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An Online Newsletter Showcasing Our Programs for the Month of October 2024! |
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This month, we’re excited to celebrate Japanese-language education and sports! For education, our Fiscal Year 2025 programs have been announced, and details are available below. If you or someone you know is interested, please check the respective sites for application information. In Arts & Culture, we’re thrilled to kick off the month with author Toshikazu Kawaguchi, who will discuss his bestselling book Before the Coffee Gets Cold. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to everyone who attended our Edo Art exhibition last month. This month, we’ll be shining a spotlight on sports with our upcoming exhibition, *Ganbare: Japanese Athletes on the World Stage!* Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the opening event and the related workshop. We’ll conclude the month with a special Teatime at CSUDH featuring Table Style Sado, as well as our fifth Conversation on Japanese Art, perfectly timed for Halloween. Additionally, our streaming service, the Japan Film Festival, continues to thrive. We’re pleased to announce that the United States ranks second in global registrations, which we hope will encourage the expansion of available films in the future. With an exciting lineup of events, we invite you to join us in exploring Japanese language and culture right here in Los Angeles! |
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GRANTS The Japan Foundation invites individuals and organizations that are planning international exchange projects and activities to participate in programs of the Japan Foundation. Please read the Program Guidelines for Fiscal Year 2025 (April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026) outline the full array of the Japan Foundation's applicable programs. |
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Training Programs for Japanese-Language Teachers Japanese Language Program for Specialists |
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Arts and Cultural Exchange Support Program for Translation and Publication Ishibashi Foundation/Japan Foundation Fellowship for Research on Japanese Art |
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TEACHER PROGRAM The Japanese-Language Education Assistance Program (J-LEAP), is a Japanese teacher dispatch program co-administered by Laurasian Institution and Japan Foundation which is currently in its 13th year. Every year, a handful of new Assistant Teachers (ATs) are chosen and dispatched to K-12 schools throughout the US to enhance those Japanese programs by co-teaching fresh, authentic Japanese language and culture. |
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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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ART EXHIBITION Sports Day, a national holiday in Japan, falls this year on October 14. Autumn is commonly referred to as the "season of sports" and the new JFLA exhibition showcases photos of Japanese athletes active in the United States and around the world. We will introduce the works of award-winning photographer Mark Edward Harris, who vividly captures the images of professional and amateur athletes in a wide range of fields, from the athletes competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics (actually held in 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic) and the 2024 Paris Olympics, to popular athletes in professional North American league sports such as tennis and golf. Photos will also include Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani! Please come see Mr. Harris during the opening reception as he shares the story behind each photo and his adventures as a photographer. |
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WORKSHOP The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, will be offering a workshop related to our photo exhibition "Ganbare! Japanese Athletes on the World Stage." It will teach new and amateur photographers how to take dynamic sports photos. The instructor will be Mark Edward Harris, the photographer for the exhibition. In addition, we will invite two Karate practitioners, Shohei Yamamoto and Miruyo Ito, from Kyokushin Karate of Los Angeles as subjects. Participants are asked to bring their own camera. A 35mm camera or even a smartphone is fine. Why not take this opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from a professional photographer on how to capture the vivid movements of athletes? |
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CONVERSATION We're having our ever popular “Tea Time” Japanese conversation tables at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH)! Come and explore the campus, as well as meet new friends and Japanese native speakers! All Japanese levels are welcome -- Japanese language experience is not necessary; this event is open to everyone. As a special treat, experience our mini lecture and demonstration about Table Style Sado (Tea Ceremony) by a certified Table Style Sado Instructor Yumi Tanaka! We're excited to meet all of you! |
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ARCHITECTURE LECTURE SERIES To discuss Japanese architecture, this talk series is organized around five concepts unique to Japan: MA, KANE, HAI/KYO, IN/EI, and SUKI. Renowned Japanese architects and scholars will speak at each symposium about their ideas on architecture and the works they have produced. This series offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of Japanese architecture and its cultural concepts by featuring their insights, enriching your perspective on this distinctive architectural heritage through the lens of contemporary practice. |
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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 fifth session will meet in person at the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, October 30, at 7 pm and the topic will be “Art that Horrifies (Kowai Art).” This will be the final conversation for this series. **WARNING: THIS PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE GRAPHIC IMAGES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE.** |
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ON DEMAND Since launching JFF Theater in August, the streaming service has reached 20,000 registered users with the United States second in the number of users world-wide. Lets see if we can reach that number one spot this month. For October, you will still be able to catch Happy Flight, Time of Eve the Movie, and Tora-san in Goto. |
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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! Advocacy Support Letter |
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Japanese Language Education Update 129As the school year gets underway, we want to remind you that applications for our training programs and J-LEAP are now open for the 2025 Fiscal Year. If you’re looking to enhance your skills at our Japanese institute in Urawa or if you're interested in bringing an assistant teacher into your classroom, please be sure to apply by the respective deadlines. In line with the new academic year, the Japan Foundation is conducting its Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad to assess the state of Japanese education globally. Many recipients may find the survey email in their junk mail folders; please check for the email titled “[2024年度海外日本語教育機関調査へのご協力のお願い/ Request for Cooperation with 2024 Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad].” To participate in the survey, please send your name, email address, and your school or institution's name to jflasurvey@jpf.go.jp. For information, please visit the Japan Foundation - Survey on Japanese-Language Education Abroad (jpf.go.jp) Your participation in this survey is crucial for us to accurately assess the landscape of Japanese language education in the U.S. We appreciate your support in gathering as many responses as possible. Thank you! |
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5700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
jflainfo@jpf.go.jp
323.761.7510
