MEXT English Policy, the mental health resources available to JETs and AJET’s goals for the future. Watch ajet.net for more the full reports and a summary of the Opinion Exchange Meeting.
Getting ready for the new 2011-2012 National AJET Council to take over.
Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson JET Community Tribute
AJET are collecting letters/postcards from the community for an online tribute to two devoted and sorely missed JETs – Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson. Please visithttp://najettribute.blogspot.com/ to read the current post cards received.
Letters/cards can be anonymous or signed, and messages will be uploaded without editing. If you would be interested in sending messages, hopes, thoughts or wishes to either Taylor or Monty, their friends, family or the JET community at large, please send your cards or letters to Apt. 111, Haitsu Poronia, Katase 44-28-1, Katsuyama-shi, Fukui-ken, 911-0811.
Tohoku Disaster Relief
How Have You Contributed to the Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Efforts?
Send pictures with English descriptions/stories to webmaster@… and it will be published on AJET Press. Pictures can be submitted anonymously or be attributed, according to the author’s preference.
Hope Letters: Sharing hope from overseas to Japan
Hope Letters has received more than 3,000 letters of hope and support from people around the world since March 11th, 2011.
Hope Letters invites you to be a spokesperson of hope by bringing these letters, written by students for students, into your classrooms, staff rooms or common areas. You can also organize a language lesson or activity around the letters. Visit http://www.hopeletters.org
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119256111482369
The Crane Campaign
The Crane Campaign was created immediately following the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan on 11 March 2011 by two British ex-ALTs from the JET Programme (1993-1995 Shizuoka-ken) and a web designer who wanted to involve local school children in the UK in raising awareness for the plight of the Japanese victims.
All the details about what to do and how to join The Crane Campaign are provided on the website, www.theCraneCampaign.com. There is also a Facebook site for providing feedback and photos and we invite you all to come and follow us on twitter (@cranecampaign).
PEPY (Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself) Tours: Adventurous Living, Responsible Giving
Want the challenge and excitement of crossing a country using your own power? The annual PEPY Ride is entering its 7th year and it promises to be as exciting as ever! This cycling adventure offers participants the opportunity to traverse Cambodia on two wheels, all the while learning about and supporting community development projects and locally run non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Each year the ride provides unparalleled opportunities to build a mobile community that will inspire its participants to learn about themselves and the role they play in the world, while raising funds and awareness to fight global poverty.
Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief
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From the JETAA USA website originally posted by JETAA USA Country Rep Jessyca Wilcox:
Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief
Shimane AJET gathered their local ALTs, CIRs and Japanese community members to join together for a charity hike. On May 15th over 60 ALTs and CIRs and 50 Japanese people took part in a sponsored “Charity Hike.”
The hike took place on Shimane’s highest mountain: Mt. Sanbe in Oda City, Shimane. It was attended by people from 14 countries: America, Ireland, France, England, Jamaica, Canada, Scotland, Kenya, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
In the weeks leading up the event particpants raised $21,023 USD (¥1,715,338) from local and international donations (via the internet). At the summit of Mt. Sanbe, the participants held a photo opportunity and called out a strong message of support for the people of Tohoku and Japan from the international community. Please see the photograph below.
In the week after the event, the money was transferred to the Japanese Red Cross (70%) and “SMILE and Dreams: Tohoku Kids Project” (30%).
Lauren Hale, a Shimane JET from Denver, CO said, “Japan has been such a great home to us all and we were so glad that we could be a part of the relief effort. We raised over twice the amount that we had originally hoped for!”
Check out the project website for video coverage and photos: www.sanbehike.com
*Shimane JET alums (and anyone else), please don’t hesitate to post words of support for the terrific work of Shimane AJET and all involved in the comments section below.
JET Prefecture Round-Up 05.30.11
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Emily Lemmon, (Hyogo-ken, Shiso-shi, 2009-present), PSG volunteer, organizer of Hyogo-ken’s PEPY Ride, student of Shorinji Kempo, and editor of the Hyogo Times, gives a little taste of what JETs are doing around Japan. To submit items for future JET Prefecture Round-up posts, e-mail Emily at jetinfogather [at] gmail.com.
Events by Region
Hokkaido
- The Hokkaido Players present The Jungle Book, May 22nd (Sunagawa), 28th (Takinoue), and June 4th (Kutchan).
- Iwamizawa International Mini Festival will be June 18th at Higashiyama Park, (next to the sports centre)
Aomori
- On Saturday, June 5th, Aomori AJET will be holding a double-parter event, a gala dinner and a club event, in Morioka City. These events are being held to bring together JETs from all over Tohoku, and raise money for Earthquake Relief (Japan Red Cross).
- There will be an International Lunch at the Aomori City Chuo Shimin Center on Saturday, June 18th. On the menu is Thai curry! At the same time, Aomori Prefecture’s branch of UNESCO will be presenting sessions on Japanese culture, and providing free tea ceremony sessions for those who would like to try it.
- The 7th annual Akita International Sumo Basho will be held in Akita city on Sunday June 5th.
Iwate
- JETs are invited to attend a tour of Nataya-cho, led by volunteer guides, in Morioka on June 12th.
Kansai Region
- Block 6 and 7 Sayonara Formal will be held in Kobe on June 25th.
Nara
- The International Arts Festival, featuring performances in a wide range of disciplines, will be put on by the JETs of Nara prefecture on June 19th.
- Nara’s farewell to leaving JETs, the Bye Bye Bash,complete with awards, will be held at the Yagi Kintetsu Beer Garden on June 17th.
Hyogo
- 2011 Himeji Prom-stravaganza will be June 4th.
- Hyogo AJET’s Sayonara Party will be June 17th
- Taj Ultimate, the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, will be held July 9th and 10th, 2011 (start practicing)!
Chugoku Region
Tottori
- Tottori’s Got Talent, in which participants compete to win money for charities of their choice, will be held in Tottori city on June 11th.
Shikoku Region
Ehime
- “There is Hope Through Music” for Tohoku – On July 9th, Ehime JET Dan will gather fellow JETs to the Asakura Kominkan in Imabari to record videos with the fireman brass band. The videos will be combined with videos from the Kurosawa Piano Music Foundation of California and broadcast both online and to the victims in refugee camps in Japan.
- Eight JETs will assist with the Imabari Higashi Secondary School English Camp June 11th and 12th.
- Ehime JET Melanie is planning a fundraising festival event, in conjunction with Imabari City International Exchange Association (ICIEA), to raise funds for Tohoku and Kanto region disaster relief. The event will take place on Sunday, July 24, at Saisai Kiteya in Imabari.
Kochi
- Ladies Day Spa – ladies of Kochi gather for pampering on June 4th.
- Kochi Surf Camp will be at Irino Beach July 16th – 18th.
- JETs Sam and Douglas are now teaching weekly self-defense classes in Kochi.
Kyushu Region
Oita
- A team of Oita JETs will be playing in the Mud Volleyball tournament in Nakatsu City on June 5th.
- JETs and non-JETs will mingle and show their talents at the Rotary Dinner and Talent Show in Oita City on June 18th.
- Oita JETs will assist with rice planting on to Moritas’ Organic Farm in Bungo Ono City on June 18th or 25th.
- Sayonara Party – Oita JETs say farewell on July 9th in Oita City.
- Bad weather forced the cancellation of the Oita camping trip on May 29th, so JETs went bowling instead.
Kumamoto
- Kumamoto’s Got Talent will be performed at Good Time Charlie’s on June 4th.
- KumAJET Sports Day was Saturday, May 21st, in Nimarukoen.
Nagasaki
- ALTernative Nagasaki, the photo art exhibit explores Nagasaki through the eyes of its transient population of ALTs. Opening night is June 11th
Kagoshima
- Bound in Japan is an art project promoting multicultural exchange and diversity awareness, presented by a former Kagoshima JET.
Japan Relief: “It Won’t Be Long Now” song and video by JET alum Shun Endo and The Liquid Now
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JET alum Shun Endo (Ibaraki Prefecture, 1998-2001) (Treasurer and Webmaster for JETAA Pacific Northwest and creator instantnoodlescomics.com) and his band The Liquid Now have released a music video titled “It Won’t Be Long Now“ intended to draw attention to and help fundraise for Japan relief efforts.
From Shun Endo and The Liquid Now:
IT WON’T BE LONG is about overcoming the tsunami and earthquake in Northern Japan. It was a chance for us to really reflect on their struggle, and beyond. To us, the Japanese festivals encompass the beauty of the culture. We’ve experienced nothing like it. It is a time of strong community, tradition, abandon, and joy. We hope the areas affected will heal enough to enjoy themselves once again soon.
All band sales will be donated, so just donate directly to the Seattlejapanrelief.org who work with Red Cross and Peacewinds.
For a digital copy of the song, visit www.theliquidnow.com and/or email theliquidnow@gmail.com
Thank you for listening. 日本の皆さん、頑張りましょう。
The Liquid Now are a band from Seattle that is influenced by British music and Japanese culture. www.theliquidnow.com
(we hope people don’t mind us using their online photos as this is for a good cause, and we will donate anything that comes our way.)
Hibari-sensei: Southlake, Texas holds benefit concert for sister city, Tome
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Jen Wang (Miyagi, 2008-09) is a lab tech in Dallas and a staff writer for the Japanese music website Purple SKY. Her love of cosplay and her junior high school students inspired the name for her own Japanese pop culture blog, Hibari-sensei’s Classroom.
In response to the Tohoku earthquake, community initiative Southlake Working As a Team (S.W.A.T.) joined forces with Southlake Sister Cities, the City of Southlake, and the Carroll Independent School District to form Southlake 4 Japan. The organization dedicated itself to helping Southlake’s sister city, Tome, which suffered damage to its buildings and roads and struggled to accommodate the evacuees from neighboring cities. Southlake’s relationship with Japan began in 1991, long before Toyoma and neighboring towns merged to form the city of Tome. Since then, the two cities have engaged in cultural and education exchange programs.
Harrison Edwards’ band, Vibe Zoo, plays in the Southlake 4 Japan concert.
Southlake Sister Cities had already set up an earthquake relief fund and collected messages for a scrapbook, but more needed to be done to raise awareness within the community. Carroll Senior High School students Harrison Edwards and Carter Humphrey proposed the idea of a benefit concert.
Edwards felt a connection with Tome as a former student ambassador of the Sister Cities exchange program. He and Humphrey already had experience organizing such an event, having been the masterminds behind last year’s Rock for Haiti earthquake relief concert. Southlake 4 Japan was quick to help with providing a venue, publicity, and volunteers. S.W.A.T. founder and Southlake Baptist Church Lead Pastor Clayton Reed was in charge of the event programming while Edwards and Humphrey sought out bands to fill the line-up.
The concert was held on May 7 in Southlake Town Square. Attendees were encouraged to donate at least $5, which got them a wristband and a cell phone screen protector. There was an origami booth with bumper stickers for sale and food supplied by Qdoba Mexican Grill. Southlake Sister Cities provided information about Tome and collected signatures for a banner being sent to Tome’s mayor.
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Japan Times: JET teacher aids school rebuilding
Blogs, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, JETs in the News, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer, Writers Comments Off on Japan Times: JET teacher aids school rebuilding
“My name is Andras Molnar, an English teacher from Yamamoto Town in Japan, a place recently devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. I am trying to raise funds for the reconstruction of the schools in my town, as well as buying school supplies and uniforms for children who lost everything in the tsunami.”
U.S. teacher aids school rebuilding
SENDAI — An American English teacher at a middle school in Miyagi Prefecture has set up funds to solicit donations for rebuilding elementary schools damaged by the tsunami following the March 11 earthquake.
Pennsylvania native Andras Molnar, 25, said that although he is leaving the prefecture’s town of Yamamoto in August when his teaching contract ends, he is “hoping to stay connected” with the town through the fund.
Molnar said he became interested in Japan through “anime” such as “Gundam” and spent a year in the country as a high school student and again while at university. He came to Yamamoto, a coastal town of around 16,000, in August 2009.
He said he got along well with locals through a drum circle and surfing, a hobby of his.
“Everyone is very open, kind and I like them a lot,” he said in Japanese.
After the town was engulfed by the tsunami, he stayed at the junior high school for a week, busily checking the whereabouts of his students and doing what he could at evacuation sites, he said.
He then moved to Tokyo for around one month at the suggestion of his parents and friends.
But after getting email from friends in Yamamoto inquiring about him, he wondered why he was not giving his best when all the people in the town were doing their utmost, he said.
Molnar said it was this that prompted him to return to his apartment in Yamamoto.
“It was really good that I returned,” he said. “I feel encouraged by the children.”
He set up relief funds in Japan and the United States to help rebuild two elementary schools where buildings were devastated by the tsunami, and is soliciting donations through his blog.
Tohoku Earthquake benefit: Rock Chicks’ Revenge (Tokyo – June 4)
Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, Music Comments Off on Tohoku Earthquake benefit: Rock Chicks’ Revenge (Tokyo – June 4)
JET alum Sarah Cortina is one of the co-organizers of the Rock Chicks’ Revenge (Rock Gods Must Die) which will happen June 4 in Tokyo’s Shibuya Milkyway from 6pm-10pm with a special guest appearance by the Blue Man Group.
See full details at Metropolis Magazine.
Earthquake Support Event: WE ARE HERE – Little voice and art 311 Japan (NYC)
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Posted at the request of CLAIR New York:
WE ARE HERE – Little voice and art 311 JAPAN is an exhibition of messages from Japanese children of areas affected by the disaster as well as photos of the area. The exhibition is being held at the AIGA Gallery in New York on 22nd St and 5th Avenue in Manhattan from today through May 20. They are also collecting messages from visitors to those children.
SeattleJapanRelief.org 05/16/2011
Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters Comments Off on SeattleJapanRelief.org 05/16/2011
Pacific Northwest JETAA has been forwarding updates from SeattleJapanRelief.org, which is a collection of Japan earthquake/tsunami-related fundraising events and activities in the Seattle area. Below is the latest, and there’s more good info here as well. These are not necessarily JETAA events, but I’m guessing various JET alums are involved in some of these.
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Weekly Highlights:
May 16 – 22, 2011
What’s happening around town?
Fri (5/20) 1st Annual Japan ISD Matsuri
6-8pm @ Commons- Issaquah High School (Issaquah)
Japanese clubs and classes will be presenting many family-friendly activities. Donations to Peace Winds. Contact: Tammy Haldeman 425-837-7792
Sat (5/21) Japan Relief Now: University Street Fair
4:15pm @ music stage- 42nd & University St (Seattle)
See The People Now for event details
Sat (5/21) The Sun Always Rises: Japan Relief Benefit Concert
7pm @ ACT Fall’s Theatre (Downtown, Seattle)
Artists: Sarah Rudinoff , Miss Mamie Lavona the Exotic Mullatta and Her White Boy Band, The Live Girls! Ladies Choir, Jacqueline Tabor, One World Taiko, Kaze Daiko, and Seattle Kokon Taiko. For tickets: www.acttheatre.org
Upcoming!
Thu (5/26) One Night: Relief Concert
8pm @ Neumos (Capitol Hill, Seattle)
See Nuemos for event details & tickets
