An Online Newsletter Showcasing Our Programs for the Month of January, 2024!

We want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and we hope you have a healthyand successful 2024!
For the upcoming month, we will be hosting a film screening at the JACCC Aratani
Theatre. We will also be organizing an in person talk with author Keisuke Uyama
as well as an online lecture on Japanese Dolls in anticipation of Hinamatsuri (Doll'sDay). Our Japanese language classes also start this month and we are looking toadd a new member to our team here at JFLA so if you are interested, please seebelow.
We do have some of sad news to report starting with the events at the Universityof Nevada, Las Vegas last month, which you can read about below. We also want
to extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by the 2024 Sea of Japan
Earthquake and hope for a speedy recovery.

FILM SCREENING

CINEMA KABUKI: YUGENSATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2023
@JACCC Aratani Theatre
1:00PM (Doors Open @12:30PM)
ADMISSION IS FREE, RSVP PREFERRED

Since 2005, Kabuki production company
Shochiku Co. Ltd. has released Cinema
Kabuki which offers English speakers theunique opportunity to experience full-scale
Kabuki performances by some of Japan's
biggest stars in high definition on the bigscreen with English subtitles. This,however, is no regular film screening;
Cinema Kabuki allows the audience tovividly experience the excitement of thelive stage through the full use and widerange capability of high-definition (HD)images and 6-channel sound. Enjoy theauthenticity of Kabuki as if you were sittingin the best seat of the Metropolitan Opera
House!

Learn More >IN-PERSON EVENT @JFLA

LOVE LIKE THE FALLING PETALSAUTHOR KEISUKE UYAMASPOTLIGHT EVENT
Tuesday, JANUARY 23 @7:00PM
ADMISSION IS FREE, RSVP REQUIRED

Delve into the fascinating world of Uyama
as we explore the inspiration behind hisbestselling Japanese romance novel“Love Like the Falling Petals”, now
available in English. This event promises
to be an engaging conversation whereUyama will share insights into his creativeprocess, how the characters came to life,
the compelling themes in his storytellingand his thoughts on the Netflix film
adaptation. Joining Uyama will be BethKawasaki, Executive Director of Contentand Marketing for Media Do International,and editor with Shueisha, Inc.
Coming SoonJAPANESE CLASS

2024 WINTER TERM
New Year, New Language, New You!
Last chance to register!
We are not just a class. WE ARE
COMMUNITY!
Learn More >ONLINE LECTURE

NINGYO: THE BEAUTY AND
ARTISTRY OF JAPANESE DOLLSTHURSDAY, JANUARY 18th @7PM (PT)
-Admission Free, RSVP REQUIREDJapan’s dolls are famous throughout theworld as elegant works of art that are
more for display than play. Hina dolls, inparticular, wear kimono and elaborate
hairstyles, and for several centuries havebeen central in Hina Matsuri, a traditional
festival celebrating girls. Others, such as
turned-wood Kokeshi, finely sculpted Sagadolls, painted ceramic Hariko dolls, andfolded paper Chiyogami dolls have been
crafted and treasured in different regionsof Japan for many generations.

In conjunction with Japan Foundation'svideo series, Doors to the Arts of Japan,
Japanese art historian Meher McArthur
will introduce some of Japan’s most wellknown types of traditional dolls, from Hinato Kokeshi, touching on their materials,
styles and production, as well as theirfunctions. She will also showcase theworks of contemporary doll maker Kimiko
Muraoka Koyanagi, who is still creatingexquisite dolls at the age of 91 years old.
The short lecture will be followed with abrief Q&A session
Read More >2023/24 J-LEAP REPORTS
The initial Lead Teacher (LT)/Host
Organization application period for theJapanese Language Education AssistantProgram (J-LEAP) has ended, and now
the Laurasian Institution and the JapanFoundation will now select the best
candidates from those who applied tomove forward!
This month, we would like towelcome Kennosuke Hayashi, who iscurrently at Eastview High School in Apple
Valley, MN, and Honoka Maegawa, whois currently at The Woodlands CollegePark High School in The Woodlands, TX!
You can read about their experiences inthe links above.
Learn More >JOB OPENNING @JFLA

FULL-TIMEASSOCIATE/PROGRAM OFFICERARTS & CULTURE PROGRAM
COORDINATOR
We are currently recruiting for this position
with an application deadline ofWednesday, January 31st, 2024 for apossible start date of April 1st, 2024. If you
are interested in applying for this position,please follow the directions on the link
below!
Learn More >JFLA Unveils New Resources and Programs Designed to Support
Japanese as a Heritage Language (JHL) Education in the U.S.
We are pleased to announce the following programs designed to support individuals
involved with Japanese as a Heritage Language (JHL) education across the UnitedStates:Book Donation: With this initiative, JFLA will donate up to $1,000 per applicant ofeducational materials and children's books in support of JHL education. Guidelines fordonation, application forms, as well as a list of previously requested books/materials canbe found on the Keisho Nihongo website.
Event Support Project: Aimed at promoting JHL education, this project will provide up
to $1,000 in financial support for Japanese language-related events such as benkyo-kai,workshops, presentations, seasonal events, speech contests, etc.
Following a careful review of the program guidelines, please submit your school’sapplication(s) for the Book Donation Project/Event Support Project no later thanFebruary 29, 2024, to jflaeducation@jpf.go.jp.
Project Grant: The Project Grant offers up to $5,000 in financial support for variouseducator-focused activities related to JHL education, including workshops andconferences, seminars, as well as original projects such as curriculum development,research, and more. Further details and application procedures may be found on ourwebsite: https://www.jflalc.org/grants-jle-project.
For further details, including program guidelines and application instructions, please visit
the Keisho Nihongo website.
For inquiries related to any of the programs mentioned above, please contact
jflaeducation@jpf.go.jp. We encourage potential applicants to visit JFLA’s website andreview the program guidelines thoroughly before submitting their applications.

General Invitation to Join JF USA Digital Library
Our digital library system in coordination with our New York and Toronto office is stillgoing strong and we recently added more volume to popular books so there is less of await time. We have also been incrementally adding new books as well so make sure tosignup for an account below and also let your friends know about this free service.
Starting in 2023, we will be sending out updates once a week on Wednesdays by
6:30PM pacific time. If you register and do not receive a welcome email from us within a
Wednesday of registering, please contact us so we can help you out. We hope you will
enjoy this service from the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles!

Click Here to Complete theSignup Survey (If the link
doesn't work check back later!)

2023-2024 Japanese Language Grants Now Available!
Grant for Nationwide/Statewide/Region-wide Projects for Teachers
Japanese-Language Education Project Grant(Examples: Conferences/Seminars/Workshops for Teachers, Teaching MaterialDevelopment, Research Projects, etc.)
Deadline: 2 months before the project start dateMore info: https://www.jflalc.org/grants-jle-project__________________________________
Advocacy Support Letter
If your Japanese language program is in danger of being cut due to COVID-19, we will
send a support letter to stakeholders (Superintendent, Principal, Dean, etc.).
Please contact us for details!

Regarding the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
We are deeply grieved to learn of the tragic passing of three of the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas’ professors on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The loss of all threeprofessors is truly devastating on many levels. We are also deeply grieved by thepassing of Dr. Naoko Takemaru, who had overseen the Japanese Studies Program atUNLV; to which we awarded our Teaching Material Purchasing Grant in early 2021.
The Southern Nevada Japanese Teaching Association (SNJTA) joins UNLV and thecommunity in grieving Dr. Takemaru’s passing, as Dr. Takemaru and UNLV consistently
sent speech contest participants to the local speech contest, and they always did
incredibly well. Dr. Takemaru will surely be forever missed.
In the wake of this senseless act of violence, the JFLA joins in expressing our sorrowand in standing in support of those affected. We hope that such incidents cease tothreaten the safety of college campuses, and the lives and studies of all those whoaccess them.
Our thoughts are with the remaining hospitalized faculty member, and we are hoping for
his full recovery. Our thoughts and hearts also go out to all of the family members,
friends, colleagues, and students of the professors affected by this tragic event.