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BREEZE #114

APRIL, 2017: BREEZE ISSUE #114
Like 0ShareA Free E-Newsletter for Friends of Japan & Teachers of Japanese

GREETING FROM THE DIRECTORGreetings!
Two years have passed since I arrived in LA, and I have been fascinated, and often
overwhelmed by people’s enthusiasm for learning about Japan, not only in Los Angeles, butalso everywhere I go in the US. This is a strikingly different situation from 25 years ago when I
joined the Foundation and was assigned to a department of American affairs. Back then, Japanwas on every politician’s and journalist’s lips. They said that the country’s thriving economy wasposing a “threat” to US industries. On the other hand, the ordinary people’s level of interest
toward Japan was far less than what we see today. Sushi and Ramen were still delicacies forinquisitive minds. Anime and Manga were there, but had not quite yet become something you
openly talk about with your classmates.
Since then, the number of Japanese language learners has more than quadrupled. Anime
conventions are drawing so many fans everywhere. Hollywood stars are often spotted at
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Ramen joints with gluten-free noodles. What should we make of this? In a way, this is exactlywhat we have been looking for. Japan is no longer a threat or a problem; it is now deeply
embedded in our everyday life. But it also means that the old marketing scheme of sellingexoticism will no longer work. People want to see real people behind the curtain. They want toknow the real stories of chefs, craftsmen, or anime creators, in order to feel more connectedwith them and the Japanese culture overall. That is exactly why students want to learn
Japanese language. As I start my third year here in Los Angeles, I am more determined to bring
you the stories that ordinary people can relate to – and there are still countless numbers of
untold ones – that ultimately make the audience care less about Japan as a country, and more
about its people.
Sincerely,

Hideki Hara, Director

OSAKA-STYLE ENGLISH RAKUGO(JAPANESE SIT-DOWN COMEDY) IN LAS VEGASWEDNESDAY, APRIL 5; 6-8PM (LAS VEGAS ACADEMY OF THE ARTS)ADMISSION FREE
The renowned English Rakugo performer, Kaishi KATSURA will humor audiences in Las Vegas
with his Kamigata (Osaka-style) English Rakugo at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts’ LowdenTheater.

JAPANESE SIT-DOWN COMEDY"OSAKA-STYLE ENGLISH RAKUGO" IN SAN FRANCISCO
SATURDAY, APRIL 8 & SUNDAY, APRIL 9; 4-5:30PM
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(SAN FRANCISCO JAPANTOWN JCCCNC STAGE)ADMISSION FREE
Direct from Osaka, a special traditional Japanese kamigata (Osaka-style) rakugo comedy andvariety entertainment show during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, to bring alittle Osaka flavor to San Francisco.
Read MoreONE OF THE PIONEERING FILMS IN ANIME HISTORY"GHOST IN THE SHELL" (82MINS, 1995)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12 @7PM (JFLA AUDITORIUM)
IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLESIn the year 2029, cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Internal
Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of "The Puppet Master"—a mysterious andthreatening computer virus is capable of infiltrating human hosts. Working closely with herfellow agents from Section 9, the Major embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture
the omnipresent entity.

SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR JAPANESE TEACHERS ONLYPROFESSOR EMERITUS OF JAPANESE AND LINGUISTICS, PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY
DR. SEIICHI MAKINOSUNDAY, APRIL 23 @4:30PM (JFLA AUDITORIUM)
ADMISSION FREE, RSVP REQUIRED
Co-organized by TJSC (Teachers of Japanese in Southern California) and the Japan Foundation,Los Angeles, Dr. Seiichi Makino will give a special lecture for Japanese language teachers.
The lecture is for Japanese language teachers and will be given in Japanese only. English
translation will not be available.
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LOVE BLOOMS ON THE ISLAND OF OKINAWA"MY KOREAN TEACHER" (98MINS, 2016)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 @7PM (JFLA AUDITORIUM)
IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
After losing both job and girlfriend, things aren’t looking too great for Yong Woon (Yesung), a
Korean expat in Japan. A chance meeting in Okinawa catapults him into a teaching role at a
Korean language school. There he meets Sakura (Nozomi Sasaki), a single mother who isdesperate to improve her language skills in order to keep her job at a travel agency.
Sympathizing with her struggles, Yong Woon helps her and falls in love with her in the process.
Featuring Korean popstar Yesung from Super Junior in his first Japanese movie role, this film isan entertaining watch that will put a smile on your face and brighten your day. Filmed inOkinawa, the story is set against the backdrop of beautiful castles, stunning beaches and smallcity life.
Watch Trailer

JAPANESE LANGUAGE COURSESJF NIHONGO SPRING TERM
4/20-6/27
REGISTER NOW!
Your potential blooms this spring! The registration period for our JF Nihongo Spring term hasbegun! We are now accepting registrations for our popular Japanese courses which will begin
on April 20th. Our courses are designed for new Japanese-language learners, as well as those
who are interested in improving their existing language skills. Early bird 10% discount will end
on April 11.
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Read MoreJAPANESE LANGUAGE SPECIAL COURSEINTRODUCTION TO POLITE JAPANESE
5/6 - 5/20
REGISTER NOW!
Politeness in Japanese is essential for smooth communication in social settings. In this course,
you will be familiarized with the system of honorifics (“keigo” in Japanese). You will learn howto use basic honorifics at various levels depending on different situations. Course of threemeetings.

2017 JAPANESE LANGUAGE GRANTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
We are pleased to announce our Fiscal Year 2017-18 grant programs that we organize annuallyin support of Japanese-Language Education in the United States. These include the following:
1. Learners Event Grant previously known as "Speech Contest Grant" (Deadline: 9/1/2017)
2. Teaching Material Purchase Grant (Deadlines: 9/15/2017)
3. Salary Assistance Grant for Japanese Language Courses (Deadline: 4/10/2017)
4. Japanese-Language Education Project Grant (Deadline: 2 months prior to project startdate)
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JAPANESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION UPDATE 41:
STUDENT-CENTERED ADVOCACYWHY DO I ADVOCATE FOR JAPANESE? (HINT: I DON’T ADVOCATE FOR
JAPANESE.)
It’s my job to support people who study or teach Japanese language. One day, my great uncle
said to me, “Don’t you realize that the Japanese government is using you?”
It took me a while to come up with my honest answer: "Actually, you could say that I'm using theJapanese government."
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SPEAKJAPAN.ORG JAPANESE ADVOCACY SEMI-ANNUAL NEWSLETTER LAUNCHThis week, JFLA will launch a new newsletter for teachers and stakeholders interested insupporting Japanese language in the US. Click here and add your email to the number 6
mailing list!
Features:
Who’s Hiring? Jobs that use JapaneseReal Advocacy Story
Advocacy Resource
Our Community
Social Media Shares
Teacher Training
Grants and Scholarships
Register Here

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Past Issues (2020)

Past Issues (2019)

Past Issues (2018)

Past Issues (2017)

Breeze #122Breeze #121Breeze #120

Breeze #119

Breeze #118

Breeze #117

Breeze #116

Breeze #115

Breeze #114

Breeze #113

Breeze #112

Breeze #111

Breeze Past Issues

Breeze Issues #1-#36 (PDF)
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