Vol. 7 No. 8 - August 2012 |
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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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- August 8 and 11: Japanese Film Fukushima Hula Girls will Screen as Part of Cinema/Chicago Series
- August 17-19: Kansas City Ethnic Enrichment Festival
- September 1-3: Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden
- New JET Program Participants Have Departed for Japan
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- August 4: Japanese American Service Committee Community Picnic
- August 4: Bon Odori Festival at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights
- August 1, 2, aand 4: Chicago Human Rhythm Project at the Museum of Contemporary Art
- August 5 Bon Odori in Indianapolis with the Japan America Society of Indiana
- August 10-12: Ginza Festival at the Midwest Buddhist Temple
- August 18-19: Malott Japanese Garden Summer Events in Chicago
- August 19: Obon Lantern Lighting with the Japan America Society of Minnesota
- August 25: White Sox Game with the Japan America Society of Chicago
- September 10-11: Register Now for the 2012 J-Conference at Des Moines' US Center for Citizen Diplomacy
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- Monthly Economic Report (July, 2012)
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- Foreign Minister's Movies (MOFA Channel)
- G20 Los Cabos Summit Meeting (Summary)
- Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
- Press Conference by the Deputy Press Secretary, 5 July 2012 – Including 11. Question concerning the deployment of Osprey helicopters to Japan by the United States
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- Last Month in Japan
- Website Highlight
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Every year, Cinema/Chicago co-hosts an International Screenings Program with the foreign countries' consulates located in Chicago. This August, as part of the program, the Japanese Consulate and Cinema/Chicago are excited to screen the documentary Fukushima Hula Girls, the story of the post-earthquake reconstruction and recovery of a fifty-six year old Hawaiian-themed resort in Fukushima prefecture.
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Kansas City's Ethnic Enrichment Festival is back this August for its 33rd year. Come join estimated crowds of more than 35,000 people for a weekend of delicious food, arts and crafts, and exciting performances by representatives of more than 55 countries. Of interest to our readers, this includes a taiko drumming performance, a kendo demonstration, and more! The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Alumni Association of Kansas City will also make a presentation about the JET Program.
Friday, August 17, 6:00 - 10:00 PM
Saturday, August 18, Noon - 10:00 PM
Sunday, August 19, Noon - 6:00 PM |
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The festival is located at the Swope Park bandstand,
near the park’s main gate at Meyer and Swope Parkway
(Map & Directions [PDF]) |
Cost: $3 for adults, free for children 12 and under
http://eeckc.org/ |
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The Missouri Botanical Garden's annual Japanese Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. This festival has taken place annually for over 30 years, drawing approximately 40,000 attendees last year alone. It highlights many aspects of Japanese culture such as martial arts, sumo, ikebana and bonsai, and an omikoshi festival shrine with vendors. On top of all the cool stuff to do, see, eat, and hear, the festival venue is Seiwa-en, a Japanese garden within the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the largest-scale Japanese garden in the United States.
Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2, 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday, September 3, 10:00 Am - 5:00 PM |
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Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110
(Map & Directions) |
Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for children 3-12, and $5 for garden members
Missouri Botanical Gardens Japanese Festival |
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 For the 26th straight year, the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago is thrilled to be sending a talented and excited group of Americans off to Japan to teach English. Every year, more than 3000 American, British, Australian, Irish, and South African people (to name just a few of the participating Eglish-speaking countries) travel to Japan under the aegis of the Japanese government, in order to teach English to public school students. This year, the Chicago Consulate bid bon voyage to 103 participants. A hearty good luck to all of them! I know from personal experience that it is a lot of fun!
For more information on the JET Program, please visit our website!
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| Below is a list of many other Japan-related events coming up in the Midwest this May. Please click through to our new Event Calendar for links to information about all of the events listed here, as well as more about future events coming up this summer! |
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Monthly Economic Report (July, 2012)
http://www5.cao.go.jp/keizai3/getsurei-e/2012july.html |
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Foreign Minister's Movies (MOFA Channel)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/hq/fm_corner/movies.html
G20 Los Cabos Summit Meeting (Summary)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/jfpu/2012/07/0713-01.html
Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/meeting1207_pm.html
Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba 12 June 2012 – Including 4. Questions concerning the Deployment of Ospreys in Okinawa
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/6/0612_01.html
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 Hazuki is the old Japanese name for the month of August. It is a shortened form of Haochizuki, which means "leaf-falling month." As with many of the old month names, they make more sense when we consider that, when they were in wide use, Japan was on a lunar calendar.
Although there are no official holidays in Hazuki, arguably the second most important celebration of the year takes place this month: Obon. The Bon Festivals are held to pray for the repose of the souls of ancestors. Deceased family members are believed to revisit the homestead during Bon to be reunited with their family. To guide the souls back, a small bonfire is lit outside the house. This is called the mukae-bi, or welcoming flame. Then, the house is cleaned and fruits and vegetables are offered at family altars. When Bon ends, the spirits are sent off with another bonfire, called okuri-bi. Some regions release small lanterns down rivers or into the sea as part of the okuri-bi ritual. |
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Read the book before you see the movie!
This month, I would like to showcase some Japanese novels that were the source material for a variety of hit films.
You may be familiar with the 2002 film The Ring, but did you know that the film is based on a Japanese horror novel? Koji Suzuki's Ring (#552380) follows Asakawa, a journalist who, while investigating his niece's sudden death, comes across a videotape with a terrible warning: those who have watched the videotape will die in exactly one week. Asakawa, with the aid of his friend Ryuji, must solve the mystery before it's too late.
A runaway bestseller in Japan, Koushun Takami's dystopian horror novel Battle Royale (#552014) is a shocking and unforgettable thriller. A class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island, where the totalitarian government forces them to fight one another until one "winner" remains. Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, Takami’s controversial novel sparked an even more controversial film released in 2000.
If you’re looking for some lighter fare, try Novala Takemoto's Kamikaze Girls (# 552385), the inspiration for the 2004 film of the same name. "A coming-of-age novel for the twenty-first century," Kamikaze Girls tells the story of Momoko, a lolita fashion lover, and Ichigo, a member of a biker gang. On their journey to find a legendary embroiderer, the unlikely duo winds up in the middle of pachinko parlors, chic boutiques, and bike-punk battles.
In addition to these three titles, you can find a wonderful collection of Japanese novels at the JIC Library!
This month’s What's New in the Library article was written by JIC intern Carter Rice. Welcome, Carter!
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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.
- As of August 1, how many medals has Japan taken home from the London Olympics?
- Who won the all-around gold in men's gymnastics?
- Who was the oldest competitor at this year's olympics?
To submit your answers by email, click here: jic@japancc.org and write "Japan News Quiz" in the subject line.
Answers to July's Quiz:
Congratulations to Mr. Erik Johnson!
- What game has a University of Tokyo robot never lost? Rock, paper, scissors
- What small gift with a big meaning did teenagers in Craig, Alaska mail to Japan? A basketball with the words "Kesen chu," which was sent with a care package back to Japan.
- In what sport does Shimane Prefecture's Kei Nishikori excel? Tennis.
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 Japanese Government Internet TV
Japanese Government Internet TV is the official source for TV footage for both the Cabinet Secretariat and the Cabinet Office of the Japanese Government. Here you will find up-to-date content covering a wide range of governmental topics in an easy to access format. |
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It seems the Midwest's dreaded heatwave is maybe melting to a close. This observation led me to wonder: what was the weather like in our sister-city, Osaka, over the stretch of July we just endured? Well! Glad you asked. According to Accuweather, they had weeks and weeks of rain, but the temperature never peeked above 100 degrees. So, there's your trade-off.
Daniel Drake, Editor |
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Hazuki is the old Japanese name for the month of August. It is a shortened form of Haochizuki, which means "leaf-falling month." As with many of the old month names, they make more sense when we consider that, when they were in wide use, Japan was on a lunar calendar. 
Read the book before you see the movie!
