The e-Japan Journal is the electronic webletter of the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago (CGOJ) and the Japan Information Center (JIC). We hope it proves useful, interesting, and exciting as a window into Japanese culture in the Midwest. As always, your feedback, comments, and suggestions are encouraged and can be sent to our editor, Daniel Drake, at jic@japancc.org.

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Uzuki, the old Japanese name for the month of April, means "hare month." One theory for the origin of this name is that April is the 4th month of the year, and the 4th year in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle is the Year of the Hare.

For many years, the only national holiday in Uzuki was Greenery Day, on April 29. This was the birthday of the late Emperor Showa and continues to be observed based on his great love and appreciation for nature. This holiday is the start of "Golden Week," which includes a cluster of important holidays (May 3 is Constitution Day, May 5 is Children's Day) and is the busiest vacation time in Japan. However, in 2007 Greenery Day moved to May 4, and April 29 was renamed Showa-no-hi, or Showa Day.

Uzuki is also the month when sakura trees begin to bloom throughout most of Japan. This blooming is considered an auspicious time to start new things, including school, which begins on April 1.

In this month's article, we take a look at some non-fiction and art books in the library's collection:

Call# 554019: Haiku Moment
Edited by Bruce Ross, this anthology of contemporary North American Haiku introduces the reader to over three-hundred pages of haiku. The introduction written by Ross gives a brief history of Haiku in the Americas in addition to critical analyses of their beauty and form. The poems allow for beautiful reflection and are prefect for the coming spring season.

Call# 554018: Writing and Enjoying Haiku
After reading and experiencing the beauty of North American Haiku in Haiku Moment, be sure to check out Jane Reichhold's Writing and Enjoying Haiku. Reichhold will teach you the basic form and structure of the haiku and illustrate the techniques for effectively crafting this Japanese art form. Any lover of poetry or Japanese art should pick up this book and learn how to improve their expression. The book is useful for all levels of knowledge and experience.

Call# 510089: Japanese Celebrations: Cherry Blossoms, Lanterns, and Stars!
Betty Reynolds, author and illustrator of the book, hopes to teach children around the world about the culture and customs of Japan. This hardback children's book has colorful illustrations on every page and covers every major Japanese holiday and festival. She explains through word and picture the food, clothing, and customs of each holiday. Anyone interested in an introduction to Japanese festivals or hoping to share Japanese culture with children should check out Reynolds' book. She even includes a pronunciation guide in the back, which serves as a nice introduction to the Japanese language.

Calll# 141044: Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook
Mark Robinson's Izakaya cookbook goes beyond a simple "Betty Crocker" approach to cooking. He teams up with photographer Masashi Kuma to deliver a comprehensive cultural cookbook that introduces izakaya culture and flavor alongside 60 detailed recipes. There is also a glossary covering all of the Japanese ingredients used as well as a language guide for visiting an izakaya. Be sure to check out this book before leaving on your trip to Japan. Anyone looking to explore "Japan's friendliest dining experience" should check out this book.

Call# 130051: Photography in Japan: 1853-1912
This large, hardback book includes stunning pictures of Meiji Era Japan and detailed accounts of the photographs and photographers. Author Terry Bennett is a British writer who has been collecting and researching nineteenth century Japanese, Chinese, and Korean photography for twenty-five years. His aim in the book is to chronicle the development of early photography in Japan and identify the major players and their contributions. The book is intended for students of photography but can easily be enjoyed by those curious about Japan in the 19th Century.

What's New in the Library is a monthly feature by esteemed JIC librarian Bianca Jarvis. Stop by the JIC anytime to ask for book recommendations!

For our April haiku, Sunny Eimer of Decatur Classical School welcomes the dawn of spring with enthusiasm, conveyed by the accelerating movement of each line which culminates in the onomatopoeic "cheer, cheer, cheer!"

I hear the wind blow
I see a rushing river
It's Spring cheer, cheer, cheer!

After the March 11th disaster, the people of Japan set to the hard work of recovery. The reconstruction effort has been an around-the-clock, tireless enterprise, with people of every stripe, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, from student to retiree, chef to policewoman to doctor, mobilizing to bring their country forward. Their work is courageous and diligent, and the stories inspiring, so we have collected eight of these human stories on the Consulate's website. Click through to read eight human stories after the disaster.

To provide American students of Japanese descent with the chance to learn about Japanese culture, as well as to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the Japanese diaspora, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites Japanese American high school students to apply for the opportunity to visit Japan on a two-week program, including a homestay and a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Important: the deadline for applications is April 24!

For more information, including the application forms, please visit this website:
http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/about/news/jasinviteprogram2012.html

Last year, Virginian Taylor Anderson and Alaskan Montgomery Dickson both lost their lives during the Great East Japan Earthquake while teaching English in Japan as part of the JET Program. In their honor, the Japan Foundation and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) are sending around 30 American high school students to Japan every year until 2015 for an intensive, 2-week language training and cultural exchange trip.

The program, which was inaugurated last summer, is open to 11th and 12th grade students from across the United States who are studying Japanese and have taken the National Japanese Exam. More information, including all eligibility requirements and application materials, can be found below:
http://www.jflalc.org/jle-12-jet-mip.html

The Japan Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes international cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. Operating on income from an endowment and subsidies contributed by the Japanese government and private circles, the Foundation sponsors grant programs related to Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese-Language Education, and Japanese Studies.

Regarding the Japanese-Language Education grants, the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles has several grant programs to support K-16 education across the United States. For our purposes today, there are two programs with approaching deadlines. The first, a grant program for Japanese language courses is designed to support schools looking either to start a Japanese program, or maintain one that is coming under threat due to budgetary cuts. The grant can provide for an instructor's salary for up to two years. The application deadline for this program is May 2nd. Click here for more information, including application forms and procedures.

The other program is a Japanese language education grant that provides funds for Japanese language education organizations to hold professional development projects for Japanese language education instructors. This grant is available year-round, but applications must be received two months prior to the project start date. Click here for more details and application forms.

Finally, visit the Japan Foundation Los Angeles' Japanese Language Grant page for a look at all of the grant opportunities available year-round.

As you may have read before, 2012 marks the centennial of Japan's gift of thousands of cherry trees to the United States. In March of 1912, the city of Tokyo gave three thousand sakura to the city of Washington DC, where they rest still today, lining the Potomac River and annually blossoming in an explosion of pinks and reds. Since that initial gift, it has become something of a tradition and a mark of enduring friendship for Japanese cities to send these beautiful trees to their American friends.

As we have mentioned in these pages, to honor this tradition, and in recognition of the significance of the anniversary, this year the people of Japan sent hundreds more cherry trees to cities across the United States. And, with the dawn of spring, the ground has finally warmed up enough to plant the trees. So, in Midwestern parks and gardens, from Indiana to Kansas, from Illinois to Minnesota, there will be ceremonies to accompany the tree plantings!

To kick off the season, this past March 25, the Chicago Botanic Garden hosted a planting ceremony with Consul General OKAMURA Yoshifumi, followed by a koto concert. The sights can be seen on this clip from ABC Chicago News, or they can be experienced at one of the eight upcoming planting ceremonies in the Midwest. Naturally, each ceremony will be different, but Consul General OKAMURA or his representative will attend all of them, and so will dozens of beautiful sakura saplings. Listed below are the next three ceremonies, in April, and we will keep you up to date about future plantings in future issues. Happy Spring!

Date Location More Information Sunday, April 22 1:00 - 2:30 PM Missouri Botanical Garden 4344 Shaw Boulevard Saint Louis, MO 63110 Centennial Celebration of the Gift of Trees: St. Louis Friday, April 27 11:00 AM - Noon Lauritzen Gardens Omaha, NE 68108 (Map and Directions) Lauritzen Gardens Saturday, April 28 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM White River State Park 801 West Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 White River State Park Japan America Society of Indiana

April 27-29: Anime Central

It's the 15th Annual Anime Central Convention! Typically pulling in somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 attendees, ACEN is a sugar rush of anime, Japanese pop music, and more, all over three very tightly scheduled days. Check the website below for the schedule of events, guest appearances, and registration information. And once you're there, keep your eye out for the Consulate's humble booth, where we will have an exhibit of photography illustrating the reconstruction effort in Japan, information about Japanese culture, and information about the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program! Date Friday, April 27 - Sunday, April 29 Place Hyatt Regency O’Hare and Donald E. Stephens Convention Center 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue Rosemont, IL 60018 (Map) Info ACEN Website

Highlighted Cultural Events

Following are some of the upcoming events taking place in our 10-state jurisdiction.

April 5: The Japanese Renaissance: A Lecture at the Art Instiute of Chicago

As power in Japan centralized, and the many warring regions united under Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, there was a concurrent revolution in cultural tastes. The Edo Era, as it's often known, saw the beginnings of Modern Japan, and with it, the refinement and standardization of many Japanese art forms. Art collectors Robert and Betsy Feinberg have a significant collection of paintings from this period, and Robert Feinberg will be on hand at the Art Institute of Chicago on April 5 to discuss this great shift in Japanese art, using stunning pieces from his collection. Date Thursday, April 5, 6:00 - 7:00 PM Tani Buncho's Grasses and Moon from the Feinberg Collection Place The Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60603 (Map & Directions) Info Japanese Renaissance: The Changing Aesthetics of Edo-Period Paintings at the Art Institute's Website

Through April 7: Kabuki Lady Macbeth at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois professor emeritus and internationally acclaimed director Shozo Sato (who also founded UIUC's Japan House) brings a kabuki-adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth to the University's Krannert Center. The spooky atmospherics of Macbeth are perfect for the rhythms of kabuki, so get your ticket before this limited engagement sells out! Date Wednesday through Saturday, April 4-7, 7:30 PM Director Tomonari Nishikawa Place Krannert Center for the Performing Arts 500 S. Goodwin Avenue Urbana, Illinois 61801 (Map & Directions) Info Ticket prices vary, visit below for more information: Lady Macbeth: A Kabuki Play

April 7: U of I Urbana-Champaign's Japan House Holds Their Spring Open House

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Japan House will be having its semi-annual open house on April 7. This is a great opportunity to tour the beautiful grounds for free, with gardens designer and builder Jim Bier as your tour guide. Additionally, this year's open house will feature a presentation about kabuki by Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato. And if that isn't enough, the Urbana-Champaign Association of Chado Urasenke Tankokai will be performing tea ceremonies throughout the day! Date Saturday, April 7, 10:00 AM - 4:00PM Kabuki Presentation at 11:00 AM Garden tours at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM Photo Credit: Japan House, UIUC Place Japan House 2000 S. Lincoln Avenue Urbana, IL 61801 (Map & Directions) Info Free and open to the public, no registration required Event Details

April 8: Tatsu Aoki to Perform Live to Accompany his Film Ah Sou Desuka at the Siskel Film Center

Tatsu Aoki has been playing his brand of avant-garde jazz in Chicago for many years, so it's only natural that he receive a showcase at Chicago's premiere independent film theater, the Gene Siskel Film Center. And so it is that on Sunday, April 8, Mr. Aoki will be performing live at the Film Center to accompany a screening of his new film, Ah Sou Desuka (Is That So). This is a one-time only event, so don't delay in reserving your seat! Date Sunday, April 8, 5:30PM Place Gene Siskel Film Center‎ 164 North State Street Chicago, IL 60601 (Map & Directions) Info Ticket prices vary, go here for Event Details

April 14: Heart of America Japan-America Society Sakura Viewing and Picnic

Kansas City's Jacob J. Loose Park is, at 75 acres, one of the biggest parks in the city, and the only one to feature a Japanese-style tea room. More importantly, as we finally welcome spring, Loose Park also has a copse of sakura trees, perfect for the annual tradition of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. If you live in the Kansas City area, join your fellow Japan-fans on Saturday, April 14 for an afternoon picnic and hanami hosted by the Heart of America Japan America Society. And bring something to eat! Date Saturday, April 14, 1:00 - 3:00PM Sakura at the Tokyo Imperial Palace Place Jacob L. Loose Park‎ 5200 Pennsylvania Avenue Kansas City, MO 64112 (Map) Info Park admission is free, visit the Heart of America Japan America Society's website for more information

April 15: Gene Siskel Film Center to Screen Documentary about Ukelele Virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro

On Sunday, April 15, the Center for Asian American Media and the Gene Siskel Film Center will be showing a documentary about ukelele master Jake Shimabukuro. Now 35, Mr. Shimabukuro has been playing ukelele for 31 years. His long and adventurous career has included shows around the world, concerts with Bette Midler and Jimmy Buffett, a spot on The Late Show with Conan O’Brien, and, of course, hours and hours of breezy, beautiful ukelele music. Date Sunday, April 15, 5:30PM Place Gene Siskel Film Center‎ 164 North State Street Chicago, IL 60601 (Map & Directions) Info Ticket prices vary, go here for more information on the screening

April 17: Japanese Translator and Poet Arthur Binard to Lecture at University of Chicago

Michigan native Arthur Binard has lived in Japan for more than twenty years, first as an English teacher and student of Japanese, and then (and now) as a full-time, award-winning poet, writing in both English and Japanese. On Tuesday, April 17 he will be at the University of Chicago's Walker Museum to give a lecture on translation and Japanese poetry. Date Tuesday, April 17, 5:00 - 6:00PM Place Walker Museum 1115 E. 58th St. Chicago, IL 60637 (Map) Info Event Details

April 22: Chicago Tribute to Nikkei Veterans of World War II

On Sunday, April 22, Chicago will thank its many Nikkei, or Japanese-American, soldiers for their service in the Second World War. The afternoon event will be a tribute to the veterans and the many sacrifices they made. Veterans and their families are also invited to submit photographs for a commemorative book. Please visit the below website for more information. Light refreshments will be served. Date Sunday, April 22, 12:30 PM Place International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 2260 South Grove Street Chicago, Illinois 60616 (Map) Info Event Details

April 21-22: Sogetsu Study Group of Kansas City Present the 30th Annual Exhibition of Japanese Ikebana

From Saturday to Sunday, April 21 to 22, the Sogetsu Study Group of Kansas City (part of the international Sogetsu School of ikebana flower arrangement) and Ikebana International members will present their Thirtieth Annual Exhibition of Japanese Flower Arrangements in the Garden Center at Kansas City's Loose Park. This two-day exhibition is a perfect opportunity to learn about the precise, delicate art of flower arrangement. Date Saturday, April 21 - Sunday, April 22, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Place The Garden Center at Loose Park 5200 Pennsylvania/Wornall Kansas City, MO 64112 (Map) Info Go here to learn more about the Sogetsu School Click here for more about Loose Park in Kansas City

Economic News

Monthly Economic Report (March, 2012) http://www5.cao.go.jp/keizai3/getsurei-e/2012mar.html

Political News

Minister Gemba's Speech at a Reception in Commemoration of the Great East Japan Earthquake http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm/gemba/speech_120312.html Foreign Policy Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba to the 180th Session of the Diet http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm/gemba/speech_120124.html TV Commercials Transmitting the Attractions of Japan and Tohoku to the World http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2012/3/0308_02.html

Fun Features

Last Month in Japan

Here are three new questions about current events in Japan. The first person to answer the most questions correctly will receive a bit of Consular merchandise. Which member(s) of Japanese female idol group AKB48 recently quit the band? What historic ceremony occurs this year that is a symbol of the strong friendship between Japan and the United States? The Tokyo Marathon is a major international race that attracts runners from around the world. Why was this year’s race on February 26, 2012 particularly important for Japanese runners? To submit your answers by email, click here: jic@japancc.org and write "Japan News Quiz" in the subject line. Answers to March's Quiz: Congratulations to J. Harvey! What barrier did Natalie Nakase break? She is the first female coach in the history of men's professional basketball in Japan. Why might you soon be able to smell like the Tokyo Sky Tree? The Sky Tree just launched a perfume brand. What movie had a strong 8th-place box office opening over President's Day weekend?The Secret World of Arrietty, the lastest film from Studio Ghibli. To submit your answers by email, click here: jic@japancc.org and write "Japan News Quiz" in the subject line.

Website Highlight

Sakura Forecast Follow the wave of blossoming sakura across the Japanese islands with all the attentiveness normally paid to weather reports. This handy site helps you plot your trip to Japan with maximum sakura-viewing efficiency!

Editor's Note

I hope everyone's April has dawned with flowers. We may not have nearly as many sakura to enjoy in the Midwest as they do in Japan, but we've been planting quite a few to make up for the difference! Spring is probably the best season to visit Japan, as the weather is temperate, the mamy flowers are in heady bloom, and the rainy season is still just a rumbling around the far side of May. So if you're looking for somewhere to go these next two months... Daniel Drake, Editor

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Official website for Consulate General of Japan at Chicago www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp