The e-Japan Journal is the electronic webletter of the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago and the Japan Information Center (JIC). We hope it proves to be a useful, interesting, and exciting window for you into Japanese cultural activities happening throughout the Midwest. As always, your feedback, comments, and suggestions are encouraged and can be sent to our editor, Amy Klouse, at jic@cg.mofa.go.jp.
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| This Month in Japan |
| Special Announcements |
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| JIC Library |
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| Fun Features |
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| Editor's Note |
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Highlighted
Cultural Events |
- Throughout July - Visit a Japanese Garden or see how the cherry trees planted in 2012 have grown! -
- Malott Japanese Garden Family Sundays (Glencoe, IL)
- Anderson Japanese Gardens (Rockford, IL)
- Missouri Botanical Garden’s Japanese Garden (St. Louis, MO)
- Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens (Dubuque, IA)
- Japanese Friendship Garden (Lawrence, KS)
- Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College (Bloomington, MN)
- Lauritzen Gardens (Omaha, NE)
- White River State Park (Indianapolis, IN)
- July 3-5: Anime Midwest in Rosemont, IL
- July 3-9: When Marnie Was There @ Gene Siskel Film Center ($7 tickets with the code "JAPAN" when purchased at box office)
- July 3,4,8: The Secret World of Arriety @ Gene Siskel Film Center ($7 tickets with the code "JAPAN" when purchased at box office)
- July 8: "Sugar/Islands Finding Okinawa in Hawaii – the Art of Laura Kina and Emily Hanako Momohara" with the Japan America Society of Chicago
- July 9: "U.S. Immigration Law: Nichibei Lecture Series" with the Japan America Society of Minnesota
- July 10: "Symphonic Fury! The Music Of Japanese Monsters" in Park Ridge, IL
- July 10-12: G-FEST XXII in Rosemont, IL (Godzilla Convention)
- July 10-12: Ikasucon in Fort Wayne, IN
- July 10-12: Anime Festival Wichita in Wichita, KS
- July 11: Obon Odori Festival with the Midwest Buddhist Temple of Chicago
- July 17-19: Anime-zing! In Davenport, IA
- July 21: Young Professionals Committee Networking Social at Sumi Robata Bar (Patio) with the Japan America Society of Chicago
- July 24-26: AnimeIowa in Coralville, IA
- July 24-26: NatsuCon in Collinsville, IA
- July 31 – July 17, 2016: Tradition Reborn: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics in Indianapolis, IN
Please click through to our Events Calendar for a full list of events, as well as information about events in the coming months!
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| Economic News |
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| Political News |
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Fumizuki, a traditional name for July, refers to “book/origin month.” There are several theories behind the true meaning of this kanji combination, one being that fumizuki is a shortened form of hofumizuki, referring to a time when rice becomes ready for harvest. Another possible explanation is that the name is short for fumihirakizuki, meaning to hope for an improvement in one's calligraphy skills.
During this month, Tanabata, is celebrated on the seventh and Marine Day, the third Monday of the month, commemorates the return of Emperor Meiji to Yokohama port from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876.
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| July 5-23: JET Memorial Invitation Program (JET-MIP) 2015 Trip |
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2014 JET-MIP Participants
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Through the JET Memorial Invitation Program (JET-MIP), 32 high school students will visit Japan for two weeks from July 7th until July 22nd, 2015. On March 11, 2011, two Americans participating in the JET Program as assistant English language teachers lost their lives during the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Both Taylor Anderson and Montgomery Dickson had a positive influence on the people and communities they served and JET-MIP was created immediately following the 2011 disaster to commemorate their work.
The following 6 individuals from the Midwest region will participate in the exchange this year:
- Mary Clare Burke (Nova Classical Academy, Saint Paul, MN)
- Hailley Delaine Danielson-Owczynsky (Southwest High School, Minneapolis, MN)
- Claire Olivia Rose Endl (North High School, Eau Claire, WI)
- Bridget A Keeney (Whitney M. Young, Chicago, IL)
- Angela Li (University Laboratory High School, Urbana, IL)
- Jacquelyn Marie O'Connell (Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, IL)
Participants will arrive in Los Angeles in early July for a pre-departure orientation and then spend two weeks in Japan visiting Kesennuma, Rikuzen Takata, Sendai, and Kyoto, in addition to taking Japanese classes at the Japan Foundation’s Kansai center and participating in a weekend homestay. At the end of the program, they will give a presentation in Japanese for their host families and guests at the Institute as well one in English during a debriefing session in Los Angeles. For more information on JET-MIP, please follow this link to the Japan Foundation website.
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| July 11: Tanabata Matsuri with the Japan America Society of Iowa |
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Sendai, Miyagi Tanabata Festival
courtesy of JNTO
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The Japan America Society of Iowa welcomes the public to their annual Tanabata Matsuri (stargazing festival)! Be a part of special taiko and martial arts performances, traditional storytelling, origami, bonsai on display and more. At the conclusion of the evening, there will be a small parade with moon floats inspired by the Tanabata story.
Join in the fun and make your wishes come true with the magic of the stars!
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| July 14: Parent and Child Reading Group |
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A group of Japanese parents and children are gathering in the JIC to promote reading Japanese books together! The focus is mostly on elementary picture books and it is requested that all who wish to participate bring one of their favorite (or their child's favorite!) books with them to the meeting. You may also bring in light snacks and drinks for children to enjoy.
More information regarding details like parking is outlined when accessing the link below.
| Date and Time |
Location |
Information |
July 14, 2015 (Tues)
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
Japan Information Center
737 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60611 |
Reading Group Flyer
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| July 18 & 19: Japan Day 2015 at Arlington International Racecourse |
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As one of the largest Japanese festivals in the Midwest, Japan Day has so much to offer for all ages! Purchase and taste some delectable Japanese cuisine from Myojo Ramen, Ramen Misoya, Yamachan Ramen, Otafuku, or Tensuke Market. Enjoy the Japanese group FUNKIST, learn the awa odori dance, dress-up for the cosplay party, watch the elegant Fujima Ryu of Chicago, and listen to Tsukasa Taiko's drums.
Such groups as the Aikido Association of America - Japanese Culture Center, Chicago Kendo Dojo, Kokushikan Judo Academy, and Shidokan Karate will exhibit their martial arts talents while performing arts groups like the Choir Futaba, Chicago Koto Group, Kokyo Taiko at the Buddhist Temple of Chicago, and Nami Music School will provide additional entertainment. Moreover, when browsing the exhibits and items in the marketplace, try on the samurai armor we have at the Consulate's booth, play a Japanese game like kingyo sukui, learn how to make a violin, or buy some Japanese toys or candy!
This year, the festival is offering discounted tickets to those who purchase ahead of time from their website.
| Date and Time |
Location |
Information |
| July 18 & 19, 2015 (Sat, Sun) |
Arlington International Racecourse
2200 West Euclid Avenue
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
Japan Day Website
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| July 25: JET Participants Departure |
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Congratulations to all of the departing 2015 JET Participants heading to Japan on July 25th!
JETs, before you leave, JETAA Chicago has one last event they will be offering from the JETAA Chicago Survival Series, intended to help you become more accustomed to some of the cultural differences you may face in Japan. The Mitsuwa Market Sweep on July 12 is for those who would like to become more familiar with Japanese grocery stores. Japanese ingredients and recipes will be introduced to all who attend.
For readers interested in working as an English Teacher in Japan in the future, please refer to the JET Program portion of our website.
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| July 26: Japanese Researchers Crossing in Chicago (JRCC) Presentations |
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We will be welcoming a group of Japanese researchers to give presentations in the JIC space. Please visit their website for updates on this event as more information becomes available.
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| Other Scholarships and Programs |
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- Japanese Language Education Grants from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chicago Foundation (Deadline 7/6)
The JCCC Foundation requests proposals from a public or private school, or other organization with nonprofit status in the Chicago area (i.e. located in the Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will) for the Student Development and Achievement Grant and Japanese Language Education Grant for the 2015-2016 school year.
- 2015 TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders Program (Deadline 7/12)
The U.S.-Japan Council’s TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders Program is an interactive, educational program designed to support the next generation of Japanese American leaders.
- Abe Fellowship Program (Deadline 9/1)
The Abe Fellowship Program is designed to encourage international multidisciplinary research on topics of pressing global concern. The program seeks to foster the development of a new generation of researchers interested in policy-relevant topics of long-range importance and seeks individuals willing to become key members of a bilateral and global research network built around such topics, especially within Japanese and American academic and professional communities.
- Abe Fellowship for Journalists (Deadline 9/15)
The Abe Fellowship Program for Journalists is designed to encourage in-depth coverage of topics of pressing concern to the United States and Japan through individual short-term policy-related projects.
- 11th Annual Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship (Deadline 10/30)
The Hakuho Foundation Japanese Research Fellowship invites leading international researchers of the Japanese language, Japanese language education, Japanese literature and Japanese culture to Japan to conduct residential research.
- Visiting Researcher Fellowship and Team Organizer at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Deadline 10/31)
The International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Kyoto, Japan) is pleased to announce an opening for a foreign scholar to reside at the Center and participate during the Japanese academic year 2016-2017 in one of three team research projects and for a foreign scholar who will organize a future research project for 2017-2018.
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| This month's Highlighted Resources was written by JIC Intern Jon Foissotte and features a notable library item we are recommending this month. |
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When I first read Memoirs of a Geisha (Call number 552408), I was preparing to enter high school and start studying Japanese. As a student possessing a general interest in Japan—from the anime I had watched as a child—I had not yet been immersed in the culture. From the moment I picked up the book, however, I was overcome with a profound sense of import, not just with regard to discovering more about Chiyo’s struggle and perseverance against the odds, but in the way of gleaning more information and broadening my own understanding of the deep cultural context in which the novel was set. For me, Memoirs of a Geisha was the book that provided my first truly expansive insight into many elements of Japanese culture, observed at an incredible level of detail.
Memoirs of a Geisha is a gripping tale which follows the life of Chiyo, a young girl who is sold off by her family to become a geisha—a woman who entertains clients in Gion, Kyoto. Over the course of her childhood, she is trained in a vast myriad of performing arts as well as the art of self-conduct. Throughout her journey, Chiyo experiences many obstacles and hardships, from the debts imposed by her benefactors, to the personal hatred of a rival geisha attempting to ruin her career. Set roughly in the early-to-mid 1900s, the novel provides valuable insight into the ebb and flow of societal changes which greatly impacted the roles of the geisha in this time period. Readers will become engrossed in a fantastic and suspenseful plot carried out over the course of Chiyo’s development as a geisha, while growing deeply invested in the rich cultural fabric embedded into the tale. Memoirs should be read many times over by persons of all ages and backgrounds. Those just discovering Japanese culture will most certainly be delighted and thrilled by this reading experience, and even those already possessing a great deal of Japanese cultural knowledge will observe many concepts and themes with which they are already familiar.
Readers of Memoirs will find themselves deeply immersed in the vast detail and fascinating complexity of geisha culture, from the geisha’s shamisen instruments, to the fine details about the hairstyles and kimonos worn by them. The novel’s timeless capability to enthrall the reader while nurturing this kind of broader interest in Japan sets it apart as an invaluable resource for those acquainted—or who wish to deepen their acquaintance—with the spirit of Japanese culture. For these reasons, I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha for summer reading.
In July, the JIC will be celebrating Tanabata! We have an open display of a bamboo tree in front, so you can write out your wishes and come hang them on the display. Alternatively, you can mail or email in your wishes and we will hang them for you.
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| New Additions, written by Ella McCann, showcases the latest materials we have received in the JIC collection. |
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Here are some questions about current events in Japan. Email your answers to Amy Klouse at amy.klouse@cg.mofa.go.jp for a chance to win a small prize!
- Which country did Japan beat this month in soccer to advance to the World Cup quarter finals?
- Japan and what other country reached the fiftieth anniversary of normalization of relations this month?
- What popular messaging app has released a music streaming service in Japan?
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Congratulations to Samantha Miller, the winner from our June issue! Here are the answers: |
• At the opening of Japan’s Robot Revolution Initiative Council, who urged the "spread the use of robotics from large-scale factories to every corner of our economy and society?"
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
• Which dairy-based commodity is facing a shortage in Japan, with imports of this product expected to increase soon?
Butter
• This month, which Japanese show became the world's longest-running single-host talk show in the Guinness World Record?
Tetsuko’s Room
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 Traditional Japanese Children's Stories
The University of Oklahoma’s Professor of Zoology Thomas S. Ray has an interest in Japanese language. He pursued this curiosity through the study of translation and has made available in English some of the most well-known Japanese Children’s Stories for others to enjoy. He provides both the Japanese texts, which are written mostly in kana as they were originally intended for children, as well as sentence-by-sentence English translations. While these sentence-by-sentence translations can sound a bit unnatural in English at times, it is Dr. Ray’s intention to keep the sentences as literal as possible for the benefit of those learning Japanese while reading.
Despite this website being pretty old (he references Netscape, a browser that longer exists!), it is an invaluable source for those who want to learn traditional stories and practice their own reading skills. If you have not read popular tales like Momotaro or Kaguyahime, now is your chance to begin some lighthearted summer reading!
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The seventh day of the seventh month is Tanabata in Japan! As always, the JIC has set up our tree to celebrate throughout July and Consulate staff have contributed their wishes to the tree. It is said that two stars that were in love are separated by a God between the Milky Way Galaxy and are only able to meet on this day, once a year. This special meeting cannot happen if there is bad weather, so on the sixth day of July, people pray for no rain or bad weather on the 7th and pray for their own wishes to come true as well. While this is also an older website, the story is available here in Japanese and here in English. I hope your wishes come true!
Best,
Amy Klouse (Editor, Technology and Information Coordinator)
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Tanabata image courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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| You are receiving this email webletter because you have signed up to receive information about Japan and Japan-related events from our office. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please email the Japan Information Center at jic@cg.mofa.go.jp. |
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Official website for Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago
www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp |
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Fumizuki, a traditional name for July, refers to “book/origin month.” There are several theories behind the true meaning of this kanji combination, one being that fumizuki is a shortened form of hofumizuki, referring to a time when rice becomes ready for harvest. Another possible explanation is that the name is short for fumihirakizuki, meaning to hope for an improvement in one's calligraphy skills.
As one of the largest Japanese festivals in the Midwest, Japan Day has so much to offer for all ages! Purchase and taste some delectable Japanese cuisine from Myojo Ramen, Ramen Misoya, Yamachan Ramen, Otafuku, or Tensuke Market. Enjoy the Japanese group FUNKIST, learn the awa odori dance, dress-up for the cosplay party, watch the elegant Fujima Ryu of Chicago, and listen to Tsukasa Taiko's drums.
Congratulations to all of the departing 2015 JET Participants heading to Japan on July 25th!
