“Inerasable” – Film Review from the 20th JFF (Australia)
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David Reilling lived in Nagano Prefecture, Japan for five years as an ALT. Although he is originally from Cleveland, Ohio in the United States, he is now living on the Central Coast of Australia. He loves traveling and could be anywhere next.
Even we’re confused about what’s going on.
‘The Inerasable’ or “Zan’e: Sunde wa ikenai heya” frightens the viewer and draws them into plot from the start.
The scene jumps to the present. The main character, played by Yuko Takeuchi, is an unnamed author of mystery-novels. Yuko’s character is currently attempting to write a horror novel with the help of her writers’ group. She receives a letter from a university student living in Tokyo, Futa, asking for her help. Futa believes a restless spirit haunts her apartment.
The best scenes of the movie happen in this early half of the movie. Futa sits down at her kitchen table in the evening to do homework and hears a sweeping noise behind her. She spins around and peers into her bedroom. She sees nothing and returns to her homework. The sweeping noise persists. The music stops. She tiptoes over to her bed, and looks underneath it. She finds nothing, yet the sweeping continues.
The scene was terrifying due to the plausibility: What would you do if you kept hearing the same strange noise in your apartment? I would probably call the Ghost Busters and Bill Murray.
These early scenes set a high standard. I expected to be jumping out of my IKEA couch for the rest of the movie. As Yuko Takeuchi’s character and Futa begin exchanging letters a deeper mystery begins to unravel. Other residents of the apartment building have been experiencing strange occurrences too. The previous resident of Futa’s apartment number only lasted 6 months. The young father of a family moving next door approaches Futa. He pulls her aside and asks, “Did anything strange happen here? The rent is lower than this general area.” I immediately paused the movie and compared the rent of my apartment against data on realestate.com.au. I breathed a sigh of relief: it is 10% above the average rent cost.
The novelist and Futa look further into the history of the apartment building and its former occupants. Unfortunately, the plot descends into absurdity when attempting to link the current state of the apartment building to a long series of bizarre past tragedies. The previous occupant of Futa’s apartment hung himself in his new apartment after going mad from hearing the same sweeping noises. The noises appear be the brushing of a kimono along the floor after a woman hung herself and swayed from the rafters.
‘Inerasable’ leaves the horror genre and becomes a mystery. The apartment building sits on cursed ground. Before the apartments were built, a crazy old man who hoarded bags of trash inside his house, suffocated to death.
The main characters dig deeper into the histories of previous homeowners on the lot. Nearly 50 years earlier, a woman and her husband return home after attending their daughter’s wedding. The husband sits down to enjoy a cup of sake. Without a word, the woman hangs herself from the rafters, her kimono sash swishing along the floor. Has the source of the supernatural evil just been uncovered?
The plot becomes overly complicated at this point, deviating from the suspense of the first half. The two detectives pursue a bizarre chain of events so disturbing they become implausible and outrageous. As it turns out, a mother turned baby killer also lived on the land. Before her, another family imprisoned their mentally ill son in a cage. Somewhere in-between these two stories, a legend of a cursed portrait of a woman is told by a Buddhist monk. Is the picture the true source of the supernatural evil?
Not quite. In yet another turn of the plot, the picture originally came from a family in Kyushu, the Okuyama family. Of course something tragic happened to this family too. The husband was driven mad by voices, killed his entire family with a katana and then took his own life with the sword. Surely this is the last piece, right?
Wrong again. It turns out the crazy husband was the boss of a coal mine where over 100 miners died in an accident. The miners cursed the coal boss and agreed to haunt his house, pushing him into madness.
If the plot wasn’t bizarre enough, Yuko’s Takeuchi’s character suddenly appears wearing a neck brace for no reason connected to the plot.
The mystery ends because both Futa and the writer give up. Futa admits defeat: “The curse just keeps going. I’m at the point where I’m no longer sure what I’m looking for.” As a viewer, I was no longer sure what I was supposed to be looking for in this movie. ‘The Inerasable’ began as an excellent horror movie then devolved into a tangled and far-fetched mystery movie. I wanted the movie to stick with the simple and suspenseful formula from the first half.
On a final note, The latter half of the movie did have some interesting scenes showing jichinsai, a traditional Shinto ground-breaking ceremony. A temporary shrine is built and a Shinto priest in traditional garb blesses the ground before construction begins. The ceremony still occurs today.
The Inerasable (Zan’e: Sunde wa ikenai heya) by Yoshihiro Nakamura, released October 25 2015 in Japan, starring Takeuchi Yuko, Hashimoto Ai, Sasaki Kuranosuke, Sakaguchi Kentaro, Takito Kenichi.
Event: Great Lakes JETAA Job Fair (Michigan, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Event: Great Lakes JETAA Job Fair
Location: Novi, Michigan, USA
Contract: Full-time
If you’ll be in Michigan or plan on moving to Michigan, the Great Lakes JETAA chapter is hosting its first job fair.
It will take place on Saturday, January 14th, 2017 at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 W 10 Mile Road, Novi, Michigan, 48375.
Please RSVP to the GLJETAA president, Adam Wolf at gljetaaprez@gmail.com by December 23rd if you plan on attending.
Job: ESL Tutor – English Matters (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: ESL Tutor
Posted by: English Matters
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contract: Full-time
Thanks to JET alumna, Lorrain Rowland (Wakayama-ken) for the following job listing at her company:
I now work for English Matters, a small ESL tutoring company in Toronto that specializes in working with the Japanese community. I’m hoping that you could put me in touch with some JET Alumni that may want work in the Vaughan area of Toronto. Any prospective teachers may want to know:
Our teachers travel to client’s homes, businesses or public places to teach English in exclusive private or semi-private lessons. Work is great for those already fully employed elsewhere but looking for something extra. This part-time work is easy and pleasant and students are usually flexible if scheduling changes need to be met.
Currently, we have a position available in the Jane and Hwy 7 area. A grade 4 student needs help with ESL, math, and science. The tutor must work independently with his/her own materials and texts. Pay is $25 and hour once a month on a one-year contract. If you are interested in this position, we would be delighted to hear from you in order to schedule an interview. Please check our website at www.englishmatters.ca.
Please contact Lorrain Rowland at (905) 953-6007 or send an email to: lorrain@englishmatters.ca if you are interested in the position.
Job: Visitor Attendant – Smithsonian Institution, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Washington, D.C., USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Visitor Attendant
Posted by: Smithsonian Institution, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Location: Washington, D.C., USA
Contract: Full-time
Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the national museum of modern and contemporary art, will be mounting a major exhibition featuring the work of contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The exhibition, Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Rooms, will be open to the public for twelve weeks from February 23 to May 14, 2017, and is anticipated to draw record-breaking numbers of visitors to the Hirshhorn. The exhibition will include numerous, fragile paintings and sculptures by the artist, and will also contain 5 of the artist’s signature self-contained “Infinity Room” installations. In addition to the 5 “Infinity Rooms,” the exhibition consists of an interactive “Obliteration Room,” where visitors are invited to interact with the walls and furniture in the room.
Hirshhorn Guides are floor personel whose main objective is to support the day-to- day operations of the Kusama Exhibition: staff admissions/membership desks; provide information to and guide visitors; control visitor flow in the “Infinity Rooms;” and ensure efficient crowd control. Hirshhorn Guides’ assignments will bring them to work at numerous locations throughout the museum and the exhibit, and their duties may vary regularly. Floor personnel are required to follow the instructions, guidance, and direction of management personnel as they pertain to the policies, rules and procedures of the Museum. Read More
Job: Director, Human Resources – Japan Society (New York, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Director, Human Resources
Posted by: Japan Society
Location: New York City, New York, USA
Contract: Full-time
Established in 1907, New York’s Japan Society is an internationally recognized nonprofit, nonpolitical organization that provides access to information on Japan, offers opportunities to experience Japanese culture, and fosters sustained and open dialogue on issues important to the United States, Japan, and East Asia.
Reporting to the VP of Finance and Administration, and in collaboration with senior management, the Director of Human Resources is responsible for the implementation, communication, and administration of all human resources functions for Japan Society, including: policy and procedure development, talent acquisition and employment processing, compensation and benefit administration, performance management, diversity, employee relations, and other related human resources programs. Read More
Job: Translator – U.S. Embassy in Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Translator
Posted by: U.S. Embassy in Tokyo
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Contract: Full-time
The incumbent translates a broad range of Japanese-language materials, some of considerable difficulty, into smooth, readable English for use by Embassy Tokyo and Washington. S/he contributes translation and analytical summaries of magazine articles selected for inclusion in office publications. S/he translates into Japanese by special request speeches and statements by the President and other high-level officials and English-language materials for posting on Embassy website or dissemination by social media.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Applicants must address each required qualification listed below with specific information supporting each item. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not qualified.
- Education: A bachelor’s degree from a four-year university in Linguistics, English, Economics, or Political Science.
- Prior Work Experience: At least three years of professional translation experience.
- Language Proficiency: Level V* (professional) English and Japanese. Language proficiency may be tested.
- Skills and Abilities: Certificate from a public- or private-sector organization attesting to competence in English or in Japanese→English/English→Japanese translation. Basic computer skills. Be available to work after hours and on weekends and national holidays in support of high-level visits, etc.
- Knowledge: Superior level of knowledge of host country policies in the political, financial and economic, defense and security, and scientific spheres, as well as familiarity with labor and social issues. Being conversant in jargon and terminology in those areas is essential. Must also possess knowledge of the structure of the U.S. Government and the functions of its individual components and current office holders, and also have a basic knowledge of the U.S. military and the functions of its branches.
JQ Magazine: Manga Review — ‘Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon’
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“If you are a lover of the weird or irreverent comedy mixed with supernatural horror, manga, and Japanese folklore-inspired fiction, then find the spiritual world portal of your choice to get your hands on a copy of Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon.” (Drawn and Quarterly)
By Julio Perez Jr. (Kyoto-shi, 2011-13) for JQ magazine. A bibliophile, writer, translator, and graduate from Columbia University, Julio currently keeps the lights on by working at JTB USA while writing freelance in New York. Follow his enthusiasm for Japan, literature, and comic books on his blog and Twitter @brittlejules.
Imagine coming home to find a stranger in your house. He acts like he owns the place, eats your food and drinks your beer, before leaving you reeling in confusion! Better send a letter to the Yokai Post for help from Kitaro, a charming character made by manga legend Shigeru Mizuki. Kitaro investigates strange phenomena and protects humans from ill-intentioned yokai.
Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro – Kitaro Meets Nurarihyon is a manga volume collecting seven more of Kitaro’s paranormal adventures. While this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone dive into the classic character’s adventures, your enjoyment can be enhanced by checking out Kitaro’s origin story featured in the first volume, The Birth of Kitaro, reviewed last year by JQ here. This book is one of several entries in a list of literary delights from Japan that Drawn and Quarterly has been bringing to America for affordable access. This volume was also translated by JET Alum and Shigeru Mizuki expert/JQ interviewee Zack Davisson (Nara-ken, 2001-04; Osaka-shi, 2004-06).
Like it says on the tin, in this book Kitaro encounters a uniquely urban yokai: Nurarihyon. This creature takes on the appearance of an unsettling-looking and self-important man to stealthily wreak havoc as mundane as forcing you to serve him your best snacks and as extreme as explosions in cities.
Many of the yokai Kitaro encounters cause trouble because it is in their nature, some have a need to feed, or have a human-like impulse that persists beyond the grave, but Nurarihyon is cut from a different cloth. He is simply cruel and makes mischief because of his hatred for humans. He also stands apart from others in Kitaro’s rogues gallery because he finds it repulsive that Kitaro helps humans and targets him for that reason. You’ll have to pick up the book to find out just how Nurarihyon plots Kitaro’s demise, and how he very nearly gets away with it!
WIT Life #307: The Wonderful World of Shochu
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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 along with her own observations.
Along with ramen and sushi, sake is a part of Japanese food and drink culture that is ubiquitous here in New York. But as someone who spent the majority of my time in Japan in Kyushu, I sometimes wonder why shochu doesn’t get its fair share of the acclaim. Down there shochu is the go-to drink, and since 90% of domestic production takes place at distilleries in Kyushu it is known as Shochu Island.
So I was thrilled when Japan Society asked me to interpret at its first ever event showcasing shochu, Distilled, Not Brewed: Discovering Shochu. The main speaker was Shinichiro Watanabe, CEO of Kyoya Shuzo and Chairman of the Committee on Shochu Planning at the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. His presentation on shochu was for the uninitiated, and highlighted aspects of this distilled liquor such as its history, cultural significance and health bene
fits.
To breakdown the basics of Watanabe’s presentation, the main way that shochu differs from sake is that it is distilled as opposed to brewed. Sake is made from rice whereas shochu can be made from ingredients such as sweet potato, barley and rice. The ingredient is determined by what Read More
JQ Magazine: Book Review — ‘Womansword’
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“Even if Womansword is an unintended trip back to the ’80s, it is a fascinating read and a striking reminder of how language can reflect the general mindset and culture of society.” (Stone Bridge Press)
By Rashaad Jorden (Yamagata-ken, 2008-10) for JQ magazine. A former head of the JETAA Philadelphia Sub-Chapter, Rashaad is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University with a master’s degree in responsible tourism management. For more on his life abroad and enthusiasm for taiko drumming, visit his blog at www.gettingpounded.wordpress.com.
Sometimes, I might come across a book that makes me feel as if I don’t know anything about Japan. Not that I didn’t learn a lot about the country during my JET days, but that the book contains so much information, it puts to shame what I’ve learned about Japan.
Such is the feeling I experienced while reading Womansword: What Japanese Words Say About Women. First published in 1987, the book examines Japan through the language used to describe women and the terms frequently employed by women. This new 30th anniversary edition of Kittredge Cherry’s work seems to be the perfect setting to learn about women’s issues I had never thought of.
And it certainly was, although I got a feeling from the book that I once experienced while observing the fashion sense of people attending a flea market in Yoyogi Park: everything is stuck in the ’80s. (More on that later.)
Womansword is divided into seven chapters that address themes such as motherhood, sexuality and aging. It provides relevant information before reaching the first chapter as the “Preface to the 30th Anniversary Edition” includes several details on how the landscape for women in Japan has changed—and hasn’t changed. The good news: In 1991, for the first time in history, more than half of Japanese women had entered the workforce. And in 2015, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced several measures to reverse the country’s shrinking birth rate as part of his Abenomics economic plan. On the other hand, Japan ranked 105th out of 136 countries in the 2014 Global Gender Gap Report and in the following year—more than 30 years after the Equal Employment Law was passed—Japanese women still earned lower pay and fewer promotions on average.
Job: Program Manager – Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C. ( Washington, D.C., USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Program Manager
Posted by: The Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Contract: Full-time
The Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C. is currently recruiting for a Program Manager to work on the Japan Bowl and JASWDC Language School.
Here is the description: http://www.jaswdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/JASWDC-Japan-Bowl-Lang-School.pdf
Job: Assistant Reporter (Sydney, Australia)
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Title: Assistant Reporter, leading new network
Location: Sydney
Salary: 47-70K+S Depends on your experience and negotiations
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-6:00pm
The Role
You will assist the Bureau Chief in reporting, researching, and write general news and breaking news stories under the direction of the News desk. The role will also include some clerical work.
Criteria
- Research ability ( web, newspaper) in English
- Native English ability with good writing skill (article should be written in English)
- Interstate travel required (anywhere big news are, around 2/months)
- Understanding of Australian politics and social issues, strong interest in Australia-Japan relations are essential.
Desirable
- Interest in writing news, mainly politics, Australia and foreign relation
- Experience in writing for news media or degree in Journalism is plus
- Japanese language or cultural understanding an advantage
To apply, email (to career@ssaust.com.au) your resume (Word File) and short description of your previous experience and your selling points preferably which match the job description or criteria (3-5 lines).
Job: Culture and Information Employee – Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta (Georgia, USA)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: Culture and Information Employee
Posted by: Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta – Culture and Information Section
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Contract: Full-time
Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta is seeking an individual for the culture and information section. Candidate must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. green card holder, must be fluent in Japanese and English, and possess computer skills (Microsoft Word and Excel etc. preferred).
To apply for this position, please send your resume to takatoshi.sakurai@mofa.go.jp.
JQ Magazine: Book Review — ‘I Want That Love’
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“I Want That Love is a very enjoyable read that teaches the importance of friendship, love and tenderness. Young readers will also learn how life’s most important lessons can be passed down from generation to generation.” (Museyon)
By Rashaad Jorden (Yamagata-ken, 2008-10) for JQ magazine. A former head of the JETAA Philadelphia Sub-Chapter, Rashaad is a graduate of Leeds Beckett University with a master’s degree in responsible tourism management. For more on his life abroad and enthusiasm for taiko drumming, visit his blog at www.gettingpounded.wordpress.com.
During your elementary school days, you surely read about the primordial creatures you know as dinosaurs. But if you haven’t been reminded of the creatures that roamed the earth roughly 65 million years ago in some time, you might not realize that there’s more than meets the eye. Case in point: Tatsuya Miyanishi’s I Want That Love.
I Want That Love (the third book in Miyanishi’s Tyrannosaurus series of 13 titles that have sold more than three million copies internationally) tells the story of a Tyrannosaurus, who is described by the author as “the strongest of all the dinosaurs.” Not surprisingly, everyone is scared of him as he never fails at getting his way by force. But the good times don’t last—the Tyrannosaurus (whose name is revealed to be Mr. Rhadbodon)—is somehow sapped of his strength after being bitten in his tail by a Masiakasaurus.
As expected from someone whose identity is clearly tied to brute force, the Tyrannosaurus loses all sense of who he is, so he’s desperate to find any solution to the disaster that has befallen him. Fortunately, he receives help in the form of berries given to him by fellow creatures and he uses his newfound energy to protect his friends from other dinosaurs.
Life After JET: William Agor
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By Jon Dao(Toyama-ken, 2009-12) for his podcast Discussions with Dao. Jon works as a speech coach and personal trainer.
Here’s an interesting one– William reached out to me after I made the Leaving Home (Again) video. He’s another former JET who could relate, so of course I invited him to talk about his experiences more. Here’s the breakdown of what’s discussed:
Why do JET? [1:00]
Was it worth it? [6:50]
3 Years, “The Sweet Spot” [12:45]
Would you go back? [23:00]
Advice for Returning JETs [27:15]
Option: Relocate [32:45]
Throwing Yourself a Pity-Party [39:30]
You can reach William here: genkinagaijin [at] yahoo.com
Job: English Teacher – Kyoto Gakuen Junior and Senior High School (Kyoto, Japan)
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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
Position: English Teacher
Posted by: Kyoto Gakuen Junior and Senior High School
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Contract: Full-time
Kyoto Gakuen Junior and Senior High School is looking to hire new teachers for next year (beginning in April).
- Full time teaching position.
- Working hours Monday to Friday, 8:20 to 17:20.
- 18 contact hours of instruction.
- The school is located in Kyoto city.
- Salary is set at ¥300,000/month (+¥25,000 for homeroom duties) for first-year teachers.
Teachers will also be required to come to 3 open campuses held on weekends throughout the year. Classes are not team taught, thus the successful candidate should possess organizational and classroom management skills. There are currently 7 other native English speaking teachers here at Kyoto Gakuen so being able to work closely and collaborate with others is crucial. Travel expenses are paid for (up to ¥50,000 a month).
Interested candidates should send a CV and cover letter to Nordine Lafdal at lafdal@kyotogakuen.ed.jp
