WIT Life #55: 侍への憧れ
Anecdote Article, Japan Trends, Reviews, Translating/Interpreting, WIT Life 
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Translator/Interpreter/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together w
ith her own observations.
Last night I attended the North American premiere of Goemon, a movie portraying this titular folk hero who was known as the Robin Hood of Japan. It takes place during the Warring States period, and some prominent historical figures who appear are Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is interesting to see Eguchi Yosuke, usually seen in lighter fare such as dramas, as the title character of legendary ninja bandit Ishikawa Goemon. Hirosue Ryoko, another drama veteran, is featured in the role of Princess Chacha whom Goemon spent his early years protecting. The movie’s plot is almost entirely fictional, and displays many dazzling special effects in a CGI-enhanced fantasy setting. The director, Kiriya Kazuaki, hails from my JET hometown of Kumamoto and is the former husband of Utada Hikaru.
During the course of the film, Goemon’s attendant talks of his aspirations to become a samurai and steadily working his way up to achieve this recognition. As the title of this post (samurai e no agokare or “longing for samurai“) suggests, the appeal of samurai has not been lost in this modern day and age. Recently various media have been Read More
JETAA Chapter Beat 11.5.09
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Freelance writer/editor Jonathan Trace (Fukuoka-ken, 2005-08) takes us on a walk around the JET Alumni community for another edition of JETAA Chapter Beat.
- J-Kaiwa – Friday, November 6th, 7:00 at Hawthorne Lucky Lab. Practice your Japanese and spend the night out with friends at this month’s J-Kaiwa. A nijikai at Hollywood bowl will follow the event for any interested.
- Career Panel 2009 – Thursday, November 12th, 7:00 to 9:30 at Portland State University, Smith Hall room 296. Make contacts, explore the possibility of continuing education and start your job search off right with the folks at JETAA Portland.
- First Ever Eugene Subchapter Event – Saturday, November 14th, 1:00 at Toshi’s Ramen. Newly forming Eugene Subchapter is having its first event over a bowl of ramen. Don’t miss it.
- Volunteer at the JRA Food Festival – Sunday, November 15th, 9:00 to 5:00 at the Kyoto Grand Hotel in Little Tokyo. The Japanese Restaurant Association is holding its annual Food Festival and is looking for volunteers to help out selling tickets, checking ID and serving food among other duties. Help out and share in the fun.
- Nihongo Dake Dinner – Saturday, November 21st, 6:00 in Cerritos. Eat, drink and brush up on your Japanese with the return of the JETAASC Nihongo Dake Dinner.
- Japanese School in Perth’s Bunkasai – Saturday, November 7th, 9:30 A.M. at the Japanese School in Perth. JETAAWA will have a booth selling gyoza and drinks, so drop on by and share in a celebration of Japanese culture.
- Kaiwa – Thursday, November 5th and 19th, 5:30 at 43 Below. Practice your Japanese with old friends and some tasty snacks.
- Asia Society Texas Center Young Professionals Mixer – Thursday, November 12th, 5:30 at Arturo’s Uptown Italiano. JET Alumni have been invited to this month’s mixer. Make contacts, see old friends and enjoy a night out with JETAA Texoma.
- Happy Hour – Tuesday, November 10th, 5:00 to 8:00 at Momo’s Sports Bar. Come on out and relax with the JETAADC gang after a long day.
- Orlando Japan Festival – Sunday, November 8th, 12:00 in Hunters Creek Village. Share in the festivities with JETAA Florida and experience this exciting event. Karaoke to follow if enough people are interested.
- Tampa Subchapter Tsudoi – Friday, November 6th, 7:00 at Panera Bread in the Brandon Mall. The Tampa Subchapter will be hosting their monthly Tsudoi, an informal time for anyone interested in Japanese and Japanese culture.
- Happy Hour – Friday, November 6th, 6:00 at Wann Izakaya. Relax after a long week of work with the gang at PNWJETAA.
What happened at your chapter’s event? If you attend(ed) any of these exciting events, JetWit would love to hear about them. Just email Jonathan Trace with any info, stories or comments.
Japan America Society Roundup 11.5.09
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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…
Iaido: An Exhibition of Sword Arts Presented by Sword Masters from Fukuoka — The Japan-America Society of Mississippi will host five Sword Masters from Fukuoka, Japan, in three separate performances of martial arts, Japanese dance and performances of Japanese folk songs in Oxford, Fulton and Jackson, Mississippi. The Sword Masters will offer an exhibition of the ancient arts of Iaidō, Jōjutsu, Jūjutsu and Kendō. Master Nawata also will perform a Samurai Kuroda Bushi Buyo (dance). Each event will feature choral performances of traditional Japanese folk songs by local college choral groups. There will be three presentations:
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in Meek Hall on the Ole Miss Oxford Campus.
- Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Itawamba Community College Fulton Campus.
- Friday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Ford Center for the Performing Arts at Millsaps College in Jackson.
- For more information: http://www.jasmis-us.com/events.html#Iaidou
- Japanese Holiday Card Workshop — Celebrate the holiday season by designing one-of-a-kind Japanese cards. During this workshop, you will learn to combine basic calligraphy brush strokes with Sumie techniques to create your own holiday- inspired designs. All levels are welcome.
- Date: Friday, Nov. 13
- Time: Session 1 is from 2 to 4 p.m. Session 2 is from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Place: Japan America Society of Chicago, 20 N. Clark St., Suite 750, Chicago
- For more information: http://www.jaschicago.org/en/events/default.aspx?eventid=105
Kodo: An Evening of Incense Appreciation — Mr. Masataka Hata, president of the Shoyeido Incense company of Kyoto will present an evening dedicated to the lore of traditional Japanese incense appreciation. Engage in the classic incense game of kumiko or genji–ko, a favorite pastime of courtiers, as depicted in The Tale of Genji. Participants also can create their own fragrance to take home in an incense sachet. Register here.
- Date: Friday, Nov. 20
- Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Showa Boston Institute, 420 Pond St., Boston
- 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.
Job: In-house Translator/Checker (IT related) (Ishikawa-ken)
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Post from JET alum Dipika Soni (Ishikawa-ken 2003-06), currently working for PFU Limited (Fujitsu).
Position available for an in-house translator at PFU Limited (Fujitsu), Kahoku City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Duties include:
– Translation of computer/software manuals (Japanese to English)
– Checking/Proof-reading translated manuals
Requirements:
– Must be a Native English speaker with the ability to read Japanese
– Familiar with Word, Excel
– IT knowledge/experience of working in IT industry
Working hours are Mon-Fri, 8:30-17:15.
Initial contract is for 3 months, but this is essentially a long-term position.
If you would like more information please contact PFU Career Evolution (details can be found on the following website http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/pce/), or send me an email at dipikasoni18 [/at/] gmail [/dot/] com.
Cheers!
Bankruptcy Bill cartoon profiled on major bankruptcy law blog
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Thought I’d share this recent profile about the Bankruptcy Bill cartoons written by South Carolina bankruptcy attorney Russell A. DeMott for the Bankruptcy Law Network, the top consumer bankruptcy law blog.
Job: Japanese Substitute Teacher (Fairfax, VA)
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This just in from Marc Hitzig (Niigata-ken, 1992-95) who works for the Japan America Society of Washington, D.C. If you are interested or know anyone interested, please contact Nichole directly.
My name is Nichole Mayfield Tsuruta and I am the Japanese teacher at South County Secondary School in Fairfax County. I am expecting a baby and looking for a long-term substitute teacher to begin in January. This would be a five-month, full-time teacher position from mid-January until June 2010. If you know of possible candidates, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please send a resume in English to me or the World Languages department chair, Ms. Catriona Wardlaw. (Catriona.Wardlaw@ fcps.edu (703)446-1961) We are looking for Japanese-speakers (native or non-native) who like working with middle and high school students. Thank you.
Nichole Mayfield Tsuruta
South County Secondary School
Japanese Language Teacher
(703)446-1950
Nichole.Tsuruta@fcps.edu
Japan Society (NY) Weekly eNewsletter Nov 2-8
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JET alum Leanna Cooper seeks help placing Japanese interns with US companies
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Greetings fellow JET Alumni! I’m reaching out to my fellow JET alumni network today to ask your assistance.
Upon my return to the U.S. I began working for a cultural exchange organization called Intrax. Headquartered in San Francisco, my company specializes in cross-cultural education through work-based initiatives such as internship and training programs. Specifically, these programs are geared for Japanese university graduates and young professionals seeking to gain international business experience through internships. I coordinate this effort through our office in Tokyo and ensure that each participant has qualifying educational background, professional experience, and motivation for joining the program.
I’d like to ask the JET community for support in getting the word out to potential U.S.-based companies who might like to get involved by hosting an intern. There is no cost involved to join the program and my company handles all the sponsorship fees and paperwork.
Please contact me directly for more information at lcooper@intraxinc.com or 415-434-5669
Arigatou gozaimasu!
Leanna Cooper (Aichi-ken, 2003-06)
www.intraxinc.com
“Big in Japan: A Ghost Story” Now Available from Chin Music Press
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*****
Chin Music Press, the Seattle-based publisher owned and run by Bruce Rutledge (MEF Program Chiba-ken, 1985-87) has just released its newest title, Big in Japan: A Ghost Story.
The debut novel from Hawaii-based author M. Thomas Gammarino is a deadly funny story of haunted progressive rock composer Brain Tedesco. The book has already received rave reviews; PF Kluge says it’s “seductive and devastating” and Ron Currie Jr. calls Brain “the perfect hero for the Age of Anxiety.”
Here’s the blurb from Big in Japan’s cover:
While playing to lackluster crowds in their hometown of Philadelphia, progressive rock band Agenbite clings to the comforting half-truth that they’re doing better in Japan. When their manager agrees to send them on a shoestring tour of that country, however, they’re swiftly forced to give up their illusions and return Stateside.
All but one of them, that is.
Brain Tedesco, the band’s variously haunted chief composer, has fallen in love with a part-time sex worker—the first woman ever to have touched him—and his illusions have only just begun. What ensues is a Dantesque coming-of-age tale in which Brain must navigate the borderlands between fantasy and reality, past and present, sex and death—even as forces beyond his control conspire to undo him.
By turns compassionate and ruthless, erotic and grotesque, riotously serious and deadly funny, Big in Japan: A Ghost Story is a sparkling, gut-wrenching, face-melting debut novel.
Big in Japan is designed by JET alum Joshua Powell (Saitama-ken 2005-07). The book is available through the Chin Music Press website with promotional free shipping to the U.S. and Canada or at major booksellers.
For book reviews and more information, visit Big in Japan’s website. Check out previous JetWit posts about Bruce Rutledge and Chin Music Press here.
J-News Mini-Roundup: Economic Recovery: The Strong Points of the Japanese Economy
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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.
Background: The economic news this morning had some light poking through the dark clouds. With the positive GDP growth reported in the U.S. economic news seems to be taking a turn for the better. Investment banks are reporting profits instead of dismal losses, housing sales have gone up instead of down, and “economic recovery” seems to be a phrase that is at least being talked about.
In Japan vs. the U.S., signs of economic recovery differ. Although GDP is important, there are many other factors that drive growth in Japan. Each newspaper reported a different positive economic phenomenon in Japan.
Nikkei: “Steel Exports for September went up for…”
Click here for the rest of the article, including other Japanese language and culture articles
JET alum Liz Sheffield interviews “American Fuji” author Sara Backer
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Writers and blogger Liz Sheffield (Hokkaio-ken, Sapporo-shi, 1993-95) has a great post on her blog Motherlogue about a new book out titled America Fuji by Sara Backer along with a separate post in which she interviews Backer.
A few weeks ago I finished reading American Fuji by Sara Backer. From the moment I saw this book on the shelf of my local, independent bookstore, I knew I had to read it. It’s about an American woman, Gaby Stanton, who is living in Shizuoka, Japan and teaching university-level English…that is until she gets fired and begins working for a fantasy funeral company, Gone With the Wind. Stanton meets Alex Thorn, a father who comes to Japan to answer questions about his son’s death while he was a student at the university where Gaby was employed. Gaby and Alex are just two of the wonderful, creative cast of characters that Backer weaves into this compelling story.
- Read the rest of Liz Sheffield’s post on the book “American Fuji.”
- Read Liz’s interview with “American Fuji” author Sara Backer.
- Read Liz’s interview with fellow JET alum Suzanne Kamata about Suzanne’s book Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering.
- Follow Liz’s blog here: http://motherlogue.wordpress.com
Liz has also written the following essays:
- Co-Sleeping Quandary, Seattle Woman (February 2009)
- Dinner Table, The Sun (Readers Write, March 2009)
- What Is The Kanji For Brother, Honorary Mention, JET Essay Contest (August 2009) Note: essay is on page 182
- Harmony at Home, Wilmington Parent (August 2009)
- Stage Fright, YOUMaga (September 2009)
and short fiction:
- Broken Mug, Literary Mama (May 2008)
Kirsten’s World: Azquita Pa’l Cafe
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By Kirsten Phillips (Niigata-ken, 2005-08) who is currently a teacher in the NYC Teaching Fellows Program.
I have an ESL kid! WHEEE!
I am way too happy about that!
I became fast friends with the ESL teacher at my school, Amercy. And she is. I love her first name. It’s eloquent! Once upon a time she worked as a push-in for my class but no longer. I was sad to see her go. However now she is coming back because someone gave me Jesus!
Though a majority of my native-speaking students need major assistance with English reading, writing and most importantly, EXPRESSION, this kid is mandated. His former classroom was taught by a Spanish-speaking teacher and his classmates were all bilingual.
But mami wants her baby to start speaking English.
He’s a good boy. Let’s call him Jesus. Jesus is half Puerto Rican and half Dominican. For the most part he sticks with my native-tongued Paras in the kitchen. Sitting him down for instruction in English is understandably a slow process. It’s scary being the kid who doesn’t quite catch everything. He’s a smart boy, though, and damn have I missed teaching ESL.
I don’t get much one-on-one time with my new kid and I always try to corner away just a little for everyone when they first come in. Plus, there’s no way I’m letting Graciela mommy him. He’s in my class because his parents want him in an all-inclusive English environment. It’s been a while since I’ve forced English on innocent kids who need it. Read More
JapanInfo e-Newsletter October 2009
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The October 2009 edition of JapanInfo is now available online. JapanInfo is published by the Consulate General of Japan in New York/Japan Information Center and is a great source of info for Japan-related things going on in New York and the surrounding area.
Shannan, Stacy, Liz & Steven at the Welcome Back Reception
Highlights include:
- Welcome Back for Former JET Program Participants
- Ambassador Nishimiya Visits Philladelphia
- “Art of the Samurai” Opens at the Met
- From the Ambassador’s Desk
- And plenty of things to do and see on the Events Calendar.
Read below for the write-up of the Welcome Back Reception.
BAPCPA Man #13: Halloween and Bankruptcy
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BAPCPA Man and Bankruptcy Bill are cartoons created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall. For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.
Do you work in bankruptcy or restructuring? Now you can join the JET Alumni Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group on LinkedIn.
(Click here to see larger version of the cartoon.)
Additionally, if anyone would like to take a stab at translating the cartoon into Japanese for JetWit’s Japanese fans out there, feel free to post in the comments section of this post. Some cultural explanation might be helpful as well, given that Japanese bankruptcy laws are very different than the U.S.
Job: Temp Staff needed in JET Programme Office (DC)
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Via JETAADC:
The JET Program Office is gearing up for application season. Applications for the 2009 JET Program have already begun to trickle in and we anticipate another busy winter with thousands more to follow! We need YOU to help process these applications with us! Do you have some extra time on your hands? Come help the JET Office!
Work Term: November 12 through mid-January 2010.
Hours: 9:30am to 5:00pm, with lunch from 1:00-1:30pm.
Pay: $70/day
Requirements: You must be ineligible to apply to the JET Program.
We are seeking enthusiastic, professional, and quick learners with strong organizational skills. You also must be ok sitting for long periods of time and doing repetitive work. Even if you can only work the morning shift or the afternoon shift, we might be able to use your help; of course, individuals who can help full days, Monday-Friday are especially needed! Read More
