JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by AJET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present)

 

1. JETAA SC

Little Tokyo Sparkle

When: Saturday, May 12th
Time: 9am-12pm
Where: Japanese American Cultural & Community Center-JACCC
244 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, California 90012

Come on out Saturday May 12th to help little Tokyo sparkle by cleaning up streets and store fronts!!

Volunteers meet at the JACCC plaza at 9am on May 12th. Bring a hat, sunscreen, gloves, and clothes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty. If you have a green bandana from last year, bring that too! Light lunch will be provided.

For more information email snagano@aol.com

 2. JETAA UK

London Chapter PUB QUIZ

Description

The JETAA London PUB QUIZ IS BACK!

Sharpen up on your trivia and clear out those cranial cobwebs – JETAA London is hosting a pub quiz on Thursday 10 May 2017!

Teams: up to 6 people
Cost: £2 per person
Venue: The Somers Town Coffee House Basement Bar (The Cosy Kettle), NW1 1HS (between Euston and King’s Cross stations)

Quiz starts at 7:30pm so ARRIVE EARLY to register your team and bag yourself some seats as the pub quiz is always popular! The Committee will be there from 6:30pm.

Feel free to turn up alone or with a couple of friends even if you don’t have a full team! We’re happy to introduce you to some more team members. This event is open to anyone who would like to demonstrate their quiz prowess with new and old friends, and please feel free to invite non-JET friends along!

Prize = Winning team gets the pot!

Date:         Thursday, 10^th May

Time:                  19:00 – 21:00

Place:       Somerstown Coffee House

60 Charlton Street

LONDON

NW1 1HS

United Kingdom

 

 

3. JETAA NY

Japan Day at Central Park

On Sunday, May 13th (Mothers’ Day), JETAANY and the Japan Society will be hosting the Yo-Yo Balloon Tent at Japan Day in Central Park and we are looking for volunteers!

We’ll be helping hundreds of visitors “fish” for Yo-Yo Balloons and need JET Alumni volunteers to assist in many areas of the booth – including greeting the guests, explaining the game, prepping water balloons, and assisting children with the game. All volunteers will get a delicious bento lunch, a drink and a free Japan Day t-shirt, plus meet tons of fun people and teach the NYC community a fun Japanese festival game.

This year we are having THREE shifts.  If you are available for more than one shift that is great! Please don’t be late because it affects when other volunteers can finish their shift.

#1 Morning shift: 8am-11am
#2 Mid-day shift: 10:30am – 2pm FULL
#3 Afternoon shift: 1:30pm – 5pm

 It’s a super fun day, so we’ll hope you’ll be able to join us! Check out photos from last year!
Questions? Contact Monica.Yuki@jetaausa.com

Location: Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park

Date:         Sunday, 13^th May

Time:                  08:00 – 17:00

Place:       Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park

 

 

4. JETAA NC

Children’s Day Festival – Volunteer Opportunity

It’s almost time for Golden Week!  And that means, Children’s Day!  JCCCNC is organizing the Children’s Day Festival in SF Japantown and are looking for volunteers. Come sign up to volunteer and enjoy Japanese performances, youth art contests, arts and crafts activities, games, bounce house, and more!!
When: Saturday, May 5, 2018
Volunteer Shift Times:  9 AM -1:30 PM and 1 PM – 5:30 PM
Where: Peace Plaza, Japantown, San Francisco
Sign-up Sheet: http://bit.ly/2018childrensdayvolunteers
Lunch will be provided.

Want to volunteer beforehand?  From April 30 to May 9, kindergarten through 2nd graders will be taking a field trip to JCCCNC to learn about Japanese Children’s Day and Girl’s Day holidays, learn Japanese folk tale, and do crafts activity. You will have the opportunity to assist in these activities.

When:        April 30 – May 3 and May 7 – May 9
Volunteer Shift Times:  9:45 AM -11 AM and 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Where:      JCCCNC 1840 Sutter Street, SF, CA 94115
Sign-up Sheet: http://bit.ly/2018jcccncschoolvisitsvolunteers

 

More information here.

 

 

5. JETAA WJ

Job Hunting and Business Manners Seminar

The JET Alumni Association Western Japan (JETAAWJ) will be hosting a two-day job hunting and business manners seminar in Osaka with Mori Kosan Co., Ltd., a firm that supports foreigners seeking employment in Japan. The seminar will be from 9:00 to 17:00 on May 12 (Sat.) and 13 (Sun.). Attendees will learn things like: how to write a Japanese-style resume, prepare for an interview, exchange business cards, answer phone calls in Japanese, etc.

The seminar participation fee is 3500 yen (includes fee for networking event). There will also be a networking event on the night of May 12 (Sat.) from 17:30 to 19:30, with special guests from organizations around the Kansai area.

For those who would like to attend, please RSVP here. Priority will be given to JET alumni, but current JETs can still apply.  A schedule with more detailed information on the seminar will be sent to applicants at the end of April.

＊The seminar will be conducted in Japanese, so it is recommended for participants to have at least a JLPT N3 level of Japanese or higher.

Date:         Saturday, May 12^th – Sunday, May 13^th

Time:                  09:00 – 17:00

Place:       Mori Kosan Co., Ltd.,

Mori Bldg. 1-4-11, Minamisemba Chuo-ku,

Osaka

Price:         ¥3, 500.00

 

 

6. JETAA Toronto

Sakoolah 2018

Details

Hanami in High Park 2018!
トロントのハイパークで日本の花見を！

A free picnic in support of friendship, cultural exchange, nature, and beauty, brought to you by:

JETAA Toronto & JCSA @ the University of Toronto

++++

At this point, we don’t know when the cherry blossoms will bloom, but we are aiming for Sunday, May 6th at 12 noon. We may need to change the date again, so please continue to check www.facebook.com/Sakoolah for updates.

We will provide some seating, frisbees, and fun, but please BringYourOwnFood, BYOGames, BYOSportsEquipment, etc.

• Child-friendly

Date:         6^th May

Time:                  12:00 – 15:00 EDT

Place:       High Park

 

7. JETAA Florida

Japanese Children’s Day Celebration

Details

Children’s Day Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Saint Sylvester Catholic Church, 6464 Gulf Breeze Parkway in Gulf Breeze. This is free community event. This event provides children a variety of Japanese cultural activities including yo-yo catching game, origami, face paint, calligraphy contest, mochi (sticky rice) sampling, Okinawa taiko and Karate performance, etc. There will be food vendors offering various Japanese dishes.

 

Date:         May 26^th

Time:                  11:00 – 14:00 CTD

Place:       St Sylvester Catholic Church

6464 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze

FLORIDA, 32563

 

 

8. JETAA Rocky Mountain

Networking Hour

Details

Come meet up with other JET Alum! For the first 2 hours (1-3pm), we will be having our monthly meeting to plan upcoming events for the year. All is welcome to join and contribute in the discussion :) we’re always interested in your opinions to make our events a success, so we hope you come!

The Meeting will be at the Sakura Square Mezzanine. A big thank you to Sakura Square LLC and the Sakura Foundation for their wonderful support of JETAA.

After, starting at 3, we will be doing our Networking Hour where we will socialize and catch up :) If you can’t make it to the meeting, we hope you make it to this half of the event.

We’ll be heading to Jagged Mountain Brewery

Looking forward to seeing you!

 

Date:         May 6^th

Time:                  13:00 – 17:00 MDT

Place:       Sakura Square,

1215 19^th Street

Denver, Colorado 80202

 

 

9. JETAA Portland

JETAA Iron Chef

Details

 

SAVE THE DATE!

Iron Chef 2018 is coming your way.

It’s time to sharpen those knives and dig up your best recipes as contestants, judges, and other hungry mouths gather for one of our most popular (and delicious) events of the year!

This year’s secret ingredient is miso, courtesy of our friends at Jorinji Miso!

Stay tuned for more information, including how to RSVP and get directions.

Bring your family & friends!

 

Date:         May 19^th

Time:                  13:00 – 16:00 PTD

Place:       SE Portland

 

 

10. JETAA Minnesota

Hanami in Minnesota

Details

This is just tentative and bloom-based!

We’ll keep you posted on the time and location weather depending!!! 🌸🌸🌸

It’s time for our annual Hanami Picnic! The crab apple tree blossoms are nearly in full bloom. Hopefully the weather will be perfect as well!

Bring your family and friends for games, food, and conversation at Lyndale Park on the NE side of Lake Harriet (location is near the Rose Garden).

JETAAMN will provide sandwiches for all who come. All that you need to bring are your own beverages as well as a dish to share with the group.

In addition, feel free to bring some outdoor games/activities to play with others! We will try to bring some too!

How the potluck dishes will be organized:
**Last names that begin with the letters A-L bring a side dish, salad, or chips.**

**Last names that begin with the letters M-Z bring fruit or a dessert.**

Please RSVP by emailing us or through out Facebook event page!!

 

Date:         May 12^th

 

Time:                  12:00 – 15:00 CDT

 

Place:       Lyndale Park

4124 Roseway Road,

Minneapolis,

Minnesota 55409

 

 

Written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03), WIT Life is a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as film, food and language.  Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

This weekend I caught Kazuhiro Soda’s Inland Sea (港町) at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Art of the Real.  The festival’s opening film about John McEnroe whet my appetite for more documentaries, and I was looking forward to seeing the latest from Soda after enjoying his film Campaign at Japan Society several years back.  Inland Sea is set near the hometown of his wife Kiyoko Kashiwagi, who is also the film’s producer.  They were both on hand to introduce the film and take part in a post- screening Q&A.  In his introduction Soda shared that the film adheres to their Ten Commandments, which include tenets such as no research before shooting, not setting any themes or goals before editing, and paying for the production on their own (to the dismay of producer Kashiwagi).

Inland Sea takes place in the port city of Ushimado in Okayama Prefecture, population 7000.  Many of the younger residents have already left, and the documentary’s main subjects are the octagenarians Wai-chan and Kumiko, respectively a fisherman and the town crier.  They are both captivating subjects, but as a cat lover I was most entranced by the stray felines who congregate at the home of transplants to the area who have been feeding them.  I was engaged throughout the film’s two hour plus duration, but it definitely could have been cut in places, especially the long takes on the fishing boat.

During the Q&A Soda explained that the reason he chose to make a black and white film (except for the last color scene) was that he wanted to portray Read More

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by A

JET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present)

 

1. JETAA SC

Tokyo City Cup and Family Fun Day

When: Sunday, April 8th

Time: 10:30 – 17:00

Where: Santa Anita Park, 285 Huntington Dr, Arcadia, California 91007

Tickets: http://www.tokyocitycup.com

The Tokyo City Cup, won last year by HARD ACES, is the sole graded stakes race named for a major city outside the United States. Free Tokyo City Cup T-shirt and Japanese Towel for the first 1, 000 patrons and more gifts for fans who complete a survey at your drawing tables are available. The Tokyo City Cup Game will be held and splendid prize will be given to the winner. The website also provides more information about the specific event schedule. Gates open at Santa Anita at 10:30 a.m., with the first post at 12:30 p.m.

The Japan Family Day features Japanese cultural exhibitions, booths such as Karate (Japanese martial arts), Sado (tea ceremony), Shodo (calligraphy), Kendo (Japanese swordsmanship), Origami (paper folding), Anime and stage shows like Min-yo (Japanese fold song), Sumo (Japanese-style wrestling), Ryuku Buyo (Okinawa Traditional Dance), Tsugaru Shamisen (Three stringed Japanese guitar) and Taiko (a special Japanese Drum Performance).

You can enjoy various Japanese food booths such as sushi, curry, okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pizza), Japanese Tea, Japanese BBQ, Onigiri (rice ball) and Japanese bakery. At the beer garden, Japanese beer will be served.

For more information, please visit at www.tokyocitycup.com .

 

2. JETAA NC

Furusato Vision Project

Calling all JET Alumni who were in EASTERN JAPAN during their JET time! The Furusato Vision Project is back! This is an opportunity for you to go back to your JET Placement, visit places you have strong connections with and reconnect with your community!

CLAIR and local governments that employ JET Participants are implementing the ‘JET Furusato Vision Project’. By exploring opportunities to use JET alumni in globalisation and local revitalisation activities, CLAIR and the local governments of Japan hope to further expand the potential of the JET Programme widely both in Japan and abroad.

JET alumni who participate in this project will return to their former places of employment on the JET Programme, visiting places and people they had strong connections with and reconnecting with the community. More importantly, participants will develop and implement their own ‘Vision Plan’ that utilises the skills and connections they acquired after JET to make new contributions to their former community in areas such as Tourism Promotion, Economic Exchange, Educational Exchange, Culture and Arts Exchange, Grassroots Exchange, Current JET Participant Career Support, or some other project to deepen the community’s ties to the world.

Applications close April 9th. For more information, visit http://www.jetprogramme.org/en/furusatovisionproject/

 

3. JETAA UK

Jr Managers Program (JMP)/Bosch Japan / Presentation and interview

Date: 20th – 22nd April

Time: 09:00 – 18:00

Price: ₤0

Location: London or online

Company: BOSCH Japan

Requirement: Work experience: 0 – 5 years

Language: Japanese (business) and English (business)

The Junior Managers Program prepares highly qualified young professionals in a practically orientated way to assume management responsibility. It is based on an individual program design, diverse further training opportunities, and an established mentoring system with experienced top managers.

https:www.business-paradigm.com/bpc/consul_event_bosch.html

 

4. JETAA NE (New England USA)

Japan Festival

When: April 29th

Where: Boston Common

Time: 10:00 – 18:00

Happy Spring, NEJETAA Members!

This year’s Japan Festival will be held on Sunday, April 29th from 10:00 – 18:00 at Boston Common. Like years prior, we are looking for JET Alumni to help staff our table and help spread the word and answer questions about JET. This is a great chance to give back, have some fun, and help ensure JET’s success in the future!

Please follow this link if you wish to sign up as a volunteer: https://goo.gl/forms/piGDOGeGa6cswDoY2

For more information about the event itself, visit the official Japan Festival Boston Website: http://www.japanfestivalboston.org/

We hope to see you there!!

 

5. JETAA Portland

Fuji to Hood

Date: Saturday, April 21st

Time: 12pm – 4pm

Place: The Bindery Annex and

Culmination Brewing

2117 NE Oregon St, Portland, OR 97232

Portland and Japan collaboration festival “Fuji to Hood” is a beer festival featuring ten Japanese breweries (and one cidery) collaborating with eleven of Portland’s finest brewers/cidermakers on original recipes using select Japanese ingredients. Presented by Culmination Brewing and supported by the Japan-America Society of Oregon, the Fuji to Hood beer festival also features Sake from SakeOne, ramen from Marukin Ramen and sushi from Bamboo Sushi, plus Japanese Taiko drumming groups and arts with partial proceeds going to benefit JASO. Beer, Ramen, Sushi and Sake come together in Portland on April 21st, 2018.

For more information go to https://fujitohood.com

 

6. JETAA Music City

Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival

Date: April 14th

Time:

Cherry Blossom Walk: 09:45

Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival: 10:00 – 17:00

Place: 1 Public Square, Nashville, TN 37201

JETAA MC participates every spring in the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival by staffing a JET Program booth and giving a lecture about “My Life in Japan.” Potential JET applicants and newly selected JETs are encouraged to stop by the booth to get direct information about JET from someone who has been there. There’s also plenty of great stories in the “My Life in Japan” lecture.

For further information about the festival, visit:

http://www.nashvillecherryblossomfestival.org/

 

7. JETAA Auckland

Beginners Taiko Workshop

Date: Saturdays from April 28th for 5 weeks

Time: 12:00 – 14:00 UTC

(except the first Saturday (11:30 – 14:00))

Place: 7 Westech Place, Kelston, Auckland

Age: 14 +
Cost: $100
What to bring: Earplugs and water
To book: Email us at haeremai@nzjapan.net

 

Whether you’re looking for an introduction to Japanese drumming or are interested in joining our team*, we invite you to come along for this one of a kind experience!
Bookings are essential. Please ask us any question by fb message or by email.
*Because spaces in Haere Mai Taiko are limited, unfortunately taking a course does not guarantee you a spot in the group. Please discuss with our senior members if you wish to join.

 

8. JETAA Singapore

Hanami by the Bay

Date: April 7th

Time: 17:00 – 22:00 UTC+8

Place: Under the Supertree Grove (Gardens by the Bay)

[Calling Out to JETAA Members]
We are starting the year with two events: Ramen Teh Movie Night and Hanami by the Bay!

Details for Hanami by the Bay: Join us for a picnic!
Date: 7th April, Saturday
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Under the Supertree Grove
(Directions to Gardens by the Bay: http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/…/getting-here-and-parkin…)
JETAA will be providing food and some drinks. Members are welcome to bring your own drinks too.

Apart from the usual picnic on the grass patch, we will also be offering subsidised tickets to the Flower Dome on 7th April to view the Sakura Matsuri for our JETAA Members! Check out the google form for details!

Please RSVP for both events using the Google form link: https://goo.gl/forms/unE6vXXHU6f1FiWq1

RSVP deadline for movie: 2nd April (Mon)
RSVP deadline for Hanami: 4th April (Wed)

For further information go to their facebook page.

 

9. JETAA Pittsburg

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Musical: PJFF Centerpiece

Date: April 13th

Time: 18:30 – 21:15 EDT

Place: 4115 Butler St, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15201

Tickets: rowhousecinema.com

Price: $15.00

In the name of the moon, attend the Pittsburgh Premiere of the filmed version of the musical “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Musical – Le Mouvement Final”, the Centerpiece feature of the 2018 Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival (4/6-4/19). This is a one night only screening.

Friday, 4/13 – 6:30pm
Tickets ($15) – http://bit.ly/SailorMusicalFri


About the Musical
——————–
Usagi Tsukino says farewell to Mamoru Chiba as he is set to leave for school in America. As Usagi says goodbye, she faints, and a super idol group called the Three Lights appear to catch her fall. Meanwhile, new enemies – the “Shadow Galactica,” are calling themselves Sailor Guardians and are aiming to steal Sailor Crystals! A mysterious young girl named Chibi-Chibi and a new group of Sailor Guardians, called the Sailor Starlights, also appear, but are they friend or foe? Can Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians stop the Shadow Galactica before it’s too late?

About the Festival
——————–
The Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival showcases new, recent, and classic Japanese films across genres, highlighting the richness and diversity of Japanese cinema.
– Feature Films: Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Your Name, Antiporno, Godzilla, Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter
– One Night Only: Neko Atsume House, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon-The Musical, Wild Zero, Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend
– Schedule/Tickets/Special Events: http://jffpgh.org/
Please Note: No refunds of exchanges for special event tickets.

 

10. JETAA Philadelphia (Philly)

Bethlehem Sakura Matsuri

Date: 14th April

Time: 12:00 – 17:00 EDT

Place: 10 W Church St, Bethlehem, PA 18018-5827, United States

Come on up for the Bethlehem Cherry Blossom Festival! An afternoon of culture and entertainment put on by my colleagues at the Bethlehem Sister City Commission.

Attractions to include: Origami Yukata-wearing
Shodo (calligraphy) Sado (tea ceremony)
Mochi-pounding Festival foods

and more TBD!

Save the date and invite your friends. Come find us at the Garden of Serenity (an honest-to-goodness Japanese garden designed by some famous Japanese guy!) adjacent to the Bethlehem Public Library.

Posted by Tom Baker

---

Job Title: Translator
Posted by: Singapore Embassy
Location: Tokyo

The following announcement appears on the Embassy’s website:

The SINGAPORE EMBASSY has a vacancy for translator. Candidates must possess a good command of English and Japanese, preferably with certified qualification in translation/interpretation. Candidate will be required to undertake interpretation/translation duties in addition to research and administrative work. Send CV (both English and Japanese with photo) to 5-12-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified for an interview.

Closing date: Friday, 27 April 2018.

 

Written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03), WIT Life is a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as film, food and language.  Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

Japan Week 2018 is taking place through the weekend at Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, and this year’s theme is 3D Trick Art.  Sponsored by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the event strives to create an Instagrammable, interactive experience for visitors.  In addition to the regular array of booths from travel agencies, various regions in Japan and Japanese food and drink purveyors, there are several large backdrops into which you can insert yourself for the ultimate selfie.  My favorite was the bowl of ramen into which you can become one of the ingredients, and others include becoming a topping for sushi, helping to carry the mikoshi at a matsuri and shuttling around a sumo wrestler in a rickshaw (Fujifilm is even on hand to help you print out these funny shots after you take them!). Read More

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by A

JET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present).

 

1. JETAA San Diego

13th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

Time: 10am-6pm
When: March 9th- March 11th 
Where: Japanese Friendship Garden of San Diego 
2215 Pan American Rd E, San Diego, CA 92101

Get ready for the Japanese Friendship Garden’s 13th annual Cherry Blossom Festival on March 9th, 10th, and 11th! Aside from basking under beautiful cherry blossoms there will be plenty of other activities and fun for all ages! Some such examples include, beer tasting, cultural performances, and a children’s corner! You won’t want to miss it. 

 

2. JETAA New York

Japan Week at Grand Central Terminal

Date: March 14-17, 2018

Place: Grand Central Terminal, Vanderbilt Hall

Japan Week returns to Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Station! From March 14-17, the hall transforms into a wonderland that showcases many splendours of Japan – and this year includes a 3D Trick Art installation.

https://www.japanweek.org/

 

 

3. JETAA Toronto

Aquarium Adventure!

Join JETAA Toronto this March as we escape the winter cold with a jaunt through North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel. Let’s learn about our aquatic friends from all over the world together!

Date: Sunday, March 4th
Time: 1:30pm
Location: Ripley’s Aquarium
Price: JETAA members $10; JETAA members’ children (up to age 13): free; non-members: $33. 

Please note, we have limited space; tickets are available on a first come first served basis at https://jetaaaquarium.bpt.me/

Please contact Alena at senpai@jetaatoronto.ca if you have any questions.

Check out our facebook event here

Posted in JETAA Events, JETAA Senpai

 

 

4. JETAA Chicago

March Member Meeting

Our March Member Meeting will be a special meeting. It will be part meeting, part workshop. Dinner will still be provided. As always, any questions can be emailed to info@jetaachicago.com

Call in option will be available.

Join us for an interactive workshop to build your skills in project management and event planning led by JETAA alumna Shannon Copp. You’ll learn concrete methods for successful event planning as well as best practices for managing projects as small as planning a dinner outing to as large as a nationwide campaign.

To get the most out of the workshop, come with an event or project that’s on your mind, something you haven’t done a lot of planning on yet. There will be time at the end for you to ask questions and share any best practices you may have as well. See you there.

When: Monday, March 5th

Time: 18:30 – 20”30 CST

Place: 177 N. State Street, 7th floor, Chicago IL 60601

 

 

5. JETAA Ottowa

Board Games Day At The Loft

Thank you everyone for coming out to make the JETAA’s February potluck event a smashing success! For our second event of the year, we’d thought we’d mix things up with a dice roll or two at Ottawa’s own THE LOFT Board Game lounge! Come join us Sunday afternoon for some fun and games with friends!

If this sounds like something you’d want in on, please click “going” on the Facebook events page and fill out this form below to let us know a little more about you.

Facebook Event Page

Form for Board Games Day @ The Loft – fill out if attending the event

The Details:

Date: Sunday, March 18th 2018
Time: from 1:30pm to wherever the night takes us!
Where: The Loft Board Game Lounge (2nd Floor, 14 Waller St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9C4)
What to Bring: $6 for the Loft’s Stay-and-Play charge. The Loft also offers drinks and food, so keep that in mind if you plan join in on the fun for a few hours!

Hope to see you all there!

 

 

6. JETAA Portland

Sasakawa USA and JETAA Portland Dinner Reception

When: Friday, March 2nd

Time: 18:00 – 20:00

Place: Elephants Delicatessen, 115 NW 22nd Ave., Portland, OR 97210

As part of Sasakawa USA’s ‘The Alliance Working in America’ series and in partnership with the JET Alumni Association of Portland, we invite you to join a special dinner discussion with Bill Clifford (Shizuoka ALT, 1987-89) President and CEO of World Affairs Councils of America, and Doug Smith (Okayama CIR, 1987-89), Business Development Manager, Port of Portland. The discussion will explore how the JET Programme experience has contributed to their career and their role in U.S. – Japan relations, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for JET alumni to contribute towards strengthening U.S. – Japan relations in their personal lives and networks.

 

 

7. JETAA WA

Our Perth’s Sake Festival Sandra

Lion Oriental Foods Especially Invites you to Our Perth’s Sake Festival Sandra our Sake Specialists has invited all our suppliers to join us on this festive event. We will showcase a beautiful variation of different types of sake and plum wine .

If you have never tried Sake before this is your chance!!

Participants attending:
Nippon Foods Supplies
Showcasing: Sawahime premium sake and Orion Beer
Daiwa Foods
Showcasing: New Choya range
Supersake
Showcasing:
Namazake and Plum wine
JFC
Showcasing: Ippin sake ,Hakutsuru sake, Urakasumi Sake Brewery , Hakkaisan Sake Brewery..
The Cheese Barrel from Swan Valley together with Sandra Sake Specialist.
showcasing :7 types of different cheeses pairing with Sake.

Bring your friends and family😙to try delicious umeshu, found out why Japanese plum wines are now the biggest trend all around the world and Japanese sake where Rice is responsible for all those unique flavours!

Join us for this festive event feel free to dress up in Japan 🇯🇵 style . Come and see Perth’s largest collection of Sake 🍶and Plum 🍹and Beer. 🍺🍺Kampai.🍻

Like or Follow Us on Facebook & Instagram. Please help spread the ❤ around for this free tasting event and follow us for more future event and news

 

 

8. JETAA Canberra

Memorial Service for Earthquake and Tsunami Victims in Japan

Date: 11th March

Time: 16:30 – 18:00 UTC +11

Place: Nara Canberra Park, Flynn Drive, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 200

Details

Seven years have passed since Japan was devastated by a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that struck the Tohoku and northern Kanto regions.

Each year, concerned Canberrans, friends of Japan and members of the Japanese community gather at the Canberra-Nara Peace Park to remember the victims and to show our on-going support for those who are recovering from the disaster.

Lighting a candle at the service will be an opportunity to send our prayers and thoughts to the victims and the displaced, and at this gathering we will renew our pledge to support the survivors into the future. The newly constructed Peace Bell located within the park will be rung during the service.

 

 

9. JETAA SA

Fringe Festival: Koto Music Concert – “10 Years in Adelaide”

When: Saturday, March 3

Time: 4:30pm – 5:30pm

Where: Garage international Adelaide Town Hall, 128 King William Street (Entry via Pirie Street), Adelaide SA 5000

Description:
TICKETED EVENT

2018 is Etsuko Kawaguchi’s 10th year in the Adelaide Fringe. Her music has slowly gained a loyal audience. “Blissfully hypnotic climaxing with dissonance and musical momentum. Simply close your eyes and journey to the land and people of Japan.” (Adelaide Review) This concert will express her gratitude to all who appreciate and enjoy her music.

Presented by: Sui no Kai & The Garage International

Etsuko Kawaguchi, founder and director of “Sui no Kai,” was born in Tokyo. She graduated from Tokyo Arts University in the traditional Japanese Music department and then joined the NHK Traditional Japanese Music Academy and performed with them all over Japan and overseas. Etsuko is noted for her contemporary input into the traditional instrument, thus appealing to a wider and younger audience. Her virtuosity and flexibility in her playing communicates and reaches out to those who are yet not familiar with this instrument. 
The koto is a 13 stringed Japanese lute. It is a string instrument, yet also a percussion instrument, for the strings are plucked as well as beaten. 
Melodic yet rhythmic, the koto an appeal for all which has been proven for this will be her 10th year in Adelaide.

See pricing and full details here: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/koto-music-concert-10-years-in-adelaide-af2018

 

 

10. JETAA UK (NW)

Hina Matsuri Liverpool

Date: 6th March

Time: 19:00 – 22:00 UTC

Place: Sugar and Dice Board Game Café, 33A Cornhill, L1 8DP Liverpool

Details:

Board games, matcha cheese cake and merriment await you at our next event, a celebration of Hinamatsuri (Girls Day). Non JETAA members, Go enthusiasts and even men are welcome!
A Japanese-themed evening to celebrate Hinamatsuri, Girls Day. Try your hand at making sushi, indulge in some matcha cake, and enjoy some Japanese board games with the local Go club.

Cost: £5 per person. (This excludes anything extra purchased at the cafe.)

RSVP: nwevents@jetaa.co.uk . Space in the cafe is limited so book with us in advance to secure your place.

Looking to step up your pin game? Why not collect these two pins from the Pacific Northwest JETAA chapter!

Feel free to contact the current President, Zung Do (president@pnwjetaa.org) or JETAA USA Country Rep, Cheryl Hou (cheryl.hou@jetaausa.com) for more information.

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by A

JET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present).

 

 

1. JETAA Ireland       

Japanese Language Meet-ups

 

JETAA Ireland has resumed their Japanese Language Meet-ups. They are

held once a month on the second Friday of the month, making the next one February 9th. For more details, their Facebook event page can be found here.

 

2. JETAA New York

JETAANY Gala

If you only attend one JETAANY event next year, make it this one!

The gala will be an evening of celebration, commemorating the JET Program’s 30th anniversary with our own New York spin, honouring local JET alumni, and celebrating the JETAANY community.

This is a black tie optional event that includes dinner, open bar, a sake-barrel opening ceremony and toast, entertainment, speeches, a silent auction, a taiko performance, and other activities. All for only $82*, thanks to generous grants we have secured to offset costs of the event.

Read more about the event (including FAQ) on jetaany.org. This event is open to all alumni, friends, and family (21+), so feel free to invite others, and buy your ticket soon!

*Early-bird pricing available until 1/15 (if tickets remain)!

Questions? Email gala[at]jetaany[dot]org
Want to get involved? Sign up here to volunteer.

 

 

 2. JETAA Singapore

Japanese Cultural Festival

J.CLAIR Singapore is looking for volunteers to share about the JET Programme at the Japanese Cultural Festival.

The details are as below:

～Japanese Cultural Festival (JCF) 2018～

• Date: 2/3 (Sat) 10:00～18:00
• Venue: University Town in NUS
• Organised by: The NUS Japanese Studies Society (JSS)

 

We would appreciate it if you could lend us your support to CLAIR for this event by indicating your availability in the link below.

https://goo.gl/forms/CAvcrD0hCJsjfzwv2

 

Feel free to contact JETAA Singapore if you need any clarifications.

 

 

 3. JETAA DC

Annual 10+ Reunion Event

The 10+ Reunion is a casual get-together for any JET alumni who departed for the JET Program in 2007 or earlier. Join fellow alumni to re-connect and reminisce about your time in Japan.
Date:      Saturday, February 10
Time:     1:00pm to 3:00pm
Location:        Teaism Penn Quarter (400 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20004)

Price: $10
Attendees have a choice of bento (fried chicken, salmon, or black bean cake) and each meal is accompanied by an exclusive Japanese green tea sampling. +1’s are welcome!

Please register and pay in advance by Saturday, February 3. Payments are non-refundable after Tuesday, February 6.

Feel free to contact secretary@jetaadc.org if you have any questions.

Click HERE to register for the 10+ Reunion

 

5. JETAA NSW

Manga Mania at Casual Powerhouse Arts Centre

Details

We invite you to join us for MANGA MANIA, a day filled with free workshops and events that speak to the Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition.

Please note that BOOKINGS are essential due to limited capacity.

***
MANGAZINE | 11am-1pm | 10-16 years
Participants of Mangazine will be introduced to the features of Manga drawing before creating their own zine using the key characteristics of this cartooning and comic based style.
FREE, bookings essential.
Book here: https://goo.gl/t8gCNm

IKEBANA WATERCOLOUR |11am -1pm & 2-4pm | 16 years +
Watch a demonstration of the traditional Japanese flower arranging technique of Ikebana before being lead in an exploration of the resulting creation through the use of watercolour painting. This workshop is suitable for both beginners and advanced students of watercolour techniques and all materials will be supplied.
FREE, bookings essential.
Book here: https://goo.gl/2RJyfR

SUSHI SUPER HEROES | 1.30-3.30pm | 6-9 years
Choose your favourite sushi ingredients from the available menu and then transform into an epic version of popular Japanese cuisine, the sushi roll. The sushi super hero outfit comes complete with mask and cape, ready to be decorated into the most exciting and powerful hero ever seen. This will be an open (drop in) workshop that participants can join and leave as desired.
FREE, bookings essential.
Book here: https://goo.gl/mq2pyz

***
MANGA MANIA FILMS

Film Screening: Crayon Shin Chan: Bravo! Samurai Battle (PG) | 11am
FREE, bookings essential. Book here: https://goo.gl/vvM6SC

Film Screening: Miss Hokusai (Uncl 15+) | 1:30pm
FREE, bookings essential. Book here: https://goo.gl/HkhYje

***
ALSO AVAILABLE:
Liverpool City Library will hold a pop-up Library within Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre that will be entirely devoted to Manga. Come and browse the huge collection of Manga books available for borrowing from the wonderful team at Liverpool City Council Library.

***
Header Image:
Daisuke Igarashi, A person who draws the world, 2015
Ink and watercolor on paper, 36 x 110 cm
© Daisuke Igarashi

When:    February 3^rd 2018

Where:   Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre

Tickets:  www.casulapowerhouse.com

 

6. JETAA WA

KaiWA

When: Thursday, February 8th.

Location:        43 Below Tavern, 43 Barrack Street, Perth WA, Australia

Time: Starts 17:30

 

Hello everyone! We hope you’re settling into 2018 and keeping up with those New Year’s resolutions! Come join us for the next KaiWa on Thursday, February 8th.

KaiWA is a casual Japanese-English conversation-cultural exchange and anyone is welcome to come and practice their Japanese or English.

Entry is a gold coin donation and we’ll be open from 5:30pm til 8:30pm at 43 Below, (cnr. Hay and Barrack St, downstairs next to Commonwealth Bank).

Don’t forget to subscribe to kaiWA events!

More details can be found here and here.

 

 

7. JETAA France

Japancraft – Synergies entre Tradition et Modernité

2 dates:      6 February – 17 February

Expo :         Japancraft − Synergies entre Tradition et Modernité

Place:        Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris – page officielle

Clair Paris présente des objets artisanaux de différentes régions du Japon grâce à la collaboration de 18 collectivités locales du Japon. Ces objets fabriqués avec des techniques ancestrales, y seront présentés, et mis en regard de produits industriels de pointe réalisés avec les mêmes techniques. ENTRÉE-GRATUITE Du mardi 6 février au samedi 17 février 2018 de 12h à 20h (fermé dimanche et lundi) A la Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris 101Bis Quai Branly, 75015 Paris, France

日本の地方に根付いた伝統技術にスポットをあて、それらが現代の生活スタイルに高度に適応している例、異分野先端産業に活かされている例を分かりやすくご紹介します。日本の１８自治体から、特色ある工芸品、製品がパリ日本文化会館に集まります。 入場無料 2018年2月6日（火）～2月17日（土） 12時から20時 (日月休館) パリ日本文化会館 (Maison de la culture du Japon) 101Bis Quai Branly, 75015 Paris, France

 Certaines des créations présentées seront ensuite disponibles à la vente. Du mardi 6 février au samedi 17 février de 12h à 20h (fermé dimanche et lundi) The Japan Store ISETAN MITSUKOSHI | 101Bis Quai Branly, 75015 Paris, France http://thejapanstore.mistore.jp/paris/fr/index.html 展示期間中、同建物内のThe Japan Store ISETAN MITSUKOSHIにて一部の展示商品を販売します。 販売期間： 2018年2月6日（火）～2月17日（土） 12:00～20:00 ※日曜、月曜は休業日 Du mardi 20 février au jeudi 1 mars de 12h à 20h (fermé dimanche) Maison Wa | 8, Rue Villedo 75001 Paris France

https://www.facebook.com/maisonwa/ また、展示会終了後、パリ１区の和雑貨セレクトショップにて一部の展示商品を販売します。 販売期間： 2018年2月20日（火）～3月1日（木） 12:00～20:00 ※日曜は休業日 販売場所：Maison Wa | 8, Rue Villedo 75001 Paris France

 

8. JETAA UK

Karaoke/Pub Night with The London Chapter

When:    February 8^th

Time:     18:00 – 21:00

Where:   The Glasshouse Stores, 55 Brewer Street, W1F9UJ London, United Kingdom

Details

Following our London AGM/games afternoon last week, we decided to continue our 2018 JETAA London events with a crowd-pleasing classic karaoke night!

We will be gathering at the pub from 6ish (or as soon as our employers untie us from our desks/tools!) and heading to our usual karaoke spot in the manga laundrette!

Bring your friends, alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks, song list and your best/enthusiastic voices!

Pub: The Glasshouse Stores, 55 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9UJ
Karaoke: Adanami Manga Bookstore, 30 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 0SS

*This event requires registration and payment*
Please head to our eventbrite page to sign up!

Only 14 spaces for karaoke so get in quick!
Head to the Eventbrite page to reserve your spot now:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/karaokepub-night-with-the-london-chapter-tickets-42570231709

 

 9. JETAA Ottawa

Japanese Potluck Event

Come one, come all, to JETAA Ottawa’s first official event for 2018!

This year, we’d like to kick off the mid-winter fun with some delicious eats and delightful company. After the gustatory festivities, we’ll also have karaoke and pool set up if you’d like to join in!

Click here to reserve what food/drink you’ll bring!

Some ideas include: gyoza, sushi, takoyaki, karaage, tempura, tsukemono, katsu curry, and more! There will be a small kitchen area (no oven) and microwave available for use, as well. But, if you’re not particularly skilled in the kitchen, not to fret–you could always bring some chuhais, bottled tea, or Pocky!

Date:         Saturday, February 17th
Time:         6:30pm to 9:30pm
Where:      Central 2 Building Party Room, 360 McLeod St.
To access the entrance, take the elevator to the second                    floor and turn left.
Cost:          Free, but please bring (Japanese-style) food!

 

 

10. JETAA Southern California and Arizona

Natsukashii-Kai!

When:        Friday, February 9th
Time:         17:30
Where:      Oreno Yakiniku
Weller Court, 3rd floor, 123 S. Onizuka St., 90012

Happy hour deals: http://www.oreno-yakiniku.com/happyhour/

Natsukashii-Kais are back for 2018 starting this February! Last year, this monthly meetup consistently achieved our primary goal of bringing more JET Alumni out to connect and remember what we loved about Japan! Each time was equally awesome, because we discovered and supported small Japanese, and Japanese-American-run businesses in Little Tokyo through our attendance at fun places, including Wolf and Crane, Suehiro Cafe, GAZEN, 3rd Generation Sake Bar, and more, plus our go-to after party spot: karaoke at Tokyo Beat!

For our inaugural night out, we’re celebrating one of the most natsukashii (nostalgic) dining activities: Yakiniku! We will meet at Oreno Yakiniku in Little Tokyo, from 5:30-9:00 to enjoy their unique happy hour deals on drinks and food (see link for details). We can split into two tables for those who dinner elsewhere, so don’t worry if you need to arrive late, leave early, or abstain from meat! As always, non-drinkers and friends of JET are absolutely welcome, and if history is any track record: good times are guaranteed!

This event also falls on the last day of L.A. interviews for potential 2018 JET Programme participants. We should avoid inviting any current applicants, so any hard working volunteer greeters, interviewers, and Japanese staff from that event can feel relaxed and welcome to enjoy the night out with us. Maybe you will even see someone from when you interviewed!

If you can’t make it, keep an eye out for our next event in March, when we will begin expanding our venues outside Little Tokyo. (Fear not! If you love Little Tokyo, we plan on returning to new and favourite venues from last year, every even-numbered month.)

 

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by AJET‘s Director of Alumni Relations Megan Buhagiar (Ishikawa Prefecture, 2017- Present).

 

1) JETAA Western Japan

JETAAWJ Job hunting and business manners seminar.

The JET Alumni Association Western Japan (JETAAWJ) will be hosting a two-day job hunting and business manners seminar in Osaka City with Mori Kosan Co., Ltd., a firm that supports foreigners seeking employment in Japan. The seminar will be from 9:00 to 17:00 on January 20 (Sat.) and 21 (Sun.), 2018. Attendees will learn things like: how to write a Japanese-style resume, prepare for an interview, exchange business cards, answer phone calls in Japanese, etc.
＊The seminar participation fee is 1000 Yen.

There will also be a networking event on the night of January 20 (Sat.) from 17:30 to 19:30, with Mr. Takeo Mori, CEO of the Kansai Tourism Bureau, and guests from other organizations. ＊Participation fee for the networking dinner will be 1000 Yen to help pay for catering costs (this is separate from the seminar fee).

For those who would like to attend, please apply through the link below. A schedule with more detailed information on the seminar will be sent to applicants.

＊The seminar will be conducted in Japanese, so it recommended for participants to have at least a JLPT N3 level of Japanese or higher.

Sign up here!

When: January 20 (SAT) & 21 (SUN)

Time: 09:00 – 17:00 (both days)

Where: Mori Bldg 4F, 1 – 4 – 11 Minamisemba Chou-ku, Osaka

More details: Contact JETAAWJ@gmail.com

 

 

2) JETAA Ottawa

The Japanese Film and Literature Society presents:

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

The Temple of the Golden Pavillion

Film and Book Description:

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a 1985 American biographical drama film co-written and directed by Paul Schrader. The film is based on the life and work of Japanese writer Yukio Mishima (portrayed by Ken Ogata), interweaving episodes from his life with dramatizations of segments from his books The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko’s House, and Runaway Horses. It was executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

Movie TrailerThe Temple of the Golden Pavilion
In ‘The Temple of the Golden Pavilion’, celebrated Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima creates a haunting portrait of a young man’s obsession with idealized beauty and his destructive quest to possess it fully.

Mizoguchi, an ostracized stutterer, develops a childhood fascination with Kyoto’s famous Golden Temple. While an acolyte at the temple, he fixates on the structure’s aesthetic perfection and it becomes his one and only object of desire. But as Mizoguchi begins to perceive flaws in the temple, he determines that the only true path to beauty lies in an act of horrific violence. Based on a real incident that occurred in 1950, The Temple of the Golden Pavilion brilliantly portrays the passions and agonies of a young man in postwar Japan, bringing to the subject the erotic imagination and instinct for the dramatic moment that marked Mishima as one of the towering makers of modern fiction. With an introduction by Donald Keene; Translated from the Japanese by Ivan Morris.

 

 

Film – Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters

When: Tuesday, January 16th, 2018

Where: Ottawa Public Library (120 Metcalfe St.) Basement Auditorium

Book – The Temple of the Golden Pavilion

When: Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018

Where: Ottawa Public Library (120 Metcalfe St.) Basement Room B125

 

 

3) New England JETTAA

NEJETAA 5th Annual Ski Trip

This year NEJETAA will host our 5th Annual Northeast Region Ski Trip from January 26th – 28th at Killington Ski Resort, the largest ski area in the eastern United States.

We will stay at the Summit Lodge. It features a pub, hot tub, etc. Complementary breakfast is also included, and it is walking distance from the Foundry, our optional restaurant destination for Saturday night.

For those who are not interested in skiing, the Killington area offers much to do. There are options for individuals to do cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and other winter activities. Killington Resort is only 35 minutes from the lovely town of Woodstock, VT with many options for eating and shopping; and 20 minutes from the Long Trail Brewery.

If you plan on attending this event, please fill out the form below by Monday, December 11 for the Early Bird rate and by Friday, December 29th for the regular rate. RSVP as soon as possible to reserve your spot and the type of room you want, as both are limited. We will send payment information soon after each deadline.

 

 

Who: JET Alums & Friends of JET

When: Friday, January 26 to Sunday, January 28

Where: The Summit Lodge, Killington, VT

Early Bird Hotel Costs for two night stay : Double: [$265] per person; Quad: [$175.50] per person; Triple: (in the event that we’re short one person for a quad) [$205.33] per person (Pay by Monday, December 11)

Normal Hotel Costs for two night stay – December 29 deadline normal price: Double: [$275] per person; Quad: [$185.50] per person; Triple: (in the event that we’re short one person for a quad) [$215.33] per person (Pay by Friday, December 29)

Lift Ticket Cost: One-Day: [$62]; Two-Day: [$119}
Ski (includes poles & Helment) or Snowboard Equipment Package Rental (includes Helmet): One-Day: [$39]; Two-Day: [$68]

Deadline to fill out form: Monday, December 11th, 2017 (Early Bird – payment instructions will be emailed to you) or Friday, December 29 (Regular Rate and final day to cancel or change reservation)

If you have any questions, or would like to inquire about carpooling, email Jesse Kerstetter at social@nejetaa.com.

Please Note:

*By RSVPing for this event, you will be responsible for any costs incurred on your behalf.

**As with previous years the quad accommodations include two queen-size beds. Extra cots are not always available.

***The above prices are based on a 20+ person group rate. Therefore, the costs are subject to change if fewer than 20 people sign up (in which case, you will have an opportunity to withdraw)

Sign Up Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU0ESRFwY6YiI55VWeGJUHRCtt22UZ_CdmiztVE3xvQDsM_g/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

When: Friday, January 26th to Sunday, January 28th

Where: The Summit Lodge, Killington, VT

 

 

4) JETAA Florida

Annual JETAA Shinnenkai in Tampa

Join us for our annual event to welcome in the new year!

When: Sunday, January 28, 2018

Where: Tampa

Contact: Please R.S.V.P. to Michael Maloney (Toyama-ken AET ’92-’94) at maloney_m@hotmail.com for directions.

When: Sunday, January 28th, 2018

Where: Tampa

 

 

 

 

5) JETAA Pacific North West

Book Club Spring Garden

Konichiwa PNWJETAAers + friends!

Please join Book Club for the first discussion of 2018 about Spring Garden by Tomoka Shibasaki. You can find it on Amazon here. The Japan Times says: “A masterful look at loneliness and malaise in Tokyo.”

Amazon says: “Winner of the Akutagawa Prize, a sharp, photo-realistic novella of memory and thwarted hope…”

We look forward to seeing you all on January 28 at 3:00pm at Fresh Flours on Phinney Ridge.

Yay books !

 

 

When: January, 28th, 2018

Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Fresh Flours, 6015 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

 

 

6) JETAA Wellington

MEXT Japanese Study Scholarship OPEN

MEXT scholarship applications for Japanese Studies Students are now OPEN! This is a one year scholarship funded by MEXT (the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology). If you are a New Zealand citizen between 18 and 30 years old and studying Japanese at university, you may be eligible for this scholarship! Return airfares, university fees, and a monthly allowance will all be covered by the Japanese Government. Check the Embassy of Japan in New Zealand’s website for guidelines and the application forms.

When: From December 4th To February 16th, 2018

Where:

Wellington: JICC, PO Box 6340, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

Christchurch: JICC, PO Box 13748, Christchurch 8141

Auckland: JICC, PO Box 3959, Auckland 1140

 

 

 

7) JETAA New York

JETAANY Gala

The JETAANY 30th Anniversary Gala is a celebration of the JET Program’s many years of successful grassroots exchange and its positive impact on U.S.- Japan relations. The event is a chance for JET alumni and other attendees to engage in innovative educational and cultural activities that will promote understanding and friendship between the U.S. and Japan and strengthen our local networks.

This is a formal, inter-generational night of celebration. It is important because it presents an opportunity for us to come together and commemorate, for the first time ever on this scale in New York, the significance of this program, chapter, and our experiences.

Interested in Volunteering? We Need Your Help!

 

 

GALA FAQ – CLICK HERE AND ON EACH Q TO EXPAND

VOLUNTEER FORM – GET INVOLVED WITH THE GALA

When: February 3, 2018
Time: 6:00-11:00 PM
Where: Dumbo Loft, 155 Water Street, Brookyln, NY 11201 Map.

 

8) JETAA Rocky Mountains

The Daruma of Making Your Network Work

We are delighted to co-host with the amazing folks at the Japan America Society of Colorado (JASC) for their Young Professionals Newtorking event.

You must RSVP at:
http://www.jascolorado.org/new-events-1/darumanetworking

Already have your career sorted? Then come support those who are finding their way, and just get to know other great people in the Denver Metro area who have a connection to Japan.

When: Wednesday, January 24th, 2018

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Nighthawk Brewery, 2780 Industrial Ln, Broomfield, CO 80020

 

 

 

9) JETAA Minnesota

JETAAMN’s Annual Karaoke Shinnenkai

Let us say Sayonara to 2017 and celebrate the new year with some Karaoke! Pay tribute or celebrate the goods and bads of 2017 by to our favorite tunes at Do Re Mi in Eagan from 8-10pm.

We will also meet next door for a Korean dinner at 6pm.

RSVPing will guarantee you a spot for karaoke. PLEASE comment below if you are interested in attending dinner before!! Yoroshiku!!

When: Saturday, 20th January, 2018

Where: Do, Rei, Mi Karaoke Studio, 1989 Silver Bell Rd, Eagan, MN 55122

 

 

These articles are recurring features written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning center that offers group and private Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Arabic, Cantonese and Spanish classes.

Arabic Class listing can be found at: Arabic Classes NYC and Arabic Classes Online

So you might be interested in learning Arabic? In New York City, there’s a variety of Arabic classes offered from a variety of institutions. What this article does is discuss learning Arabic from the lense of a Japanese language learner (assuming most readers on JETWIT have either learned or attempted to learn Japanese in the past).

First of all, why learn Arabic? Just turn on the news and you’ll find out that a lot of the political, business and cultural trends these days seem to be coming from the Middle East. And Arabic (now keep in mind, there are multiple dialects), is the predominate language across the region.

Now to approach Arabic from a Japanese perspective. First of all, Japanese has only five vowel sounds (AIUEO), in case you remember that’s pretty small right? Wrong! Imagine a language with only three vowel sounds, that is Arabic. It sounds crazy but true, what you’ll end up finding is that a lot of words don’t have any vowel at all.

So next up is the alphabet, after all most diligent Japanese learners started by writing out their alphabets for Hiragana and Katakana, right? Do you remember how many characters per language that was? 46. So, you had to learn about 92 characters to start out to begin to pronounce and write Japanese. Arabic only has 28, so you can imagine how quickly your learning might go if you dive into this language.

I know the theme of this article is about how easy Arabic is, believe me, it’s a category IV difficult language (according to the DLI rankings) for a reason (Japanese is too, by the way). (FYI Category IV is the most challenging for English speakers) The fine print that I won’t really emphasize is that each letter’s shape changes depending on where it ends up in the word. Also the pronunciation of Arabic, unlike Japanese, has many sounds that are unfamiliar to the typical English speaker.

The most important thing I’ll end with is that surprisingly enough, when you develop your ability to speak one language, it actually enables you to speak another language easier. I think the confidence that you develop when you find a voice in a second language adds to your confidence to continue to build on this with a third language. I wish all of you the best of luck in your language pursuits! Please feel free to ask any questions.

J-DOC, C-DOC, S-DOC, A-DOC and K-DOC are recurring features written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning center that offers group and private Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Arabic and Spanish classes.

Spanish Class listing can be found at: Spanish Classes NYC

Congratulations on choosing to learn the Spanish language! In New York City, there’s a variety of Spanish classes offered from a variety of institutions. What this article does is discuss learning Spanish, and some similarities that Spanish has with Japanese (Assuming most people on this website have been exposed to Japanese).

First of all, why learn Spanish? If you live in New York, there’s an honest answer: a very large amount of people speak it. It’s estimated that about 25% of New Yorkers have Spanish as their native language (and you can multiply that by whatever population estimate for New York you prefer).

Now to approach Spanish from a Japanese perspective. Surprisingly enough the vowel sounds in Japanese can also be found in Spanish, in fact they’re identical. AIUEO all have identical matches in Spanish, so those years you’ve been speaking and using Japanese have gotten you prepared to use some of the vowel sounds in Spanish.

I know what you’re thinking, Japanese is such a different language than Spanish, why would I bother with learning this language? Well keep in mind because you’re reading this article you speak English so the grammar patterns will be similar. Also probably as most of you have experienced the resources for keeping up with Japanese when you live in New York are limited, versus Spanish has public tv stations, radio, and many other facets.

The most important thing I’ll end with is that surprisingly enough, when you develop your ability to speak one language, it actually enables you to speak another language easier. I think the confidence that you develop when you find a voice in a second language adds to your confidence to continue to build on this with a third language. I wish all of you the best of luck in your language pursuits! Please feel free to ask any questions.

JET Prefecture Round Up is a weekly mosaic of events taking place in the AJET community in Japan. Compiled by Suzanne Bhagan, (Tottori Prefecture).

 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

When: 15 December

Where: Oita City, Oita Prefecture

Oita AJET welcomes one and all to watch the latest Star Wars flick.

 

Aomori AJET Skating and Gift Exchange

When: 16 December

Where: Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture

Whether you’re a pro or a newbie, join Aomori AJET for some winter fun and holiday cheer. Bring a pressie if you’re interested in the gift exchange.

 

TA JET Holiday Party

When: 16 December

Where: Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture

Get in the spirit with Tottori AJET. Bring a gift and money for dinner and drinks!

 

Ugly Sweater Potluck and White Elephant

When: 16 December

Where: Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture

Get together with Oki AJET to celebrate with an ugly Christmas sweater party and gift exchange!

 

Written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03), WIT Life is a periodic series about aspects of Japanese culture such as film, food and language.  Stacy starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some interesting tidbits and trends along with her own observations.

Last week I had the opportunity to see some amazing works from legendary avant garde Japanese poet, dramatist, writer, film director, and photographer Shuji Terayama. I hadn’t heard of him before, but many critics view him as one of the most productive and provocative creative artists to come out of Japan. He has also been cited as an influence on various Japanese filmmakers from the 1970s onward. The three films screened were Americans, who are you (アメリカ人あなたは), Laura (ローラ) and The Trial (審判).

A special treat was that Laura included the restaging of Terayama’s 1974 film performance with the original actor, Henrikku Morisaki, who was in attendance. This short film feature female strippers who are berating the audience, when all of a sudden a spectator (Morisaki) enters the film. We saw scenes of him as a young man in this role, being stripped and assaulted by the women. At the end of the film he emerged from behind the screen, this time naked and holding his torn clothes. In an interview post-screening, Morisaki told stories about his work with Terayama over the course of almost 17 years. He described Read More

JETAA Chapter Beat is a periodic mosaic of events taking place in the JETAA sphere. Compiled by AJET‘s Director of Alumni Resources Sara-Jane Seery (Kochi Prefecture, 2016- Present).

 

1) JETAA Pacific North-West

Washi & Washoku

The Pacific Northwest JET Alumni Association with the generous support of the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington are putting on an event to show

how you can bring Japanese culture into your life.Washi and Washoku is here again.  Come get your hands dirty and learn how to make Japanese paper, the traditional way. While doing this you can also learn how to make (and eat!) some easy Japanese snacks.

When: Saturday, December 2 at 12 PM – 4 PM PST
Where: Japanese Cultural & Community Center of WA ワ州日本文化会館
1414 S Weller St, Seattle, Washington 98144

 

2) JETAA Rocky Mountain

Nengajo Making Workshop

The JET Alumni Associaation (JETAARM and the Japan American Society of Colorado (JASC) are proud to present a workshop for making your very own Japanese New Year’s Card. 2018 will be the year of the Dog.

Surprise your friends back in Japan, or give your friends here in the US something unique for New Years. Participants are welcome to come between 130 and 330 to make a card, as long as our supplies last. For the detail oriented, come early to get all that creative energy spent. See you there!

When: Saturday, December 2 at 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM MST
Where: First Baptist Church, 1373 Grant St, Denver, CO 80203

 

3) JETAA Chicago

‘Bowlnenkai’ aka December Monthly Member Meeting

Come bowl away the past year with JETAA Chicago. We’ll have our regular meeting (possibly at my office, possibly at the Consulate) and then we’ll go bowling. We go to 10 pin on State and Kinzie (near House of Blues). Join us for just the meeting, just the bowling, or both!

When: Monday, December 4 at 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM CST
Where: Japan Information Center
737 N Michigan Ave Ste 1000, Chicago, Illinois 60611

 

4) JETAA South Island

JETAA SI End of Year Dinner

Celebrate the end of 2017 together at JETAASI’s end of year dinner / bounenkai.

When: Thursday, December 7 at 6:30 PM – 8:30pm PM UTC+13

Where: 48 Colombo St, Christchurch, New Zealand 8023

 

5) JETAA UK

JETAA UK Academic Special Interest Group, UEA Norwich

Applications are open for the next Academic Special Interest Group (SIG) organised by JETAA UK, apply using details below.

The very first meeting of the JETAA UK SIG took place in December 2016 at the School for East Asian Studies (SEAS) at Sheffield University organised by JET alumni Dr Peter Matanle (Senior Lecturer and Director of Research & Innovation at SEAS) and Sharleen Estampador (PhD student at SEAS). 20 JET alumni academics attended representing universities from all over the UK, Ireland, Germany & Holland.

Japan Local Government Centre (CLAIR) London, and the Japanese Embassy (tentative) will again also attend, having spoken last year about how they value JETAA in the UK warmly and welcome the development of the SIG and offered their support for the future of the group. This year, staff from CLAIR HQ in Tokyo also plan to attend.

When: Friday, December 8 at 10 AM – 4:30 PM UTC
Where: University of East Anglia (UEA)
University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ Norwich

 

6) JETAA NSW

JETAA NSW End of Year Celebration

Come along and join JET NSW Alumni Association and our new returnees as we celebrate the end of another year!

For the very first time ever we will be offering AN OPEN BAR for 2 hours!! as well as delicious canapes, great company and your chance to win a variety of great lucky door prizes!

Where: Friday, December 8 at 7 PM UTC+11
When: Pyrmont Point Hotel
59 Harris Street, Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia 2009

 

7) JETAA UK

JETAA London Christmas KFC and Markets

Get into the festive spirit by the bucket-loads with the JETAA London Chapter this December!

We kick off our lovely Sunday afternoon with the Japanese Christmas tradition of tucking into a “Kentucky Christmas Dinner”. Once our bellies are full of chicken and cheer, we will head over the beautiful and iconic Tower Bridge to the Christmas Market across the river. Here there will be stalls where you can purchase your Christmas prezzies, food stalls if you’re looking for a tasty dessert, and plenty of decoration and sights (with Tower Bridge as the back-drop!) if you just want to take in the atmosphere. The markets are mostly outdoors so wrap up warm!

Meet at KFC (across the road and to the right of Tower Hill station) at 12pm.clock

When: Sunday, December 10 at 12 PM – 3 PM UTC
Where: Tower Hill, London, EC3N 4, United Kingdom

 

8) JETAA Texoma

December Book Club – Our Land Was A Forest: An Ainu Memoir

Next we will visit Japan with a memoir by Shigeru Kayano, the first Ainu to be member of the Japanese Diet. The book discusses Shigeru’s struggles to straddle both worlds and to preserve Ainu traditions. clock

When: Sunday, December 10 at 1 PM CST

 

9) JETAANY

So you wanna start a business?

*We previously held this talk in-person, and are happy to now offer it as a webinar!

Join JET Alumni Lee Uehara and Alex Varney for a conversation about starting a business, digital marketing/PR fundamentals, useful (and often free) online tools, and general things to keep in mind when bringing a product or service to life and marketing it.

Lee is a serial entrepreneur with a string of businesses under her belt, and Alex provides PR, digital marketing, and event management services at an integrated digital marketing/communications firm. Both look forward to sharing their knowledge and experience with attendees in the process of starting/marketing a new business, or attendees simply looking to learn more about the strategies, processes, and digital tools available to entrepreneurs today.

Date: Tuesday, December 12th
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:15 pm
Location: Zoom Info Webinar (Participation Link Forthcoming)
Cost: Free!

There will be time for Q&A.

 

10) JETAA Heartland

Fa Ra Ra Ra Ramen

Time to get festive in the yummiest of ways!
Join us for a holiday get together celebrating good company and delicious ramen! We will be exploring ramen restaurants and tasting our way through KC’s favourite ramen hotspots.

This is a fun and relaxed event, you are welcome to join or leave at any time. It’s also an open event, so grab a friend/partner/family/person and expose them to the best of Japan. Then they too can understand the wonder which had our students rioting in jubilation when it graced our school lunches.
Hope to see you all there!

When: Saturday, December 16 at 5 PM CST
Where: Bōru Ramen
500 W 75th St, Kansas City, Missouri 64114