WIT Life #300: Kumamoto earthquakes
Earthquake Tsunami, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized, WIT Life, Writers 
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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.
Over a week has passed since the earthquakes down in Kyushu, and things have settled down somewhat but it is still a very scary situation. I spent my time on JET in Kumamoto, so this unexpected disaster was especially hard-hitting. I have a business trip to Tokyo next month, so I’m planning to go down to Kyushu during that time to help out with recovery efforts. It’s hard to be so far away and not be able to do much, but at this point due to the instability the best way to help seems to be donations.
In that vein, here are links to two organizations that are currently accepting contributions. The first is a fund created by the Japanese American Association of NY (JAA, hosting its Sakura Matsuri from 11 am-1 pm at Flushing Meadows Park tomorrow!) devoted exclusively to Kyushu Earthquake Relief (www.jaany.org), and the second is Japan Society’s general Earthquake Relief Fund (www.japansociety.org/page/earthquake).
Finally, here’s the song Kumamoto produced by NY-based jazz pianist Senri Oe and featuring Mamiko Taira on vocals. He wrote this haunting tune right after the disaster as a way to deal with his feelings of helplessness. He describes this music as his own way of providing relief goods, as unlike other supplies a song won’t spoil nor can there be too much or too little of it. It might be just what some people are looking for, and can be accessed by anyone via the Internet. In the spirit of the potential solace it offers, enjoy.
Job: Chief Copy Editor – The Cambodia Daily (Cambodia)
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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: Chief Copy Editor
Posted by: The Cambodia Daily
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Contract: Full-Time
The Chief Copy Editor will work with a small team of copy editors to ensure that national news stories are clean, concise and accurate. Oversee the selection and layout of international news stories, opinion pieces and photographs. Work with other editors and copy editors to ensure that deadlines are met. Collaborate with editorial staff to constantly improve the overall quality of our print product
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Minimum of 2 years experience as a copy editor, proofreader or news editor
- Keen eye for detail, passion for grammar and firm understanding of AP style
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-stress environment
- Ability to train new hires on the job
Application Process: To apply, contact Editor-in-Chief Colin Meyn at jobs@cambodiadaily.com
Job: Executive Assistant – McLarty Associates (Washington, DC)
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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: Executive Assistant
Posted by: McLarty Associates (Latin America Practice)
Location: Washington, D.C., USA
Contract: Full-Time
High-profile international strategic advisory firm seeks a bright, resourceful, and energetic individual to be an executive assistant in the administrative support team for the Latin America practice.
- Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- The ideal candidate will have experience handling a wide range of business executive support functions and have excellent verbal and written communication skills, including proofreading and editing experience.
- This person must be well-organized, flexible, able to anticipate change, perform well under pressure, and up to date on current political and business issues.
- It is critical that the candidate is able to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.
- This individual must be a team player who takes initiative, anticipates needs, and adapts to demanding and ever-changing situations.
- Proficiency in Spanish and international travel experience is required.
Application Process: Interested candidates should send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to eacandidatedc@gmail.com. Salary is commensurate with experience.
Job: PA/Office Manager – Centre People (England)
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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: PA/Office Manager
Posted by: Centre People
Location: London, England
Contract: Full-Time
We are looking for a PA/Office Manager to join an innovative web service provider in Central London. The company develops IT/social media/media platforms and other software such as gaming apps focused on the consumer market. This is a great opportunity to join a growing team who are planning to expand further into the UK and wider European markets.
Duties:
- Devising and maintaining office systems, including data management and filing
- Recording office expenditure and managing the budget
- Organising the office layout and maintaining supplies of stationery and equipment
- Maintaining the condition of the office and arranging for necessary repairs
- Organising and meetings and conferences and arranging travel, visas and accommodation accordingly
- Screening phone calls, inquiries and requests, and handling them when appropriate
- Meeting and greeting visitors at all levels of seniority
- Dealing with incoming email, faxes and post, often corresponding on behalf of the manager
Requirements:
- Fluent in both English & Japanese language (including reading and writing)
- Previous office management/PA experience
- First – class organisation and administration capabilities
- A professional telephone manner with the ability to speak to customers at all levels
- Good negotiation skills
- The ability to deliver against tight deadlines
- Strong PC literacy
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
- Honesty, integrity and respect
- A creative approach
Application Process: To apply for this job email your details to japan@centrepeople.com If your application is successful, you will be contacted within two working days. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive we cannot provide feedback on individual CVs.
Job: Foundation and Government Relations Intern – Japan Society (New York)
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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: Foundation and Government Relations Intern
Posted by: Japan Society’s Development Department
Location: New York City, NY
Contract: Flexible weekday schedule up to 20 hours per week, minimum three to six month commitment.
Japan Society’s Development Department is seeking an intern interested in learning more about institutional giving from foundations and government sources. This is a great opportunity to work closely with senior staff on fundraising strategy and execution.
Responsibilities
- Conduct prospect research on foundations and prepare prospect profiles
- Assemble project reports for foundations
- Assist with proposal and letter writing
- Complete general administrative tasks
- Provide staffing support at various Society events, as needed.
Qualifications
- Applicants should be organized and detail oriented, should write well, and be proficient in Word, PowerPoint and Excel
- Familiarity with The Raiser’s Edge a plus
- Ability to read Japanese is a plus.
Time Frame: Beginning Spring or Summer 2016 for three to six months.
Salary: This is an unpaid internship. However, Japan Society encourages school credits if available and occasional complimentary tickets available to performances.
Application Process: Email a letter of interest and resume to: jobs@japansociety.org. Please use “Application for Foundation/Government Relations Intern” in the subject line. No phone calls please.
Job: Travel Consultant – The Art of Travel (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: Travel Consultant
Posted by: The Art of Travel
Location: Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Contract: Full-time
This position entails a variety of responsibilities, including planning itineraries for overseas clients, handling communication & mailings, assisting visitors during their stay in Japan, and more.
Character Traits: Friendly, reliable, cool under pressure, quick, flexible & service-oriented
Qualifications
- Strong sales and customer service skills a must.
- Excellent Japanese language skills a plus.
- Candidates from native-English-speaking countries (Canada, US, UK, Australia, NZ, etc.) preferred.
- Visa sponsorship possible.
- Knowledge of the Microsoft Excel and Word required.
- Experience in travel planning, sales, and hospitality a plus (but not required).
Education: Bachelor’s degree required
Certificates: travel agent, guide, translator will have a strong advantage.
Job: Game Translator – Voltage, Inc. (Remote)
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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: Game Translator
Posted by: Voltage, Inc.
Location: Remote (Must Have Internet Connection)
Voltage, Inc. is looking to expand its lineup of translated games and is in need of Japanese to English translators who have experience translating scripts for video games. Voltage is a pioneer in the field of romance visual novel apps for a female audience in Japan and continues to lead the industry.
- Japanese: http://koi-game.voltage.co.jp/
- English: http://koi-game.voltage.co.jp/romance/index.html
Translators will be provided with scripts from Voltage’s “Koi-game” series and will translate these into English. Emphasis will be on creating a script that will appeal to English-speaking users rather than creating a direct translation of the original script. Scripts should be translated into American English rather than British English.
Requirements:
- Must have strong understanding of both Japanese and English grammar.
- Experience translating scripts for video games or apps.
- Japanese Language Proficiency Test N1 level or equivalent reading comprehension in Japanese.
- Bonus points for experience in script writing.
Responsibilities/Possible Assignments:
- Main Story: 17 chapters per character.
- Epilogue: 3 chapters per character.
- Sequel: 10 chapters per character.
- Spin off: Varies between games.
There are about 5000 characters per script and there will be up to 200,000 to 250,000 characters to translate each month.
Salary: 3 Cents per character. All references to “characters” refer to the Japanese characters in the original text.
Application Process: If you are interested, please submit your resume and a translation sample to l10n@voltage-ent.com
JQ Magazine: 3/11 — Where We Stand Five Years Later
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Bahia discusses the earthquake that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 at Florida International University, March 8, 2016. (Courtesy of Bahia Simons-Lane)
By Bahia Simons-Lane (Gunma-ken, 2005-07) for JQ magazine. Bahia taught at an all-girls’ high school on JET, and following her time on the program she held the position of ALT Advisor for the Gunma Board of Education from 2007-08. Bahia earned her master’s degree in International and Intercultural Education and certificate in Asian Studies from Florida International University in 2014, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Language, Literacy, and Culture. She is president of the Florida chapter of the JET Alumni Association.
On March 11, 2011, I woke up like it was any other day, but minutes after I walked downstairs I realized it wasn’t. Two of my friends were staying with me at the time. When we came downstairs the first thing they said to us was, “Did you hear about what happened in Japan?” We spent the rest of the day glued to the Internet and TV, horrified and shaken by the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami. That was five years ago.
This March 11 marked the five-year anniversary of the triple disaster that devastated the Tohoku region of Japan. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed thousands of people with many more displaced from their homes. Yet, like with many disasters over time, people stop thinking about what happened and it fades into the background. With the five-year anniversary approaching, I realized that I hadn’t heard a lot about how the Tohoku recovery was progressing. I knew that those without strong ties to Japan had probably forgotten all about the disaster entirely. It was time to look into how the recovery had progressed and share it with students at Florida International University who may not know much about the disaster, so I pitched the idea to the organizer of the Tuesdays Times Roundtables (TTRs) and it was agreed that it would be a great addition to the spring lineup.
FIU’s Office of Global Learning presents TTRs every week in conjunction with the New York Times. I proposed the talk for the March 8 roundtable, which seemed like perfect timing to discuss the 3/11 earthquake. The TTRs are a series of talks that focus on news items published in the New York Times and offers a closer look at some of the articles and the issues they address. The TTRs are usually well attended, and my talk was no exception, with approximately 40 people in attendance. Mostly students, they were avid listeners who asked interesting questions and made insightful comments (view the video of the complete presentation for more).
6 Jobs in International Education
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Via Carleen Ben (Oita). Posted by Sophia Chan (Sapporo-shi, 2009-2014). If interested in more job listings, join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.
(1) (MN) Study Away Advisor- Macalester College
Purpose of Position:
Macalester College is St Paul, Minnesota, is seeking to hire a full-time Study Away Advisor. The Study Away Advisor is responsible for advising students, assisting with pre-departure processes, coordinating exchange programs, and facilitating the Center for Study Away’s communications plan. This position involves a high degree of student contact.
Institutional Overview:
Since its founding in 1874, Macalester has provided students with the inspiration, insight, and experience to become successful and ethical leaders. Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, Macalester enrolls nearly 2,100 students who come from virtually every state and 91 countries. Macalester is committed to being a preeminent liberal arts college known for its high standards of scholarship and its special emphases on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society.
Additional Information:
For best consideration please submit resume and cover letter in one PDF document through the Macalester Employment Opportunities webpage no later than Monday, April 11, 2016. Review of applications will begin on Monday, April 11, 2016.
JETAA Chapter Beat April 8th, 2016
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Ashlie O’Neill (Hyogo-Ken, 2013-Present) AJET National Council Vice Chair and Director of Alumni Relations. Ashlie is in her second year on the AJET National Council as the Director of Alumni Relations. She works alongside Ryan Hata (National AJET Director of Alumni Resources ) and members of JETAA to strengthen the relationship between former JETs, current JETs and Japan. Please feel free to contact her email at ashlie.oneill@ajet.net or her Linkedin profile. Ashlie helps to keep you up up to date with JETAA happenings around the world.
April showers are supposed to bring May flowers. But in Japan, many sakura are already in bloom. In addition to the warmer weather, there are numerous events going on throughout the JETAA communities. Read on to find out what types of JETAA events are going on all over the world!
Iron Chef 2016: JETAA Portland’s 14th Annual Cooking Competition!
When: April 9th, 12 pm-4 pm
Where: Gloria Adeboi’s home in NE Portland, RSVP for directions
Come test out your new recipes in JETAA Portland’s 14th annual Iron Chef event. There are three different categories: 1. Side Dish 2. Main Dish 3. Dessert. Prizes will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd place winners in each category. RSVP here by April 7th with the dish you plan on bringing.
2. Music City and Bluegrass JETAA
Volunteer at the Cherry Blossom Festival
When: April 9th, 9 am-5 pm
Where: 1 Public Square, Nashville, TN 37201
Help by manning the Music City and Bluegrass JETAA tent in addition to spreading the word about the JET Program. Free parking and a shuttle service will be available at Nissan Stadium Parking Lot A from 8 am to 5 pm. RSVP by sending a Facebook message to the Music City JETAA page here.
When: April 16th, 2 pm-5 pm
Where: Basecamp Climbing 677 Bloor St W, Toronto, Ontario M6G 1L3
Rock climbing has been a popular sport in Japan for the past 1000 years – Mt. Fuji, Mt. Keitokusan, Mt.Hiwada – What better feat of strength can someone demonstrate than conquering a sheer face of stone with only their own power, endurance and wit to guide them!? Let’s get the climbing spirit on here in Toronto! Come join us on Saturday, April 16th for a fun afternoon of intense, super fun rock climbing at BASECAMP, Toronto’s newest climbing gym! This is always one of our most popular events, and we’d love to see you there!
Price: $20 + booking fee for JETAA Members, $26 + booking fee for non-JETAA MembersTickets: http://
Climbing fee includes all equipment, belay lesson, and a climbing day pass (so you can climb to your heart’s content or arms’ torment!). Please wear stretchy, sporty, climb-y attire!
When: April 23rd, 12 pm-4 pm
Where: Central Park ~ Great Lawn (near The MET Museum~ 84th Street and 5th ave) Subway Directions: 4/5/6 train to 86th street or 6 train to 77th street or C train to 81st street
Come join your fellow JET alum and friends for a casual picnic sitting under the Sakura on the Great Lawn in Central Park. This is a free event! Just bring anything you’d want to have for a picnic – blankets, snacks and drinks to share – plus park activities like frisbee, volleyball, softball for catch, or bubbles! Friends and family are welcome to join.
When: April 23rd-25th
Where: Rawene, New Zealand
Saturday 23rd: Car-pool & drive up to the Hokianga. Stay at Rawene Holiday Park. Please book your own accomodation or post here to meet up with others to share a room with. Join together for dinner (provided by JETAA).
Sunday 24th: Hike. We’re thinking of doing Waiotemarama Loop Track & Hauturu High Point track. Option for some people to only do the easier loop track. Dinner together (provided by JETAA) & games etc at night.
Monday 25th: Make way back to Auckland.
FOOD:
Breakfasts – JETAA will provide oats, milk, bananas, toast, peanut butter, jam, tea & coffee for Sunday and Monday mornings.
Lunch – if JETAA budget allows, we will buy some extra things but best for people to be prepared to buy their own food.
Dinner – JETAA will provide a vegan dinner for all to share on both the Saturday & Sunday nights. IF you feel that you cannot live without meat then buy your own.
When: April 24th, 11:30 am-2:30 pm
Where: Trente Et Un Kobe-shi, Hyogo, Japan
JETAA Western Japan invites alumni and current JETs to enjoy a delicious lunch while hearing about career paths in the diplomatic corps and at international schools. Space is limited to 15, so RSVP today! ¥3,500, with a portion of the receipts being donated to the Ashinaga Foundation, which operates the Kobe and Tohoku Rainbow Houses to provide educational and emotional support for orphans. For more information, contact Rose Tanasugarn at jetaawj@gmail.com
When: April 30th, 3 pm- 7pm
Where: Laurentian Leadership Centre of Trinity Western University 252 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1R3
Join us for our ever popular JETAA Cooking class where we will be making memories and nostalgic dishes sure to make you weep with homesickness for Japan…or at least the nearest conbini.
Register here for free. Spaces are limited.
Job: Assistant Director, Global Initiatives – New York University (New York, 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: Assistant Director, Global Initiatives
Posted by: New York University
Location: New York, New York, USA
Contract: Full-Time
Unit Specific Text: The NYU School of Professional Studies offers a broad range of degree programs, diploma programs, and career advancement courses that are professionally oriented, integrate theory with real-world applications, and are taught by faculty members who are leaders and innovators in their fields. The School of Professional Studies captures the expertise of the key sectors that make New York City a great global capital, such as real estate, finance, marketing, public relations, global affairs, hospitality and tourism, sports management, philanthropy and fundraising, communications/media, writing, the arts, and others. Full- and part-time students enroll in on-site and online credit programs, including graduate degrees, graduate certificates, and undergraduate degrees for both adults returning to school and traditional-aged students. In addition, working professionals and other adult learners pursue career objectives or intellectual discovery in over 2,500 courses, diploma programs, conferences, and seminars annually.
Position Summary: Develop, implement and manage projects and revenue-producing initiatives for the Director, Global and Strategic Initiatives; research and prepare analyses on the financial, market, and operational aspects of potential initiatives; draft and review proposals; communicate with internal individuals to clarify and interpret policies and procedures and with and external individuals to negotiate, clarify and establish terms and conditions for initiatives; prioritize meetings with faculty, administrators and existing and potential external partners; ensure that projects are in in compliance with University legal, procedural and operational requirements. Read More
Job: Researcher/Writer – A Japanese Energy Association (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: Researcher/Writer
Posted by: A Japanese Energy Association
Location: Washington D.C., USA
Contract: Full-Time
Researcher/Writer needed to begin employment on June 1, 2016 for a Japanese energy association in Washington D.C. The association represents the energy and nuclear utility sector in Japan and closely follows U.S. utility and nuclear regulatory issues. This position will report on U.S. energy policy and experience, gathering information from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, Congressional committees, public and private utility companies and energy industry consulting firms and associations. The position does not require a technical background or nuclear engineering degree, but some familiarity with the issues and vocabulary of nuclear power and energy regulation is desirable. The position will generally advocate for nuclear power and will: Read More
Job: Visitor Services Associate – 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: Visitor Services Associate
Posted by: Japan Society
Location: New York, USA
Contract: Part-Time
The Visitor Services Associate maintains the Japan Society’s visitor service’s desk as an ambassador interacting with the general public. This includes greeting and welcoming visitors, answering questions, providing information about exhibits and programs, selling tickets, memberships, and catalogues.
Duties:
- Processing ticket orders and gallery admissions
- Selling memberships
- Light clerical duties
- Accepting packages
- Assisting visitors, trustees, donors, and vendors on the phone and in person
- Assisting with related activities and projects.
Requirements
- Customer service experience
- Very good communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills and comfort interacting with the public
- Ability to multi-task and to handle multiple phone lines
- Computer proficiency
- General office experience
- Must be dependable and punctual
- Must be comfortable working in various work environments including outdoors
- Knowledge of Japanese culture and/or language is a plus.
Hours: The position is part-time, approximately 15 to 20 hours per week. In addition to regularly scheduled weekly hours, the incumbent must be available to cover extra shifts on nights and weekends when necessary.
Application Process: Email your resume and letter of interest to jobs@japansociety.org
Job: English Teacher (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. Submitted by Mr. Gary O. Haase.
Position: English Teacher
Location: Nara, Japan
Contract: Full-Time
My supervisor’s friend is looking for a female native English speaker to teach at a public high school in Nara / seventeen 50-minute classes per week / 2,600 yen per class / the students are bright and the school supports the English department.
If you are interested, please email Mr. Gary O. Hasse at gohaase@gmail.com for more information.
JQ Magazine: ‘Jewels of Kyoto’ Brings Geisha Tradition to Australia
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Jewels of Kyoto performed Matsu Zukushi in Sydney Feb. 23. This dance is characterized by the use of fans with a pine branch design, which represents the courage, determination and fidelity of a woman. (Eden Law)
By Eden Law (Fukushima-ken, 2010-11) for JQ magazine. Eden currently serves Country Representative for Australia and President of JETAA New South Wales.
Jewels of Kyoto was a tour of Australia and New Zealand by a group of geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s Gion district, sponsored by Japan Foundation, which ran from February 23 to March 5. Commenting for this article were Ms. Ayusa Koshi from Japan Foundation and two members of the tour group: Mr. Katsuroku-shisho of Ochaya Tomikiku, who instructs its maiko and geiko in traditional music, and Ms. Tomitae, a maiko also of Ochaya Tomikiku.
The geisha is one of the most recognisable cultural images of Japan, a symbol of the grace and beauty in Japanese traditional culture that is popular domestically and internationally. But seeing a real geisha (defined as someone who has undergone the requisite training in song, dance and social arts) is rare, and these days found only in very few places in Japan. Kyoto, of course, is best known as the place to spot geisha (or geiko, as they are known locally), and maiko (apprentice geiko) hurrying down the narrow cobbled streets of kagai (or geiko districts) in full traditional gear. As explained by Koshi, manager of Japan Foundation’s Arts and Culture Department: “Watching a geisha perform isn’t as simple as purchasing a ticket to a kabuki show. Traditionally, their artistic services were exclusive to the wealthy [who possess] the right connections, and this custom lingered until recent years.”
This is why the debut of the Jewels of Kyoto tour in Sydney was met with enthusiasm, selling out the nearly 400-seat capacity Lendlease Darling Quarter Theatre in Darling Harbour. Featuring a performance of traditional song, dance and party games (geiko are entertainers, after all) by a group of geiko and maiko, it was made possible by a collaboration between Japan Foundation and Ms. Reiko Tomimori, a prominent figure in Kyoto’s geiko world. Apart from the main stars (the geiko Hinagiku and Ryoka, and the maiko Tomitae and Tomitsuyu), there are other musicians and accompanying props and costumes.
