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, Wesley Julian, at jic@cg.mofa.go.jp

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My warmest greetings to all of you. I am Masaharu Yoshida. I arrived in Chicago at the end of January as the new Consul General of Japan. I’m delighted to make my new home in Chicago with its stunning architecture and natural beauty as well as its world-class culture, universities, and sports. I am most eager to bring the best of Japan to the Midwest.

This March, two years will have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. I deeply thank the United States and many organizations and individuals here for providing generous support to the people of Tohoku. In commemoration, various Japan-related organizations, in cooperation with the Consulate, will present a special photo exhibition and seminar that spotlight the recovery. I sincerely hope that such overseas events will greatly encourage the people in the affected area. Japan is now creating a new Tohoku.

In recent years, the world has been changing rapidly, including Asia. This places new emphasis on the importance of our already strong Japan-U.S. alliance. Recently, with President Obama being reelected and Prime Minister Abe assuming office for the second time, our two countries are now moving toward a new level of cooperation. It is essential for all countries including Japan and the U.S., which share the same values based on democracy and capitalism, to maintain a very close relationship. That is why I truly welcome the opportunity to serve in Chicago and the Midwest.

Many organizations here such as the Japan America Societies, Japanese Chambers of Commerce, Japanese citizens associations, and Japanese American organizations along with many individuals do so much every day to champion our Japan-U.S. partnership. As Consul General of Japan, I am most enthusiastic about what we can achieve together for our Japan-Chicago, Japan-Midwest, and Japan-U.S. partnership.

Sincerely,

Masaharu Yoshida
Consul General of Japan at Chicago

The Japan Information Center has a new email address! Please update your address book as our old address will stop working on March 31. Go on and say hello. Send an email to jic@cg.mofa.go.jp. We're always happy to hear from you!

The Association of Indiana Teachers of Japanese is proud to host the 2013 Japanese Olympiad of Indiana at Ball State University. The Japanese Olympiad is a competition among high-school students of Japanese showcasing their knowledge of Japanese language and culture. If you're interested in what the students are expected to know, check out the study guide.

Date	Saturday, March 2
Place	Ball State University 2000 W. University Ave Muncie, IN 47304 (Map)
Info	Event website

March is an exciting month for a select group of high school students from the Midwest and Japan. From March 3-16, 125 students from Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Wisconsin will travel to Japan on a two-week invitation program as part of the Kizuna Exchange Project. The project will also bring Japanese high school students to Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota at the end of the month from March 21-24. These students will have the opportunity to experience daily life in the Midwest.

Date	March 3 - March 16
Visiting Japan	Olathe High Schools (Olathe, KS) Rock Bridge High School (Columbia, MO) Elkhorn & Elkhorn South High Schools (Elkhorn, NE) Madison Country Day (Waunakee, WI) Eau Claire North High School (Eau Claire, WI) Memorial High School (Eau Claire, WI)
Date	March 21 - March 24
Hosting Japanese Students	Northside College Preparatory High School (Chicago, IL) Harding High School (St. Paul, MN) Elkhorn High School (Elkhorn, NE)
Info	Kizuna Project press release

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) offers undergraduate students majoring in Japanese language, Japanese affairs, or Japanese culture an opportunity to deepen their understandings through academic study at one of several universities in Japan via a Japan study scholarship. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 8.

To learn more about the application guidelines and access the application, please head to the Japan Information Center’s website: http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JIC/monbusho.html

The Japan America Society of Iowa will be hosting a special screening of Light Up Nippon at their March meeting held on the 9th. The documentary is an uplifting piece on one man's dream of bringing fireworks back to the Tohoku region to brighten the smiles of the people. More information about the film and a preview can be seen on the official site

The Saint Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Committee is hosting a screening of Pray for Japan to honor of the second anniversary of the March 11th disaster. There will also be a discussion following the film. More information about the event can be seen on the official site.

The Osaka Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and Japan American Society of Chicago in cooperation with the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago, are proud to present "Kizuna 2: The Bonds of Emotion," the second phase of a multidimensional photography exhibit of the March 11, 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The first phase was successfully showcased in various parts of Chicago last year.

"Kizuna 2: The Bonds of Emotion", honorarily co-chaired by Governor Pat Quinn, State of Illinois and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, will have three focuses. The first part, titled “Voice From Japan,” will display photographs from people on the ground in Japan and their recovery efforts. The second part, titled “A Chicago Connection,” will highlight the connection of Chicagoans to the earthquake and tsunami via portraits and personal accounts. The last part, titled “Memory: Things We Should Never Forget,” will showcase photographs of the current state of the earthquake and tsunami zones from the Nikkei collection.

Join the event on the official Facebook event page

Date	Opening Ceremony: Monday, March 11, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Place	State of Illinois Thompson Center 100 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60601 (Map)
Info	Please contact Mr. Benjamin Kelner at 312.718.4535 or at bkelner@chicagosistercities.com Event website

Attention Japanese language educators: The Japan Foundation offers financial support to teachers of Japanese looking to purchase materials for the classroom (e.g. textbooks, audio-visual materials, dictionaries, etc.). The application instructions, forms, and additional information can be found on the Japan Foundation Los Angeles website (http://www.jflalc.org/grants-jle-materials.html ) and the deadline is March 15.

Additionally, the Japan Foundation offers a number of other grants aimed at supporting Japnese Language education. Please see their website for information about Japanese Language Contest Grants, Salary Assistance for Japanese Language Course grants, and others for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an application for this year's 27th Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest in Chicago! 40 contests have been selected to participate this year, and we look forward to hearing their wonderful speeches. Please come out to support these bright students of Japanese and wish them luck!

Date	Saturday, March 16, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Place	Japan Information Center Consulate General of Japan at Chicago 737 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60611 (Map)
Info	Please contact Ms. Sawako Kojima at 312.280.0433 or at sawako.kojima@cg.mofa.go.jp Event website

The Urasenke Chicago Association will be leading a tea ceremony at the Chicago Botanic Gardens on March 24 at 11:30 AM. Titled "Japanese Way of Tea," this ceremony is part of the Malott Japanese Garden Spring Weekend taking place over the weekend. Please see the Chicago Botanic Garden’s website for a list of the other activities.

The University of Nebraska at Lincoln will be greeting the first melting days of spring with a Japan Festival on March 28. This free event will feature calligraphy and a Japanese language session, as well as a screening of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a visually stunning movie bound to make you salivate for sushi. The flyer for the event can be seen here

The Heart of America Japan America Society is proud to host the 15th Annual Japanese Language Contest in Olathe. The competition is open to high school, college, and independent study students of Japanese at beginning and intermediate levels of proficiency. Awards will be provided to the top three finalists of each event.

The contest will also include a bazaar table, mochi making, a hina doll display, and entertainment by Three Trails Taiko!

Yayoi, the old Japanese name for the month of March, means "new life" and indicates the coming of spring.

The only national holiday in Yayoi is Shunbun no hi, or Vernal Equinox Day, on March 20th or 21st. The deep appreciation for nature traditionally shown by Japanese people makes this day especially important. After Shunbun no hi, we know that the blossoming of the sakura (cherry blossoms) is not far away.

While all that nature stuff is great, little Japanese girls know that the true excitement of Yayoi is on March 3rd - the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival), or Girls' Day. Families with young daughters set up displays of the imperial court around mid-February, prepare special foods, and offer prayers for the girls' happiness. As soon as March 3 has gone, however, the display is put away, owing to an old superstition that the longer it lingers, the older the daughter will be before she marries.

As mentioned in February’s Journal, thanks to some recent donations, the library has been able to expand its collection. This month’s article will highlight a few more of these books which span a variety of disciplines.

In the Arts section, two new but unrelated books have been added. The first Our Magic Hour: How Much of the World Can We Know? (Call number 130056) is the fourth edition of works presented at the Yokohama Triennale – a tri-annual exhibition of international contemporary. The goal of the 2011 exhibition was to temporarily transform the audience into a spirit of disbelief as they viewed the world through a different perspective. The book so successfully captures the unique exhibits that both Japanese and English readers can be transported into the “magical” world created by the artists. Especially fascinating is Swedish artist Henrik Hakanssoon’s “A Tree with Roots” that was seemingly suspended between three floors of the NYK Waterfront Warehouse in Yokohama.

Also in the Art section is Kirigami by Takahama Rei (Call number 134024) which incorporates the Japanese art of paper folding with intricate paper cutting. This progressively challenging book provides step-by-step instructions for creating a wide range of designs including flowers, animals, and cityscapes. While all the directions are in Japanese, the clear illustrations make it easily accessible to anyone.

In our Nature section is Bonsai: A Patient Art (Call Number 151015). This recently published hardcover book not only features the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Bonsai collection but also includes a section on the philosophy behind and care needed to grow these amazing little trees. With beautiful photographs from all seasons, Bonsai: A Patient Art is a wonderful introduction to anyone interested in this facet of Japanese culture.

Expanding our Social Sciences section are the Japanese Yearbook of International Law (Call number 432012) and Japan and the Middle East (451005). The first was compiled by the International Law Association of Japan and includes outlines of Japan’s stance on a variety of international developments in 2011 as well as reviews of recent international law books. The second was written by Drs. Kunio and Motoko Katakura who both spent considerable time in the Middle East as an ambassador and an anthropological researcher, respectively. The book not only focuses on the historical contact of the two areas dating back to the 700s but also more recent cultural exchanges.

Of course, the above are just a few of what has been recently added. Our Japanese novel section is also boasting new additions including mysteries by Akagawa Jiro and works by Tanizaki Prize winner Endo Shusaku. So, as always, be sure to stop by and check our books out!

What's New in the Library is a monthly column written by JIC librarian Emily Toelcke.

Here are three questions about current events in Japan. Email your answers for the chance to win a small prize!

1. Which Japanese kabuki actor recently passed away, marking the end of an era?
2. What major international event was held in Tokyo last month attracting thousands of athletes?
3. What major announcement came from Japanese electronic company Sony last month?

Answers from the February Quiz:

1. What element of Japanese education was praised by American media in recent news? School lunch (kyuushoku) in Japan is very healthy and the media labeled it as a positive example for the United States
2. Who came out on top of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament held in January? Harumafuji Kohei was the winner of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in January. The Mongolian sumo wrestler had 15 victories.
3. What significant celebration was held last month for those born in 1992/1993? Coming of Age Day, a national Japanese holiday for those who have reached 20 years of age.

Is Japan Cool?

Is Japan cool? You decide! This website takes you across Japan to discover everything from tradtional temples, cosplay culture, to Prefecutural mascots, and then let's you vote if you think it's cool. It's this editor's personal opinion that Miyagi's mascot Musubi Maru is in fact very cool.

Hello, once again, and thank you for reading the March 2013 e-Japan Journal. As you may have noticed, we have made a few changes to the format. The new design will allow you easier access to the information provided in the webletter. Direct links give you access to the information instantly without having to scroll down or look around. Let us know how you like the udpated format!

In other news, Daniel Drake's successor has been selected and will begin working this month. We look forward to our new IT Coordinator, who will take over the webletter next month. I have enjoyed organzing the webletter for you as the Interim Editor, and thank you for your support.

Best,
Wesley Julian
Interim Editor and Media Relations Coordinator