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The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles Newsletter
April, 2018: Breeze Issue #126
https://www.jflalc.org/pub-breeze126

Greeting From The DirectorGreetings!
As we start a new Japanese fiscal year on April 1st, I am renewing my conviction that the kindof support we provide toward cultural and educational activities throughout the country has
way more positive effects than what they seem to suggest on a list of events in an annual
report.
For example, a salary grant to a Japanese language teacher is on the surface just that, agrant to an individual teacher. But behind the teacher's back, there are tens of hundreds ofstudents whose encounter with Japanese culture would never have happened if not for ourgrant. What this story tells us is we cannot just simply count the number of grants or events togauge our outreach for the year.
Indeed, my staff already calculated the scale of our outreach using the 'who's behind oursupport' approach and came up with the answer that we have made an impact on the lives ofmore than 130,000 people in the United States in the 2016 fiscal year. This may sound smallcompared to the entire population of the country, but given the latest statistics that states only
7 in 100 students in American higher education is taking a foreign language course at school,and given the size of my staff, only eleven in total covering the whole country, I think this is animpressive number.
I am hoping we have connected with more people during the 2017 fiscal year, but no matter
what the number might be, the important thing for us is to keep reaching out to the lives ofpeople through inter-cultural experiences. Because numbers are still just numbers unless theycome with a meaningful story to tell.
Sincerely,Hideki Hara, Director

Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival)
Newly-renovated Japanese Friendship Garden
Located in Brand Park, Glendale
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 10am-3pm
April is Cherry Blossom Time in Japan. The word "Matsuri" means joyful festival. Please join us, inconjunction with Friends of Shoseian, to enjoy a full day of many exciting and fun activities,
including Taiko drums, martial arts, tea ceremony, calligraphy, music, dance and learning theJapanese language!
Read MoreSweet Bean (113mins, 2015)
Directed by Naomi Kawase
Wednesday, April 11, 2017 @7:00PM
Free Admission, NO RSVP REQUIRED
Sweet Bean is a delicious red bean paste, the sweet heart of the dorayaki pancakes that Sentaro(Masatoshi Nagase) sells from his little bakery to a small but loyal clientele. Absorbed in sadmemories and distant thoughts, Sentaro cooks with skill but without enthusiasm. When seventysix-year-old Tokue (Kirin Kiki) responds to his ad for an assistant and cheerfully offers to work fora ridiculously low wage, Sentaro is skeptical about the eccentric old lady's ability to endure thelong hours.
Trailer

Life is Fruity (91mins, 2017)
Directed by Kenshi Fushihara / Narrated by Kirin Kiki
Friday, April 13, 2017 @7:00PM
Free Admission, NO RSVP REQUIRED
In-person Discussion with Kirin Kiki (Narrator), Kenshi Fushihara (Director) and Katsuhiko Abuno(Producer)
Enjoy Fresh Sunkist Oranges & Marmalade (prepared by food expert Naoko Takei Moore)
Documentary produced by Tokai TV and directed by Kenshi Fushihara of Journey with the Gods:
The Rebuilding of Ise Jingu Shrine that follows the lives of an architect and his wife. Narrated by
Kirin Kiki of An. A 90-years-old architect Shuichi Tsubata lives with his wife Hideko in a one-storiedhouse in the woods in Aichi prefecture. He built this house after the house of his master, Antonin
Raymond. They grow many kinds of vegetables and fruit in their garden and harvest the crops tomake their living. Their lives embody the ideal of people in this modern age.
Trailer

Bilingual Yoga at Lunchtime
Wednesday, April 4
12:30/1:00PM (2 sessions, 20 min/session)
Just Show Up!
Wellness Wednesdays: We offer Wellness programs on Wednesday at lunchtime!
April 4 is Yoga day! In this program, no need to change clothes or use a yoga mat; you will beseated in a chair receiving relaxing instruction from a bilingual (English and Japanese) instructor.
Learn simple Japanese phrases during the instruction and stretch your mind as well as your body.
There will be two free sessions beginning at 12:30pm and 1:00pm. No reservation necessary, all
are welcome.
Read MoreMeditation With Japanese Singing Lin BowlRelax With Sound During Lunch
Wednesday, April 18
12:30/1:00PM (2 Sessions, 20 Min/Session)
Just Show Up!
Wellness Wednesdays: We offer Wellness programs at lunchtime!
The Singing Lin Bowl harmoniously combines the healing qualities of the Tibetan singing bowl andits Japanese counterpart, the Lin bowl. Relax and feel your stress dissipate into thin air as thesounds of the singing-Lin bowl lead you into a meditative state.
There is no charge and no reservation required. All are welcome to come, sit, listen, and refresh!
Read MoreJapanese Conversation Cafe: Tea Time
Tuesday, April 17 (7-9PM)
Free Admission, Register NowCome join our casual conversation café and meet new friends! You'll enjoy chatting with nativeJapanese speakers. All levels are welcome. Japanese learning experience is not necessary. We
are open to everyone, ages 18 and up.
Read More

JF Nihongo Classes - Spring Term
April 28 - July 7
Register Now!
Your potential blooms this spring! People interested in learning Japanese at JFLA will have three
beginner-level Japanese-language courses. In each class, students will learn concepts andcommunication skills which are essential to having a well-rounded understanding of everyday
Japanese! Register by April 13th and get a 10% early bird discount!
Read More

2018-19 JAPANESE LANGUAGE GRANTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
We still have grant programs available during our Fiscal Year 2018-19 to support JapaneseLanguage Education in the United States.
They include the following:
1. Learners Event Grant previously known as "Speech Contest Grant" (Deadline: 9/1/2018)
2. Teaching Material Purchase Grant (Deadlines: 9/15/2018)
3. Salary Assistance Grant for Japanese Language Courses (Deadline: 4/10/2018)
4. Japanese-Language Education Project Grant (Deadline: 2 months prior to project startdate)
Read MoreJapanese Language Education Update #53:
Report from AATJ and AAS Spring Conferences
From March 22 to 25, JFLA attended the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ)
and Association of Asian Studies (AAS) conferences in Washington DC. At AATJ, we attended a
lot of great sessions from Japanese teachers; we wish we could attend them all!
In addition, JFLA director Hideki Hara (center) chaired a panel for teachers attending the AATJ
conference, discussing the educational value of manga together with translator, recipient of the2017 Japan Foundation Award, as well as the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette,
Mr. Frederick Schodt (second from left) and Baruch College, CUNY professor Shige (CJ) Suzuki(second from right).
Manga provides an abundance of opportunities to make connections to and learn about
contemporary society. Did you know that one of the earliest, if not the earliest manga title toappear in America was a manga published in 1931, called The Four Immigrants Manga, whichchronicles the Japanese immigrant experience in San Francisco during that time period?
Likewise, we find manga today dealing with themes of bullying, LGBTQ identity, disability, andmore; as such, we find a great variety of stories that students can relate to. Thus, to help
incorporate manga into the class, Professor Suzuki's presentation drew on prominent cartoonists
such as Gene Yang and Scott McCloud in explaining how manga as a medium can be effectively
used in teaching and engaging students, while also providing useful resources for the classroom.
Director Hara presented our Manga Edutainment initiative. Since last year, JFLA has beencollaborating with the Nippon Foundation, who started the Gakushu Manga project. There, they
selected 200 manga titles that provide insights into different aspects of society such as "diversity,""science and learning," "history," and "arts and culture." We found that many themes in these titles
would resonate with an American audience, so we are making efforts to introduce these mangafor use in the classroom. When you stop by our office, please be sure to take a copy of ourbooklet that introduces a sample of these inspiring manga titles!
At AAS, we met with our colleagues from JFNY and CGP, who set up a booth introducing theirJapanese studies grants and more to participants. Many thanks to them for introducing ourlanguage learning materials and grants, also! Be sure to check out the sites for JFNY and CGP for
more information!

JFLA Congratulates Toshiko Kishimoto, professor emerita, for being awarded
the Japanese national medal of distinction
Toshiko Kishimoto, associate professor emerita of languages, has been awarded a national medalof distinction - the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays Medal - by the Emperor ofJapan in a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Tokyo. An honorable certificate signed by JapanesePrime Minister Shinzo Abe also was presented to Kishimoto for her longtime efforts to promote
Japanese language and culture, especially in the United States.

Read More