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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It's time to get ready for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. The JLPT is the largest Japanese-certification exam in the world, and is a great way to show the world, or a graduate school, or prospective employers the degree of your Japanese abilities. This year's exam will be held in Chicago and 12 other American cities on Sunday, December 2nd.

To start your journey towards test-taking, the first step is to register. The registration period for those taking the test in the United States is September 4th through October 2nd. There will be both online and in-paper registration this year, which means it behooves you to register soon, before test sites fill up.

Here's the link! http://www.jflalc.org/jlpt.html

University of Illinois at Chicago students, and also local community members! Stop by the Student Center East Quad on Monday, September 10th for the 12th Annual UIC International Resources Fair. From 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, organizations from the Chicago area that work in some way with, you know, global stuff, will be arrayed across the quad to inform you, the community, about their services. By "global stuff" we mean: foreign language educators, study abroad programs, State Department workers, international employers, and more! And keep your eye out for humble Consulate representatives, there to tell you all about the JET Program.

Date	Monday, September 10, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Place	UIC Student Center East Quad ("1st floor SCE in case of inclement weather") 750 S Halsted St Chicago, IL 60607 (Map)
Info	Free! There will also be a raffle. http://www.uic.edu/depts/oia/intl_resources_fair.html

The Midwest U.S. - Japan Association's annual meeting will be held this year in Minneapolis. Under the theme "Global Strategies for Economic Growth," participants from Japan and the Midwestern member states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin) will meet to discuss issues economic, environmental, political, and beyond. Guests include Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Saitama Governor Kiyoshi Ueda, Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki, and many other notable public and private figures.

Visit the website for more information: http://www.midwest-japan.org/Default.aspx

The Milwaukee Japanese Association will hold their 2012 Japan Fest on Sunday, September 23rd. This year's fest is titled "Matsuri," which means festival. The name is to celebrate the future of both Milwaukee and Tohoku, Japan. As such, proceeds from the festival will go towards an orphanage in Fukushima, and also to support students studying Japanese at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. But oh! How will those proceeds be collected? Why, through a delicious bake sale featuring Japanese sweets, onigiri (rice balls), bread, and more. There will also be a silent auction with Japanese items. And! There will be special guests, including trombonist Megumi Kanda from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, guitarist Ichiro Suzuki, performances from kendo and taiko groups, and more!

Date	Sunday, September 23, 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Place	Elm Grove Woman's Club 13885 Watertown Plank Road Elm Grove, WI 53122 (Map)
Info	Go here for more info: 2012 Milwaukee Japan Fest

The Kizuna Project continues to be a huge success! The program sent several groups of Midwestern high school students to Japan to learn about Japanese culture and the impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The students also visited affected areas and aided in the rebuilding efforts.

Chicago native, Daichi Takeuchi from Northside College Preparatory High School, reflected upon his experiences in Japan in a detailed essay. Below is a link to Daichi’s insightful essay which details the Kizuna Project trip day by day, shows the progress Japan has made since the disaster, and shares the reality of the work that still has to be done. To read Daichi’s essay and to learn more about the Kizuna project, check out these links.

Mr. Takeuchi's Essay
About the Kizuna Project

Every year, the Japan Foundation offers several grants and fellowships to support researchers, educators, scholars, and others doing work relating to Japanese culture, language, politics, and more. These grants and fellowships are a great way to strengthen your organization's mission. And the deadlines are approaching this fall!

Center for Global Partnership Grant (Concept Paper Due Oct. 1)
The CGP Grant funds U.S.-Japan collaborative policy-oriented or networking projects conducted by universities, think-tanks, and other non-profit organizations. The grant can provide up to $100,000 per year, for a maximum of three years.
http://www.cgp.org/intellectual-exchange/regular-grants

Institutional Project Support – Small Grant (Due Oct. 15th)
This new grant program is for institutions looking to maintain and advance the infrastructure of their Japanese Studies programs. It provides up to $25,000 for one year.
http://www.jfny.org/japanese_studies/ips_smallgrant.html

Institutional Project Support (Due Nov. 1st)
This large grant encourages innovative and sustained growth of Japanese Studies programs. An institution's proposal must enhance the quality of Japanese Studies instruction, research, and equipment. The grant offers up to $150,000 per year, for a maximum of three years.
http://www.jfny.org/japanese_studies/institutionalsupport.html

Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) (Due Oct. 22nd)
Given to non-profit organizations that want to expose audiences in their area to Japanese cultural performances, the PAJ funds either touring artists or collaborative performances by Japanese and American artists.
http://www.jfny.org/arts_and_culture/paj.html

Japanese Studies Fellowship (Due Nov. 1st)
For scholars in the Humanities and Social Sciences who wish to conduct research in Japan. The JS Fellowship funds short-term trips from 21 days to long-term trips up to 12 months.
http://www.jfny.org/japanese_studies/fellowship.html

• September 4: Japan and United States Economic Forecast for 2013: A Discussion with the Japan America Society of Chicago
• September 6: The Japan-US Alliance After the Earthquake: A Talk from Dr. James Auer
• September 6: University of Illinois Japan House Weekly Tours Begin
• September 7-9: Springfield, Missouri Japanese Fall Festival
• September 10-11: 2012 J-Conference at Des Moines' US Center for Citizen Diplomacy
• September 16: Sisters and Piano Partners Yuki and Tomoko Mack to Play a Concert in Tinley Park
• September 27-29: Kota Yamazaki Dances at Chicago's Columbia College
• Through November 4: Frank Lloyd Wright's Collection of Japanese Prints on Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

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

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba 7 August 2012 – Including 1. Deployment of Ospreys in Japan and 3. Follow-up questions concerning the deployment of Ospreys in Japan
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/8/0807_01.html

Press Conference by Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba 3 August 2012 – Including 1. Deployment of the Ospreys in Japan
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/fm_press/2012/8/0803_01.html

Participation of Mr. Naoto Kan, Former Prime Minister of Japan, in the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2012/8/0801_01.html

Nagatsuki is the old Japanese name for the month of September. It is a shortened form of Yonagazuki, which means "long-night month." Why the long nights? A popular activity in Yonagazuki is tsukimi, or moon viewing, in which people set up decorations of dumplings and gaze for hours at the harvest moon.

There are 2 national holidays in Nagatsuki. Keiro no hi, or Respect for the Aged Day, is observed on the 3rd Monday of the month. A relatively recent holiday - only official since 1966 - Keiro no hi has few particular customs associated with it. Though, cultural programs and other events spotlighting the elderly are often held. The other official holiday this month is Autumnal Equinox Day. In addition to observing the change of the seasons, Japanese often visit the graves of ancestors, cleaning them and leaving flowers and food.

Feeling creative? The JIC Library has some ideas for your next project!

Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Amigurumi (#133046) is a fun new addition to the library. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small, stuffed animals. Its beautiful photography paired with easy to follow instructions makes Tomoko Takamori's book an absolute delight. Try making 'Little Ducklings', 'Cotton Candy Elephants', or 'Sheep from Woolen Planet.'

Add some flair to your next gift. Gift Wrapping: Creative Ideas from Japan (#133007) adds another dimension to gift wrapping. Discover news ways to wrap a box, learn how to wrap flowers, and try wrapping with fabric. Author Kunio Ekiguchi outlines over sixty simple gift wrapping ideas. The results are pleasing to the eye and are sure to be a hit.

If you're feeling really ambitious, why not try sewing a kimono? Make Your Own Japanese Clothes (#143005) is full of sewing patterns for kimono, jackets, and socks. Beyond outlining the processes behind making Japanese clothing, the book offers a great window into the history of Japanese fashion. Follow the step-by-step instructions or use them as a source of inspiration for your own designs.

These books are just the beginning. Come by the JIC Library and check out our origami, calligraphy, and other cute craft books.

This month’s What's New in the Library article was written by JIC intern Carter Rice. Welcome, Carter!

We're going to mix things up for this month's News Quiz! Write us a 250-word essay about your favorite Japan-related experience. The winner will have their essay published in next month's Webletter, on our Facebook page, and will receive a small bit of Japanese swag!

Answers to August's Quiz:
Congratulations to Mr. Matt Feagly!

1. As of August 1, how many medals has Japan taken home from the London Olympics? 16 in total


2. WWho won the all-around gold in men's gymnastics? Kohei Uchimura


3. Who was the oldest competitor at this year's olympics? Equestrian rider Hiroshi Hoketsu was 71

néojaponisme

Don't let it be said that the e-Japan Journal doesn't serve our readers' appetite for cultural criticism! Click through to néojaponisme, a long-running blog dedicated to longreads and deep analysis of Japanese culture, from discussions of the Henro pilgrimage in Shikoku, to an essay on the political persuasions of various otaku subcultures, néojaponisme is the perfect online journal for the budding comparative languages PhD in all of us.

As a thrillingly hot summer sputters to a close, the curtain also falls on the season of elaborate and kinetic Japanese matsuri (festivals). Fortunately, there are a few festivals (listed above!) we Midwesterners can attend this September to tide us over until next June. Make sure to stop by one of them if you live in Springfield or St. Louis, otherwise have your own festival! Do a bon odori dance. Make Japanese candy. What a day you can have!

In any case, have a lovely September, and I'll speak with you all again at the end of the month!

Daniel Drake, Editor

Daniel Drake, Editor