<h5>Live Webinar</h5>
Part of the Living Traditions Series
Tuesday, October 19 at 7–8 pm EDT (4–5 pm PDT) | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

What is Zen? It is a term most people are familiar with, but for which few are able to find deeper understanding. This religious tradition has influenced not only Japanese culture and spiritual practices immensely, but has also had a significant impact on Western society. At this talk, we invite scholars and practitioners to share their unique perspectives, examining Zen's role and perception in Japan and the West, differences in practices, and the path forward in a post-COVID world. This is the second of the five-part Living Traditions webinar series.

Speakers: 
Daiko Matsuyama, Deputy Head Priest of Taizo-in, Zen Buddhist Temple; Visiting Lecturer at Stanford University 
Shoko Mekata, Post-Doc Associate, Department of South Asian Studies, Harvard University 
Dave Morin, Co-founder & Managing Director, Offline Ventures 

Moderator: 
Paul S. Atkins, Professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Literature, University of Washington

Agenda 
7-8 pm EDT (4-5 pm PDT) &emsp;&emsp;	Discussion and Q&A

Program Details: This is a free event, with advance registration required. The program will be live-streamed through YouTube, and registrants will receive the viewing link by email on the event day. Participants can submit questions through YouTube during the live stream.

Register

Scholars and practitioners share their perspectives, examining Zen's role and perception in Japan and the West, differences in practices, and the path forward in a post-COVID world.

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Zen and Japanese Spiritual Practices

<h5>Online Workshop</h5>
Wednesday, September 22 at 6:30 pm EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

Delicate and delicious, tofu is a versatile food enjoyed in many Japanese dishes, from silky, chilled hiyayakko to deep-fried agedashidofu. At this online workshop, learn how to make fresh, authentic tofu at home with London-based chef and culinary educator Akemi Yokoyama. In the spirit of sustainability embodied by the Japanese concept of mottainai, participants will also use the tofu by-product to make tasty okara mochi. Discover what this plant-based protein has to offer, from bean to block and everything in between!

All participants will receive a recipe and ingredient list, and may follow along during the workshop or simply observe. 

Tickets:&nbsp;$25/$20 Japan Society members, seniors &amp; students

<a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/74t647ke90Ep0c14taB96i/609eefe5aadd5847d9b445ba4ff4902b/Handout_Tofu_Workshop.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for the event handout</a>

Please Note: This program will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download">Zoom</a>. Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

Buy Tickets 

Learn how to make fresh, authentic Japanese tofu at home with London-based chef and culinary educator Akemi Yokoyama in this online workshop.

Authentic Japanese Tofu: From Bean to Block


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Authentic Japanese Tofu: From Bean to Block (Online Workshop)

<h5>Traditional & Contemporary Music</h5>

Early May

Oki Kano, known professionally as OKI, is a leading musician of Ainu music—the music of Japan’s northernmost indigenous people. Born to a Japanese mother and an Ainu father, OKI has recovered and recreated traditional music on the tonkori, a stringed instrument of the Ainu people of Karafuto (a region also known as Sakhalin). The rich, reverberating twang of the tonkori strings, which are traditionally made from deer tendons, allowed Ainu shamans to communicate with spirits that control the wind, rain and other natural phenomena called kamuy. In this program, Oki performs solo pieces as well as contemporary works, performed by his internationally-known Oki Ainu Dub Band, that fuse Reggae, African and Electronica with Ainu folk melodies. OKI is featured in the film Ainu Mosir (2020), currently streaming on Netflix. 

Tickets and more information to be announced in late October.

<img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/1rS4SajfaOZOFyobcsDZWM/6b57400fd5d61e55a30dfc9a62033c0c/okidub_southafrica2.jpeg" style="border: 0px;" alt="SHeep Inset" width="100%"/>

In this program, Oki performs solo pieces as well as contemporary works, performed by his internationally-known Oki Ainu Dub Band, that fuse Reggae, African and Electronica with Ainu folk melodies.

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OKI: Music of the Ainu

<h5>Theater</h5>

Friday, October 1 at 7:30 pm—followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception &nbsp;&nbsp;SOLD OUT 
 Saturday, October 2 at 7:30 pm 
 Sunday, October 3 at 7:30 pm 
 Thursday, October 7 at 7:30 pm—followed by an artist Q&A &nbsp;&nbsp;SOLD OUT 
 Friday, October 8 at 7:30 pm 
 Saturday, October 9 at 3 pm & 7:30 pm 
 Sunday, October 10 at 3 pm

Co-presented with the Chocolate Factory Theater

Japanese American playwright/director Aya Ogawa presents this final version of their intimate autobiographical piece that explores their fractured relationship with their long-deceased, enigmatic father. Since the show's sold-out work-in-progress showings at Brooklyn Arts Exchange and The Public Theater's Under the Radar Incoming! Series, downtown theatergoers have been anticipating the premiere of The Nosebleed. Through a series of turbulent, absurd and poignantly comic vignettes, Ogawa reveals the seemingly insurmountable cultural and generational gap between themself and their father, who was a typical Japanese corporate businessman, and examines the questions faced by the playwright in their own motherhood experience today. A theatrical memorial and healing ritual for the audience, this darkly humorous, tender and inventive play considers how we inherit and bequeath failure, and what it takes to forgive. 

All audience members will be required to show proof of vaccination at Will Call and wear a face mask at all times inside the Japan Society building. The approximate capacity per performance is 50 people.

Tickets: $30/$25 members

Location: Japan Society (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/aomQJJEQkk7hVA5S7" target="_blank">333 East 47th Street, New York</a>)

ON-SALE DATES 
 Members: August 10 
General public: August 17 

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Buy Tickets

Japanese-American playwright/director Aya Ogawa presents this final version of their intimate autobiographical piece that explores their fractured relationship with their long-deceased, enigmatic father.

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The Nosebleed

<h5>Live Webinar</h5>
Thursday, September 23, 7-8:15 pm EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

Climate change is significantly altering the environment, damaging ecosystems and fueling extreme weather events across the world, from deadly wildfires in California and Greece to devastating downpours and landslides in Japan. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a code-red report definitively stating that today’s climate crisis is human-driven—how will the administrations of Japan and the U.S. prioritize their response? Prime Minister Suga has pledged Japan’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, while the U.S. officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement during President Biden's first hours in office. Corporations also have a critical role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing toward a more sustainable future. In this webinar, experts discuss climate and environmental policy in Japan and the U.S., how leading corporations are addressing this challenge, and the potential of private-public partnerships as a policy response.

Speakers: 
Audrey Choi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Morgan Stanley 
Naoko Ishii, Executive Vice President and Professor, University of Tokyo; Director, Center for Global Commons 
Miho Kurosaki, Head of ESG, Asia Pacific Region & Chief Representative, Tokyo Office, BloombergNEF 
Melanie Nakagawa, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council, The White House

Moderator: 
Carolyn Kissane, Academic Director & Clinical Professor, Global Affairs and Global Security, Conflict, and Cybercrime, Center for Global Affairs, New York University

Agenda: 
7-8:15 pm EDT &emsp;&emsp;	Discussion and Q&A

Admission: 
This is a free event. You must register for the webinar to receive the login details. 

For more information, please contact the Box Office at 212-715-1258 or email <a href="mailto:boxoffice@japansociety.org">boxoffice@japansociety.org</a>.

<h5>About the Speakers</h5>

Audrey Choi is Morgan Stanley’s Chief Sustainability Officer and is the founding CEO of Morgan Stanley’s industry-leading Institute for Sustainable Investing where she oversees the Firm's efforts to promote global sustainability through the capital markets. She also serves on the Firm’s Management Committee and for four years, Ms. Choi simultaneously served as Morgan Stanley’s Chief Marketing Officer where she stewarded the brand to reflect the Firm's core values of leading with integrity and exceptional ideas, and won industry awards for best corporate strategy and media innovation as the Morgan Stanley brand reached an all-time high. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Ms. Choi held senior policy positions in the Clinton Administration, including serving as Chief of Staff of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President. Previously, Ms. Choi was a foreign correspondent and bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal. She serves on the boards of several national nonprofits focused on sustainability, community development and social justice. Ms. Choi is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School.

Dr. Naoko Ishii is a professor and executive vice president at the University of Tokyo, where she is also the inaugural director for the Center for Global Commons, whose mission is to catalyze systems change so that humans can achieve sustainable development within planetary boundaries. She believes academia can and should play an active role in mobilizing movements towards shared goals of nurturing stewardship of the global commons. Before joining the university, Dr. Ishii was CEO and chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) from 2012-2020. She formed GEF’s first mid-term strategy, GEF 2020, focusing on the transformation of key economic systems. Dr. Ishii entered Japan’s Ministry of Finance in 1981 and served as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance from 2010-2012. She holds a B.A. in economics and a Ph.D. in international development, both from the University of Tokyo.

Miho Kurosaki leads analysis on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in Asia Pacific region. Prior to her current role, she managed Japan and Korea research team analyzing Japan’s power market, economics of renewable energy and energy policy. She is a member of the climate change expert panel for Prime Minister’s Office of Japan and an independent advisor to RE100 initiative. She also served as a committee member of climate change advisory panel for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and coal export policy for Ministry of Environment of Japan. Prior to joining BNEF, she has developed Bloomberg’s ESG analytics platform as a senior ESG analyst. She has also worked for a London based environmental research firm, Trucost, as an analyst covering environmental risks in portfolio management. Miho holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London and a BA in Economics from Keio University.

Melanie Nakagawa serves as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Climate and Energy at the National Security Council. Her work includes the U.S. return to the Paris Agreement and advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s policy of integrating climate change into U.S. foreign policy and national security. Most recently, she was the Director of Climate Strategy at Princeville Capital, leading their climate-focused strategy to invest in global growth-stage technology-enabled companies delivering transformative solutions to climate change, and launching their inaugural climate tech fund. Prior to her investment role, she served in the Obama-Biden administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Transformation at the U.S. State Department and was a strategic advisor on climate change to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Earlier in her career, she was the Senior Energy and Environment Counsel for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Nakagawa earned a J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, an M.A. in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service, and an A.B. from Brown University.

Experts discuss climate and environmental policy in Japan and the U.S., how leading corporations are addressing this challenge, and the potential of private-public partnerships as a policy response in this live webinar.

Toward a Sustainable Future: Climate & Environmental Policy in Japan & the U.S.

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<h5>Live Webinar</h5>
Wednesday, October 20, 7-8:15 pm EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

With vaccination rates increasing, businesses re-opening and countries loosening restrictions, people are slowly emerging from their homes and resuming their daily lives after over one and half years of a global pandemic. While vaccinations have helped to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and substantially reduced the severity, COVID and COVID variants continue to infect those across the globe with no end in sight. Many of us need to mentally prepare for a new normal, as we recognize that life is not the same as it was in the past. Additionally, the pandemic has created uncertainty in nearly every aspect of daily life, and has taken a toll on our mental wellbeing. What effect has the pandemic had on mental health? What are some healthy ways to cope with coronavirus-related anxiety? In this webinar, mental health experts share their insights into the psychological impact of living in a COVID-19 world in Japan and the United States, and how we can best transition to this new way of life.

Speakers: 
Tom Froese, Assistant Professor, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) 
Jeremy Hunter, Founding Director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute & Associate Professor of Practice, Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University 
Kaori Itokazu, Counselor, Ganjuu Wellbeing Service, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) 

Moderator: 
Ramona Handel-Bajema, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer, Japan Society

Agenda: 
7-8:15 pm EDT &emsp;&emsp;	Discussion and Q&A

Admission: 
This is a free event. You must register for the webinar to receive the login details. 

For more information, please contact the Box Office at 212-715-1258 or email <a href="mailto:boxoffice@japansociety.org">boxoffice@japansociety.org</a>.

<h5>About the Speakers</h5>

Tom Froese is a cognitive scientist with a background in computer science and complex systems. He investigates the interactive basis of life and mind with a variety of methods, including evolutionary robotics, agent-based modeling, sensory substitution interfaces, artificial neural networks, and virtual reality. He is particularly known for his contributions to the field of artificial life and to the enactive approach to cognitive science. One of the central questions that guides Froese’s research is: how are agents transformed by the interactions in which they participate with others? He explores this question across various scales of analysis, including the origins of life, the origins of social awareness, the origins of symbolic communication, and the origins of large-scale social organization. Another important aspect of Froese’s research is to reveal the essential role of tools and technology, and of environmental mediation more generally, in facilitating these qualitative transitions in the complexity of life and mind. As a paradigmatic case study, he studies how the use of human-computer interfaces has the potential to transform the user’s perceptual experience, which has implications for the science of consciousness.

Jeremy Hunter, Ph.D. is the great-grandson of a sumo wrestler. He serves as the Founding Director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute as well as Associate Professor of Practice at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management. He is also a co-founder and partner of Transform LLC in Tokyo, Japan. For nearly two decades, he has helped leaders transform themselves while retaining their humanity in the face of monumental change and challenge. He created and teaches The Executive Mind, a series of demanding and transformative executive education programs. They are dedicated to Drucker’s assertion that “You cannot manage other people unless you manage yourself first.” He also co-leads the Leading Mindfully Executive Education program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and teaches the Mindfulness for Effective Leadership Executive Education track at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He has designed and led leadership development programs for a wide variety of organizations, including Fortune 200 aerospace, Fortune 50 banking and finance, accounting, the arts and civic non-profits. Program impacts have lead to both positive professional, personal and financial outcomes for participants. Hunter has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. He has been voted Professor of the Year eight times. His work is informed by the experience of living day-to-day for 17 years with a potentially terminal illness. When faced with the need for life-saving surgery more than a dozen former students came forward as organ donors. Dr. Hunter received his Ph.D. from University of Chicago, under the direction of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. He also holds a degree in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and in East Asian Studies from Wittenberg University.

Kaori Itokazu is a counselor at Ganjuu Wellbeing Service. She has been working at OIST since 2015 and provides services in Japanese and English. She is originally from Okinawa but obtained her training and counselor license (LPC) in Denver, Colorado. Prior to her curent role, she was a mental health clinician at Asian Pacific Development Center in Denver and mainly worked with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders population including newly resettled refugees. She has worked with diverse populations from different cultures in both settings. Kaori holds a MA in Counseling Psychology Counselor Education from University of Colorado Denver and a BS in Psychology from University of Maryland University College. She lives with her husband, her mother, and a 2-year-old son in Naha, Okinawa.

Mental health experts share their insights into the psychological impact of living in a COVID-19 world in Japan and the United States, and how we can best transition to this new way of life.

Adjusting to the New Normal: COVID-19 & Mental Health

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<h5>Educators Professional Development</h5>

Saturday, October 30 & Saturday, November 13, 9 am–12 pm EST

Educators are invited to explore different topics related to contemporary Japan through two online units with video lectures and live Zoom sessions. Topics include the current U.S.-Japan relationship under the new administrations, sustainable environmental issues, declining birthrate and aging population, and women’s social advancement. This course will delve into how contemporary Japan can be understood within the context of broader global issues and how “Japan-specific” content themes can be used to raise awareness of social issues that American students face. Teachers will develop a lesson plan and be equipped to teach about Japan with culturally diverse perspectives in their classroom.

<h3>Video and Live Sessions</h3>
 
<h4>Unit 1 - Contemporary Japan: Policy and Sustainable Environment</h4>
 
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 <td width="45%">Video Sessions 
(to be completed before live lecture) 
 October 23-30, 2021
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 <li>2 Video lectures</li>
 <li>1 short film</li>
 <li>Reading assignments</li>
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 <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">Live Lecture Date Saturday, October 30, 9 am-12 pm EST
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 <li>Live Zoom sessions</li>
 <li>Post session assignment</li>
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<h4>Unit 2 - Future Japan: Declining Birthrate and Aging Population</h4>
 
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 <td width="45%">Video Sessions 
(to be completed before live lecture) 
 November 6-13, 2021 
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 <li>Reading assignments</li>
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 <td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top;">Live Lecture Date 
 Saturday, November 13, 9 am-1 pm EST
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Final lesson plans are due on December 6, 2021 for teachers who resister for P-credits with DOE.

 
 
<h3>How to Register</h3>

Free registration with Japan Society for all in-service K-12 teachers. To register, please fill out the registration form below and send it to <a href="mailto:jseducation@japansociety.org">jseducation@japansociety.org</a>.

<a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/4yPa2zhNfJTvHFXTn43dzg/afd19fea0c3cedd88c109813559d4792/NY_Registration_Form_Fillable.pdf" target="_blank">Download Registration Form</a>

1 P credit is available with DOE (Please visit ASPDP site for a separate registration with $45 registration Fee with NYC DOE).

CTLE credit hours are available through NYC Social Studies Supervisors Association (no fee).

Educators are invited to explore different topics related to contemporary Japan through two online units with video lectures and live Zoom sessions.

Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (online)


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Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (Online)

<h5>Online Panel Discussion</h5>
Monday, July 19, 7 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Watch the video <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/watch-and-read/videos/cross-racial-solidarity-video" target="_blank">here</a>.

How can marginalized communities overcome historical tensions and come together to advance racial justice? Over the past year, aggression and harassment toward the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community specifically, as a subgroup of Asian Americans, has escalated by 145 percent. This community cannot and should not have to combat this violence alone—and they haven't been. The achievements of the Civil Rights era were supported by multiracial coalitions, including Black-Asian solidarity. However, the relationship between these two broadly defined and diverse communities has not been without tension or conflict. In the context of America's racial reckoning sparked by the events of 2020 and pandemic-attributed increases in violence targeting the AAPI community, cross-racial coalitions are gaining visibility as a key structure and strategy for advancing issues of racial justice. Join us for a discussion with the nonprofit and philanthropic leaders who are leveraging cross-racial partnerships in concrete and meaningful ways.Followed by an audience Q&amp;A. Please submit questions in advance to <a href="mailto:eventQA@JapanSociety.org">eventsQA@JapanSociety.org</a>.

Speakers: 
Don Chen, President, Surdna Foundation 
Taryn Higashi, Executive Director, Unbound Philanthropy 
Rinku Sen, Executive Director, Narrative Initiative 
Bo Thao-Urabe, Executive and Network Director, Coalition of Asian American Leaders and Senior Program Strategist, AAPI Civic Engagement Fund

Moderator: 
Dr. Mya Fisher, Founder & Chief Executive Transformation Officer, Global Equity Forward, with an introduction by Japan Society President Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D. 

Program Details: This is a free event, with advance registration required. Suggested donations are welcome to support our innovative programs. This program will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event. 

Speaker Bios:

Don Chen is the President of the Surdna Foundation, where he leads the foundation’s efforts to strengthen and further leverage its commitment to social justice. Previously, Chen was the Director of the Cities & States program at the Ford Foundation, where his work supported urban development initiatives to make housing more affordable, promote more equitable land use practices, and empower communities to have a powerful decision-making voice in American cities and in developing countries. He also led a multi-program team to support the strengthening of social justice organizations and networks in targeted U.S. states. He was also the Founder and CEO of Smart Growth America. The author of many pieces on land use, transportation, social equity, and environmental policy, Chen has served on the boards of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, West Harlem Environmental Action, the Environmental Leadership Program and Grist magazine. He holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University. 

Taryn Higashi is the Executive Director of Unbound Philanthropy, which she has helped grow into a significant actor in contributing to pluralistic, just and equitable societies in the U.S. and UK that recognize the rights and contributions of immigrants and refugees. The foundation has co-founded institutions such as the U.S.-based Pop Culture Collaborative, which uses pop culture to help build for a pluralist culture, and the London-based Citizenship and Integration Initiative. In 2021, Unbound was awarded NAKASEC’s People Power Award; in 2020, Higashi and Unbound were awarded United We Dream’s first-ever Believer Award; and in 2019, Unbound was awarded the Mover and Shaker Award for Bold Peer Organizing from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. Prior to Unbound, Higashi managed the migrant and refugee rights portfolio and was Deputy Director of the human rights unit at the Ford Foundation, where she co-founded the Four Freedoms Fund, for which she and Geri Mannion of the Carnegie Corporation received the 2008 Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking from the Council on Foundations. Higashi is the Chair of the Board of the International Refugee Assistance Project, a former Chair of the Advisory Board of the International Migration Initiative at Open Society Foundations, and a former Board Co-Chair of Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.

Rinku Sen, Executive Director of Narrative Initiative, is a writer and social justice strategist. She is the former Executive Director of Race Forward and was Publisher of their award-winning news site Colorlines. Under Sen’s leadership, Race Forward generated some of the most impactful racial justice successes of recent years, including Drop the I-Word, a campaign for media outlets to stop referring to immigrants as “illegal." She was also the architect of the Shattered Families report, which identified the number of kids in foster care whose parents had been deported. Her books Stir it Up and The Accidental American theorize a model of community organizing that integrates a political analysis of race, gender, class, poverty, sexuality and other systems. As a consultant, Sen has worked on narrative and political strategy with numerous organizations and foundations, including PolicyLink, the ACLU and the Nathan Cummings Foundation. She serves on numerous boards, including the Women’s March, where she is Co-President and the Foundation for National Progress, publisher of Mother Jones magazine.

Bo Thao-Urabe is a practice-based possibilian who creates community-centered, asset-based solutions and transforms practices so that there are meaningful changes for those most impacted by systemic inequities. She currently serves as senior program strategist consultant for the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund and is the Executive and Network Director of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL). Thao-Urabe's lived experiences at the intersections of war, poverty, immigration, gender, culture and race continuously shape how she builds and contributes to ensuring communities can fully participate in creating systemic and cultural solutions to build a more joyful, abundant and just future. Her extensive leadership experiences include building and leading local, national and global efforts. Thao-Urabe has been recognized locally and nationally for her leadership and impact.

Dr. Mya Fisher, Founder & Chief Executive Transformation Officer, Global Equity Forward, has spent the last 20 years committed to issues of racial justice and equity as an international education expert and nonprofit leader. She has successfully developed and launched international programs for a variety of education, nonprofit and government entities across the U.S. and East Asia most notably, the U.S.-Japan Council's Watanabe Scholarship and TOMODACHI Initiative. In response to the racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent events of 2020, she founded Global Equity Forward, a strategic consulting and advisory practice focusing on equity, inclusion and racial justice from an international perspective. She advises corporate and nonprofit clients and empowers them to implement action plans to facilitate meaningful and sustained change. Dr. Fisher holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is an alumna of Williams College (B.A. Psychology and Sociology) and New York University (M.A., International Education).

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This program is co-organized by Global Equity Forward. 
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How can marginalized communities overcome historical tensions and come together to advance racial justice? Join us for a discussion with the nonprofit and philanthropic leaders who are leveraging cross-racial partnerships in concrete and meaningful ways.

The Power of Cross-Racial Solidarity in Advancing Racial Justice

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<h5>Online Conversation</h5>
Tuesday, July 20, 7:30 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Join the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) for a special webinar co-organized by Japan Society: a discussion with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. She has been the Governor of Tokyo since July 2016 and is the city's first female Governor, paving the way for women’s empowerment in Japan. The conversation will be centered around sustainable recovery, green finance, women’s empowerment, and the upcoming Summer Games. 
 
 
In this webinar, Governor Koike will provide opening remarks, which will be followed by a conversation with Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., President and CEO, Japan Society. This event is part of MCNY's Leading Cities Today series, a new series of conversations exploring how urban leaders are facing the major challenges and opportunities of our moment.

Program Details: This is a free event, with no advance registration required. The program will be livestreamed on the Museum of the City of New York's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MuseumofCityNY" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MuseumofCityofNY" target="_blank">YouTube</a> pages.

About the Speakers:

Governor Yuriko Koike has been the Governor of Tokyo since July 2016. In July 2020, she was re-elected to her second term of office. Prior to being elected to the post, she was active in national politics. She was a member of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives for a total of 24 years from 1992, during which she has held major posts including Minister of the Environment, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Affairs, Minister of Defense, and Director of the Committee on Budget of the House of Representatives. As the first woman to serve as the Minister of Defense and the Governor of Tokyo, she is paving the way for women to be more active in society. With a BA in Sociology from Cairo University, she is fluent in English and Arabic, and was a prominent news anchor before entering politics. 

Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Japan Society and has held positions of leadership at Eurasia Group, the USA Pavilion of the 2017 World Expo, the APCO Institute and APCO Worldwide. He has served in the State Department and the Defense Department; is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress; co-founded the Yale Journal of International Affairs; and attended the University of Richmond, Yale and Princeton Universities.

About Leading Cities Today:

Presented by the Museum of the City of New York, Leading Cities Today is a new series of conversations exploring how urban leaders — locally, nationally, and globally — are facing the major challenges and opportunities of our moment. As New York City and cities around the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to other shared issues, including the climate crisis, gentrification, and the pressures of urbanization, we invite a broad spectrum of city leaders to share their visions for how to build safe, sustainable, and equitable futures for their fellow citizens. 

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This program is co-organized with the Museum of the City of New York.
 
 
<img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/11qZbVXkIVbBfpPT88lOMl/3ab476c431c02eb9df5fa9f5832827f7/MCNY_logo.png" width="80" height="80">
 
</div>

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., discuss sustainable recovery, green finance, women’s empowerment, and the upcoming Summer Games in this special webinar.

Headshot of Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike



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Leading Tokyo Today: A Conversation with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike

<h5>Online Panel Discussion</h5>
Wednesday, June 9 at 6:30 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

At Japan Society&rsquo;s 24th Annual Sake Event we welcome sake brewers from Japan and the U.S. to share their stories in their own words. At this online panel discussion, moderated by sake expert John Gauntner, hear from Miho Imada, President and Toji of Imada Sake Brewing, Yuichiro Tanaka President of Rihaku Sake Brewing and Brian Polen, Co-Founder and President of Brooklyn Kura. Brewers will share behind-the-scenes details about their sake brewing methods and practices, their personal tips for enjoying sake at home, and recent challenges they have faced in the current environment. Followed by an audience Q&amp;A. 

Tickets:&nbsp;$15/$12 Japan Society members, seniors &amp; students

Program Details: This program will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download">Zoom</a>. Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event, and can submit questions through Zoom during the program.

At Japan Society’s 24th Annual Sake Event we welcome sake brewers from Japan and the U.S. to share their stories in their own words. 

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Annual Sake Event: Brewers Share Their Insider Stories

<h5>Online Course</h5>
Tuesday, May 4, 11, 18, 25 at 6:30 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

PLEASE NOTE: This course will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet). Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

In our busy world, the Japanese art of ikebana offers a moment of calm. Flower arrangement is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, connect with the natural world, and express your creativity. The Sogetsu school of ikebana emphasizes adaptability and self-expression, designed to be practiced by anyone, anywhere in the world. In this four-session course, you'll learn the fundamentals of Sogetsu-style ikebana, including how to select plant materials, basic techniques to create beautiful arrangements, and the philosophy behind the practice. All participants will receive a buying guide for flowers and supplies, including links to suggested equipment, and may follow along during the lessons or simply observe.

Lesson 1 (Tues., May 4, 6:30 &ndash; 7:30 pm EDT) introduces ikebana as a mindful approach to nature. Students will learn fundamental principles such as proportions, placement and focal point through the creation of a basic upright arrangement.

Lesson 2 (Tues., May 11, 6:30 &ndash; 7:30 pm EDT) explores how to make a slanted arrangement. Students will learn about balance and counterweight, the use of water, and positioning materials in a kenzan.

Lesson 3 (Tues., May 18, 6:30 &ndash; 7:30 pm EDT) focuses on an upright arrangement variation. Students will learn how to bend and shape materials and the importance of ma, or empty space.

Lesson 4 (Tues., May 25, 6:30 &ndash; 7:30 pm EDT) introduces an extended composition variation. Students will learn how to arrange a centerpiece ikebana style that can be appreciated from 180 degrees.

Instructor bio: 
Ren&eacute;e Ni&ntilde;o de Rivera, founder of Ni&ntilde;o de Rivera Communications, Inc., has developed multicultural and international strategies for corporations, nonprofits and government entities. Her clients have included: Japan Foundation in Mexico, Banco Mexicano, Dupont, Volkswagen, The Hispanic Society of America, Cooper Union and Acciona in La Venta, Oaxaca. Since 2010 she has worked closely with local groups in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, on the development of a multidisciplinary approach to help cooperatives formed by groups of indigenous women artisans achieve sustainable businesses.

Trained as a clinical psychologist, as a post‐graduate she studied at the Universidad Aut&oacute;noma de M&eacute;xico and the University of Geneva, Switzerland. She is an Ikebana Sogetsu Sensei and previously taught at the Consulate General of Japan in New York City. She is a member of the Board of Advisers to The World Council of Peoples for the United Nations and a former Board Member of New York Women in Communications.

Tuition for 4 lessons: $120/$96 members, seniors &amp; students. 
Participants will receive digital reference materials including diagrams, instructions and examples.

<hr />
<div>
 Talks+ Programs at Japan Society are generously sponsored by MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group).

 <a href="https://mufg-americas.com/"><img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/mufg.jpg" alt="MUFG" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 0px; margin: 0px;" width="150" height="auto" /></a>

 Additional support is provided by an anonymous donor and the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund.
 Photo &copy; Renee Ni&ntilde;o de Rivera
</div>

Sold Out

In this four-session course, you'll learn the fundamentals of Sogetsu-style ikebana, including how to select plant materials, basic techniques to create beautiful arrangements, and the philosophy behind the practice.

Mindfulness through Ikebana: Spring Creations

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<h5>Online Workshop</h5>
Thursday, April 22, 6:30 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

PLEASE NOTE: This course will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet). Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

It&rsquo;s cherry blossom season, and what better way to celebrate Japan&rsquo;s most iconic blossom than with some sakura-themed sake cocktails? At this virtual workshop, Sake Samurai Chris Johnson along with good friend and cocktail wizard Warren Hode, guide participants through mixing original sake cocktail creations inspired by the spring blooms. Each participant will receive recipes for a Cherry Blossom Fizz, Sakura Highball and Ichigo Cocktail to enjoy during the workshop. Participants will also receive suggested food pairings inspired by ohanami (flower-viewing picnics). All participants will receive a recipe and ingredient list, including links to suggested equipment, and may follow along during the workshop or simply observe.

Tickets $25/$20 members, seniors &amp; students. 

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<div class="mini-block">
 The Food Talk series is sponsored by Kikkoman Corporation. 
<a href="http://www.kikkoman.com/index.shtml" target="_blank"><img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/kikkoman_100.png" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="" /></a>
 Talks+ Programs at Japan Society are generously sponsored by MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group).

 <a href="https://mufg-americas.com/"><img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/mufg.jpg" alt="MUFG" style="vertical-align: middle; border: 0px; margin: 0px;" width="150" height="auto" /></a>

 Additional support is provided by an anonymous donor and the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund.

</div>

At this virtual workshop, Sake Samurai Chris Johnson along with good friend and cocktail wizard Warren Hode, guide participants through mixing original sake cocktail creations inspired by the spring blooms. 

042021-TALKS-cocktails-1920-1080

Sake Cocktails: Sakura Celebration

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 <h4>Live Online Symposium</h4>
 <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>
 
 Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/ten-years-later-japan-society-remembers-3-11">Ten Years Later: Japan Society Remembers 3.11</a> 

 
On March 11, 2011 (3.11), a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Japan, and the resulting tsunami and nuclear disaster devastated the Tohoku region. Victims of the Tohoku disasters impressed the world with their resilience. Today, 10 years later, the world is seeking the same resilience in the face of the health and economic crises caused by the global pandemic. How can individuals and communities build resilience against major catastrophes? At this live online symposium, leading voices and experts from Tohoku and the U.S. gather to exchange ideas and draw lessons from 3.11. Also featured is the premier of a short video of testimonials from leaders in Tohoku who received or participated in programs supported by Japan Society's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Co-organized with ETIC., a Japanese nonprofit dedicated to nurturing social entrepreneurs and recovery efforts in Tohoku, this event is part of Japan Society's programs marking the 10th year anniversary of 3.11. 
 
 
Held in Japanese and English with simultaneous interpretation.

 </div>

<div class="block"> Agenda: 
<table style="width: auto; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0;">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>7&mdash;7:25 PM</td>
 <td style="padding-left: 10px;">Welcome &amp; Introduction</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>7:05&mdash;8 PM</td>
 <td style="padding-left: 10px;">Keynote Dialogue: Resilience: Lessons from Tohoku &amp; Video Premiere: Report from Tohoku 2021</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>8&mdash;9 PM</td>
 <td style="padding-left: 10px;">Panel Discussion: Toward Resilient Societies: Perspectives from Tohoku, Japan &amp; the United States</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
</div>
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Keynote Dialogue 
 
Speakers: 
<a href="https://www.cgu.edu/people/jeremy-hunter/" target="_blank">Jeremy Hunter, Ph.D.</a>, Associate Professor of Practice and Founding Director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute, Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University 
<a href="https://www.katariba.or.jp/outline/member/13693/" target="_blank">Kumi Imamura</a>, President and CEO, NPO KATARIBA 
 
Moderator: 
Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., President &amp; CEO, Japan Society
 </div>
 <div class="block">
Panel Discussion 
Speakers: 
<a href="http://gopropeller.org/people/" target="_blank">Andrea Chen</a>, Executive Director, Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation (New Orleans, LA) 
Akiko Iwasaki, Owner, Horaikan (Japanese Ryokan/Inn) 
Daiju Takahashi, Chief Administrator, Eat, and Energize the East; Executive Officer, Oisix ra daichi, Inc.; President, Oisix Hong Kong Co., Ltd. 
 
Moderator: 
<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/faculty/daniel-aldrich/;">Daniel Aldrich, Ph.D.</a>, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs, and Director, Security and Resilience Studies Program, Northeastern University
 </div>
 <div class="block">
 Moderator
 
 Joshua W. Walker, Ph.D., President &amp; CEO, Japan Society 
 </div>
 <div class="block">
Admission: 
This is a free event. You must register for the webinar to receive the login details. Registrants will receive the viewing link at least one day before the event. 
 
For more information, please contact Global Partnerships &amp; Initiatives at 212-715-1272 or email <a href="mailto:events@japansociety.org">events@japansociety.org</a>.
 </div>
 <div class="block">
Please consider making a <a href="https://apps.guidebycell.com/gbc2/commerce/mobilepay/1772?mid=1772">tax-deductible donation</a> to Japan Society during registration. Your gift enables our continued development of innovative programs to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations.
 </div>
</div>

<div class="logos">Resiliency &amp; Recovery: A U.S.-Japan Dialogue Ten Years after 3.11 is supported by Japan Society's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund (JERF) through a grant to ETIC., and is also held in partnership with Tohoku-based organizations including the <a href="https://tohoku-leaders.com/" target="_blank">Tohoku Leaders Conference</a> and <a href="https://michinoku-design.org/" target="_blank">Michinoku Fukko Regional Design Center</a>.</div>

At this live online symposium, leading voices and experts from Tohoku and the U.S. gather to exchange ideas and draw lessons from 3.11.

Resiliency & Recovery: A U.S.-Japan Dialogue Ten Years after 3.11

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<h5>Online Film Series </h5>
Streaming begins June 4

Koji Fukada’s latest work is a sprawling 10-part television miniseries, officially selected by the 2020 Cannes Selection Committee. After a floundering toy salesman rescues a beguiling woman whose car was stuck on the train tracks, she inadvertently whisks him into an epic series of misadventures that turn his life upside down. While his once humdrum routine was already complicated by two female co-workers, he soon finds himself entrenched with gangsters, strange interlopers, kidnapping and other sundry crimes and misdemeanors. Singular auteur Koji Fukada (A Girl Missing) marks his first time adapting someone else’s work to the screen by bringing this popular manga to life replete with his patently idiosyncratic and lively take on human nature, fatalism, and true love. A Film Movement Release. 

2020. 10 episodes. Approx. 240 min/24 min per episode. Directed by Koji Fukada. With Win Morisaki, Kaho Tsuchimura, Yukiya Kitamura.

The Real Thing is available for rent only as a 10-episode bundle. 

Tickets: $15 / 20% off members

 
 
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Image: The Real Thing &copy; Mochiru Hoshisato, Shogakukan / NagoyaTV.

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="ORIX" width="68" height="45" />

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="NYC Department of Cultural Affairs" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/5ypprxzQGivKZPiPqceaQp/3221d2dae5a9641546172131c697f6e6/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" align="middle" />
 
 
<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/6dt9CmfMaP0X7UtzO9yfGx/9eb759585c31695e18d3faba68fb4d54/LOGO-JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

Rent

In Koji Fukada’s 10-part television miniseries, a floundering toy salesman rescues a beguiling woman whose car was stuck on the train tracks. From there, she inadvertently whisks him into an epic series of misadventures that turn his life upside down. 

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The Real Thing

<div class="segment">
<h3>『海辺の映画館―キネマの玉手箱』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>

Thursday, September 2, 7 PM

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

 &ldquo;Forget a swan song: Nobuhiko Obayashi’s final film is a shriek, a tirade, a lecture and a rollicking action-adventure stuffed into a three-hour pop-art package.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 <div style="margin-left: 40px;">&mdash;The New York Times</div>

New York Premiere. The final film by Nobuhiko Obayashi finds the late director returning to the subject of Japan’s history of warfare following the completion of his “War Trilogy,” which ended with Hanagatami (JC 2018). On the last night of its existence, a small movie theater in Onomichi—the seaside town of Obayashi’s youth where he shot nearly a dozen films—screens an all-night marathon of Japanese war films. When lightning strikes the theater, three young men are transported into the world onscreen where they experience the violent battles of several wars leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima. A breathless cinematic journey through Japan’s past, Labyrinth of Cinema finds Obayashi using every trick in his book to create an awe-inspiring, visually resplendent anti-war epic that urges us to consider cinema as a means to change history. The culmination of an exceptional 60-year career worth celebrating.

 <ul class="bullet">
 <li>Best Director, #2 Film of the Year, Kinema Junpo Awards 2021</li>
 <li>Special Achievement Award, Tokyo International Film Festival 2019</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 2019, 179 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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Image: © 2020 "Labyrinth of Cinema" Film Partners/PSC.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

The late Nobuhiko Obayashi’s swan song is a breathless journey through Japan’s war-torn past and an elegiac celebration of cinema—an awe-inspiring conclusion to a 60-year filmmaking career.

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Labyrinth of Cinema

<div class="segment">
<h3>『妖怪大戦争 ガーディアンズ』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening</h5>

Saturday, August 28, 7 PM 
Wednesday, September 1, 4 PM

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

U.S. Premiere. In cult director Takashi Miike’s long-awaited return to the phantasmagorical realm of yokai, a vengeful mass of sea spirits arise in the Nagano region of Japan and transform into Yokaiju, a destructive force of nature that leaves nothing but calamity and devastation in its wake. Hoping to prevent the unstoppable Yokaiju from reaching Tokyo (and thus breaking a spiritual barrier that staves off the revival of a nameless evil), the yokai summon the long-forgotten descendent of legendary samurai and yokai hunter Watanabe no Tsuna—fifth-grader Kei Watanabe (Kokoro Terada). Struggling to come to terms with his extraordinary lineage, Kei reluctantly takes on his ancestor’s mantle in an effort to save both yokai and humankind. A gonzo, off-the-wall meld of grand adventure, slapstick humor and fantastical spectacle, Miike’s latest effort reintroduces the mythical world of Japanese folklore (including the return of fan-favorite Daimajin) to a whole new generation of viewers. 

Dir. Takashi Miike, 2021, 118 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

Miike’s triumphant return to the phantasmagorical realm of mythical yokai introduces a whole new cast of faces in this adventure for all ages, including the long-awaited return of Daimajin! 

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The Great Yokai War: Guardians

<div class="segment">
<h3>『スパイの妻』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening | Centerpiece Presentation</h5>

Friday, August 27, 7 PM

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

 &ldquo;Anchored by Yu Aoi’s terrific turn, Wife of a Spy pivots from being a knotty, Hitchcockian, plot-driven spy caper to telling the story of a young woman’s political awakening, and the resultant growth of her self-respect as she realizes that she has resources of cunning, intelligence and integrity that she had not been aware of previously.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 <div style="margin-left: 40px;">&mdash;The Playlist</div> 

New York Premiere. Satoko Fukuhara (Yu Aoi) lives with her import/export businessman husband Yusaku (Takahashi Issey) in the port city of Kobe, with Japan on the precipice of entering WWII with Axis powers Germany and Italy in 1940. Their pleasant cosmopolitan life constricted by rising militarism, the couple is surveilled by Satoko’s admiring childhood friend who is now a steely military police officer (Masahiro Higashide). When Yusaku makes a trip to Manchuria where he witnesses colonial violence firsthand, and the mysterious woman (Hyunri) he returns with is discovered dead, Satoko questions allegiance and desire like never before, in a brave performance by Aoi. Co-written with his former students Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Tadashi Nohara (Happy Hour) and shot in 8K digital video for public broadcaster NHK, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s first historical drama eerily evokes horrors of the past in the visual register of our own terrifying times.

 <ul class="bullet">
 <li>Silver Lion Best Director, Venice International Film Festival 2020</li>
 <li>Best Film, Kinema Junpo Awards 2021</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2020, 115 min. 

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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Image: © 2020 NHK, NEP, Incline, C&I.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s first historical drama is a dizzying tale of suspicion, betrayal, and love during WWII, featuring surprising metafilmic turns and condemnation of colonialism, with a brave performance by Yu Aoi.

JC0821-Wife-of-a-Spy-1920x1080

Wife of a Spy

<div class="segment">
<h3>『騙し絵の牙』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>


Thursday, August 26, 7 PM 
Saturday, August 28, 4 PM 

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

International Premiere. Amid a power struggle within major publishing company Kunpu, cocky industry operator Akira (Yo Oizumi) gets assigned to lead its failing culture magazine Trinity as editor-in-chief. Enlisting the help of earnest rookie editor Megumi (Mayu Matsuoka), Akira attempts to revitalize Trinity by securing the commitment of a celebrated author, breaking out new literary talent and taking risks—all of which are backed by a new CEO (Koichi Sato) who has his own ideas about Kunpu’s future. Meanwhile, Megumi tries to track down a reclusive genius author while keeping up with the machinations of her crafty boss and their cutthroat industry. A whip-smart, twist-laden workplace comedy anchored by an all-star ensemble cast, the latest by Daihachi Yoshida (The Kirishima Thing, JC 2013) offers a comically cynical look at corporate culture that nevertheless celebrates the tenacity of the underdog.

Dir. Daihachi Yoshida, 2021, 137 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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<div class="divider"></div>

Image: © 2021 "KIBA: The Fangs of Fiction" Film Partners.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

In this whip-smart, all-star ensemble comedy, a cocky and manipulative chief editor at a major publishing company strives to save a failing magazine and enlists an earnest and innovative rookie to help.

JC0821-Kiba-1920x1080

Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction

<div class="segment">
<h3>『峠 最後のサムライ』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>

Saturday, August 21, 4 PM 
Wednesday, September 1, 7 PM


Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

New York Premiere. Following the end of Japan’s Edo period in 1867—when governing power was relinquished by the Tokugawa shogunate and restored to the Emperor—a civil war erupts between imperial loyalists in the west and the remaining shogunate in the east. Caught between both armies, Tsuginosuke Kawai (Koji Yakusho, 13 Assassins), chief retainer of the Nagaoka domain in Echigo, decides to remain neutral in order to safeguard the lives of his clan. When his attempts at brokering peace through negotiation fail, however, Kawai resolves to face the end of the samurai era with dignity. Directed by Takashi Koizumi (After the Rain, 2000)—assistant director on Akira Kurosawa’s epic samurai masterpiece Ran (1985)—The Pass is a skillfully realized throwback to classic samurai cinema, replete with gorgeous period costumes and sets, epic battle scenes and even an appearance by legendary samurai actor Tatsuya Nakadai.

 <ul class="bullet">
 <li>Official Selection, Hawai’i International Film Festival 2021</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Takashi Koizumi, 2020, 114 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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Image: © 2020 "The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai" Film Partners.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

In late 19th century Japan, a respected samurai (Koji Yakusho) tries to avoid war for his clan through negotiation, but when he is left with no other choice, he picks up his sword and heads into battle.

JC08221-The-Pass-1920x1080

The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai

<div class="segment">

<h3>『あのこは貴族』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>

Saturday, August 21, 7 PM 
Thursday, August 26, 4 PM

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

&ldquo;As coolly demure in its approach as its blue-blooded milieu, [...] the froideur and precision with which Sode navigates the world of Tokyo high society adds a layer of pristine authenticity to the picture.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 <div style="margin-left: 40px;">&mdash;Screen Daily</div>

New York Premiere. Whisked between social functions by private car, Hanako (Mugi Kadowaki, Love’s Whirlpool) lives a cloistered life among Tokyo’s wealthy elite. As she approaches her thirties, her family pushes her toward marriage and arranges dates with suitable bachelors. Meanwhile, Miki (Kiko Mizuhara, Helter Skelter) is making headway as an event planner after arriving in the city from her small town to attend a prestigious university only to drop out due to financial stress. When their paths cross over a man on a glide path to political power (Kengo Kora), these women recognize each other as individuals in the process of realizing their own passions and agency. Adapted from Mariko Yamauchi’s novel, Yukiko Sode’s dissection of class and gender comes alive with a fantastic cast including Shizuka Ishibashi (And Your Bird Can Sing) and Rio Yamashita (Asako I & II).

<ul class="bullet">
 <li>Big Screen Competition, International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021</li>
<li>Official Selection, Hawai’i International Film Festival 2021</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Yukiko Sode, 2020, 124 min. 

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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Image: © Mariko Yamauchi/SHUEISHA, "Aristocrats" Film Partners

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

Yukiko Sode’s commanding third feature explores relationships between women seeking pleasure and self-fulfillment amidst family expectations and class hierarchy, featuring outstanding lead performances.

JC0821-Aristocrats-1920x1080

Aristocrats

<div class="segment">
<h3>『カツベン！』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>

Friday, August 20, 4 PM 
Saturday, August 28, 1 PM


Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

 &ldquo; [A] joyously entertaining, inventively plotted, beautifully shot farce.&rdquo;&nbsp;
 <div style="margin-left: 40px;">&mdash;Variety</div> 

New York Premiere. The latest film by celebrated director Masayuki Suo (Shall We Dance?) is set in the last days of Japan’s silent movie era, when the real stars were not the actors on screen but live narrators known as benshi who dictated the action, voiced characters and transported audiences into the world of moving images. Hiding from the law in a small town cinema after a burglary gone wrong, lifelong cinephile Shuntaro (Ryo Narita) seeks to change his ways and fulfill his childhood dream of being a star benshi—but before long, a cocky rival performer, a gang of criminals and a relentless detective threaten to undo everything. Filled with charming period details and visual gags, Talking the Pictures is a genuine love letter to Japan’s golden age of silent cinema and a tribute to the magic of moviegoing.

 <ul class="bullet">
 <li>Official Selection, Tokyo International Film Festival 2019</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Masayuki Suo, 2019, 127 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

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Image: © 2019 “Talking the Pictures” Production Committee.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

A charming and comedic love letter to Japan’s silent movie era that follows an aspiring benshi (silent film narrator) as he tries to save a movie house with his performances while also running from the law.

JC0821-Talking-the-Pictures-1920x1080

Talking the Pictures

<div class="segment">

<div class="segment">
<h3>『サマーフィルムにのって』</h3>
 
<h5>In-Person Screening </h5>

Friday, August 20, 7 PM 
Saturday, August 21, 1:30 PM

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/films/japan-cuts-festival-of-new-japanese-film">JAPAN CUTS 2021</a>

U.S. Premiere. Pop idol, actress and former Nogizaka46 member Marika Ito stars as a highschooler nick-named “Barefoot” (hadashi in Japanese, also meaning “superior to”), a precocious chanbara-obsessed teen who spends her days poring over classic Raizo Ichikawa and Zatoichi films with her two best friends: kendo enthusiast “Blue Hawaii” and sci-fi geek “Kickboard.” Ready to finally produce her unrealized script, Samurai Spring, Barefoot jumps into action, resolving to make her dream come true over the course of one summer—and go head-to-head with her rival, the film club’s darling rom-com director—with her friends and a ragtag crew that includes a mysterious classmate whose love of samurai films matches her own. A charming and girl group-focused coming-of-age comedy that at times recalls Linda Linda Linda (2005), It's a Summer Film offers an endearing tribute to the life-affirming power of cinema. 

 <ul class="bullet">
 <li>Official Selection, Tokyo International Film Festival 2020</li>
 </ul>
 

Dir. Soushi Matsumoto, 2020, 97 min.

Tickets: $15 / $10 members

<div class="video-container">
<iframe class="video" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tcmUMO_VK9g" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<div class="divider"></div>

Image: © 2020 "It’s a Summer Film!" Production Committee.

JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by Shiseido Americas.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/26bve4qo4BeWAysyWuzZXy/3326c869b83ec4c2f72ccd1bdb6299b1/LOGO-shiseido.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

 Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A., Inc.
 <img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/bKnmQ83c6H2cCZ90aSk7z/63976732621deb78eb07cfd9721bbe55/LOGO-sapporo-130.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="Shiseido" width="130" height="auto" />

Japan Society Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, Masako H. Shinn, David Toberisky, Akiko Koide and Shohei Koide, Geoff and Fumi Matters, Laurel Gonsalves, David S. Howe, and Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4eO038iy62lBKJiilxxJ7I/fe523c7d90872a152f30f67f18ec9f59/logo_orix_200_133.jpg" alt="ORIX" width="auto" height="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" alt="" width="auto" height="25"

<img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/JAL.jpg" alt="Japan Airlines" style="margin: 5px 0px 14px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align-top" >

A precocious chanbara-obsessed teen and her friends aspire to make a samurai film over the course of one summer in this endearing take on a coming-of-age story, replete with teen romance and a sci-fi twist.

JC0821-Main-1920x1080

It's a Summer Film!

<h5>On Instagram</h5>
Friday, April 16, 11 AM EDT 
Thursday, May 13, 6 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Japanese carpentry tools have developed over a millennium through a dialogue between carpenters (daiku) and wood since Buddhism was introduced into Japan in the 6th century. Unique to Japanese tools is also the manner of how they are used. Many Japanese carpentry tools are pulled, rather than pushed, in order to cut or shape wood, as is common in woodworking traditions in other countries such as China, Europe, or the United States.

Connect with us in this two-part video series on Instagram and dive deeper into how Japanese tools are used. Japanese planes and other joinery techniques will be demonstrated by a trained carpenter. In partnership with Kezurou-kai USA. No prior experience necessary. 

Follow us on Instagram (<a href="https://instagram.com/japansociety" target="_blank">@japansociety</a>) to participate in this unique IGTV program.

Connect with us in this two-part video series on Instagram and dive deeper into how Japanese tools are used. Japanese planes and other joinery techniques will be demonstrated by a trained carpenter.

050121-GAL-tools-workshop-1920-1080

Tools for Working Wood

<h5>Online Workshop></h5>
April 29, 2021 from 6-8 PM EDT
 | <a href="http://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>
 

One of the tools most closely associated with the idea of Japanese craftsmanship, the chisel is used for the precise definition and patient refinement of both simple and complex geometries of wooden joinery, and for preparing elements for final assembly into a full-scale architectural structure.

Join carpenter (daiku) Jeff Bearce in this interactive online workshop dedicated to traditional Japanese chisel set-up and strategies for tool use. In this unique workshop, learn techniques that have been used by Japan&rsquo;s master carpenters for centuries. Previous experience is helpful but not required. In partnership with Kezurou-kai USA. Advanced registration is required (maximum capacity of 20).
Tickets:

$50/$40 members. Event registration includes 1 ticket to the on-site gallery exhibition. 

Items recommended for the chisel set-up class:

1. Chisel, preferably a Japanese bench chisel. For beginning sharpeners, chisels about 3/4&rdquo; wide will be easiest to sharpen. 
2. Three water stones: coarse (1000-1200 grit); medium (4,000 to 5,000 grit) fine (8,000 to 10,000 grit). Alternatively, a simpler two stone set kit may suffice: 1200 and 8,000 grits are then recommended. 
3. A flattening device for the water stones&mdash;either wet/dry sandpaper and a flat glass or granite slab; or a minimum 3&rdquo;x8&rdquo; diamond stone (DMT brand or similar) at about 1000 grit (this may also serve as one&rsquo;s coarse sharpening stone). 
4. An angle finding device for determining bevel angle: e.g., the General Tools Square Head Angle Protractor (under $10), or similar.

5. Hammer 

6. Sharp chisel or small carving knife for adjusting the wood handle when setting the steel hoop (a sharp Exacto knife works in a pinch).

More Info

Join carpenter (daiku) Jeff Bearce in this interactive online workshop dedicated to traditional Japanese chisel set-up and strategies for tool use.

042921-japanese-chisel-1920-1080

Setting Up a Japanese Chisel

<h5>Lecture</h5>
Thursday, June 24, 7 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

This keynote lecture by the acclaimed Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who supervised the exhibition design of When Practice Becomes Form: Carpentry Tools from Japan, discusses his work and connections between contemporary architectural practice and traditional craftsmanship.

Tickets: $12/$10 members, students and seniors; Event registration includes 1 ticket to the on-site gallery exhibition.

Born in Hokkaido in 1971, Sou Fujimoto graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Tokyo University and established Sou Fujimoto Architects in 2000. He has won several international competitions, including his recent 1st prize for the 2014 International Competition for the Second Folly of Montpellier, France (&quot;L'Arbre Blanc&quot;). In 2019, he was selected as the master architect for the Tsuda University Kodaira Campus Master Plan development. Among his notable projects are the annual summer pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery in London (2013)&mdash;the youngest architect to receive the commission; House NA in Tokyo (2012); Musashino Art University Museum &amp; Library (2010); and House N (2008). In 2012, he was part of the Japanese team that won a Golden Lion award for Best National Participation at the Venice Architecture Biennale for their design of alternative housing concepts for homes destroyed by the 2011 tsunami. Most recently, he was selected as site producer for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan.

<div class="divider"></div>
When Practice Becomes Form: Carpentry Tools from Japan is supported by Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, Japan; TAKENAKA CORPORATION, and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. 
<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/woVgLyma29RDpNc9Yfvt2/faad76568b297166d9956ec760c0be9d/TCTM-logo-horiz.jpg" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: center; style=" alt="TCTM" width="125" height="49" /> &nbsp; &nbsp; <img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="Takenaka" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/5aD1wqCJpl36tYWxO1Vpff/6a853b76d25eb1ad81bfa057afd14b23/takenaka-crop.jpg" width="125" height="24" align="top" /> 
 
 
This exhibition is made possible in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
 

<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="NYDCA" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" align="bottom" /> &nbsp; &nbsp; <img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px;" alt="" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/3Ko8ijbZbegeMo7shRiBTS/9e8893fcbfccd4736a86a61e14385085/NYSCA_Green.jpg" width="130" height="34" align="bottom" />
 
 
Exhibitions and Arts &amp; Culture Lecture Programs at Japan Society are made possible, in part, by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund, the Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation, Masako H. Shinn, Raphael and Jane Bernstein, Friends of the Gallery, and an anonymous donor. Support for Arts &amp; Culture Lecture Programs is provided, in part, by the Sandy Heck Lecture Fund. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive Japanese airline sponsor of Gallery.
 
 
Image &copy; David Vintiner.

This keynote lecture by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who supervised the exhibition design of When Practice Becomes Form: Carpentry Tools from Japan, discusses connections between contemporary architectural practice and traditional craftsmanship. 

062421-GAL-fujimoto-lecture-1920-1080

Sou Fujimoto: Between Nature and Architecture

<h5>Live Webinar</h5>
Thursday, June 3, 8:00 AM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Watch the video <a href="/watch-and-read/videos/challenges-opportunities-for-us-japan-korea-trade-relations">here.</a>

How can the U.S., Japan and Korea cooperate on shared challenges to achieve prosperity and shape the economic rules of the road, and what does the Biden administration mean for U.S. trade policy? Join us for a discussion about the dynamics of U.S.-Japan-Korea trade relations and regional economic integration, featuring Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler, Waseda University Professor Emeritus and Economic Research Institute for East Asia and ASEAN Senior Research Advisor Shujiro Urata, and Korea Development Institute and Johns Hopkins University Professor Wonhyuk Lim. This program is co-hosted by the Korea Society, Japan Society and Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), and moderated by Korea Society President Tom Byrne with an introduction by Japan Society President Joshua W. Walker.

Speakers: 
Wendy Cutler, Vice President &amp; Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute; former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative 
Wonhyuk Lim, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management; Adjunct Lecturer, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University 
Shujiro Urata, Professor Emeritus, Waseda University; Senior Research Advisor to President, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia 

Moderator: 
Thomas J. Byrne, President &amp; CEO, The Korea Society

Agenda 
8:00-9:00 AM EDT&nbsp; Discussion and Q&amp;A

Admission: 
This is a free event. You must register for the webinar to receive the login details.

For more information, please contact the Box Office at 212-715-1258 or email <a href="mailto:boxoffice@japansociety.org" target="_blank">boxoffice@japansociety.org</a>.

About the Speakers: 
Wendy Cutler is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office. In these roles, she focuses on building ASPI&rsquo;s presence in the nation's capital and on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade, investment, and innovation, as well as women&rsquo;s empowerment in Asia. She joined ASPI following an illustrious career of nearly three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she also served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. During her USTR career, she worked on a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations and initiatives, including the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S.-China negotiations, and the WTO Financial Services negotiations. She has published a series of ASPI papers on the Asian trade landscape and serves as a regular media commentator on trade and investment developments in Asia and the world.

Wonhyuk Lim is a professor at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management and adjunct lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Since he joined KDI in 1996, his research has focused on state-owned enterprises and family-based business groups (chaebol). He has also written extensively on development issues, in conjunction with policy consultation projects under Korea&rsquo;s Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP). After the 2002 Presidential Election in Korea, he worked for the Presidential Transition Committee and the Presidential Committee on Northeast Asia and helped to set policy directions for the restructuring of the electricity and gas sector and for Northeast Asian energy cooperation. Dr. Lim was at Brookings as a CNAPS Fellow in 2005-06. After returning to KDI in 2007, he became Director of the Office of Economic Development Cooperation, precursor to the Center for International Development (CID).

Shujiro Urata is Professor Emeritus, Waseda Unversity. He received his Ph.D in Economics from Stanford University in 1978. Before joining Waseda University in 1986, he was research associate at the Brookings Institution and an economist at the World Bank. He is currently affiliated with Economic Research Institute for East Asia and ASEAN (ERIA), Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), and Japan Center for Economic Research (JCER). His focus of research is in international trade and development economics.
 

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Co-organized by The Korea Society & Asia Society Policy Institute

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 Global Leaders
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 Corporate Partners

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Watch Video

How can the U.S., Japan, and Korea overcome obstacles to cooperate on shared challenges to achieve prosperity and shape the economic rules of the road? 

Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-Japan-Korea Trade Relations

060321-BP-challenges-1920x1080

<h5>Online Workshop</h5>

Thursday, Sept. 9, 6:30-8:30 PM ET (Part 1) 
 Wednesday, Sept. 15, 6:30-8:30 PM ET (Part 2) | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

PLEASE NOTE: This workshop will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

Why is stroke order important? Why are there multiple readings of the same Kanji? Is there an efficient and less painful way to learn new ones? What can I do to overcome my “Kanji allergy?”

Join us in these fun, hands-on workshops and get a jumpstart toward reading and writing Japanese with more confidence! 

For students in Levels 1–4, these workshops are a perfect introduction to Kanji. 

For students in Levels 5–9, these workshops will be an excellent opportunity to revisit the fundamentals of Kanji to reinforce your existing and future Kanji knowledge.

PART 1 Workshop:

In this workshop, you will be guided through the fundamental concepts of Kanji structure, bushu (radicals), on & kun readings, and more.

Part 1 is the equivalent of the previous “Kanji Workshop” offered through Spring 2021.

PART 2 Workshop:

In Part 2, you will be introduced to some of the most essential bushu (Kanji radicals). You will see how easily and quickly bushu can help increase your Kanji repertoire.

This is a continuation of Kanji Workshop Part 1, and Part 1 is a prerequisite to taking Part 2. Please note: Anyone who has attended a previous “Kanji Workshop” through Spring 2021 (equivalent of Part 1) may register for Part 2.

Due to this being a language learning workshop, we highly recommend having your video on if possible. We do ask that every participant is able to participate via their microphone. If you do not have this capability, please contact us at <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a>. 

Instructor: Ms. Kazue Kurahara holds a BA from Hunter College and an MA in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and TESOL from NYU. She holds teaching certificates in both Japanese and ESL. She has taught Japanese at various institutions, including New York University, Hunter College, Pace University, and The New School. She is the scriptwriter and host of Japan Society&rsquo;s YouTube series &quot;Uki Uki NihonGO! + Culture&rdquo;. 

For a printer friendly version, please click here: <a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/1vEJoJzwQUaXnola2ffTWI/22afc5956d7612ef1539d3cf3cd05e53/2021_Fall_Kanji_Workshops_Part_1___2_Info.pdf" target="_blank">Workshop Information (PDF)</a>

<h5>How To Register</h5>

Tuition: $37 nonmembers /$30 Japan Society Individual and Corporate members
Registration may be completed online (recommended) or by phone at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293. At the moment, we are only taking payment in the form of credit or debit cards (no checks or cash). 
Registrants will receive a welcome email and the Zoom link from <a href="mailto:language_inquiries@japansociety.org">language_inquiries@japansociety.org</a> in the afternoon of the business day before each workshop.

<h5>Please Note</h5>
Cancellation Policy: Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable (including for credit) for any reason after 12PM noon, the business day before your workshop starts. All refunds are subject to a $5 service charge, including those requested by the deadline date above. No partial registration or auditing is permitted. Please note that cancellations are accepted by phone only. Cancellations via e-mail are not accepted. Japan Society reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such a case, students already enrolled will receive full refunds. 
By registering for a workshop, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy. You also verify that the student taking this workshop is 16 years or older.


We do not record our workshops, and recording of this workshop is prohibited.

Why is stroke order important? Join us for fun and hands-on kanji workshops to get a jumpstart toward reading and writing Japanese with more confidence!

2021 Fall Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

<h5>EDUCATION &amp; FAMILY COURSE</h5>
Beginners are invited to start their Japanese language learning journey with this course designed just for teens! In this online course, students will learn and practice the fundamentals of Japanese language and culture with a group of like-minded peers. Using a variety of fun and engaging activities and examples from popular Japanese media like anime and manga, teens will develop practical listening, speaking, writing and cultural skills to kick-start their Japanese language abilities!

Tuition: $250/$200 Japan Society members. Open to ages 11-15. Space is limited to 12 students: advanced registration required.

These courses will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Further instructions will be provided before the course begins in October. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

For questions, please contact our Education &amp; Family team: <a href="mailto:jseducation@japansociety.org" target="_blank">jseducation@japansociety.org</a>.

10 Tuesdays, October 5—December 14, 5-6 pm ET (no class 11/23) | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>


<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/927e9f95-bd61-696d-0a03-8a8feeacab8c" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>
 
10 Wednesdays, October 6—December 15, 5:30-6:30 pm ET (no class 11/24) | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/69b6c028-f4ed-f6bf-31ca-426b496bc8aa" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>
 

Image: Japanese for Teens © Ayumi Sakamoto

In this online course, students will learn and practice the fundamentals of Japanese language and culture with a group of like-minded peers.

070621-FAM-JPN-teens-1920-1080

Japanese for Teens 

<h5>Education &amp; Family</h5>

10 Sundays, September 26 &ndash; December 12 (no class on 10/10 & 11/28)

Learn Japanese through a series of fun, interactive online courses designed just for kids! This fall, we are offering exploratory sessions for children ages 3-5 and 6-10 in multiple levels. 

These courses will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Further instructions will be provided before the course begins in June. Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

For questions, please contact our Education &amp; Family team: <a href="mailto:jseducation@japansociety.org" target="_blank">jseducation@japansociety.org</a>.

Japanese for Kids: Step 1 (online) 
10 Sundays, Sept. 26—Dec. 12 (no class on 10/10 & 11/28)

<blockquote>Absolute beginners in Japanese will have the opportunity to build basic vocabulary, listening, speaking and cultural skills with these Step 1 courses, designed for families with no or minimal Japanese experience. Families are encouraged to take one full year of Step 1 Japanese before moving onto Step 2. 

<div style="padding-left: 32px;">
3-5-Year-Olds, 10:30-11 am ET <a href="http://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
Young learners explore Japanese language and culture through a seasonal and theme-based curriculum filled with storytelling, songs, games and interactive activities to basic vocabulary and understanding (a PDF will be available for download).

<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/d03fb147-6b01-6822-8500-865de72d2278" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>

6-10-Year-Olds, 11:30 am-12 pm ET <a href="http://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
Using a theme-based curriculum, children learn Japanese through a variety of age-appropriate engaging activities, games and songs aimed at building everyday vocabulary. Speaking and basic reading and writing skills are introduced in a fun and supportive environment.

<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/aefa22ec-48ea-fac3-571c-e99bda055f7b" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>
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Tuition: $165/$125 Japan Society members. Adult accompaniment recommended. Space limited to 12 students; advance registration required. 
</blockquote> 

Japanese for Kids: Step 2 (online) 
10 Sundays, Sept. 26—Dec. 12 (no class on 10/10 & 11/28)

<blockquote>Young learners build upon existing basic vocabulary and speaking skills through situational lessons and become more comfortable using Japanese in everyday life. Step 2 courses are intended for families who have taken a full year of Step 1 courses or for families with previous Japanese language experience. 

<div style="padding-left: 32px;">
3-5-Year-Olds, 9:30-10 am ET <a href="http://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
Young learners explore Japanese language by building vocabulary related to the world around them. Through storytelling, games and engaging activates, children improve their listening skills and learn how to use Japanese in their everyday life with simple sentences and common expressions.

<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/9474b18a-08d6-31e9-7e43-2a7ad17797ee" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>

6-10-Year-Olds, 12:30–1 pm ET <a href="http://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
Using everyday situations, Japanese learners practice speaking and listening with age-appropriate activities and learn how to understand and respond with more advanced sentence structure. Building on age-appropriate vocabulary, students will be able to describe items used in everyday life.

<a href="https://boxoffice.japansociety.org/events/55458732-5bed-1dd8-a4f4-f02c59a2cc9a" class="primary-button" target="_blank">Register</a>

</div>

Tuition: $165/$125 Japan Society members. Adult accompaniment recommended. Space limited to 12 students; advance registration required.

</blockquote>

Learn Japanese through a series of fun, interactive online courses designed just for kids! We are offering exploratory sessions for children ages 3-5 and 6-10 in multiple levels.

061321-EDU-FAM-japanese-kids-1920-1080

Japanese for Kids

<h5>Online Workshop</h5>

９月１６日（木）午後７時〜９時（アメリカ東部夏時間）

Thursday, September 16, 7-9 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

チラシは、こちらからご覧いただけます。 Please click below for an English language PDF of this information (see last page): <a href="https://assets.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/2QJCmrof7qNFNvzhzUtQCt/01551920d4e70bbd1112dc2f0738b639/2021_Fall_English_-A__The-_Workshop_________________________________________info.pdf" target="_blank">2021 Fall English 'A, The' Workshop 英語の冠詞　ワークショップ info (PDF)</a> 

コロナウイルスの終息が見えない状況下、このワークショップはオンラインで行うことに決定いたしました。このオンラインクラスは<a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">「Zoom」</a>というアプリを使って施行されます。事前にパソコン、タブレット、スマホのいずれかにアプリのダウンロードをお願いいたします。

A storeかThe storeか、どっちがいつも行くスーパーだったっけ？ 

This is a cat だと猫なのに、This is Catは人間！？ 

The sun is brightかA sun is brightだけで、地球か異星の話だと分かるんですって？？

小さくて発音しやすいのに用法を間違えると意味がだいぶ外れてしまう英語の冠詞ですが、「a」と「the」の難しさの原因は、用法が6つもあるということにあります。ジャパン・ソサエティーが特別に開講する「冠詞ワークショップ」では、日英バイリンガル言語学者のベン先生と一緒に「a」と「the」の用法を全て分かりやすく、徹底的に学習します。ワークショップは英語と日本語で行われますので、どのレベルの方も大歓迎です。

「ビデオの停止」を選択することで、顔を出さずに参加することも可能ですが、会話教室であるため、顔を出して参加した方が、コミュニケーションは取りやすくおすすめです。
 
<h3>講師の紹介　/　Teacher Introduction</h3>

Ben Milam (ベン・マイラム)：コロンビア大学教育学部で応用言語学の修士号を取得したベン・マイラム先生は政府、教育、エンターテインメントの３業界に精通する経歴の持ち主で、和英翻訳と日英通訳のプロです。かつて国際連合アドバイザーを務めたこともあります。アスク出版社の「Nihongo Fun & Easy」や外務省出版の漫画「めぐみ」など、様々な教科書や漫画の翻訳にも関わっています。エンターテイメント業界でのハイライトは、所ジョージの「笑ってコラえて！」でテイラー・スウィフトにインタビューしたこと、また、日本のセレブ相手の英語個人教師など、多々の経験をもった異色英語教師として現在NY中心に活躍中です。

<div class="segment">

<h4>関連プログラム　／　Related Programs</h4>
 

 日本人対象の英会話教室（秋期）&emsp; 詳細はこちらから: <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/language-center/2021-fall/english-courses" target="_blank">Fall English Courses</a>

 日本語教師養成講座：初級 &emsp; 詳細はこちらから: <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/language-center/fall/japanese-teacher-training" target="_blank">Japanese-Language Teacher Training Course: Introductory</a>

</div>

 
<h3>お申込方法　/　How to Register</h2>

＄30 &emsp; 会員（法人会員の団体に所属する方は、会員として受け付けます） 
＄37 &emsp; 一般

お申し込みは、上記の赤い"Register"ボタンよりお進みください。Membersはジャパン・ソサエティー会員（法人会員の団体に所属する方は、会員として受け付けます）、Non-membersは会員以外の方となります。

お電話でのお申し込み（212-715-1269）も可能ですが、現在職員がリモートワーク中であるため、電話対応が難しい場合がございます。予めご了承ください。

ワークショップにお申し込みされた方には、9月15日(水)の午後にWelcome Letterをメール (<a href="mailto:language_inquiries@japansociety.org">language_inquiries@japansociety.org</a>) にてお送りします。

何かご不明点がございましたら、<a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a>または212-715-1269までお問い合わせください。
 
<h3>ご確認ください　/　Please Note</h3>

なお、授業料は一度納められましたら、開講日前日の９月１５日（水）の午後12時以降、返金いたしません。それ以前の返金に関しては、５ドルのサービス料金が課されます。キャンセルの場合は、お電話で212-715-1269までご連絡ください。メールでのキャンセルはご遠慮願います。

なお、クラスの録音・録画はご遠慮願います。

ジャパン・ソサエティーが特別に開講する「冠詞ワークショップ」では、日英バイリンガル言語学者のベン先生と一緒に「a」と「the」の用法を全て分かりやすく、徹底的に学習します。

英語の冠詞　ワークショップ “A/THE” WORKSHOP

1920x1080-basic-english-cats

英語の冠詞　ワークショップ   (English “A/The” Workshop)

Both performances on September 11 are sold out. The Story Box will run through October 9 at various locations in NYC. Check <a href="https://here.org/shows/the-story-box/" target="_blank">here</a> for a list of venues and times.

<h5>Theater</h5>
Saturday, September 11 at 4 pm 
 Saturday, September 11 at 7 pm
Co-presented with HERE

Written and performed by Suzi Takahashi and directed by Kristin Marting, The Story Box explores the importance of safeguarding our civil rights through the lens of Japanese American identity. Using kamishibai (a traditional Japanese storytelling method), coupled with Takahashi’s own family history and original music, this show takes audience members on a 230-year journey through our country's problematic treatment of Asian immigrants. In this outdoor event on 47th Street in front of Japan Society, each audience member receives a suitcase to sit on—a prop that alludes to Japanese Americans taking "only what they could carry" during their relocation during WWII. What will you find in your suitcase?

All patrons attending performances will be required to show proof of vaccination (NY Excelsior pass or vaccination card) and be masked. 

Tickets: Pay What You Wish

Location: On 47th Street between First and Second Avenue, in front of Japan Society’s building (333 East 47th Street, Manhattan)

This public event, permitted under New York City's Open Culture Program, commences a series of performances of The Story Box in outdoor spaces in each of the five boroughs of New York City.

Tickets

Written and performed by Suzi Takahashi and directed by Kristin Marting, The Story Box explores the importance of safeguarding our civil rights through the lens of Japanese American identity.

fall21-PA-StoryBox

The Story Box 

<h5>Live Webinar</h5>
Part of the Living Traditions Series
Tuesday, September 28 at 7‑8:15 pm EDT (4‑5:15 pm PDT) | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

The Japanese garden is not simply a place of beauty, serenity and contemplation grounded in a long tradition, but it is also a holistic art form functioning as a place of discovery and innovation that continues to evolve through cross-pollination with other cultural forms. This talk explores the historical journey of one of the world's oldest land art forms and examines its evolving relevance to the world. Inviting experts of critical acclaim from various creative fields, this interactive webinar delves into how Japanese landscape design principles and aesthetics have impacted the ways in which modern society approaches art and architecture while helping mold the human relationship with nature. This is the first of the five-part Living Traditions webinar series.

Speakers: 
Kendall Brown, Professor of Asian Art History, California State University, Long Beach 
Dana Buntrock, Professor of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley 
Dakin Hart, Senior Curator, The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

Moderator: 
Aki Nakanishi, Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art, and Education, Portland Japanese Garden

Agenda 
7-8:15 pm EDT (4-5:15 pm PDT) &emsp;&emsp;	Discussion and Q&A

Program Details: This is a free event, with advance registration required. The program will be live-streamed through YouTube, and registrants will receive the viewing link by email on the event day. Participants can submit questions through YouTube during the live stream.

Explore the history of the Japanese garden, one of the world's oldest land art forms, and its evolving relevance to the world today in this live webinar.

The Japanese Garden: Living Classroom of Nature, Architecture & Culture

1920x1080-talks-japanese-garden

<h5>Online Workshop</h5>
<strike>Tuesday, August 31, 6:30 PM</strike> Workshop Cancelled 
Tuesday, October 5, 12:00 PM | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
 
PLEASE NOTE: This workshop will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).

This business etiquette workshop is designed to teach basic Japanese phrases and behavioral skills needed in Japanese corporate environments. Participants will learn practical expressions and manners used in various business contexts, such as formal greeting, business card exchange, seating order (Kamiza and Shimoza), proper bowing, unique hand gestures and table manners. The class will be conducted in English and is suitable for persons at any level of Japanese language experience, including those who have little or no previous background in Japanese.

Although it is not required to show your face or video online, we highly recommend having your video on if possible. Seeing each other’s facial expressions is a part of interactive learning. We also ask that every participant be able to participate via their microphone. If you do not have one of these capabilities or would like to discuss accommodations, please contact us at <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a>.

 Ms. Atsuko Shio has a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Hoshi University in Tokyo. She has over 12 years of experience working in Product Management and in Sales at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. She is a graduate of Japan Society’s Teacher Training Program and has been teaching at the Language Center since September 2016.

For a printer friendly version, please click here: <a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/37gvPdzr3ik96YxxrndvFO/41cd791279569768c6e26d8b2c693601/2021_Fall_Business_Etiquette_Workshops.pdf" target="_blank">Workshop Information (PDF)</a>.
 

<h2>How To Register</h2>

Tuition: $40 nonmembers /$35 Japan Society Individual and Corporate members
Registration may be completed online (recommended) or by phone at (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293. At the moment, we are only taking payment in the form of credit or debit cards (no checks or cash). 
Registrants will receive a welcome email and the Zoom link from <a href="mailto:language_inquiries@japansociety.org">language_inquiries@japansociety.org</a> in the afternoon of the business day before each workshop.
 
<h2>Please Note</h2>
Cancellation Policy: Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable (including for credit) for any reason after 12PM noon, the business day before your workshop starts. All refunds are subject to a $5 service charge, including those requested by the deadline date above. No partial registration or auditing is permitted. Please note that cancellations are accepted by phone only. Cancellations via e-mail are not accepted. Japan Society reserves the right to cancel any course or workshop if sufficient enrollment is not obtained. In such a case, students already enrolled will receive full refunds. 

By registering for a workshop, you accept and agree to the above terms of the cancellation policy. You also verify that the student taking this workshop is 16 years or older.


We do not record our workshops, and recording of this workshop is prohibited.

<div class="divider"></div>

Support for Japan Society's Toyota Language Center is provided, in part, by the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund in The New York Community Trust; Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch; Christopher Hong; Steven Giordano; Juan Ruiz Gomez; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Frederick H. Katayama; and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.

This Japanese business etiquette workshop is designed to teach basic Japanese phrases and behavioral skills like proper bowing, unique hand gestures and table manners.

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Japanese Business Etiquette Workshop

<h5>Language Center Event</h5>
Friday, September 10, 7-8:30 pm EDT | ９月１０日（金）、午後７時―８時半（アメリカ東部夏時間） 
Saturday, September 11, 8-9:30 am Japan Time | ９月１１日（土）、午前８時－９時半（日本時間） 
 <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

PLEASE NOTE: This free event will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET). このオンライン語学交換会は「Zoom」というアプリを使って施行されます。事前にパソコン、タブレット、スマホのいずれかにアプリのダウンロードをお願い致します。

Join Japanese-language students and native Japanese speakers at this informal virtual language exchange to practice your Japanese. After a short presentation by our J-Culture guest, we will move into breakout rooms grouped by level to chat. Levels include introductory, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. 日本に興味のある人たちや日本語を勉強中の人たちと気軽に会話を楽しみましょう。ゲストによるプレゼンテーションの後で、日本語、英語のレベル別にグループに分かれて語学交換を行います。日本人の方、英語を勉強中の方、ふるってご参加ください！

In this session, Talo Kawasaki-san will lead participants through how to make a koi fish using origami. ここでは、Talo Kawasaki氏が、折り紙による鯉の作り方を参加者たちに指導してくれます。

Admission: This is a free event, with advance RSVP required. Participants must be age 16 or older. 参加費無料。事前のお申し込みが必要です。

Further event details, including the Zoom link, will be sent the morning of the event.　 
Zoomのリンクを含む詳細は、イベント当日の朝にメールにてお知らせ致します。

Questions? Please contact <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org" target="_blank">language@japansociety.org</a> or (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.

<h5>About the Guest</h5>
Talo Kawasaki is a Nisei who works in Brooklyn as an artist doing graphic design and origami. He’s best known online for the Patty Bat, an origami action model with flapping wings. Kawasaki-san is a co-designer for the American Museum of Natural History’s Origami Holiday Tree, decorated with about 2,000 folded animals and forms. He’s a member of OrigamiUSA, the national organization promoting origami and locally with the Origami Meetup Group (OMG NYC) who meet regularly to fold. Talo Kawasaki氏は、ブルックリンでグラフィックデザインと折り紙のアーティストとして活動している日系二世です。折り紙作品では、羽がパタパタと動く「Patty Bat」で有名です。同氏は、アメリカ自然史博物館の「折り紙クリスマスツリー」の共同デザイナーでもあります。また、折り紙を普及させるための全米組織「OrigamiUSA」のメンバーでもあり、地元では「Origami Meetup Group (OMG NYC)」の活動も行っています。

チラシは、こちらからご覧いただけます。 Please click below for a printable PDF of this information: 
<a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/6XH1qkTMUyCGkKBYG66FXi/3090c616912ddf1560902d332d36534e/Nihongo_Chat___J-Culture_Flyer_2021_September_Origami.pdf" target="_blank">Nihongo Chat + J-Culture Flyer 2021 September Origami (PDF)</a>

Please consider making a tax-deductible <a href="https://apps.guidebycell.com/gbc2/commerce/mobilepay/1772?mid=1772" target="_blank">donation</a>. Your gift enables our continued development of innovative programs, keeping the spirit of arts, culture and language alive.

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The Nihongo Chat + J -Culture series is presented in partnership with New York University, Hunter College, Baruch College, and LaGuardia Community College. This program is generously supported by The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles.

Support for Japan Society's Toyota Language Center is provided, in part, by Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch; Christopher Hong; Steven Giordano; Juan Ruiz Gomez; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Frederick H. Katayama; and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.

RSVP

Join Japanese-language students and native Japanese speakers at this informal virtual language exchange to practice your Japanese and learn about origami!

Virtual Nihongo Chat + J-Culture: Origami

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<h5>Theater</h5>

PROGRAM A, with Emile Blondel on piano: 
Thursday, November 4 at 7:30 pm—followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception 
Sunday, November 7 at 2:30 pm
PROGRAM B, with Kato Hideki on bass guitar: 
Friday, November 5 at 7:30 pm 
Saturday, November 6 at 7:30 pm

Inspired by the writings of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, SHEEP #1 follows the adventures of a sheep in search of the meaning of life. In this inventive, minimalist performance, NYC-based Japanese artist Sachiyo Takahashi (Nekaa Lab) manipulates tiny figurines that in real-time are magnified with a video camera and projected onto a screen, with the action set to live musical accompaniment—a unique style wisely coined by the artist "Microscopic Live Cinema-Theatre." The recipient of grants awarded by The Jim Henson Foundation in 2017, 2018 and 2021 for her innovative work in the field of puppetry, Takahashi explores the border between narrative and abstraction to generate dream-like fables for the subconscious.

All audience members must show proof of vaccination at Will Call.

Tickets: $23/$18 members

ON-SALE DATES 
 Members: August 10 
General public: August 17 

<img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/AfCziiHfQlCXt5JVJpDHA/440d04831d644a3963df41bb3887101e/sheep1_by_sachiyo_2__1_.jpg" style="border: 0px;" alt="SHeep Inset" width="100%"/>

Inspired by the writings of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, SHEEP #1 follows the adventures of a sheep in search of the meaning of life. 

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SHEEP #1

<h5>Online Event</h5>
８月１８日（水曜日）午前１１時〜午後１時 (アメリカ東部夏時間) 
Wednesday, August 18, 11:00 AM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

UPDATE as of 8/17/2020: We are still taking reservations for the 11 am-12:30 pm Teacher Training Information Session, but we no longer have spots for class observation. However, please do still fill out the above form if you wish to attend the Information Session only.

8月17日現在：
現在、”日本語教室の見学” については、定員に達したため、ご案内することができません。
"教師養成講座の紹介"、”Zoom の使い方”、“質問タイム” (11 am-12:30 pm)については、ご参加頂けますので、上記のフォームよりお申し込みください。

PLEASE NOTE: This free event will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET). このオンライン見学説明会は「Zoom」というアプリを使って施行されます。事前にパソコン、タブレット、スマホのいずれかにアプリのダウンロードをお願い致します。記載されている時刻は全てアメリカ東部時間です。

ジャパン・ソサエティーでは、日本語教師養成講座についての説明会をオンラインで開催致します！ぜひご参加ください。Learn about the Japanese-Language Teacher Training Program!

<a href="https://assets.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/6KET6MT5HeLF34SQJP7QoA/a165db4ccef48288f0a75728e875f626/Open_House_for_2021_Fall_Teacher_Training_Flyer_as_of_7-14-2021__1_.pdf" target="_blank"> チラシは、こちらからご覧いただけます。(PDF)</a>

11 am—12 pm &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 教師養成講座の紹介 / About Japanese-Language Teacher Training (Y. Aizawa)

12:05 – 12:15 pm &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Zoomの使い方 / About Using Zoom (K. Kurahara)

12:15—12:30 pm &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 質問タイム/ Open Q&A Time (JS Language Center staff)

TBD &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 日本語教室の見学 / Japanese Class Observation

このスケジュールは変更されることがあります。

参加料：無料。事前のお申し込み (RSVP) が必要です。 Admission: This is a free event, with advance RSVP required.

詳細はイベントの前日にメールでお知らせ致します。Details will be emailed to you the business day before the event. 

お問い合わせ: <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org" target="_blank">language@japansociety.org</a> または 212-715-1269 

Questions? Please contact <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org" target="_blank">language@japansociety.org</a> or (212) 715-1269 or (212) 715-1293.

<a href="https://www.japansociety.org/language-center/fall/japanese-teacher-training" target="_blank">2021年日本語教師養成講座：初級</a>のスケジュールは、以下の通りです。 
９月２２日～１２月１月（１１月２４日休講）、毎週水曜日　午前１１時－午後２時 
＊講座は「Zoom」を使ったオンラインコースです。

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<h4>関連プログラム　／　Related Programs</h4>
 
 英語の冠詞　ワークショップ&emsp; 詳細はこちらから:<a href="https://www.japansociety.org/workshops-and-events/2021-fall-english-workshop" target="_blank"> English “A/The” Workshop</a>

 日本人対象の英会話教室（晩夏）&emsp; 詳細はこちらから: <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/language-center/summer/late-summer-english" target="_blank">Late Summer English Courses</a>

 日本人対象の英会話教室（秋期）&emsp; 詳細はこちらから: Fall English Courses 近日開講　Coming soon

</div>

Please consider making a tax-deductible <a href="https://apps.guidebycell.com/gbc2/commerce/mobilepay/1772?mid=1772" target="_blank">donation</a>. Your gift enables our continued development of innovative programs, keeping the spirit of arts, culture and language alive.

<div class="divider"></div>
 <div class="block">

Support for Japan Society's Toyota Language Center is provided, in part, by the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund in The New York Community Trust; Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch; Christopher Hong; Steven Giordano; Juan Ruiz Gomez; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Frederick H. Katayama; and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.
 <img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/6vDxFFqJD330uYiuQ4KgIL/c98f6ab319a7bb1a043e7c6fbb39fcc6/033121-LOGO-NYCT.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" alt="The New York Community Trust" width="142" height="37" />
 </div>

ジャパン・ソサエティーでは、日本語教師養成講座についての説明会をオンラインで開催致します！ぜひご参加ください。Learn about the Japanese-Language Teacher Training Program!

日本語教師養成講座 見学説明会

(Japanese-Language Teacher Training Program Open House)

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日本語教師養成講座 見学説明会  (Japanese-Language Teacher Training Program Open House)

<h5>Traditional Performance</h5>

Friday, March 18 at 7:30 pm—followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception 
Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 pm—followed by an artist Q&A

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement, in which the U.S. ended its occupation of Okinawa following WWII and returned the island to Japan, a group of the islands' most exquisite dancers will perform a diverse repertoire of Okinawan traditional performing arts accompanied by live music. As specially selected by the young artistic director of the National Theatre Okinawa Michihiko Kakazu, the versatile artists will perform highlights from the traditional repertoire of kumiodori, a noh-inspired theater form developed during the period when the archipelago was an independent kingdom called Ryukyu (15th-19th centuries). The program also features popular folk dances (zo odori) with traditional ensemble music. From the brightly-dyed bingata costumes to the island music's iconic use of pentatonic scales, audiences are invited to relish the history and heritage of Japan's southernmost prefecture.

Tickets and more information to be announced in late October.

<img src="https://images.contentful.com/zwqohdz2e0fx/3pOkjaCdQCsYx4bAhH4nYF/5e1136a1b829d9f62d715db868c62b72/23jikata1___c__Ryohei_Oshiro.jpg" style="border: 0px;" alt="SHeep Inset" width="100%"/>

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement, a group of the islands' most exquisite dancers will perform a diverse repertoire of Okinawan traditional performing arts accompanied by live music. 

Waves Across Time: Traditional Dance and Music of Okinawa


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Waves Across Time: Traditional Dance and Music of Okinawa  

<h5>Traditional Music</h5>

Friday, February 11 at 7 pm

Co-presented with the Mid-Manhattan Performing Arts Foundation at St. Bartholomew’s Church

Believed to have originated in India, shomyo is a ritual form of Buddhist chant that traveled along the Silk Road to China, eventually reaching Japan in the sixth century. The ethereal voices of Shomyo no Kai—Voices of a Thousand Years, a group of priests from two of Japan’s major Esoteric Buddhist sects (Shingon and Tendai), have enraptured audiences around the world with their ecstatic monophony. Inspired by Navajo folktales and ancient Buddhist mandalas, young, female composer Yu Kuwabara presents a new shomyo piece written in the traditional style, entitled Spiral Mandala Ceremony. Clad in brightly-colored monastic robes, the choir’s powerful chanting transports the audience to a transcendent meditative state within the exceptional acoustics of St. Bartholomew’s Church.

Tickets and more information to be announced in late October.

Location: <a href="https:https://stbarts.org/" target="_blank">St. Bartholomew’s Church</a> (325 Park Avenue and 51st Street)

Inspired by Navajo folktales and ancient Buddhist mandalas, young, female composer Yu Kuwabara presents a new shomyo piece written in the traditional style, entitled Spiral Mandala Ceremony.

Shomyo: Buddhist Ritual Chant—Spiral Mandala Ceremony


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Shomyo: Buddhist Ritual Chant—Spiral Mandala Ceremony 

Friday, January 14 at 7:30 pm—followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception 
Saturday, January 15 at 7:30 pm—followed by an artist Q&A

One of New York City’s most anticipated contemporary dance events kicks off 2022 with its return. Now in its 19th installment, the Contemporary Dance Festival (formerly known as the Contemporary Dance Showcase) from Japan and East Asia includes: from Japan, butoh artists Kentaro Kujirai and Barabbas Okuyama embodying the philosophy of yin and yang in their haunting duet entitled A HUM SAN SUI; from Taiwan, mathematician-turned-choreographer Hao “Demian” Cheng uses the stage as his chalkboard in a solo that explores quantum physics through repetitive circular motion; and duo Choi Min-sun and Kang Jin-an from Korea, who twitch and jerk like windup toys to the sound of a ticking clock in their comical and technically-daring piece Complement.

Tickets and more information to be announced in late October.

 The Contemporary Dance Festival, one of New York City’s most anticipated contemporary dance events, kicks off in 2022 with artists from Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

Contemporary Dance Festival: Japan + East Asia


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Contemporary Dance Festival: Japan + East Asia 

<h5>Play Reading Series: Contemporary Japanese Plays in English Translation</h5>

By Shoko Matsumura 
Directed by Jordana De La Cruz

Monday, December 6 at 7:30 pm—followed by an artist Q&A

The real and the surreal come together at a small French restaurant in Japan in Cooking Up, written by emerging female playwright and director Shoko Matsumura. One of the finalists of the prestigious Kishida Kunio Drama Award, the play takes an unusual turn when the head chef’s wife asks her husband’s mistress to take the place of their missing house cat. Jordana De La Cruz, Co-Director of the OBIE Award-winning performance venue JACK in Brooklyn, directs this absurd sojourn into the private lives of the restaurant’s employees. Playwright Matsumura joins in a post-show Q&A with the audience and director. 

All audience members must show proof of vaccination at Will Call. Audience seating will be on the auditorium stage with an approximate capacity of 60 people.

Tickets: $15/$10 members

ON-SALE DATES 
Members: August 10 
General public: August 17 

The 16th installment of Japan Society’s annual Play Reading Series introduces topical plays from up-and-coming playwrights in Japan to artists and audiences in the U.S.

The real and the surreal come together at a small French restaurant in Japan in Cooking Up, written by emerging female playwright and director Shoko Matsumura.

1920x1080-CookingUp

Cooking Up

<h5>Online Event</h5>
Wednesday, August 25, 6:30 – 7:30 PM PM 
Thursday, August 26, 12:00 – 1:00 PM | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
 <a class="primary-button" href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">RSVP</a>
PLEASE NOTE: This free event will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. To participate fully, you will need access to a device with internet, microphone, and camera (such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet). Please note that all times listed are New York time (ET).
Have you always wanted to learn Japanese, but were unsure where to start? Come for a Japanese Trial Lesson for Beginners, taught by the Toyota Language Center’s Director, Tomoyo Kamimura. This lesson is structured for complete beginners of Japanese. If you are not a complete beginner, please take a look at the Japanese Level Guide for information about our courses, or email <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a> with your questions.
Although it is not required to show your face or video online, we highly recommend having your video on if possible. Seeing each other’s facial expressions is a part of conversation and language learning. We also ask that every participant be able to participate via their microphone. If you do not have one of these capabilities or would like to discuss accommodations, please contact us at <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a>.
 Ms. Tomoyo Kamimura holds a BA from Waseda University, an MA in Linguistics from the University of Oregon and an MBA from Columbia University. She has been teaching Japanese at universities both in the US and Japan for over 15 years. Ms. Kamimura has numerous publications and has served as co-editor of Ohbunsha's Japanese - English Dictionary. Previously, she was coordinator of The New School’s Japanese program.
 Space is limited; RSVP required to <a href="mailto:language@japansociety.org">language@japansociety.org</a> (preferred) or 212-715-1269.
 In your RSVP, please provide a first and last name, your email address, phone number (optional), and the name connected to the Zoom account you will use for the event. We will only be letting in the names we recognize from the RSVP list.
 Participants must be age 16 or older.
 Further instructions and the Zoom link will be provided on the morning of the event by email from <a href="mailto:language_inquiries@japansociety.org">language_inquiries@japansociety.org</a>.

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Support for Japan Society's Toyota Language Center is provided, in part, by Mark F. Goldfield and Mary E. Hatch; Christopher Hong; Steven Giordano; Juan Ruiz Gomez; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; Frederick H. Katayama; and Dr. Bic Kanayjorn.


Photo &copy;Daphne Youree

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Japanese Trial Lesson

<h5>Passing the Torch</h5>
Tuesday, June 29, 8 PM EDT 
 Wednesday, June 30, 9AM JST | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Watch the video <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/watch-and-read/videos/the-inside-edge-skating-champions-from-japan-and-the-u-s">here</a>.

Champion figure skaters from Japan and the U.S. speak out about training and competing, the athletic mindset and resiliency in overcoming challenges, superfans and the extreme popularity of the sport in Japan, and life after competitive skating. Participants include two-time Olympian, 2018 Olympic bronze medalist and 2008 U.S. National Champion Mirai Nagasu; 2007 and 2011 World Champion, 2011 Four Continents Champion, 2004 World Junior Champion and three-time Japanese National Champion Miki Ando; two-time Olympian, 1994 World Champion, 1990 Junior World Champion and two-time Japanese National Champion Yuka Sato; and four-time Japanese National Champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018), 2016 Four Continents Champion, 2018 Winter Olympian (4th), World Silver Medalist (2015), World Bronze Medalist (2018) and Grand Prix of Figure Skating Silver Medalist (2015, 2016) Satoko Miyahara. Moderated by two-time Olympic and World medalist and 1993 U.S. National Champion Nancy Kerrigan. Viewers will be able to ask direct questions during this interactive online program.
This program is part of our <a href="https://japansociety.org/series/passing-the-torch/">Passing the Torch</a> series, a celebration of the upcoming Tokyo Summer Games.
Program Details: This is a free event, with advance registration required. Suggested donations are welcome to support our innovative programs. This program will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event. 
<div style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/yw7Vkra19pXNGozrxgBhj/7d0020b07e3e9369e8a976331f365235/062921-ptt-inside-edge-miki-ando-457x814.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Miki Ando was born in 1987 in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She began skating in earnest at the age of nine and already by the age of 14, she achieved the feat of landing the first successful quadruple Salchow in an official women’s competition at the 2002 Junior Grand Prix Final. Miki participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino and won her first World Championship in 2007. She won Gold medals at the Grand Prix Series Cup of Russia and NHK Cup during the 2009-2010 season and went on to finish 5th at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. During the 2010-2011 season, Miki won Gold medals at both the Cup of China and Cup of Russia in the Grand Prix Series, was crowned champion at Japanese Nationals and then at Four Continents and won the World Championships for the second time in four years. Miki currently teaches and skates professionally in ice shows in Japan and abroad and is active in various media outlets including television and print. She participates in many charitable activities such as serving as a Service Dog Support Ambassador with the (Fuku) Japan Service Dog Association, as a Special Olympics Dream Supporter, and with her own reconstruction project, Reborn-Garden. In 2017, she served as a Tourism Ambassador to Gangwon-do for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.</div>
<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/7is2C5iUWDrOQc4kP3PWXJ/6a699091a73cc962cdff747f4b9a90e9/062921-ptt-inside-edge-nancy-kerrigan-297x528.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Nancy Kerrigan has been one of America’s most recognizable sports icons for over 25 years. Her rise to competing at a national level began when she placed 3rd at the 1991 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, allowing her to qualify for the 1991 World Championships where she won the bronze medal as part of an American sweep. She earned the bronze medal at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics and the silver medal at the 1992 World Championships. In 1993, Kerrigan became the U.S. Ladies Champion and followed that up with her historic silver medal performance at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. Along the way, Kerrigan became known for her groundbreaking fashion on the ice teaming up with Vera Wang and others to create some of the most memorable skating outfits in the history of the sport. In addition to her work on the ice, she has regularly appeared on television and in movies as an actor and is well known for being instrumental in the creation of Halloween on Ice and other figure skating shows. 
 
Nancy has been a product endorser, author, motivational speaker and advocate for issues related to infertility. The Nancy Kerrigan Foundation has raised significant funds for the vision impaired in honor of her legally blind mother and she has been recognized for her excellence on and off the ice. More recently, Kerrigan has focused on her family (three children, ages 13, 16 and 24), and choreography (Halloween on Ice, SkateNiagara, Bryant Park Holiday Show) while also appearing on Dancing with the Stars in Season 24. Nancy is currently executive producing the upcoming documentary Why Don’t You Lose 5 Lbs., which will examine the silent epidemic of eating disorders in sports and was on the Advisory Board for the Aurora Games, which is an international platform for women in sports and entertainment. She is also still active in working with various companies including Massachusetts-based Revise Energy.</div>
<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/7doT83XRzdf5KU5Vv8iLE7/3ee3c965a20b012a70a54ffe6d06e274/062921-ptt-inside-edge-satoko-miyahara-900x1600.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Satoko Miyahara was born in 1998 in Kyoto, Japan. Her family relocated to Houston, Texas for work when she was five years old and they returned to Kyoto when she was seven years old. Satoko is currently competitive and trains in Toronto, Canada. She is a four-time Japanese National Champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018), 2016 Four Continents Champion, 2018 Winter Olympian (4th Place), World Silver Medalist (2015), World Bronze Medalist (2018) and Grand Prix of Figure Skating Silver Medalist (2015, 2016). Satoko graduated from the University of Kansai in March 2021. Apart from figure skating, she enjoys speaking English, which she first studied during her time in Houston, cooking, and coloring books. </div>
<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/237XKrYtBBoXI3YcXGN20Y/a94a9231672920fbf60b0329d9880ba0/062921-ptt-inside-edge-mirai-nagasu-988x1759.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Mirai Nagasu was born and raised in California, and began skating at the age of five. She was one of the youngest competitors to win a US National Title in 2008. She placed 4th at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and went on to win a Bronze Medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in the Team Event; making history as the first American woman to land a triple Axel at an Olympic Games. Mirai recently graduated from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs with a B.S. in Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, and was the first Japanese-American woman to land a spot in the EY Women Athletes Business Network (WABN) Global Mentoring Program. She also completed a certificate at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Next Step: Transition to Business. This highly selective on-campus certificate program taught by MBA faculty and designed for military veterans and elite athletes focuses on leadership development, strategy, financial analysis, spreadsheet modeling and business communication. </div>
<div style="clear: both;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4pCJ6QqH466Z3LDSd64xPk/675ba282f4d295e9493f3be63cd8b595/062921-ptt-inside-edge-yuka-sato-297x528.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Yuka Sato was born in 1973 in Tokyo, Japan, and one may say that she has skating in her blood. Her parents are former Japanese Champions who both represented Japan at the Olympic Games. Yuka started skating at the age of four and began competing at the age of six. Yuka is a two-time Olympian, finishing 7th at the 1992 Winter Olympics and 5th at the 1994 Winter Olympics. She is a two-time Japanese National Champion (1993, 1994), and won the gold medal at Skate America, as part of the Grand Prix Series in 1992. She also holds many professional titles including winning the gold medal (1995, 2000, 2001) and the silver medal (1996, 1998) at the World Professional Championships. The highlight of Yuka’s amateur skating career was at the 1994 World Championships, where she won the World title in her home country. Japan was extremely proud of their newly crowned champion and she helped to further the popularity of figure skating in Japan. After the 1994 Worlds, Yuka made the decision to turn professional. Yuka toured with Stars on Ice during eight consecutive seasons (2000-2010). She is a professional skater, choreographer, commentator, and coach – and looks forward to another exciting year to come.</div>

Champion figure skaters from Japan and the U.S. speak out about training and competing, the athletic mindset and resiliency in overcoming challenges, superfans and the extreme popularity of the sport in Japan, and life after competitive skating.

The Inside Edge: Skating Champions from Japan & the U.S.



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The Inside Edge: Skating Champions from Japan & the U.S.

<h5>Online Contemporary Theater</h5>

Live-Stream with Real-Time Polling* 
&bull; Saturday, March 6, 9:30 PM EST 
&bull; Sunday, March 7, 4:30 PM EST 
&bull; Thursday, March 11, 8 PM EST&mdash;Followed by a Live Artist Q&amp;A 

On Demand** 
&bull; March 12&mdash;March 26 &nbsp; &nbsp; | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a__text in bold__>

Part of <a href="/arts-and-culture/ten-years-later-japan-society-remembers-3-11">Ten Years Later: Japan Society Remembers 3.11</a> 

<blockquote> &ldquo;The play shows how the simulated can adjoin, infuse or ultimately replace the actual.&rdquo; &ndash; The New York Times </blockquote>Set a few years after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, this video adaptation of Brooklyn-based theater-maker Aya Ogawa&rsquo;s play Ludic Proxy follows a woman named Maho, visiting her older sister Maki who lives on the outskirts of the Fukushima nuclear evacuation zone. Maho functions as the audience&rsquo;s avatar in the story as she cautiously navigates daily life in their hometown post-3.11, which takes on added urgency when Maki reveals that she is pregnant. Using video games as a dramaturgy, viewers are asked to vote, in real time &ldquo;audience polling,&rdquo; on how Maho progresses through this harrowing set of circumstances, thus determining outcomes along the way. Featuring original cast members Saori Tsukada as Maho and Yuki Kawahisa as Maki, the line between actual and virtual reality begins to blur once again in this interactive, dark play exploring human survival in the face of disaster. A live Q&amp;A with Aya Ogawa will take place following the performance on March 11. 

*Ticketholders will be able to participate at the date and time for which they&rsquo;ve reserved, as well as any subsequent live presentations in the schedule (March 6, 7, 11). Please note that the same access link sent in the reminder emails on the day before and the day of the reserved presentation date may be used to access any of the later viewings. Given the myriad possibilities of plot outcomes as determined by the live audience polling, ticketholders are invited to return for new viewing experiences as offered by these three distinct presentations.

**All ticketholders will have access to an &ldquo;on demand&rdquo; version, available from March 12 through March 26. A link to access this version will be sent out to all ticketholders on March 12, which will incorporate real-time input from the solo viewer as opposed to collective audience polling.

Streamed with English subtitles. 

Tickets: $15/$12 members
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Ludic Proxy was originally commissioned by PlayCo and premiered at Walker Space in April 2015 and was developed as part of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's Process Space, Swing Space and Workspace programs.
<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/6aCz1pKjRJ6HjDcfQN6mcr/63f71a85baf210882d3ff1b5b5bbb3af/logo-playco-612-396.png" alt="PlayCo" width="95" hspace="3" height="61" /> 
Ludic Proxy: Fukushima is supported by Doug and Teresa Peterson, and NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund (A Statewide Theatre Regrant Program).
<img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/1b2fMl9l9T72Na3MnDSTLf/2b7690e2aba922590998a8bbf32f1b24/logo-NYSCA-art-new-york-1231-601.jpg" alt="ArtNY" width="70" hspace="3" height="34" /> 
 
 

2020-2021 Performing Arts Season 
 
Lead Sponsor: 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/PA_MetLife_214.png" alt="" width="214" height="25" /> 
 
Corporate Partner: 
 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;">
 <tbody>
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 <td style="padding-bottom: 5px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.orix.com/"><img src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/Orix.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="" width="92" height="" /></a></td>
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 <td style="padding-top: 5px;">ORIX Stewardship Foundation</td>
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Major Support: Doug and Teresa Peterson, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" align="middle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/NYSCA_Green.jpg" width="130" height="34" align="middle" /> 
 
Additional Support: Dr. and Mrs. Carl F. Taeusch II, Dean Jeanette C. Takamura, Mr. Alan M. Suhonen, The Royal Little Family Foundation, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, Hiroko Onoyama, Mr. Norton Belknap&Dagger;, Dr. John K. Gillespie, Paula S. Lawrence, Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Michiko Levine, Susan M. McCormac, Pamela Perlman, Karen and Samuel Richardson, and Lyndley and Samuel Schwab. 
 
Endowment: Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund and the Endowment for the Performing Arts, established with a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. 
 
In-kind Support: Transportation assistance is provided by All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. 
 
<a href="http://www.fly-ana.com/"><img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/ANA_130.png" alt="" width="130" height="37" /></a> 
 
&Dagger; In memoriam. 
</div>

This video adaptation of NYC-based writer/director Aya Ogawa&rsquo;s play Ludic Proxy follows a woman named Maho, visiting her older sister Maki who lives on the outskirts of the Fukushima nuclear evacuation zone.

Ludic Proxy: Fukushima

<h5>Online Traditional Music Concert</h5>
Premiere: Tuesday, March 30, 8 PM EDT&mdash;Followed by a Live Artists Q&amp;A | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 
Co-presented with University of Chicago

Hailing from two of Japan's major Buddhist sects (Shingon and Tendai), the critically-acclaimed group Shomyo no Kai&mdash;Voices of a Thousand Years will showcase their mastery of a millennium-old chanting ritual with a performance that transcends sectarian boundaries. Discover one of the earliest forms of vocal music reimagined in a new work by the young female composer Yu Kuwabara, titled Mantra of Moonlight (Tsuki no Kogon). With a performance set in the exceptional acoustics and grand sacred space of An'yo-in Temple, one of the oldest temples in Itabashi Ward in Japan, this concert offers a rare opportunity to hear this ancient oral ritual come to vibrant life. Clad in brightly colored monastic robes, the choir alternates between monotone stillness and ecstatic polyphony. The ethereal voices of Shomyo no Kai swell in powerful harmony, enrapturing the listener into a transcendent meditative state. 
The performance will begin with a lecture on the history of shomyo led by musicologist Steven G. Nelson, a professor at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and conclude with a live Q&amp;A featuring the head monks of both Buddhist sects, Rev. Kojun Arai and Rev. Koshin Ebihara. Held in conjunction with Japan Society Gallery's exhibition <a href="/arts-and-culture/exhibitions/when-practice-becomes-form-carpentry-tools-from-japan">When Practice Becomes Form: Carpentry Tools from Japan</a>, the concert will also highlight the temple's well-preserved architectural style of vintage kanawa tsugi technique, a traditional Japanese method of joining wood without nails or glue. A related online Workshop, Shomyo for Everyday Wellness will be held on Thursday, April 8, 8:30 PM EDT.

This program will be available to purchase and watch through April 30, following the premiere on March 30. This online event is part of <a href="https://www.carnegiehall.org/Events/Highlights/Voices-of-Hope" target="_blank">Carnegie Hall's Voices of Hope</a> festival. 
Performed in Japanese with English subtitles.
Tickets: $15/$12 members

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<div class="mini-block">
Shomyo: Buddhist Ritual Chant is produced by NPO KAIBUNSHA, co-presented with The University of Chicago Presents, and supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Doug and Teresa Peterson, The JEC Fund and The Asahi Shimbun Foundation. 
 
 
 2020-2021 Performing Arts Season 
 
Lead Sponsor: 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/PA_MetLife_214.png" alt="" width="214" height="25" /> 
 
Corporate Partner: 
 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;">
 <tbody>
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 <td style="padding-bottom: 5px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.orix.com/"><img src="https://www.japansociety.org/resources/content/7/4/1/9/images/orix_92.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="" width="92" height="35" /></a></td>
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 <td style="padding-top: 5px;">ORIX Stewardship Foundation</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
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 </tbody>
</table>
 
Major Support: Doug and Teresa Peterson, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" align="middle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://www.japansociety.org/resources/content/6/6/1/6/images/NYSCA_Green.jpg" width="130" height="34" align="middle" /> 
 
Additional Support: Dr. and Mrs. Carl F. Taeusch II, Dean Jeanette C. Takamura, Mr. Alan M. Suhonen&Dagger;, The Royal Little Family Foundation, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, Hiroko Onoyama, Mr. Norton Belknap&Dagger;, Dr. John K. Gillespie, Paula S. Lawrence, Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Michiko Levine, Susan M. McCormac, Pamela Perlman, Karen and Samuel Richardson, and Lyndley and Samuel Schwab. 
 
Endowment: Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund and the Endowment for the Performing Arts, established with a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. 
 
In-kind Support: Transportation assistance is provided by All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. 
 
<a href="http://www.fly-ana.com/"><img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/PA_ANA_130.png" alt="" width="130" height="37" /></a> 
 
&Dagger; In memoriam.
</div>

With a performance set in the exceptional acoustics and grand sacred space of An'yo-in Temple in Japan, this concert offers a rare opportunity to hear this ancient oral ritual come to vibrant life.

Shomyo: Buddhist Ritual Chanting - Mantra of Moonlight

021421-PA-Shomyo-Buddhist-Ritual-Chanting-Mantra-of-Moonlight

Shomyo Buddhist Chanting

Shomyo: Buddhist Ritual Chant - Moonlight Mantra

<h5>Online Panel Discussion</h5>
Wednesday, April 28, 8 PM EDT | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a> 

In cooperation with Taipei Cultural Center in New York, the Society presents an online roundtable discussion between rising Japanese butoh artists Kentaro Kujirai and Barabbas Okuyama and Taiwanese contemporary dance choreographers Hao Cheng and Wei-Chia Su as the culmination of a seven-month virtual artist exchange. These four emerging choreographers, originally slated to perform in Japan Society’s biennial Contemporary Dance Festival: Japan + East Asia, have come together to explore new avenues of dance-making without sharing a physical space. Since September 2020, the choreographers and their respective dance company members met once a month virtually to conduct joint workshops. In this pre-recorded roundtable, the choreographers discuss how COVID-19 has not only impacted how they present and conceive of their work, but also how it has provided the impetus for viable online exchange with artists around the world.

To offer audiences an inside look, short video diaries filmed in each of these monthly artist workshops will be available for viewing one week prior to the roundtable discussion, starting on April 21. Before the premiere presentation of the roundtable discussion, viewers are invited to watch these 5-7 minute video diaries to further explore and engage with this bilingual (Japanese and Mandarin) discussion and to provide a model for other organizations interested in facilitating their own international online exchange.

Program runs approximately 40 minutes, with English subtitles.

This event is free with advance registration. Pay What You Wish options are also available to support our innovative programs.

<div class="divider"></div>
<div class="mini-block">
Japan X Taiwan: Choreographers Respond to COVID-19 is supported in part by the Taipei Cultural Center in New York and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.
<table>
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 <td><img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/MbyiSeaRklvPx8GwWUv9v/bb6f653898608276cb9f1e8b5a4e49dd/logo_taipei-cultural-center-399-109.png" width="150" height="51" alt="Taipei Cultural Center" /></td>
 <td><img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/5RBU9x946hHScd31s0H3C8/388759fef944b06c6fd111e9611e39c5/logo-harkness-foundation-400-171.png" width="100" alt="Harkness Foundation for Dance" /></td>
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2020-2021 Performing Arts Season
 
Lead Sponsor: 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/PA_MetLife_214.png" alt="" width="214" height="25" /> 
 
Corporate Partner: 
 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding-bottom: 5px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.orix.com/"><img src="https://www.japansociety.org/resources/content/7/4/1/9/images/orix_92.png" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" alt="" width="92" height="35" /></a></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="padding-top: 5px;">ORIX Stewardship Foundation</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 <tbody>
 </tbody>
</table>
 
Major Support: Doug and Teresa Peterson, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc. 
 
<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/nyc_cultural_affairs_logo.png" align="middle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" alt="" src="https://www.japansociety.org/resources/content/6/6/1/6/images/NYSCA_Green.jpg" width="130" height="34" align="middle" /> 
 
Additional Support: Dr. and Mrs. Carl F. Taeusch II, Dean Jeanette C. Takamura, Mr. Alan M. Suhonen&Dagger;, The Royal Little Family Foundation, Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon, Hiroko Onoyama, Mr. Norton Belknap&Dagger;, Dr. John K. Gillespie, Paula S. Lawrence, Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Michiko Levine, Susan M. McCormac, Pamela Perlman, Karen and Samuel Richardson, and Lyndley and Samuel Schwab. 
 
Endowment: Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund and the Endowment for the Performing Arts, established with a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. 
 
In-kind Support: Transportation assistance is provided by All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. 
 
<a href="http://www.fly-ana.com/"><img style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="https://jscommunity.japansociety.org/image/PA_ANA_130.png" alt="" width="130" height="37" /></a> 
 
&Dagger; In memoriam.
</div>

Join us for an online roundtable discussion between rising Japanese butoh artists Kentaro Kujirai and Barabbas Okuyama and Taiwanese contemporary dance choreographers Cheng Hao and Wei-Chia Su as the culmination of a seven-month virtual artist exchange.

Japan x Taiwan: Choreographers Respond to COVID-19

042821-PA-JapanxTaiwan-1920x1080

<h5>Passing the Torch</h5>
Wednesday, July 14, 8 PM EDT 
Thursday, July 15, 9 AM JST | <a href="https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/" target="_blank">Calculate your local time</a>

Watch the video <a href="https://www.japansociety.org/watch-and-read/videos/baseball-japan-us" target="_blank">here</a>.

Baseball–the national pastime of both Japan and the U.S.–will be featured at the Tokyo Summer Games for the first time since 2008. In a lead-up to the 150th anniversary of baseball in Japan, join us for a discussion of the differences in the game in both countries, the popularity of the sport, experiences playing through the pandemic, and prospects for baseball at the Tokyo Summer Games. Participants include Warren Cromartie, outfielder and first baseman from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) (Tokyo Yomiuri Giants), Major League Baseball (Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals), and 1989 NPB MVP; Matt Murton, popular MLB outfielder (Chicago Cubs, Oakland A’s, Colorado Rockies) and 2010 NPB single-season hit record breaker (Hanshin Tigers); Leon Lee, who played for 7 years in the U.S. (St. Louis Cardinals) and 10 years in Japan (Lotte Orions, Yokohama Taiyō Whales, Yakult Swallows) and went on to become the first African American manager in Japan in 2003 (Orix Blue Wave); and Robert Whiting, a journalist and author of You Gotta Have Wa (on baseball in Japan), Tokyo Underworld and his latest release, Tokyo Junkie. Moderated by director Yuriko Gamo Romer, whose upcoming film, Diamond Diplomacy, explores the relationship between the U.S. and Japan through a shared love of baseball.

This program is part of our <a href="https://japansociety.org/series/passing-the-torch/">Passing the Torch</a> series, a celebration of the upcoming Tokyo Summer Games.

Program Details: This is a free event, with advance registration required. Suggested donations are welcome to support our innovative programs. This program will be conducted online via <a href="https://zoom.us/download" target="_blank">Zoom</a>. Registrants will receive the viewing link by email in advance of the event.

<div style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/2TM2gC9gfiC1HKr1kQGJMW/40e5b5ade205fb7450ebf3a0cc35acca/Warren_Cromartie_Photo.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Warren Livingston Cromartie was drafted by the Chicago White Sox upon graduation from high school, but instead opted to attend college. He was later drafted by three MLB clubs and turned them down, finally signing with the Montreal Expos in 1973. The outfielder’s youth, speed and talent soon made him the talk of the baseball world and he became very popular with fans in Montreal, who nicknamed him “Cro.” After becoming a free agent in 1983, he had his agent put out feelers in Japan and he was signed by NPB’s Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, where he was managed by the legendary Sadaharu Oh. He became the first, and perhaps most prominent American player in his prime to sign with a Japanese baseball team, playing with the Giants from 1984 to 1990. He went on to win the 1989 NPB MVP Award. After returning to the US, Cromartie co-wrote his autobiography, Slugging It Out in Japan: An American Major-Leaguer in the Tokyo Outfield with Robert Whiting. He worked as a broadcaster for the Florida Marlins in Miami from 1997 to 2002. He also spent time as a baseball coach and a manager in Miami and in Japan.
 
</div>
<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/5rcU70uBc9AJQvnkipknqy/05e74e8eeb72418f7eaba8ef9e59c4b6/Leon_Lee_Photo_3.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Leon Lee played for 17 years as a professional baseball player; 7 years with the St. Louis Cardinals and 10 years in Japan (Lotte Orions, Yokohama Taiyō Whales, Yakult Swallows). He was a hitting instructor with the Montreal Expos and the Director of Pacific Rim Operations for the Chicago Cubs. He became the first African American Manager in Japan in 2003 (Orix Blue Wave). He has a podcast titled Talking Baseball with Leon Lee and is the founder of the organization, Dream Alive Vision, which he sees as the ultimate opportunity to create an economic balance in disadvantaged and underserved communities across the United States. </div>
<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/1Q2sjMEzULrFadgbAWHTj5/f941aef8008ec9e8a5c03e3bbb0d6bd0/matt.png" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Matt Murton attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta where he studied Business Management. He was a member of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets NCAA Division I college baseball team from 2001-2003. In 2003, he was drafted in the Supplemental First Round, 32nd overall by the Boston Red Sox. He went on to play fourteen years professionally as an outfielder; both as a member of the MLB (Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs) and the NPB for the Hanshin Tigers Baseball Club from 2010-2015. He led the Chicago Cubs with a .297 batting average during the 2006 season and participated in both the MLB and NPB playoffs. He was a seven-time All-Star and a four-time Best Nine Award Winner, NPB. He led the Central League in hits on three different occasions and was the NPB Central Division Batting Title Winner in 2014. He was the first player in league history to reach 1,000 hits within his first six seasons as a member of the NPB. In 2010, he broke the NPB’s single season hit record with 214 hits, which was previously held by Ichiro Suzuki, and is currently held by Shogo Akiyama with 216 hits. After completing his playing career in 2017, he became a member of the Chicago Cubs front office where he worked as a Baseball Operations Assistant. He currently works as an assistant coach at GCA in Franklin, TN. He works with various non-profit organizations within Japan as he looks to further strengthen US-Japan relations by giving back to a community and culture that has so richly blessed his family. He is also working on the establishment of his own non-profit organization in Japan.
 </div>

<div style="clear: both;margin-bottom: 18px;"><img src="https://images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4DEkxub0h29D602zcSmaSC/6ded0210cec6d6a709b58b58628380a6/Yuriko_Romer_Baseball_Event_Moderator__1_.jpg" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Yuriko Gamo Romer directed and produced the only documentary about Keiko Fukuda (1913-2013), the first woman to attain the tenth degree black belt in judo. <a href="https://www.mrsjudomovie.com/">Mrs. Judo</a> has traveled to more than 25 film festivals internationally and was awarded the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary at the 2013 International Festival of Sport Films in Moscow. Currently, Romer is mid-production on <a href="https://www.diamonddiplomacy.com/">Diamond Diplomacy</a>, which tells the 150-year history connecting the U.S. and Japan through the shared national pastime of baseball. Romer was born in Japan and raised in the United States and is bilingual. She holds an MA in documentary filmmaking from Stanford University. She is a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Scholar and an American Association of Japanese University Women Scholar. </div>

<div style="clear: both;"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/zwqohdz2e0fx/4FHk6IN6mp3HezeBNqTxf9/814c2645dfeb9882cbc482ddac851ce7/Robert_Whiting_Headshot_Baseball_Event.png" alt="" style="width: 125px; float: left; clear: both; margin: 0 20px 10px 0; ">Robert Whiting is a journalist and author who has lived in Tokyo on and off for more than half a century. One of only a few Western writers to have a regular newspaper column in Japanese, he is the author of several highly successful books on Japan including the best-selling You Gotta Have Wa (on baseball in Japan) and Tokyo Underworld (currently under option to Legendary Global). Topics he has written on include sports, Tokyo nightlife, and crime. His latest work is <a href="https://tokyojunkie.com/">Tokyo Junkie</a>, a memoir of more than half a century in Tokyo. </div>

Join Japan Society for a discussion of the differences in the game of baseball in Japan and the U.S., the popularity of the sport, experiences playing through the pandemic, and prospects for baseball at the Tokyo Summer Games.

2022

January

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Upcoming Events

Authentic Japanese Tofu: From Bean to Block (Online Workshop)

Toward a Sustainable Future: Climate & Environmental Policy in Japan & the U.S.

Japanese for Kids

The Japanese Garden: Living Classroom of Nature, Architecture & Culture

The Nosebleed

Japanese for Teens

Japanese Business Etiquette Workshop

Zen and Japanese Spiritual Practices

Adjusting to the New Normal: COVID-19 & Mental Health

Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (Online)

SHEEP #1

Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (Online)

Cooking Up

Past Events

英語の冠詞　ワークショップ (English “A/The” Workshop)

Learn to Read Hiragana & Katakana Workshops

Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

Learn to Read Hiragana & Katakana Workshops

The Story Box

The Story Box

Virtual Nihongo Chat + J-Culture: Origami

Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

Survival Japanese

Labyrinth of Cinema

The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai

The Great Yokai War: Guardians

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2022

January

All Categories

Upcoming Events

Authentic Japanese Tofu: From Bean to Block (Online Workshop)

Toward a Sustainable Future: Climate & Environmental Policy in Japan & the U.S.

Japanese for Kids

The Japanese Garden: Living Classroom of Nature, Architecture & Culture

The Nosebleed

Japanese for Teens

Japanese Business Etiquette Workshop

Zen and Japanese Spiritual Practices

Adjusting to the New Normal: COVID-19 & Mental Health

Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (Online)

SHEEP #1

Contemporary Japan: Global Initiatives, Sustainability & Social Impacts (Online)

Cooking Up

Past Events

英語の冠詞 ワークショップ (English “A/The” Workshop)

Learn to Read Hiragana & Katakana Workshops

Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

Learn to Read Hiragana & Katakana Workshops

The Story Box

The Story Box

Virtual Nihongo Chat + J-Culture: Origami

Fundamentals of Kanji Workshops

Survival Japanese

Labyrinth of Cinema

The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai

The Great Yokai War: Guardians

About

Visit

Press

Stay in Touch

英語の冠詞　ワークショップ (English “A/The” Workshop)