Apr 5

Job: English Teacher (Japan)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: English Teacher (Japan)

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. 

Apr 3

JQ Magazine: ‘Jewels of Kyoto’ Brings Geisha Tradition to Australia

Article/Journalism, Events, JQ Magazine, Music, Reviews Comments Off on JQ Magazine: ‘Jewels of Kyoto’ Brings Geisha Tradition to Australia

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.

Read More

Apr 2

Job: Program Assistant/Office Manager – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, DC, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Assistant/Office Manager – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, DC, USA)

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 Assistant/Office Manager
Posted by: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, a non-profit that promotes understanding and cooperation between the United States and Asia, seeks a full-time program assistant/office manager for its Washington, D.C. office. The program assistant/office manager will have responsibilities in four areas: office operations, website management/outreach, program/executive support, and support for the Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program.

Responsibilities

• Office Operations
  • Maintain office equipment and supplies
  • Manage vendor relationships
  • Oversee all aspects of IT systems (including hardware, software, and basic support for Foundation staff)
  • Oversee D.C. office finances and serve as liaison with Montana-based financial director
• Website Management/Outreach
  • Update and maintain Foundation website (using WordPress)
  • Manage website upgrades
  • Use iContact to distribute Foundation newsletter, announcements, and invitations
  • Update and manage office database
• Program/Executive Support
  • Provide administrative support for Foundation exchanges and dialogues, including scheduling, logistics, travel arrangements, and program promotion
  • Assist President and Vice President with administrative tasks, scheduling, and outreach activities
• Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program
  • Assist Associate Director of Programs with day-to-day operations of Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program

Requirements: Competitive candidates will have a degree in Asian Studies, International Relations, or a related field with two or three years of work experience. Japanese language ability strongly preferred. Computer skills and strong written and communication skills are essential. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. U.S. citizenship or current work visa is required. Position is contingent on continued funding. 

Apr 2

Job: News Reporter/Research Assistant – Yomiuri Shimbun (California, USA)

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Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City, Aichi. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: News Reporter/Research Assistant
Posted by: Yomiuri Shimbun
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Contract: Full-Time

Founded in 1874, The Yomiuri Shimbun is the premier broadsheet and largest national daily newspaper in Japan. With a circulation of more than 10 million and an estimated daily readership exceeding 26 million people, we are the largest newspaper in the world. We have 32 international bureaus, of which three are in the United States: Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Bureau of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest national daily newspaper, seeks a reporter/research assistant. We cover social issues, sports events, national politics and any major breaking news in the Western and Midwestern states of the U.S. This job primarily involves gathering news, tracking newswires, assisting sportswriters, arranging interviews, conducting background research and transcribing interviews. The office is often fast-paced, and the position will include exciting opportunities to travel to major news events, report on major sporting events, interview high-ranking state and national officials, and cover the entertainment industry. Applicants must be fluent in English. Those who speak conversational Japanese or Spanish as well will be preferred. Read More

Apr 2

Job: Teacher-Chaperone – TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange Program (Japan)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Teacher-Chaperone – TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange Program (Japan)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow, an ALT currently living in Toyota City, Aichi. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Teacher-Chaperone
Posted by: TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange Program
Location: Japan
Contract: Summer Program

We are now recruiting our Teacher-Chaperone for this summer’s TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange Program. This is our two-way cultural exchange between DC and Japanese high school students, scheduled for July 5 – August 16, 2016. This will be a fun and extremely rewarding summer activity for the right global educator – all travel expenses covered + stipend (negotiable). We are looking for either a classroom teacher or an international educator with experience in student exchange. Japanese experience a plus but not mandatory

For more information on the program and to download the Teacher-Chaperone job description and application instructions, go to www.usjapanfuture.org/apply-2016. You can also download the Teacher-Chaperone application information here.

Interested applicants (or those with any questions) should call or email Sally Schwartz at 202-251-1692 or sally.schwartz@verizon.net.

Apr 1

I’ll Make It Myself!: Black Sesame and Pear Muffins

Blogs, Food & Drink, I'll Make It Myself, Writers black sesame, breakfast, muffins, recipe Comments Off on I’ll Make It Myself!: Black Sesame and Pear Muffins

LM (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. Ze works in international student exchange; writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan and the US; curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan; and admins The JET Alumni Culinary Group on LinkedIn.

Have I told you, dear readers, how much I love Lottie and Doof‘s “Black Sesame and Pear Cake”? When I could get Western pears, I loved making that cake in Japan, where black sesame is a common ice cream and wagashi flavor. I wanted to adapt the flavors of this cake into something smaller, less sweet, and more portable for weekday breakfasts, hence the muffins.

Via I’ll Make It Myself!

Click HERE to read MORE.

Mar 31

Job: Multiple Positions – Social Science Research Council (New York, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Multiple Positions – Social Science Research Council (New York, USA)

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: Multiple Positions
Posted by: Social Science Research Council (SSRC)
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Contract: Full-Time

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) has four open positions that JETs might be interested in. Here’s a link to the employment page: http://www.ssrc.org/about/employment/.

Communications Coordinator, Creative Projects

• The SSRC seeks a Coordinator to work in its Communications Department. The individual in this position will be responsible for the management and production of a variety of creative outputs across print and digital communication channels.

Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum – China-Africa Knowledge Project (CAKP) Research Assistant

• The SSRC seeks a part-time research assistant for its China-Africa Knowledge Project. This position requires a commitment of approximately 15 hours/week on average. It will start on or around March 1, 2016 and will last until June 30, 2016.

Director of Strategic Communications

• The SSRC seeks a Director of Strategic Communications to lead its Communications Department and work closely with senior management and program leadership to design and implement communications strategies across various platforms.

Finance – AP/Payroll Accountant

• The SSRC seeks a detail-orientated, well-organized accountant to join its finance team, working in accounts payable and payroll.

Mar 27

Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Nippon in New York: Musicals, origami, the GazettE, Keiko Matsui, Sakura Matsuri

Article/Journalism, Books, Events, Film, Justin's Japan, Music, Roland Kelts Comments Off on Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Nippon in New York: Musicals, origami, the GazettE, Keiko Matsui, Sakura Matsuri

Japanese Kyogen Theater featuring Manzo Nomura IX comes to Asia Society April 14.

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.

Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.

This month’s highlights include:

Friday, April 1, 7:00 p.m.

Shunzo Ohno

Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway

$30 advance, $25 seniors, $35 day of show

Shunzo Ohno, one of the most versatile and influential trumpeters in modern jazz, returns with ReNew, his 16th album as a leader. ReNew injects elements of traditional jazz, hip-hop, spoken word, and free jazz, creating a tapestry of modern jazz that is distinctly his own. With “recovery to discovery” in mind, the genre-defying album is a testament to those affected by catastrophic events that have taken place throughout the world including the 2011 tsunami in Japan. The concert performance will begin with the documentary film Never Defeated: The Shunzo Ohno Story, which is based on Ohno’s powerful life experiences. The music for the film centers on The International Songwriting Competition Grand Prize award song (featured on ReNew), “Musashi.”

April 4-28

Origami in Action: A New Approach to Applied Origami

RESOBOX, 41-26 27th Street (Long Island City)

Free, opening reception Friday, April 8, 7:00 p.m.

Origami is the art of paper folding, which is often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word “origami” is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat sheet square of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. Today, origami is truly a global phenomenon. Best known for making pop-up comic books, artist Sam Ita was asked by emerging Italian publisher Nui Nui to create a series of origami books, beginning with paper planes. Continuing the series, he collaborated with two other innovative origamists: jewelry and fashion designer Adrienne Sack, and dragon aficionado and champion pumpkin carver Paul Frasco. Their colorful works will be revealed in this special exhibition.

April 8-23

Japan Sings! The Japanese Musical Film

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street

$12/$9 Japan Society members, seniors & students EXCEPT screening of You Can Succeed, Too + Opening Night Party: $15/$12 Japan Society members, seniors & students

This spring, Japan Society celebrates the astonishing yet little-known world of Japanese musical films. The series focuses on the golden age of the “popular song film” starring teen idols and TV stars from the ’50s and ’60s. It also reaches back to prewar singing samurai and forward to twenty-first century genre mashups—10 songful cinema gems all on 35mm! Musical performance in these films incorporates Japanese musical tradition as well as the utopian space of the Hollywood musical to create a rich commentary on the intimate and unequal relation between Japan and the U.S. This series is guest curated by Michael Raine, Assistant Professor of Film Studies at Western University, Canada.

For the complete story, click here.

Mar 26

Job: Speed Reporter – Brightwire (Multiple Locations)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Speed Reporter – Brightwire (Multiple Locations)

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: Speed Reporter
Posted by: Brightwire
Location: Hong Kong, New York, Seoul, Tokyo
Contract: Full-Time

Brightwire is an innovative and fast-growing financial news, data and technology company. Our clients are the leading investment firms, banks and global institutions. Our Editorial team publishes exclusive and informative news, and our Data and Engineering teams develop next-generation technology that powers our editorial process and provides our clients a superior financial news and information platform. Our mission is to inform the financial and economic world.  We are headquartered in New York City and have offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul.

Role Description: 

• Speed Reporters are fast and efficient reporters who are the first to report the latest breaking news to our subscribers. 
• They have a deep understanding of how events and information will impact a company’s financial performance and are exceptional reporters. 
• Speed Reporters focus on finding and reporting the information that will help inform our subscribers’ investment research and decisions. They dig deep for information and are always looking for innovative approaches to uncover new and important information. They work in a high-speed team environment with many simultaneous demands on their time and attention. 
• Speed Reporters pick up and advance stories from other media sources, develop new stories from original public sources, such as regulatory filings, social networks, industry databases and press releases, and conduct interviews with industry experts and company insiders for deeper insights. 
• This role is key to our firm’s success and is a primary driver in achieving our firmwide goals and advancing Brightwire’s mission.

Read More

Mar 26

Job: Program Assistant/Office Manager – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, DC)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Assistant/Office Manager – The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (Washington, DC)

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 Assistant/Office Manager
Posted by: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
Location: Washington, DC
Contract: Full-Time

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, a non-profit that promotes understanding and cooperation between the United States and Asia, seeks a full-time program assistant/office manager for its Washington, D.C. office. The program assistant/office manager will have responsibilities in four areas: office operations, website management/outreach, program/executive support, and support for the Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program.

Responsibilities

• Office Operations
  • Maintain office equipment and supplies
  • Manage vendor relationships
  • Oversee all aspects of IT systems (including hardware, software, and basic support for Foundation staff)
  • Oversee D.C. office finances and serve as liaison with Montana-based financial director
• Website Management/Outreach
  • Update and maintain Foundation website (using WordPress)
  • Manage website upgrades
  • Use iContact to distribute Foundation newsletter, announcements, and invitations
  • Update and manage office database
• Program/Executive Support
  • Provide administrative support for Foundation exchanges and dialogues, including scheduling, logistics, travel arrangements, and program promotion
  • Assist President and Vice President with administrative tasks, scheduling, and outreach activities
• Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program
  • Assist Associate Director of Programs with day-to-day operations of Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program

Requirements: Competitive candidates will have a degree in Asian Studies, International Relations, or a related field with two or three years of work experience. Japanese language ability strongly preferred. Computer skills and strong written and communication skills are essential. Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. U.S. citizenship or current work visa is required. Position is contingent on continued funding. 

Mar 25

WIT Life #299: Portlandia’s Noodle Monster

Humor, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life, Writers Comments Off on WIT Life #299: Portlandia’s Noodle Monster

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.

Last night IFC’s Portlandia Season 6 finale featured a tsukemen ramen monster taking over the town, with potentially disastrous results.  This monster was brought to life when leftover tsukemen noodles, intended to be just dipped and not soaked, were dunked into their broth due to a lack of refrigerator space.

At a meeting deconstructing what happened, the Mayor (Kyle MacLachlan) recognizes that it’s as if the noodles were “baptized against their will.”  They then realize that the only solution is to dip the noodles again to restore them to their original form, and one proposal is filling a city pool with ramen broth for this purpose.  I found the episode’s overall handling humorous, though the Asian cliches felt a bit hackneyed.  In conjunction with the episode, IFC is offering the chance to win 10 years worth of ramen!

Mar 24

Job: ESOL Instructor – Chinese-American Planning Council (New York, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: ESOL Instructor – Chinese-American Planning Council (New York, USA)

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: ESOL Instructor
Posted by: Chinese-American Planning Council
Location: Queens, NY
Contract: Part-Time, Monday through Thursday, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m

Mar 22

Job: Sports Coordinator – Lighthouse Global (Tokyo, Japan)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Sports Coordinator – Lighthouse Global (Tokyo, Japan)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Sports Coordinator
Posted by: Lighthouse Global 
Location: Jimbocho, Tokyo
Contract: 1 year (renewable)

• Salary: 300 man – 360 man
• Language Requirement: Native English, business Japanese
• Contact: Sawada at Lighthouse Global at sawada@lighthouse-gl.com

Mar 22

Job: Program Administrator – Bucknell University (Pennsylvania, USA)

Jobs Comments Off on Job: Program Administrator – Bucknell University (Pennsylvania, USA)

Posted by Sydney Sparrow. Click here to join the JETwit Jobs Google Group and receive job listings even sooner by email.

Position: Program Administrator, Associated Kyoto Program
Posted by: Bucknell University
Location: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Contract: Full-Time

Primary Function(s): Coordinates all US based activities of Associated Kyoto Program (AKP) with activities at the Kyoto Center. Provides general administrative support for the Chair of the Board of Directors as well as the Board Members from the 13 consortium institutions. Anticipated start date: May 2016.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Represent AKP at Study Abroad Fairs providing information on program and admission requirements with prospective students, parents, and member institutions
• Manage application, interview, selection, and enrollment process, arrange student travel and obtain visas
• Coordinate Faculty Fellow and regular faculty application processes
• Liaise with Faculty Fellows regarding housing, visas, travel and stipends, and with Doshisha University International Center about Fellows
• Communicate extensively with Japanese program staff in Japanese and English
• Process all financial requests and disbursements, including international money transfers and compile financial reports for Board of Directors, annual audit, and tax filings
• Coordinate activities with the member colleges, Kyoto Center, and Agent College Comptroller
• Update publicity materials, applications, and handbooks, and maintain the AKP website including alumni database, application, and student evaluations
• Travel to Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings (July, October, March) and occasionally to Kyoto, Japan
• Supervise student employees and web technician and provide administrative assistance to Chair and Board of Directors
• Develop alumni network and keep alumni records up to date

Read More

Mar 20

WIT Life #298: Sake production and dorayaki creation in film

Events, Film, Translating/Interpreting, Uncategorized, WIT Life, Writers Comments Off on WIT Life #298: Sake production and dorayaki creation in film

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.

This weekend I had the chance to see two fabulous Japanese films being screened here in the city, one documentary and one fiction.  The former is The Birth of Sake being shown at IFC, and the latter is Sweet Bean playing at Lincoln Plaza Cinema, both through this Thursday, March 24th.

The Birth of Sake, directed by Erik Shirai who was on hand for a post-screening Q&A, has already won awards at Tribeca and other notable film festivals.  I had heard of it in passing a few years back when the Kickstarter campaign raising money for the film took place, and the result is a sneak peek inside the normally cloistered world of sake creation.  The film takes an in-depth look at this process carried out by the hard working staff of the 144-year old Tedorigawa Brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture.  Their business is unique in that everything is done by hand, whereas the majority of modern Japanese breweries are automated.

Tedorigawa’s workers range in age from 20-70, and one requirement of their grueling job is that they must live at the brewery during the sake-producing six months from October until April (and according to Shirai, due to Tedorigawa’s new popularity thanks to his film, this season has been extended to May!).  They are willing to taking time away from their families and home lives to make this sacrifice, and many are veterans of their craft looking to cultivate the next generation of workers.  Not only will this film educate viewers about the sake-making process, but it offers a rare glimpse of the people behind it.  In particular, I loved the scenes humanizing the workers, like when they were splashing each other in the bath, teasing each other while shopping or breaking out into karaoke after a long day of work.

Director Naomi Kawase’s 2015 Sweet Bean (あん or an, sweet red bean paste) is a surprisingly tender film about the creation of an equally treasured aspect of Japanese food/drink culture, dorayaki (どら焼き or red bean pancake).  This dessert is ubiquitous in Japan, from pre-packaged types found in convenience stores to freshly made dorayaki at food stalls.  The film centers on a dorayaki proprietor whose Read More