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An Online Newsletter Showcasing Our Programs for the Month of September 2024! |
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Last month, we launched our new exhibition, Inspired by Edo, which features an art competition showcasing student works from across the country inspired by Edo 2024. The exhibition will be on display through the end of the month, ending with a screening of the film Edo Avant Garde so be sure to visit and experience these remarkable works of art. We also held a workshop for Japanese teachers and are grateful to everyone who attended. In conjunction with the exhibition, we are hosting screenings of The Wound and the Gift, with two showings scheduled in September. Additionally, we are organizing two lectures: one on Paper Shamisen and the other covering the popular tourist spot Sensoji Temple. Be sure to RSVP for these popular events. Michael will continue his Conversation Series on Japanese art, focusing this month on Art that Provokes. For those interested in learning Japanese, our classes begin this month, with a few spots still available in Everyday Japanese 2 and Everyday Japanese 3. Don’t miss your chance to enroll! We have a host of exciting events planned for this month, and we invite you to join us in exploring Japanese language and culture here in Los Angeles! |
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ART EXHIBITION Edo was a remarkable period in Japanese history (1603-1868) when artists broke from tradition and experimented with asymmetry, abstraction, stylization, and empty space to depict the natural world. These artists set the stage for modern art through their innovative, open-hearted depictions. Inspired by Edo 2024 is a national art competition based on the Smithsonian’s Investigating Japan’s Edo Avant Garde curriculum which engages students in grades 1-12 in non-Western art. Participants also took inspiration from the documentary film, Edo Avant Garde by Linda Hoaglund. |
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JAPANESE CLASS FALL term starts this week. |
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MOVIE SCREENING A film about the growing movement to "rescue" animals abandoned by human beings. The narrative spine of the film is a Japanese fable, conveyed in gently animated original illustrations, about a wounded crane, saved by peasants, who repays her rescuers with a profound gift. The film features beautiful illustrations by Victo Ngai and an emotional original soundtrack by Satoshi Takeishi and Shoko Nagai. Through the interweaving of current animal rehabilitation efforts and traditional folklore, Hoaglund's work reveals animals to be beings endowed with individual spirits and personalities. This movie screening is associated with the art exhibition Inspired by Edo, which will run from August 5-September 28. For details, see the exhibition page. |
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LECTURE AND DEMONSTRATION The shamisen is a traditional Japanese instrument which has a storied history but continues to evolve...even today! Join us for a talk and demonstration featuring Takuya Hamatani, a shamisen master from Japan and bold creator of the lightweight, paper-constructed, portable, and cost-effective shamisen called "Shabo". The evening will also feature live paper-shamisen performance and even a live collaboration with American Tsugaru shamisen player Mike Penny. *Following the demonstration, paper shamisen will be available for purchase directly from Mr. Hamatani. |
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LECTURE Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is a major tourist spot in Tokyo, which is visited by 30 million people a year. A young man, Rev. Yoichi Shimizutani, who was ordained by the head monk of Sensoji Temple at the age of 10, to become a monk of the temple, is currently studying at USC. This lecture will include an overview of Sensoji Temple and the history and current state of Asakusa, including the surrounding Nakamise area. He will also introduce the daily life of a monk, the qualifications of a monk, as well as how inheritance works for monks, and his own experience of training as a monk. He will share his vision and discuss what the temple should be like in the future. |
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LECTURE SERIES In this series of monthly “conversations,” Michael VanHartingsveldt will introduce examples of Japanese art that may provoke emotional responses through traits that are “unsettling” (henna) and "isolating" (sabishii). These lively discussions invite participants to engage with Japanese visual culture of various time periods and mediums where they will not only learn fundamental information about how the art was made and how it functioned but also encounter obscure Japanese concepts and art objects. The fourth session will meet in person at the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, September 25, at 7 pm and the topic will be “Art that Provokes (Imishinna Art).” Subsequent meetings will introduce other emotional responses. |
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MOVIE SCREENING During the Edo era (1603‒1868), Japanese artists innovated many strategies to bring the natural world and its creatures to life. To animate trees, puppies, waves, and clouds they incorporated asymmetry, abstraction, stylization, and empty space—techniques that profoundly influenced modern art in the West. In Linda Hoaglund’s film Edo Avant Garde, she explores the origins of Japanese artists’ creative efflorescence by filming some of the most closely-guarded Edo-era masterpieces in museum and private collections across the U.S. and Japan, unraveling how artists hundreds of years ago in one of the world’s most isolated countries captured the natural world in strikingly unique ways. |
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LITERARY SERIES Join an intimate conversation with acclaimed Japanese author Toshikazu Kawaguchi as he discusses his best-selling book series Before the Coffee Gets Cold during his North American tour. The event promises to be an engaging conversation where Kawaguchi will share thoughts about his creative process, how he imbued fictional characters with emotional motivations, and how his books explore the questions "What would you change if you could travel back in time? Who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time?" Joining Kawaguchi will be Naomi Hirahara, Los Angeles-based Edgar Award-winning author, as a moderator and conversation facilitator. Copies of the series may be purchased during the event from on-site vendor Chevalier's Books. Books purchased on site or brought from home will be signed by the author. At his North American events, pre-order copies of Before We Forget Kindness and receive a signed bookplate and bookmark to take home! Pre-ordered copies can be picked up from Chevalier’s after November 5, or can be shipped for an extra fee. |
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ON DEMAND
The Japan Foundation (JF) launched its new streaming website, JFF Theater, on August 1, 2024. JFF Theater distributes Japanese films and other works worldwide, with multilingual subtitles and all free of charge. With this website, JF endeavors to create a platform where Japanese audiovisual works can be viewed anytime, anywhere. With the catchphrase Moved, Touched & Inspired, JF strives to serve as a bridge between Japan and the world, forging connections and inspiring exchanges between the audience. Three of the most popular films (Happy Flight!, Time of EVE the Movie, and Tora-san in Goto) from a past Japanese Film Festival Online have been selected for distribution from August 1 to October 31 (It’s a Summer Film! and SUMODO～The Successors of Samurai～ are available only until September 30).
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There are a variety of settings in which Japanese language for children with Japanese backgrounds (Japanese Heritage Learners) is taught and learned in the United States. These children may live in areas with little access to Japanese-language classes, much less ones with curricula tailored to their unique experiences and skillsets. To help serve their needs, JFLA has launched keishonihongo.org, an online platform for parents and teachers of Japanese heritage language learners. Keisho Nihongo pools from the knowledge of The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, and the Keisho Nihongo Special Advisory Committee, consisting of three experts in the field of Japanese heritage language education. The site includes a nationwide map of heritage language programs, in addition to a curated list of educational materials and resources for teachers and guardians. There is also a community forum and a page highlighting exemplary heritage language programs. Keisho Nihongo is available in both English and Japanese, so please visit today! |
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General Invitation to Join JF USA Digital Library We recently renewed and added many new books in coordination with our New York and Toronto offices for our patrons in the US and Canada. There have also been an uptick in the number of applicants as well, which shows that this is a very popular service. We have also updated the application survey and the confirmation emails are still going out once a week on Wednesdays by 6:30PM pacific time. If you register and do not receive a welcome email from us within a Wednesday of registering, please contact us so we can help you out. |
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2024-2025 Japanese Language Grants Now Available! Japanese Teaching Material Purchase Grant Advocacy Support Letter |
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Japanese Language Education Update 128As Labor Day wraps up and schools across the county welcome students back, many are embarking on a new academic year with the hope of expanding their knowledge, including learning Japanese. We extend our best wishes for a successful and productive start to all those beginning this new chapter! In step with the new school year, we are gearing up to launch our survey on Japanese language education in the United States. We will soon reach out to gather your valuable insights and feedback. Your participation will be crucial in helping us enhance our support and resources for Japanese language education across the country. Additionally, we have received some concerning news from the Fremont Union High School District in Silicon Valley. The district is planning to cut Japanese language programs at Cupertino High School. In response, students have initiated a petition on Change.org to oppose this decision. We encourage you to support these dedicated students in their efforts to keep Japanese language education at their school by signing the petition here! |
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5700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
jflainfo@jpf.go.jp
323.761.7510
