Study in Japan: Keio University Graduate School of Media Design Information Session
Academic, Career, Graduate School 
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Thanks to JETAA NY Webmaster Lee-Sean Huang for passing this on:
Hikaru Utada Comes Back to NYC
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On February 8, a sold out crowd of dedicated fans, some of whom began lining up as early as 2 a.m., packed the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza for J-pop royalty as Hikaru Utada held court for a two-hour show.
While the venue imposed a strict no-camera policy, JETAANY’s JQ Magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (Kobe-shi CIR, 2001-02) was there to sneak a few snaps, and a review of the show will appear in the March issue of JQ.
Otsukaresama to the New York-born Hikki on a successful U.S. tour and homecoming!
Tom Baker’s Interview with a Samurai Rabbit
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Tom Baker (Chiba-ken, 1989-91) is now as a staff writer for The Daily Yomiuri. We will be regularly featuring his work. Here is his latest, an interview with the Hawaiian Stan Sakai, creator of the comic Usagi Yojimbo.
The Art of Usagi Yojimbo
“There was the old movie theater down the street from where I lived that showed the old samurai movies, those chambara movies, every Saturday. I’d go to see the old Toshiro Mifune movies. Get-in-for-a-quarter, stay-all-day type of thing,” Stan Sakai, 56, said, recalling his childhood in Hawaii.
Sakai grew up to become a comic-book artist, and in 1984, he launched a samurai epic of his own. Its main character is a wandering ronin with dazzling sword skills, a fierce sense of honor and a network of friends and enemies across Japan. Miyamoto Usagi is one formidable rabbit.
A fluffy bunny wielding a katana sword may sound silly, but Sakai makes it work. His ongoing Usagi Yojimbo series is filled with drama, pathos and well-developed characters. There are also abundant allusions to Japanese culture. The most obvious of these is that Usagi’s long ears are tied together to form a chonmage samurai hairstyle, but others are more subtle, such as a gourd flask that resembles mangaka Osamu Tezuka’s signature Hyotan-Tsugi character.
In Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai (Dark Horse, 63 pp, 14.95 dollars), a full-color hardback graphic novel released in November to mark the character’s 25th anniversary last year, Usagi confronts a grotesque army of Japanese supernatural beings.
“I love the old ghost stories about Japan. That was fun to research,” Sakai told The Daily Yomiuri by phone from California, where he lives. “For a country that’s so small, there’s so much [in the way of] ghosts and goblins and monsters around. The folklore of Japan is so rich. And not only the really horrific stuff, but also the really goofy stuff. It’s fun to draw.”
To read the full story, click here.
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (February 2010)
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The February 2010 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- Special Confusion
- Did you know? Moto methodology
- New section: Sake basics – daiginjo
- Sake professional course
- New! Japanese for sake lovers
- New! iPhone app: The Sake Dictionary
- Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
JETAA UK just shot out an email announcing its new website. And it is super-sweet and sexy!
Up-to-date job listings. An easy to find calendar. A “member counter” graphic front and center. And a friend-finder….by prefecture!
And we especially love the link to… ehhh, chotto matte… JetWit.com link ha doko deshou ka?
Well, a minor oversight that we’re sure will soon be remedied. Whoever put the site together (and it looks like a group effort) clearly did their homework and put a lot of good thought into it. So go and have a look around and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
O-tsukare sama deshita, JETAA UK!
Adventures of a Stealth Gaijin: “E is for Elementary School” by Ann Chow
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Adventures of a Stealth Gaijin
By Ann Chow (ALT, Hyogo-ken, 2007-2009), a New York City-based JET alum currently seeking copy editing/proofreading/production editing jobs in news or book publishing. Email jetwit [at] jetwit.com if you would like to get in touch with her.
E is for Elementary School
E is for elementary school.
Elementary school in Japan is for students between the ages of 6-12, and they are easily spotted by the backpacks, called randoseru, that they carry. Sometimes, they wear sailor uniforms. Sometimes, they don’t. My students didn’t.
When I first arrived in Japan, the BoE I worked for told me I would be working at 2 junior high schools and 3 elementary schools. It was pretty standard for the ALTs working in my town, and I had no complaints except that one of my elementary schools was clear across town, 35 minutes or so by bike, and I wasn’t the ALT who lived closest to it.
Sometime in December of my first year there, I was told I would have to visit another elementary school. There was already another ALT who visited, but the teachers wanted extra lessons, so they added me on to the roster. On my first visit to that school, I was running late because I realized the main entrance to the school wasn’t on the main road, but on a back street behind the sports field and a construction site for new housing. It really didn’t help that they were Read More
Job: English Lecturer at Asia Pacific University (Oita)
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via Oitajets yahoo group:
Several part-time English lecturer positions are open for the Spring 2010 semester at Asia Pacific University. Applications must arrive by Feb. 19th. Job begins April 1st.
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 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.
In Japan measures are being taken to address the phenomenon of 畳離れ (tatami banare), or moving away from tatami. Many of us probably saw it when we lived over there, as friends’ houses were largely Western style except for the token 和室 (washitsu), or Japanese style-room. In order to make sure this integral part of the culture does not disappear, a certification has been created for eligible tatami craftsman which gives them the title of “doctor.”
One such craftsman in the prefecture of Tochigi, who estimates that over the last 29 years he has worked on 
more than 120,000 mats, received his certification just last year. He is now called a 「畳ドクター」 (tatami doctor), a designation that he admits he is not quite used to. However, like an MD he Read More
JetWit Blog Beat 2.7.10
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JetWit Blog Beat by Crystal Wong (Iwate-ken, 2002-04) is a recurring item featuring posts from the blogs of various JET alumni. Crystal is a former English-language writer for Kyodo News. She now works in online marketing in New York and relishes her constant hunt for the best cheap(ish) eats in the city.
Hope everyone had an excellent Super Bowl weekend – I’m sure it was a good one for those rooting for the Saints. Without further ado, let’s get to the much belated first Blog Beat round up of 2010!
– In need of a winter pick me up that you can easily whip up in the kitchen with a few staples? Check out Elizabeth White’s (Toyama-ken, 1995-98), delicious Sausage & Tortellini soup recipe, inspired by her grandma Mary.
– After participating in the JETAA Regional Technology Conference, JETAA NY and Jet
Wit webmaster Lee-Sean Huang (Oita-ken, 2003-06) reports from Portland, Oregon on what he calls some of the “best Thai food I’ve ever had outside of Thailand.”
– Check in on Kevin Kajitani (Kyogo-ken, 2006-07) and his experiences with New Year’s traditions in Japan.
– Learn how Robert Weston (Nara-ken, 2002-04) deals with writer’s block and his obscure novel recommendations in his online interview with WriterGirl.
– Snow in Japan is a very different affair than it is in New York, as you can see in enviable fashion on JET alum Toby Weymiller’s blog.
Japan America Society Roundup 2.7.10
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Paper Art Workshop — This one-of-a-kind Paper Art Workshop features the famous Japanese paper cutout artist Shu Kubo, who is well regarded in Japan’s modern art scene with work that has appeared on postage stamps and New Year’s greeting cards in Japan. Participants in this workshop will be provided with tools and materials to produce their own kirié creation.
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 27
- Time: Morning session 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Afternoon session 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Place: Chaya Japanese Cuisine, 2032 Murray Ave., Pittsburgh
- For more information, click here.
- US-Japan Clean Tech Symposium 2010 — The theme of this symposium is “Why Being in Japan and Partnering with Japanese Companies are Essential for Clean Tech.” The event will highlight clean tech opportunities and encourage collaboration between U.S. and Japanese companies through discussion and sharing of strategies and plans.
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 18
- Time: 1 to 5:30 p.m.
- Place: Hotel Nikko 222 Mason Street, San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
- How Carbon Constraints Impact Manufacturing in Kentucky — On Dec. 7, the U.S. EPA declared that GHG (including carbon dioxide and related gases) are a danger to human health and the environment. Because of this finding, the EPA now must regulate GHG under the Clean Air Act. Many industries in Kentucky will be especially vulnerable to changes that will result from this announcement. Learn more about these changes and how businesses can adjust.
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 23
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Place: DoubleTree Guest Suites, Lexington
- For more information, click here.
JAS of the State of Washington
Educator’s Workshop: Teaching About Japan and Japanese-American Experiences — There are many free educational programs about Japan and the Japanese-American Experience provided by non-profit organizations throughout the Puget Sound region. This workshop will raise awareness about these resources, and each organization will discuss what resources are available for teachers to use in the classroom and how these resources can be utilized.
- Date: Friday, March 19
- Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: Davis Wright Tremaine LLP 22nd Floor Conference Room, 1201 Third Ave., Suite 2200, Seattle
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Many JETs and JET alumni find themselves at a crossroads regarding their careers and career options. Nicole D. Mignone (Akita-ken, 1991-1993), a certified life coach, will be periodically posting articles for the benefit of the JET Community. You can read more of her life-related articles at her blog thealchemyofbalance.blogspot.com. She also offers individual life and business coaching. For more information, email Nicole at drmuse@jetwit.com.
Dear Dr. Muse:
Based on the question from N.H. in Long Island [January 30, 2010 Post], we are creating a series of exercises aimed at getting “unstuck” in a job or life. Based on the previous exercise of the Rating System, let’s revisit the eight areas of evaluation:
What three areas have the most priority or importance to you for the next three months? Using the logical, analytical, problem-solving side of the brain you will create an Action Plan. By processing backwards, in your journal, write the steps that it would take to lead you from where you want to be to where you are now. This is like planning a party or event where you have the end in mind. Try to get engrossed in the details because each little step leads you closer to what you want.
Now, looking at your Action Plan details, on a new sheet of paper, and processing backward from the end result, assign a deadline in three months for the first few specific tasks. For instance, in three months time, you wish to move one or two steps forward on the Action Plan. Determine what discrete tasks you need to do each month for the next three months to get there. Then, for this first month, break down the steps into weekly goals. Finally, with this upcoming week, set three tasks to complete toward this week’s goal.
Create an Action Plan for the three areas of the Rating System you determined a priority for the next three months.
Most importantly, spend time each week evaluating your weekly progress and establishing goals for the week ahead, all with your three-month goal in mind. This work-in-progress requires recalibration. Some weeks you may get ahead of your goals, and other weeks you may feel you lag behind. In truth, you continue to make progress, so enjoy the adventure!
Every few months, revisit the Rating System and create new Action Plans. While working on the foundation areas of your life, you allow more creative inspiration and energy to move you out of a place of feeling “stuck.”
Stay tuned for the next Dr. Muse post where I’ll answer other life/career change questions.
Job: Program Manager for Institute for Teaching East Asia & Associate Director of the Confucius Institute (OKLAHOMA)
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The University of Oklahoma seeks a full-time program manager to serve as Director of the Oklahoma Institute for Teaching East Asia (OKITEA) and as Associate Director of the Confucius Institute. This administrative position is based on the OU-Tulsa campus.
OKITEA offers professional development opportunities regarding East Asia to K-12 teachers and administrators and promotes teaching East Asia topics and Chinese language instruction to multiple audiences.
ROLES:
- This individual directs a statewide program to assist K-12 teachers in making East Asia part of their curriculum and helps place visiting Chinese language teachers in Oklahoma schools.
- As Assistant Director of the Confucius Institute, this individual plans and promotes Confucius Institute events and classes, working closing with the director of the Confucius Institute in Norman, OK.
- The OKITEA director is responsible for administration, grant writing, and budgetary oversight for the unit.
- Must be able to read and interpret policy as well as state and federal regulations
- Must be able to supervise staff and communicate directions and expectations effectively
- Must have superior grantsmanship skills.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with culturally diverse groups of teachers, administrators, private foundations, and federal and state agencies.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Applicants must have bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- 18 months experience in grant writing and/or administration
- Preferred candidates will have a degree emphasis in K-12, foreign language education, or East Asia Studies, and a master’s degree is desirable.
- A strong grant-writing record and administrative experience are important
- Proficiency in Chinese language would be helpful, although not required.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants must apply online at https://jobs. ou.edu. Refer to job requisition #08868 for Program Specialist II-Director for OKITEA. The University of Oklahoma is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.
J-News Mini Roundup: Toyota Brake Recall – Japanese Reactions to the Current Crisis
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J-News Mini-Roundup is a recurring feature written by Friend Of JET, Jon Hills, who maintains the blog for Hills Learning (www.hillslearning.com). Hills Learning is a NY-based language learning services company offering customized and personal Japanese and Chinese language learning options.
It all started on a usual family outing in California. It was there that a highway patrolman and his family were driving on the highway, when they realized the accelerator petal was stuck to the floor. After careening through the highway and eventually crashing though a guard rail, the car rolled over a few times and burst into flames.
Toyota has gotten lots of press lately for their recall of cars across America and the so called stuck accelerator problem. Americans have reacted with shock as their top quality car maker has had to recall some of the highest selling models on the American market. But how have the Japanese reacted to this?
Each Japanese newspaper today had a different take on the current crisis at Toyota, its affects on America and the overall financial health of the company.
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Is this the year Japan jumps the shark?
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Here’s the latest SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS column in the Daily Yomiuri by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, this one whether Japan, like Fonzie in the epic sitcom Happy Days, has “jumped the shark.”
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20100122TDY11003.htm
Also, fyi, Roland is now down in Miami for the Super Bowl (his sister works for the NFL!) hanging out with his pal Pete Townsend of The Who which will be providing the halftime entertainment. Here’s the post from Roland’s blog: http://japanamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-bowl-in-south-beach.html
Job: Teach English in Taiwan
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The International Institute, Graduate School is currently accepting applications from certified teachers who are interested in teaching English in Taiwan from August 2010 to July 2011. This program is sponsored by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan.
Taiwan Teacher Exchange Program Benefits:
– monthly salary, health, dental, and labor insurance
– round trip airfare to Taiwan
– dormitory accommodations or a housing allowance
– Chinese language learning opportunities
Deadline for application: March 15, 2010.
For more information on the program, please follow this link to our website: here.
Colin Fink
Program Technician
International Institute
Graduate School
600 Maryland Avenue, SW Suite 320
Washington, DC 20024-2520
Phone: 202-314-3455
Fax: 202-479-6806
E-mail: Colin.Fink@graduate school.edu
