**************

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

Tohoku Region

Iwate

• AJET’s Thanksgiving Cabin Party is November 26th-27th!

 

Kantou Region

Chiba

• Chiba JETs are prepping for the Tokyo Yamathon 2011.
• Chiba JETs 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner is November 23rd!

 

Chubu Region

Shizuoka

• Shizuoka JET Christmas party is December 9th!

Nagano

• November 26th is the Nagano AJET Thanksgiving Dinner and Charity Auction in Ina!

Toyama

• Lots of International Festivals in Toyama this season! Next up is the December 10th Namerikawa International Day.

Kansai Region

Nara

• The Christmas Smile Kids Japan visit will be on Saturday, December 10 from 1-4pm.

Hyogo

• Hyogo will host the Awaji ALT Football Tournament on Awajishima Friday 18th – Sunday 20th November.
• Hyogonians get their “JETs on Jitenshas” on in the Fall PEPY Ride in Himeji November 20th.
• The Shiso Sale is happening until December 10th, to benefit PEPY and Cambodia!
• Thanksgiving Dinner in Kobe, November 23rd!
• A Very Shiso Thanksgiving will be held in Shiso on November 26th.

Osaka

• Osaka JETs are re-visiting Shinodoyama Orphanage in Izumi-shi on November 23rd.
• Moustache Bash is December 2nd in Osaka!

Wakayama

• Path of Prayer (Kumano Kodo) takes its next walk on November 20th in Shingu!

 

Shikoku Region

• Shikoku Field Day will be held in Shikoku Saburo no Sato, in Mima City, Tokushima on November 26th and 27th.

Ehime

• All JETs and their JTEs are invited to the Skills Development Conference Enkai at Hadaka no Osama in Matsuyama on December 1st!
• Jam for Japan is scheduled for December 10th to raise money for donation  to Tohoku.
• Ehime JETs are doing a Christmas Party and Secret Santa orphanage visit in Matsuyama on December 17th

Kochi

• Kochi JETs are invited to Tea Ceremony on November 23rd in Takajo-machi.
• Kochi JETs are invited to a free tour of Tengu Highlands on November 26th!

 

Kyushu Region

Oita

• Oita International Fair is November 23rd!
• The Annual Oita AJET Sumo Trip is coming up on Saturday, November 26th!

Kumamoto

• KumAJET will climb the 3,333 steps on November 19th!

Kagoshima

• The 2011 SDC Reception Party is November 24th in Kagoshima City!
• 2011 Annual Sata Misaki Marathon & Walk is December 4th!
• Kagoshima JETs will sing at Hark the Herald ALTs and Friends Sing on December 10th at AmuPlaza.

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

Update:  Click below to listen to a recording of the panel discussion.

• JETAANYIndustryPanel

Monday found about 15 JET alums meeting on the 20th floor of 3 Park Avenue, current home of the New York branch of CLAIR (The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, aka the “Japan Local Government Center”). Gathered over jasmine tea and Thai finger food, JETAANY presented a chance for job-seekers to talk to JET alums (and a few non-alums) who currently work in the worlds of higher education and exchange programs. The five panelists included Pam Kavalam (Shiga-ken), a student advisor at NYU’s Wagner School, Clara Solomon (Tottori-ken), Director of Counseling and Career Development at NYU’s School of Law, Katrina Barnas (Chiba-ken), Associate Director at the Institute of International Business at Columbia Business School, Shannan Spisak (Kanagawa-ken), Program Officer at the Institute of International Education, and Jillian Rodriguez, who works for the Program of Financial Studies at Columbia Busies school.

Amber Liang (Kochi-ken), herself a Senior Programs Coordinator for the International House at Columbia, moderated the forum with a series of questions that laid bare the realities of working in the higher ed world. The panelists explained how they got into the field, the pros and cons of their job, the education requirements needed to work in a college or university, and where they thought the higher ed industry would be in five years.

While all the panelists had very different jobs and fell into the industry in different ways, there were a lot of things they agreed on. First, higher ed hiring is slow! Don’t be discouraged if you apply and don’t hear back for months. Second, having a Masters degree isn’t required to start at an entry-level position, but people will expect you to start one while you work there, especially of your institution offers free classes or tuition benefits. And even if you don’t get hired for the job that you apply for, many resumes are shared internally, so put your best foot forward and apply anyway! Third, there are good opportunities for mobility in higher ed offices. Starting in administration is a good way to start, as long as you don’t stay there too long. Learning more about the institution and the other offices will give you a chance to move to different, and possibly higher, positions. The one downside being that while you may move up, your paycheck might not.

Lastly, as for the future of higher ed jobs: they aren’t going anywhere in the near future, however free classes for employees or benefits are likely to be reduced or cut because of budget constraints. It’s important to think carefully about the benefits other than money that you can gain working in higher ed. If you want to earn a Master’s while working, it’s an excellent opportunity, but if you want to make a fortune it might not be your cup of tea!

Hearing the stories of our sempai was a truly helpful and inspiring experience. A lot of us are struggling in the job market at the moment, and it’s events like these that give us a glimpse of the struggle our successful friends have had, and the gumption to keep on trying our best!

 

 

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Japan Society in NYC. Hidden behind an outwardly unassuming facade across the street from the United Nations, The Japan Society has been promoting Japanese-American relations since 1907. Inside, the Society shows its true character as the indoor gardens, water features, and shoji-inspired walkways wow visitors as much as the broad range of classes, exhibitions, and lectures they hold each year.

Currently showing (until December 18th) is “Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers.” It’s a collaboration between The Japan Society and Textile Network Japan along with Tama Art University Museum. As you enter the exhibit, you walk through the first piece of art! The doorway is covered with a noren, or traditional door curtain, made of space-age materials that look like watered silk and gold leaf. It was one great example of how the 30 artists who contributed pieces combined traditional techniques and modern materials to show the versatility and beauty of textiles….

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE POST…

Via JETAA US country rep Mike Shu who works for Yelp. Posted by Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken, 2003-06). Dipika has recently moved back to London but is interested in hearing about any Japan-related opportunities across the globe.

———————————————————————————————————————————-

***Note: If you apply for this position, please let them know you learned of it from JETwit. Thanks.***

Job Position: Product Manager – Japanese Products (San Francisco, CA)

Job Details:

At Yelp, we pride ourselves in being a hyper local product. Yelp is already available in nine countries and we’re starting to work on bringing Yelp to Japan. This role will involve customizing the Yelp product to make sure it feels truly local to our users in Japan.

We need a Product Manager who can design beautiful-but-simple features, crank out mockups and is passionate about how culturally unique different countries are. You should be fluent in Japanese and a definite plus is if you currently live in or have spent a large amount of time (at least 10 years) living in Japan.

You will:

Design intuitive, elegant consumer products that will be used by millions of Yelpers around the world.

Work with our all-star engineering teams to hone and iterate on your ideas

Identify, analyze and prioritize new site features that will make Yelp more local.

Manage the design/build/test/release process end-to-end.

Strive for design perfection but love to release and iterate

Requirements (and we mean it!):
+ Techie Cred: CS or similar degree so you can talk to our enginerds about Python, map reduce jobs, and naive Bayesian algorithms without a translator.

+ i18n Experience: Knowledge of and experience dealing with the challenges that launching a product in multiple languages creates. You will work with our engineering team on optimizing our translation and localization workflows.

+ Passion about the Space: You love the world of social networking, local search and consumer websites.

+ Non-Nerd Empathy: You’re interested in FriendFeed, Twitter, etc. as much as the next nerd, but you also recognize that you’re designing for a non-techie audience.

+ A Conditional Love for Yelp: Like a BFF or a tee ball coach, you should love us but also be able to tell us what we’re doing wrong. You’ll need to be able to dish out the criticism here and take it, too.

+ A Need for Speed: Daily release cycle? Bring it!

 

Carolyn Brooks (Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa, 2006-11) is co-author of the blog MadSilence–a cross-cultural blog written with her father–and a current culture/education related job-seeker in the NY area available for full-time or consulting work.

I was so excited when I saw a friend post on Facebook this morning that the most recent Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli film, “The Secret World of Arrietty” will be in theaters in the US in February of 2012! I was lucky enough to see it in theaters in July of 2010, and I was blown away. You can watch the Japanese trailer here.

The story is based off the classic children’s novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton. Essentially, the Borrowers are kobito, literally “tiny people,” who live by borrowing the things they need from humans. They live under the floorboards or close to human’s houses so they can sneak in when no-one’s around to borrow what they need. The main characters are Arrietty and her family, the last remaining Borrower family in their area. One day, while borrowing sugar from the house, Arrietty is seen by the sick boy who’s come to visit the house for the summer. What will happen now that a human has seen her? The adventure begins!

Studio Ghibli films are always beautifully produced, but I thought that Arrietty was even a step above their normal production. The scenery from the garden around the house was exquisite… every leaf, flower and dew drop was so fresh and colorful that when you watch it on the big screen you truly feel you are the size of a Borrower, walking though the jungle of an overgrown garden. The soundtrack was equally amazing – ethereal and quirky, performed by the immensely talented French singer and harpist Cecile Corbel. I’m not one for buying movie soundtracks, but after I saw the movie I immediately went to the closest Tower Records and bought the “Kari-gurashi SONGBOOK” soundtrack, which has all of the best themes and songs from the movie on it. Check out the main theme here.

Disney will be releasing Arrietty in February. Although I’m a die-hard subtitle fan, I’ve been really impressed by Disney’s translation and dubbing for the other Ghibli movies. They bring in top-notch actors and really smooth out the dialogue while keeping close to the original meaning and feeling of the Japanese. Translation of movies has got to be one of the hardest jobs ever – it’s not just language but a whole different set of cultural cues that you’re translating for another audience. Arrietty will be voiced by Bridget Mendler and supported by a great cast including Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and Will Arnet.

I know that most of us have seen or heard of Miyazaki’s movies before – perhaps Studio Ghibli’s movies are part of what drew us to Japan.  Movies, anime, and traditional artwork were the things that got me interested in Japan in the first place!  What are some of your favorite Ghibli movies?   Mine include:

Porco Rosso (紅の豚 Kurenai no Buta), the Casablanca-esque story of a mysteriously enchanted pig-cum-bounty hunter who swoops around the Adriatic saving school children and the hearts of beautiful cafe owners…

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ Tonari no Totoro), a story of two little girls who move to a new house in the country with their father. Strangely enough, the house is inhabited by an amazing array or spirits that can only be seen by children, including the large, fuzzy, and toothy monster called Totoro and his friend the Cat Bus.

Howl’s Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城 Hauru no Ugoku Shiro), based on the Diana Wynne Jones YA book of the same name, is a light tale of love and magic with a twist of Miyazaki’s anti-war messages…

Posted by Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91), coauthor of The Sushi Lover’s Cookbook and Tokyo Chic and contributor to Time Out Tokyo and Time Out Shortlist Tokyo. He blogs as “Tokyo Tom Baker.”

The three-day 2011 Tokyo Truck Show is currently under way (Oct 27-29), and I went to the first day of it to cover it for my blog. In addition to dozens of trucks, there were also all sorts of truck-related merchandise. The more unusual items included a gigantic ink jet printer that you can drive your truck into to have some quick artwork applied, and an air-conditioned sleeping bag for hot summer nights in the back of the cab.

You can find more details, photos and a couple of videos at this link.

JET alum Carolyn Brooks has set up a new Linkedin group for JETs, alums and Friends of JET working in or interested in the field of international education and exchange (a popular career path for many JET alumni).

Here’s the link to join:  http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=4145299&trk=&ut=1tt3q-WQ4vCkY1

Also here’s a link to the full list of JET Alum professional and prefecture LinkedIn groups out there.  And a reminder that if you don’t see one that fits, start your own and we’ll post it here on JETwit.

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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.

This weekend’s NYT featured two interesting Japan articles in the magazine and Sunday Styles section.  The former features the country’s living cultural treasure novelist Haruki Murakami, whom the article’s author spends time with in Tokyo to dissect his newest book 1Q84 as well as his older works.

The latter article discusses the popularity of 八重歯 (yaeba), or double teeth that look that fangs (aka “snaggleteeth”).  Apparently this fashion calls not for perfect smiles, but unstraight teeth.  Women are asking dentists to affix plastic fronts to their real teeth to create artificial yaeba, as shown here in the picture.

Upon asking two young Japanese women who were visiting the city about yaeba, they said it was the first they had heard of it.  I’ll see what further informal surveys reveal about whether this is a real trend, or just something being sensationalized by the media.

 

 

Suzanne Kamata (Tokushima 1988-90),  Publicity Assistant for SCBWI-Tokyo shares this:

Agent Day with Mary Kole, October 29
Time:   　　         Saturday October 29, 2011

Place:                             Yokohama International School, Middle Building, Cafeteria

For access information and maps visit www.yis.ac.jp

Fee:         

5,000 yen SCBWI members

8,000 yen nonmembers

Reservations Required:
To register visit www.scbwi.jp

This event will be in English. 

 

Saturday, October 29, 2011

10:00-10:30
Registration, Announcements and Opening Remarks

10:30-12:00
Three Things That Separate Aspiring Writers
from Published Authors

This presentation will offer an overview of the children’s book market as it stands today and a discussion of three vital things
that writers must add to their craft portfolio before they can write their breakout book.

Lunch
Break
Lunch will not be served. Please bring lunch or join other writers and illustrators at nearby cafés.

1:30-2:30
Slush Pile Secrets: How to Catch an Agent’s
Eye With Your Query

Queries intimidate a lot of writers, but it’s easy to get to the top of a slush pile if you write a great one. This talk
will feature query examples from the audience, go over common mistakes, and show you how to write a successful letter. (See below for details.)

3:00-4:00
First Pages Open Critiques

Writers and author/illustrators are invited to submit the beginning of a manuscript to be read and commented on by Mary Kole. Novels: up
to 150 words. Picture books: up to 100 words/first three spreads for a dummy.
(See below for details.)

4:15-5:00
Final Q&A

Participants will have a chance to ask any remaining questions.

 

First
Pages and Queries First Pages and Queries will be discussed in
open sessions listed above. To send First Pages and Queries, reserve early. First
Pages and Queries must be received by October 1.

 

Mary  Kole is an associate agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She came to literature from a writer’s perspective and started reading at ABLA to see what it was like “on the other side of the desk.” She quickly found her passion there and officially joined the agency in August 2009. She has also worked at Chronicle Books and earned her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco. Mary represents picture books from authors and author/illustrators, and both middle-grade and young adult novels. She prefers upmarket premises with literary spark and commercial appeal and operates the Andrea Brown East office from Brooklyn, NY. Visit the Andrea Brown agency website at www.andreabrownlit.com and visit Kole’s own website http://kidlit.com

Accommodation
Hotels
convenient to Yokohama International School include Star Hotel, Hotel Monterey
Yokohama, Hotel New Grand, and Washington Hotel Sakuragicho.

 

**************

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

Tohoku Region

Akita

• The Akita Halloween Dance Party will be October 29th!

Fukushima

•  Halloween SHINE is October 22nd in Aizu Wakamatsu City.
• The 2011 International Festival Aizu is October 29th!
• Fukushima ALTs are doing a Home Visit Program in Aizu on November 5th.

 

Kantou Region

Chiba

• Chiba JETs are prepping for the Tokyo Yamathon 2011.

 

Chubu Region

Shizuoka

• Shizuoka JETs are attending TWI’s Halloween Party on October 28th.
• Shizuoka JETs are invited to the 2011 Halloween Party on October 30th.

Nagano

• October 22nd is the Pasta and Poker night in Komagane, Nagano!
• October 23rd is the International Picnic at Alps Park in Matsumoto.
• Nagano NagaYes presents The Ninja Games on November 12th in Togakushi!
• Nagano JETs are invited to enjoy a Taiko (Japanese drums) workshop for beginners, a visit to a rare bonsai garden and a tea ceremony on November 12th in Okaya City.
• November 26th is the Nagano AJET Thanksgiving Dinner and Charity Auction in Ina!
• The National JET Christian Fellowship held its Fall Retreat on October 7th-10th in Nagano-ken.

Kansai Region

Nara

• The Nara AJET Halloween Party will be at the Wormwood Café on October 29th.

Hyogo

• Himeji Haunted Halloween Party is October 28th!
• The Tajima Halloween Party will be October 29th in Yabu.
• Hyogonians get their “JETs on Jitenshas” on in the Fall PEPY Ride in Himeji November 19th.
• Hyogo will host the Awaji ALT Football Tournament on Awajishima Friday 18th – Sunday 20th November.
• A Very Shiso Thanksgiving will be held in Shiso on November 26th.

Osaka

•  Block 6 & 7 Amemura Spook-tacular Halloween Party is presented by Osaka AJET in Shinsaibashi on October 29th.
• RISE – an Art and Music Charity Event for the Tohoku Earthquake will be November 13th and 14th in Shinsaibashi.

 

Chugoku Region

Tottori

• Tottori JETs go on the Mt. Mitoku Walk in Matsuzaki on October 23rd.

Shikoku Region

• Shikoku Field Day will be held in Shikoku Saburo no Sato, in Mima City, Tokushima on November 26th and 27th.

Ehime

• October 23rd is the Matsuyama Orphanage Visit.
• Ehime JETs are climbing Mt. Ishizuchi on November 5th!
• November 12th is the Ehime AJET Dinner in Matsuyama.

Kochi

• Kochi JETs are getting artsy at Mouth to Mouth: a meeting of makings on October 23rd in Kochi City.
• Kochi-JETs are helping with Halloween Party in an abandoned school building on October 28th.
• There is a Chorus and Gospel Concert October 28th and 29th in Kochi City, and JETs are invited both to enjoy it, or take part in workshops.
• There will be a Halloween party for kids at Kochi Misono Tenshien at midday on October 29th, and JETs will be helping out!
• The Hirome Halloween Party is October 29th in Hirome.
• The Third Board Game Night will be November 12th-13th in Yusuhara.
• Kochi JETs are invited to Tea Ceremony on November 23rd in Takajo-machi.

 

Kyushu Region

•  The 1st Annual “Together Alone” Fall Bike Trip will pass through Oita, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto prefectures October 22nd and 23rd. The group is going to bike from Taketa down to Mt. Aso, then stay at a beautiful campground/log cabin place in Kumamoto prefecture. On the second day they’ll bike to Takachiho and then back to Taketa.

Oita

• October 22nd, Oita International Plaza hosts its monthly Japanese Conversation Circle!
• The Annual Oita AJET Sumo Trip is coming up on Saturday, November 26th!

Kumamoto

•  The Tamana Halloween Party will be October 29th in Nankan, Tamana-gun!

Miyazaki

• There will be a Halloween party in Miyakonojo on October 29th at Dreci!

Kagoshima

• The Ibusuki Onsen Festival is October 22nd to 23rd!
• Dragonboat Halloween is October 29th in Nejime.
• Kagoshima JETs are dancing in the Ohara Matsuri on November 3rd.

Andrew McCarthy (Akita-ken, 2005-08) is a recent law school graduate who currently runs the blog JETs with J.D.s, an information source for current JET alumni law students and prospective law students for career paths and approaches within the current legal market. Coincidentally, if you are a current or prospective law student looking to contribute a little to your fellow JET community by blogging a bit, Andrew would be interested in hearing from you!

As the legal market continues to languish in the perfect storm of post-financial crisis lay-offs, globalization shifting entry-level legal work to places like India, and heat is slowly (perhaps too slowly) being applied to the legal education system to affect substantive change: law school administrations and law students alike are looking to “Alternative Careers” to be their safe harbor after graduation.

But what are the alternative career options for the J.D.?

In this entry, I give you my two yen on the subject, and hook you up with the most recent commentary out there, letting you decide for yourself.

The entry, in full, is available here.

 

**************

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

• Hokkaido JETs are going to Hike Mount Rausu on October 1st!

 

Tohoku Region

Iwate

• Iwate AJET will be climbing Mt. Iwate on October 8th on the Umagaeshi trail.

Yamagata

• Connect 2011 is happening October 8th-10th at Kurosawa in Oguni, Yamagata.

Fukushima

•  Halloween SHINE is October 22nd in Aizu Wakamatsu City.
• The 2011 International Festival Aizu is October 29th!
• Fukushima ALTs are doing a Home Visit Program in Aizu on November 5th.

 

Kantou Region

Chiba

• Chiba AJET Baseball Game trip goes to see the Chiba Marines on October 1st.
• Chiba JETs go Camping in Otaki October 8th-9th!
• Chiba JETs are prepping for the Tokyo Yamathon 2011.

Gunma

• Gunma JETs join the football tourney in Nagano on October 1st.

 

Chubu Region

Shizuoka

• Shizuoka JETs go to Costume Karaoke on October 1st!
• Shizuoka AJET makes an excursion to Fuji-Q Highland on October 15th.
• Shizuoka JETs are invited to the 2011 Halloween Party on October 30th.

Nagano

• Cricket Game: Nagano vs. Hakuba, October 19th.
• October 16th, the Ina English Guide Club will present Zazen Meditation.

Toyama

• Toyama JETs are going on a Kyoto Trip, October 7th-10th.
• Toyama AJET is holding a Cheesecake Bakeoff on Sunday, October 16th, in Nanto city.

 

Kansai Region

Kyoto

• Kyoto AJET takes part in the Mikoshi Challenge, October 9th.

Nara

• The Nara AJET Halloween Party will be at the Wormwood Café on October 29th.

Hyogo

• Hyogo JETs Rant and Rave at the Lock Up in Kobe, September 30th.
• There will be an art event (dance, music, theater, visual arts, performance art, sculpture, installation, etc.) in the Fukuchiyama abandoned train tunnel on October 1st.
• Akashi Disc Summit, featuring Beach Ultimate, will be October 2nd at Okura Beach in Akashi.
• Hyogo JETs go rafting and canyoning in Shikoku, October 9th and 10th.
• The Tajima Halloween Party will be October 29th in Yabu.

Osaka

• Language Exchange Meetup is October 1st in Namba.
• Osaka AJET will have its fourth meeting on October 12th.

Wakayama

• Lots of Wakayama JETs are attending a birthday dinner party on October 1st.
• Wakayama JETs are going camping on Friend Island, October 15th.

 

Shikoku Region

• Shikoku Field Day will be held in Shikoku Saburo no Sato, in Mima City, Tokushima on November 26th and 27th.

Ehime

• October 1st-2nd is the Niihama Welcome Party, held on the beach in Niihama.
• There will be a drifting event at Setonaikai Circuit in Saijo on October 9th, complete with a Pro D1 Grand Prix driver (Takashi Haruyama) who’s coming out to help judge the competitions!
• October 15th Ehime JETs will climb Mt. Ishizuchi, tallest mountain on Shikoku.
• Ehime JETs assist with the Yoshida International Association’s Halloween party for the local elementary and junior high school students on October 15th.
• October 23rd is the Matsuyama Orphanage Visit.
• November 12th is the Ehime AJET Dinner in Matsuyama.

Kochi

• Kochi JETs will make an excursion to Nahari Hotel Beer Garden on Friday 30th September.
• October 8th-10th is Surf Camp in Kuroshio-cho for Kochi JETs.
• Kochi JETs are getting artsy at Mouth to Mouth: a meeting of makings on October 23rd in Kochi City.
• Kochi-JETs are helping with Halloween Party in an abandoned school building on October 28th.

 

Kyushu Region

Oita

• The Notsu City’s annual Halloween Party will be October 8th, and Oita JETs are helping out!
• The Annual Oita AJET Sumo Trip is coming up on Saturday, November 26th!

Kumamoto

• KumAJET and DiscSports Japan present Ichi Kyuu Bee on October 1st, featuring 4 ALT Teams (Saga, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto) and 9 Japanese Teams (Shakaijin and college students from all over Kyushu).
• Kumamoto JETs will be rafting down the Kuma River on Saturday, 15th October with LandEarth.

Nagasaki

• On 1st October, Nagasaki JETs will take a walk through Hasami. The attractions include tiered rice fields, crazy scarecrows, pottery, and pretty temples.

**************

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

 

Tohoku Region

Aomori

• Aomori AJET Welcome Party was September 10th at Shichinohe Campground.

Iwate

• Iwate AJET will be climbing Mt. Iwate on October 8th on the Umagaeshi trail.

Miyagi

• MAJET Bandai Trip is September 17th-19th , a camping adventure at Mount Bandai in Northwest Fukushima.

Yamagata

• Connect 2011 is happening October 8th-10th at Kurosawa in Oguni, Yamagata.

Fukushima

• The Aizu Festival 2011 is September 22nd-24th in Aizu Wakamatsu City.
•  Halloween SHINE is October 22nd in Aizu Wakamatsu City.
• The 2011 International Festival Aizu is October 29th!
• Fukushima ALTs are doing a Home Visit Program in Aizu on November 5th.
• Fukushima JETs attended Volunteer Day at a Children’s Home on September 3rd at Iris Gakuen in Fukushima City.

 

Kantou Region

Chiba

• Chiba AJET Baseball Game trip goes to see the Chiba Marines on October 1st.
• Chiba JETs are prepping for the Tokyo Yamathon 2011.

 

Gunma

• Gunma JETs join the football tourney in Nagano on October 1st.

 

Chubu Region

Shizuoka

• Shizuoka JETs go to Costume Karaoke on October 1st!
• Shizuoka AJET makes an excursion to Fuji-Q Highland on October 15th.

Nagano

• Cricket Game: Nagano vs. Hakuba, October 19th.
• October 16th, the Ina English Guide Club will present Zazen Meditation.

Toyama

• Toyama AJET is holding a Cheesecake Bakeoff on Sunday, October 16th, in Nanto city.

 

Kansai Region

Over the weekend of September 2nd,  Typhoon Talas crossed through Japan, dumping massive amounts of rain especially on the prefectures of Wakayama, Nara, and Mie. There are volunteer opportunities available to JETs in and around the Kansai area to help the victims of this typhoon.

Kyoto

• Kyoto AJET takes part in the Mikoshi Challenge, October 9th.

Nara

• The Nara AJET Halloween Party will be at the Wormwood Café on October 29th.

 

Hyogo

• Hyogo AJET leads a hike through the Fukuchiyama abandoned railroad on September 24th in the Takarazuka area.
• Hyogo JETs Rant and Rave at the Lock Up in Kobe, September 30th.
• There will be an art event (dance, music, theater, visual arts, performance art, sculpture, installation, etc.) in the Fukuchiyama abandoned train tunnel on October 1st.
• Hyogo JETs go rafting and canyoning in Shikoku, October 9th and 10th.

 

Osaka

• Osaka Smile Kids Japan group makes its next visit on September 25th.

Wakayama

• Wakayama JETs are going camping on Friend Island, October 15th.

 

Chugoku Region

Okayama

• Bound in Japan comes to Okayama! Workshops will be in Okayama City on September 17th and 18th, in Maniwa September 24th, and in Tsuyama September 25th.

Tottori

• Beerfest Daisen 2011 will take place at Mt. Daisen in Tottori, September 23rd, featuring craft brews.

 

Shikoku Region

• Shikoku Field Day will be held in Shikoku Saburo no Sato, in Mima City, Tokushima on November 5th.

 

Ehime

• October 1st-2nd is the Niihama Welcome Party, held on the beach in Niihama.
• October 15th Ehime JETs will climb Mt. Ishizuchi, tallest mountain on Shikoku.
• October 22nd is the Matsuyama Orphanage Visit.
• November 12th is the Ehime AJET Dinner in Matsuyama.

Kochi

• Beer, Sake, Baseball, and BBQ will be September 17th at Hagi Park.
• Kochi JETs will make an excursion to Nahari Hotel Beer Garden on Friday 30th September.
• October 8th-10th is Surf Camp in Kuroshio-cho for Kochi JETs.
• Kochi-JETs are helping with Halloween Party in an abandoned school building on October 28th.

 

Kyushu Region

Oita

• The Annual Oita AJET Sumo Trip is coming up on Saturday, November 26th!

 

 

Kumamoto

• The Amakusa Waterwheel event is September 23rd in Amakusa, Kumamoto!
• Kumamoto JETs are helping out with the 5th annual Nagasu Ferry Event on September 25th, Sunday!
• KumAJET and DiscSports Japan present Ichi Kyuu Bee on October 1st, featuring 4 ALT Teams (Saga, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kumamoto) and 9 Japanese Teams (Shakaijin and college students from all over Kyushu).
• Kumamoto JETs will be rafting down the Kuma River on Saturday, 15th October with LandEarth.

Nagasaki

• JETs are invited to the O’hana Cafe’s 8th Anniversary Party on September 16th.
• On 23rd September, JETs will check out the wild boar races in Kawatana.
• On 1st October, Nagasaki JETs will take a walk through Hasami. The attractions include tiered rice fields, crazy scarecrows, pottery, and pretty temples.

Thanks to invaluable help from AJET Webmaster Kevin Mitchell, JETwit is back up and should be running smoothly now.

Apologies for any confusion or inconvenience.

–Steven

Apologies if you’ve had trouble accessing the site recently.  My site hosting provider (SiteGround) has been having some technical issues that I’m trying to get resolved.