This Month in Japan
Uzuki, the traditional name for April based on the lunar calendar, means "hare month." It has been speculated that the name
uzuki corresponds to the year of the rabbit in the Chinese zodiac.
For many years, the only national holiday this month was Greenery Day, on April 29. The 29th was the birthday of the late Emperor Showa so in 2007 Greenery Day was moved to May 4, and April 29 was renamed
Showa no hi, or Showa Day.
Golden Week starts at the end of April in Japan (Showa Day [April 29], Constitution Day [May 3], Greenery Day [May 4], Children's Day [May 5]). It is common for businesses to give their employees the whole week off, making it a busy time for travel among the Japanese people.
Announcements
Featured Interview: Hiroshi Sawada
For this issue of our newsletter, I interviewed
Hiroshi Sawada, founder of
Streamer Coffee Company in Japan and owner of
Sawada Coffee in Chicago. He is a very detail-oriented person who with honesty, patience and kindness has been teaching employees at
Hogsalt Hospitality his unique form of free pour latte art. The interview was conducted in Japanese, both the Japanese and English translation are provided in
his full interview.
AK: Tell us a little about yourself, how did you start latte art and why have you continued this pursuit?
HS: When I studied abroad in Seattle in 2001, I encountered free pouring latte art when I was working on homework almost every day in local cafes. I had seen in Japan people create latte art with tools like a pick but the amount of attention and detail that went into making free pouring latte art at these Seattle cafes made a major impression on me. Moreover, I was deeply moved by the taste of the foam milk and the smooth, silky texture which were characteristics I had never experienced before when drinking lattes. This unique type of latte art proved to be not only lovely but also delicious. Since I could not experience this enjoyment I felt on a daily basis from free pouring latte art, I pursued it to the point that I was able to make my own. I am still not completely satisfied, however, so continue to work on perfecting it.
AK: Why did you decide to expand and open your coffee shop in Chicago?
HS: I have had the opportunity to come to Chicago a number of times because I was asked by Hogsalt Hospitality three years ago to train baristas in their restaurants. In Chicago, Americans who have won the World Barista Champion competition have been opening stores one after the other, such as the owners of Intelligentsia Coffee. Through the efforts of these people living in Chicago, the level of coffee has risen and this city has become almost a hometown of talented latte artists. Furthermore, I decided to open shop in the West Loop area because strong competitors like La Colombe from Philadelphia and Starbucks have opened there.
AK: What do you hope to convey to people in Chicago through your brand?
HS: All things considered, the originality of the brand is most important. At this time, the beverages we sell can only be enjoyed here. For example, there is the military latte which uses
matcha and espresso to create a camouflage effect and the
shochu cold brew iced coffee served overflowing from a cup within a four corner container. I want to convey Japanese culture through coffee.
Read his full interview.
Event Recap: Kizuna 5 Panel Discussion
As a part of the
Kizuna 5 series, the Consulate-General of Japan hosted the
Natural Disasters, Emergency Response, and Global Partnerships Panel Discussion in the Japan Information Center hall. The purpose of this event was to spark ongoing discussion on disaster responsiveness, international cooperation and provide insight on how societies can work toward preparing for worst-case scenarios. The event was moderated by
Mr. Harley Jones, Regional Disaster Officer Chicago & Northern Illinois, American Red Cross and featured the following panelists:
- Hon. Generoso D.G. Calonge, Consul General of the Philippines in Chicago
--Spoke mainly on the tremendous global response after the recent Typhoon Haiyan and lessons learned by the government and people of the Philippines.
- Mr. Marvin A. Brustin, Honorary Consul General of Nepal in Chicago
--Talked about the tenacity of the Nepalese people in the face of disaster and of their thankfulness toward the international community for their assistance after the 2015 earthquake.
- Mr. Tsukasa Katsube, Consultant, Emergency Response Team, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
--Discussed the status of the Emergency Response Team in Japan and told the audience about his experiences as an aid coordinator in different disaster-hit areas.
- Mr. Noriyuki Shiina, Former General Manager of Japan Platform (NGO)
--Touched upon challenges with global partnership, such as management and the assignment of international as well as local NGOs in affected areas.
- Mr. Geary W. Sikich, Principal, Logical Management Systems, Corp. (local Expert)
--Addressed risk management issues, highlighting that clear communication amongst response parties continues to be one of the greatest challenges
- Mr. Toshiyuki Iwado, Consul-General of Japan in Chicago
--Stressed that some of the most important lessons learned is that we can cherish a welcoming global community for help and should never forget feelings of gratitude after the fact.
Natural disasters can happen anywhere at any time. Therefore, this panel discussion was a good opportunity to think and discuss about preparation.
30th Annual Speech Contest Results
On
Saturday, March 26, the Japan Information Center hosted the 30th Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest featuring 35 students. This year, a new category for Japanese heritage language learners was added. The term "heritage language learner" is used to describe people who have a cultural connection to a language and/or have a certain level of proficiency in the language but are not native speakers.
Guests enjoyed speeches on topics ranging from advice on becoming a successful person to descriptions about a presenter's aspirations of becoming a voice actor.
Ho Etsu Taiko provided entertainment during the reception while guests and presenters savored light refreshments.
This year was the first year that Consul-General Iwado had the pleasure of attending the Speech Contest event. He was impressed by the contestants’ presentations that demonstrated their knowledge on Japanese cultural topics and diligent preparation. The level of skill made it difficult for the judges to reach their final decisions. The Grand Prize was given to
Yu-Han Wang and the 30th Anniversary Special Award went to
Julie Iijima. The Sister City Osaka Award was awarded to
Janet Kang.
Please
visit our Speech Contest page to read the winning speeches and view all results.
AnimeChicago Symposium
AnimeChicago and the Japan Information Center will host the event
Not Our Final Form: A Discussion of Transformation in Anime and Manga" at the Japan Information Center hall on
Saturday, April 2 from 3:00 - 7:00 PM.
This is AnimeChicago's second symposium. The theme is transformation, with speakers invited to present on change in various forms as expressed in anime and manga from how anime can reflect the shifting demographics of a country to how anime transforms fans themselves.
Tickets include complimentary beer donated by local home brewers (21+ only), a chance to win some raffle prizes from sponsors and an exclusive magazine! RSVP on
Eventbrite and learn more on the
Facebook Event Page.
Japanese Researchers Crossing in Chicago Meeting
On
Sunday, April, 24 from 1:00 PM Japanese Researchers Crossing in Chicago and the JIC will host the 11th Seminar by Japanese Researchers in Chicago.
At this event, Japanese PhD students who are studying at Chicago universities give presentations on their research findings. There will be three presenters at this month's gathering:
- Tatsuya Funazuka, Visiting PhD. student @ Northwestern University
- Yuta Asano, PhD. student @ University of Chicago
- Jun Hee Lee, PhD student @ University of Chicago
All presentations are in Japanese. Please
visit their website to learn more and see what topics they will be presenting on.
Parent Child Reading Group
A group of parents and children with gather on
Thursday, April 28 from 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM in our space 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 including parking is
outlined here.
Invitation Program for Japanese American Students
The
Invitation Program for Japanese American Students is an excursion to Japan for high school students sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide Japanese American students with a chance to learn about various aspects of Japan and to promote mutual understanding between Japanese and Japanese Americans. Students will travel to Japan from June 24 - July 4 while expenses like a round-trip air ticket between US-Japan, transportation fees, hotel and meals, excursion fee and insurance will be covered.
The deadline for applications is April 29, 2016.
Japan Foundation Grants and Other Programs
Every year, the Japan Foundation and other organizations offer several scholarship and grant opportunities that our readers can apply for. The following deadlines for applications are fast approaching this winter and spring:
Cultural Events
View our Monthly Calendar here to see all events coming up this month within our 10-state jurisdiction! If there is a Japan-related event that you would like to have added to the calendar for this month or future months, please contact
Amy.
JIC Library
Highlighted Resources
This month's Highlighted Resources was written by JIC Librarian Ella McCann and features a notable library item we are recommending this month.
Since Japanese food is becoming increasingly popular in Chicago and the Midwest, I decided to read a Manga series known as ‘
Oishinbo’ for April’s book review. We have both the Japanese and English editions of this series. As there are several books in the series, I chose two that I think capture the significance of Japanese cuisine entering the Midwest market:
Oishinbo: Wa Japanese Cuisine & Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyoza. It is one of the best-selling manga’s in the world and has appeared in weekly manga magazines for years. The word
Oishinbo is a combination of two food related terms in Japanese:
Oishii, meaning delicious and
Kushinbo, which describes someone who loves to eat.
Each book in the series follows Yamaoka Shiro, a journalist tasked with finding the Ultimate Menu:
New Additions
New Additions, compiled by Ella McCann, showcases the latest materials we have received in the JIC collection.
A complete list of our April 2016 New Additions
Fun Features
Last Month in Japan
This section of our newsletter asks questions about current events in Japan that happened in the previous month.
Email your answers now for a chance to win a small prize! The first person who answers all of the following correctly will be selected as this month's Japan News Quiz Champion:
- Who became the first Japanese in 39 years to win the women's badminton singles title this month?
- What is the name of the idol group that promotes angling and Japan's seafood industry>
- How many years has the Japanese rock band Shonen Knife been active?
Congratulations to
Elena Osinskaya, the Champion from our March issue! Here are the answers:
- Who is the Japanese conductor who was awarded a Grammy in February?
- How many regional events is Japan seeking to be recognized on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list?
- Which Japanese automotive company has created the world's first automated "intelligent parking chair"?
Website Highlights
Japan Yay
This month I selected the blog
Japan Yay, founded by Chicago-local and DePaul University graduate Dave Torrez. This blog has short articles and content organized under the following categories for readers to explore: Culture, Anime, Gaming, Videos, Kawaii, Off-beat, and Monthly Mitsuwa. One of the most recent interesting articles talks about Miitomo, Nintendo’s first mobile game. The game is slated to be launched globally at the end of March or in early April.
Editor's Note
April is the start of many things in Japan. In the corporate world, April 1 marks the beginning of the fiscal year and is when official announcements including promotions, raises or restructuring plans are made. For many bright-eyed Japanese college graduates equipped with shiny new diplomas, April 1 is when they enter their first full-time employment position. And lastly for students, the new school year kicks off on April 1 as well.
April is also the unofficial commencement of spring both in the United States and Japan. The vernal equinox was March 20, technically indicating the start of spring, but many people tidy their homes as the weather becomes warmer in April. Since this is a month of new beginnings, what is a goal that you would like to accomplish before the start of summer? It’s time to clean the slate and start fresh!
PS: If you haven't had the chance to see cherry blossoms yet, hurry while they are still in bloom in some parts of
Japan and the United States!
Best,
Amy Klouse
(Editor, IT Coordinator)
