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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The application period for the 2013 Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) Scholarships for Research, Undergraduates, and Specialized Training for College Students, is now open. From now through Wednesday, June 13, interested students, scholars, and others should visit this part of the Consulate's website, download the requisite forms, and send them in by the June 13 deadline. All documents must be received by the 13th, so be sure to mail them well in advance! Good luck!

This past month, Consul General of Japan at Chicago OKAMURA Yoshifumi added a blog to our website. In it, he will post semi-regular updates and stories about his experiences in the Japanese foreign service, ideas about Japan-US relations, and more! The first two entires are already live:
Click here for his first entry, recounting the Consulate's work after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and expressing gratitude for the support offered to Japan by the Midwest.

Click here for the Consul General's story of his visit with President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo to the areas of Japan affected by the earthquake.

We would love to hear feedback from you readers about the Consul General's blog. Please email us at jic@japancc.org with your feelings and comments.

Ambassador of Japan to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki has joined Twitter! Follow @AmbJapan2US for several daily updates, in both Japanese and English, on Ambassador Fujisaki's work in the United States, as well as broader commentary on Japan's mission.

Independence, Missouri's Annual Cherry Blossom Festival honoring its sister-city relationship with Higashimurayama, Japan is a great way to welcome May. The outdoor celebration includes a number of Japanese activities and games, ranging from ikebana and bonsai demonstrations to handmande jewelry and kimono booths, not to mention an array of Japanese food and drink. Also special this year will be a chance to glaze your own ceramic pot in the "raku" glazing style, wherein the pottery is placed in an open flame! All proceeds from the festival go to support the long-running annual exchange trip between the two cities.

Additionally, in recognition of the nearly three decades (twenty-nine years, to be exact) that Independence has held their cherry blossom festival, and in honor of the Centennial Anniversary of the gift of cherry trees from Japan, Consul General OKAMURA Yoshifumi will be at the festival to present a Commendation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan to the Japanese Sister City Committee of Independence.

Date	Sunday, May 6, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Commendation ceremony at 11:30 AM
Place	Roger T. Sermon Community Center 201 North Dodgion Street Independence, MO 64050 (Map)
Info	Admission: $2 Festival Information Festival Flier [PDF]

CelebrAsian, Iowa's cleverly named annual Asian Heritage Festival, celebrates its Aluminum Anniversary this year! Come join the expected crowd of 45,000 to celebrate a decade of fun that also promotes Iowa's diverse Asian heritage. Also this year, Consul General of Japan at Chicago OKAMURA Yoshifumi and the Japan America Society of Iowa will be on hand to plant a copse of Japanese cherry blossom trees on the State Capitol grounds as part of the Centennial Celebration of the Gift of Trees.

Yoshinori Kono is famous in Japan for his deep and intricate knowledge of martial arts, as well as his mastery of the historical particularities of human motion, and the evolution of same. As a martial arts specialist, he has been featured on TV, written many books and articles, and taught thousands of students, including professional baseball players, the discipline required to use one's body effectively.

So what luck, then, Minneapolisians, that Mr. Kono and his son, Harunori, will be spending two days at the end of May at the University of Minnesota to speak at length about his knowledge and life's work.

Date	Monday, May 28 - Tuesday, May 29 Lecture from 2:00 - 4:30 PM Demonstration from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Place	Lecture: Room 100, Ralph Rapson Hall, U of Minnesota 89 Church Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 (Map) Demonstration: U of Minnesota Armory 15 Church Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 (Map)
Info	Visit U of Minnesota's N-Dimensional Japan Facebook page for more information

Satsuki, the old Japanese name for the month of May, means "rice sprout month," for this is the traditional time to plant young rice in paddies.

Satsuki is replete with holidays and is a very popular time for travel in Japan. May 3 is Constitution Memorial Day, May 4 is Greenery Day, and May 5 is Children's Day. This forms a string of vacation days known as Golden Week. Golden Week actually begins on April 29, which is currently known as Showa Day.

Although not an official holiday, the 2nd Sunday in May is commonly observed throughout Japan as Mother's Day.

The Japan Information Center received its 2012 order of new books last month, and with it, several exciting new cookbooks! Back in March, I introduced chef Masaharu Morimoto's cookbook Morimoto: the New Art of Japanese Cooking at call# 141042. Today I would like to talk about three other exciting cookbooks we have recently added to our collection! If you've ever had the pleasure of drinking at a Japanese "Izakaya" pub, you'll know that half the fun is snacking on tapas-style Japanese bar food. Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook at Call# 141044 teaches you how to make a variety of these delicious dishes at home, such as "Simmered daikon radish with pork and miso sauce," "Deep fried eggplant in dashi marinade," and "Summer scallop salad with spicy tomato sauce." This book also features many color photos, tips, and anecdotes about Japanese izakaya culture.

Japanese food is known for being not only delicious, but also healthy. Japanese Foods That Heal: Using Traditional Japanese Ingredients to Promote Health, Longevity and Well-Being at Call# 141045 gives an overview of 18 healthful ingredients, including umeboshi pickled plums, tofu, and seaweed. The authors explain the health benefits of these foods, how they are produced and used, and provide a variety of recipes that you can try at home!

Last but not least, Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions at Call# 141046 is a great resource for vegetarians and omnivores alike. Japan has a Buddhist tradition of healthful and delicious vegetarian cooking that inspired the recipes in this book. Featured meat-free dishes include "Home-Stomped Whole-Wheat Udon Noodles," "Sweet rice dumplings in black sesame syrup," and "Slow-simmered soybeans and mushrooms."

No matter what you like to eat, you are sure to find a cookbook that suits your tastes at the JIC library!

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!

Lilac is said
to represent lilacs and
deviant lifestyles

• May 5: Japanese Spring Festival at Valparaiso University
• May 5: Atomic Age Symposium at the University of Chicago
• May 6: Got to a Cubs Game with the JET Alumni Association
• Opening May 9: Recent Acquisitons in Contemporary Japanese Art at the Art Institute of Chicago
• May 9-12: Storyteller Nori Sawa to Perform at the Chicago Humanitites Festival
• May 10: Join the Japan America Society of Chicago at Lure Izakaya Pub
• May 11-12: The Tenth Japan at Chicago Conference: Medicine, Politics, and Culture in the Japanese Empire
• May 12-13: Bonsai Society of Greater Kansas City's Spring Exhibit
• May 18-19: Johnson County Garden Tour with Honorary Consul General of Japan at Kansas City Francis Lemery
• May 25-31: Jiro Dreams of Sushi to Show at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center. Discount for e-Japan Journal Readers! If you are an e-Japan Journal reader (which you must be, if you are reading this) and a film fan, please use the code "JAPAN" when ordering your tickets at the Gene Siskel Box Office on the day of the screening for a discount ticket to this delightful and mouthwatering documentary.
• May 31: Join the Japan America Society of Chicago for a Business Card Exchange at Old Town Social

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

International Journalists Symposium 2012: The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Role of the Media –Perspectives of Japanese and Foreign Media (Summary)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/bulletin/journalists_symposium_2012.html

Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda by the Japanese and U.S. Panelists of the United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/meeting1204_pm.html

Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, to Attend the G8 Foreign Ministers' Meeting
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/event/2012/4/0410_01.html

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba, 10 April 2012 – Including 1. (1) G8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and 5. Questions concerning the realignment of U.S. Forces Japan
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/4/0410_01.html

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba, 6 April 2012 – Including 1. (2) G8 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/4/0406_01.html

Foreign Minister Gemba's Speech on Japan's Diplomacy in the Future at "A Talk with Foreign Minister Gemba" (Overview) – Including 2. National security (Japan-U.S. Alliance)
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/jfpu/2012/04/0405-01.html

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba 4 April 2012 – Including 1. (2) United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) and 6. Questions concerning Realignment of U.S. Forces in Japan
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/4/0404_01.html

The 50th Anniversary of the United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) [the 25th Plenary Session]
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/event/2012/4/0404_01.html

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.

1. What major project did architect Sou Fujimoto complete at the beginning of April?


2. Who won in the Rangers/Yankees Japanese pitcher showdown?


3. What great distance did Japanese astronomers in Hawaii recently traverse with a telescope?


To submit your answers by email, click here: jic@japancc.org and write "Japan News Quiz" in the subject line.

Answers to April's Quiz:
Congratulations to Larry Smith!!

1. Which member(s) of Japanese female idol group AKB48 recently quit the band? Maeda Atsuko
   
   
2. What historic ceremony occurs this year that is a symbol of the strong friendship between Japan and the United States? The 100th Anniversary of the Gift of Sakura
   
   
3. 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? It is also the final cut for Japanese Olympic marathon team.
   
   

Gottsupedia

In researching more about Yoshinori Kono for the article about his visit to Minneapolis at the end of this month, I stumbled across Gottsupedia, your best resource for martial arts information! Using the Wikipedia group-editing model, Gottsupedia is an exhaustive repository of information on martial arts and artists past and present. So if you're interested in learning more about the founder of aikido or the basics of judo, or if you want to update the article on Kano Jigoro, then Gottsupedia's the place for you.

You may have noticed a slight change in the layout of the e-Japan Journal! we are compressing some of the information about non-Consulate events, so that the Journal doesn't trail on forever, like an endless vertical tapestry. Instead, all links to pertinent event information have been collected on our event calendar. Please visit the calendar often, as updates are frequent! And thanks for reading!

Daniel Drake, Editor