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BREEZE #81

JULY, 2014: BREEZE ISSUE #81
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GREETING FROM THE DIRECTOR

In Japan, July marks the start of the Tanabata star festival that takes place on the 7th day of the monthevery year. It celebrates the legend of the reunion of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented bythe stars Vega and Altair respectively), allowed to meet only once a year while the Milky Way separates
these lovers. During this festival, it is customary to write one's wishes on a piece of a colorful paper calledtanzaku, and hang them on a bamboo wishing tree.
Here in Los Angeles, there have been many departures and encounters during the past month. Consul
General Jun Niimi, who has always displayed his constant dedication to cultural exchange returned toJapan at the end of June. We would like to express our gratitude from the bottom of our heart for what hehas done during his stay in Los Angeles as an unwavering supporter of our activities. As for the departureof the Group Tour Program, 14 U.S. educators are currently travelling throughout Japan, and this month,
the JET Memorial Invitational Program will send 32 high school students to Japan. We look forward tohearing their stories upon their return.
There are two extraordinary encounters of Japanese culture that should not to be missed. The first isJapanese Design Today 100 organized by the Japan Foundation at the UCLA’s Perloff Hall. The second is
the Chinese Paintings from the Japanese Collections, including many important cultural properties ofJapan, organized by LACMA. Both exhibitions are available for a limited time only and will end shortly(through July 19 and July 9 respectively), and in spite of their originality and uniqueness of thereconstruction of Japanese culture, they are held inconspicuously and difficult to find location. Pleasetake your time to discover and admire them.

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Japanese Design Today 100 is a travelling exhibition of the Japan Foundation’s own collection, featuring
100 of the finest examples of Japanese design with a focus on everyday products. Revealed for the firsttime ever right here in Los Angeles, this is its world-wide debut that will span the next 10 years. With
refined techniques, a marvelous sense of beauty and accurate apprehension of the needs of users, thisexhibition depicts the “Designscape” of Japan, diversity of contemporary Japanese life and culture
supported by Japanese craftsmen’s spirit.
Your sight-seeing tour of Japanese design will start from Parking lot 3 on the UCLA Campus. After having
traversed the sculpture garden where you can enjoy Milo, Moore and Calder, Perloff Hall is just on yourleft side after the coffee shop. Please don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!
We are also organizing many activities this month to share Japanese language and culture with Angelinos
here in southern California, so please take a break from the hot summer breeze and join us as we attempt
to expand your horizon.
Naomi Takasu, Director

JAPANESE DESIGN TODAY 100 UPDATETHROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 19
VENUE: UCLA PERLOFF HALL (DECAFÉ) - 1317 PERLOFF HALL, LOS ANGELES, CA 90095
ADMISSION: FREE
This world premiere exhibition showcases the Designscape of contemporary Japan through 100 objects
selected for their popular designs as well as what is known as high design. They are displayed in 10
different categories including Classic Japanese Design, Furniture & Housewares, Tableware & Cookware,Apparel & Accessories, Children, Stationery, Hobbies, Health Care, Disaster Relief, and Transportation.
Viewers will gain a good idea of many aspects of contemporary Japanese culture through this exhibition,
which can be enjoyed like a virtual tour of Japan.
Read More

Click Here to Read the LA Times Article Covering This Event

JFLA LECTURE SERIES 21
JAPANESE FOLKTALES MEET THE OPERA HOUSE
THURSDAY, JULY 17 AT 7:00PMPrivacy - Terms

VENUE: JFLA AUDITORIUM
Conductor and composer Mr. Hideaki Hirai transforms classic Japanese folktales into grand operas and hisown acclaimed opera, “Princess from the Moon” (Kaguya-hime) has been performed more than 20 times
worldwide. In this lecture, Mr. Hirai will talk about his unique fusion of Western music and Japanese
language as well as the process of creating his opera “Kaguya-hime” through public participation.
More Information Coming Soon!

JAPANEMA: FREE JAPANESE CINEMA SCREENINGONE OF JAPAN'S MOST POPULAR AND ENDURING CLASSICSTWENTY-FOUR EYES（⼆⼗四の瞳）(1954, 156MIN)
DIRECTED BY KEISUKE KINOSHITAWEDNESDAY, JULY 9 AT 7:00PM
VENUE: JFLA AUDITORIUM
This film is an elegant, emotional chronicle of a teacher's unwavering commitment to her students,profession, and sense of morality. Set in a remote, rural island community and spanning decades ofJapanese history, from 1928 through World War II and beyond, Kinoshita's film takes a simultaneously
sober and sentimental look at the epic themes of aging, war, and death, all from the lovingly intimate
perspective of Hisako Oshi (Hideko Takamine), as she watches her pupils grow and deal with life's harshrealities. Though little known in the United States, Twenty-Four Eyes is one of Japan's most popular andenduring classics.

JAPANEMA: FREE JAPANESE CINEMA SCREENING
ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR NETWORK!
SUMMER WARS (2009, 115MIN)
DIRECTED BY MAMORU HOSODA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 AT 7:00PM
VENUE: JFLA AUDITORIUM
From the visionary directory of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Wolf Children comes the story of an
ordinary family going to extraordinary lengths to avert the impending cyber apocalypse! Kenji is yourtypical teenage misfit. He is good at math, bad with girls, and spends most of his time hanging out in the
all-powerful, online community known as OZ. His second life is the only life he has until the girl of hisPrivacy - Terms

dreams, Natsuki, hijacks him for a starring role as a fake fiancé at her family reunion. Things only getstranger from there. A late-night email containing a cryptic mathematic riddle leads to the unleashing of arogue AI intent on using the virtual word of OZ to destroy the real world, literarily. As Armageddon looms
on the horizon, Kenji and his new family set aside their differences and band together to save the worlds
they inhabit in this near-perfect blend of social satire and science fiction.

JAPANESE FOR TRAVELTHURSDAY, JULY 10
JFLA AUDITORIUM
Do you have plans to go to Japan in the near future? If so, prepare for your trip with us! You will learn
helpful travel tips from a tourism specialist from the Japan National Tourism Organization and essential
Japanese phrases from our Japanese language instructor. This workshop is suitable for beginners andthose who have no experience at all. Seats are limited, so please register now! We also still have someseats available for Summer camp for teens so register now if you are interested.

JF NIHONGO TERAKOYAJULY 12 - AUGUST 28
Brush-up your Japanese for the fall term! We invite you to study at JFLA classrooms during the summer. AJF Nihongo instructor will be there to help you study! Bring your own class materials for review andprepare for the next course you would like to take. This review session will be offered exclusively to JF
Nihongo students. Don't miss this opportunity! This is an open session, so you are free to come and go as
you like during the session, as long as you have registered your place at least one day before.

FISCAL YEAR 2014-2015 JAPANESE LANGUAGE GRANTS
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We are still accepting applications for the following grants:
1. Japanese Language Learners Event Grant previously known as "Speech Contest Grant" (Deadline:9/1/2014)
2. Japanese Teaching Material Purchase Grant (Deadline: 9/15/2014)
3. Japanese-Language Education Project Grant (Deadline: 2 months prior to project start date)
Read More2014 JET MEMORIAL INVITATION PROGRAM ORIENTATIONThis month, we will be inviting 32 US High School Students to Japan for the JET Memorial Invitation
Program. Their first stop will be in Los Angeles for the pre-departure orientation with special guest
speakers including the family members of Taylor Anderson and Montgomery Dickson as well as former JET
participants who were in Japan during the disaster. This year we have also invited Ms. Masako Unoura,founder of the Love to Nippon Project, as a guest speaker to talk about the current and future of theTohoku region. The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles was also gracious enough to organize a
reception for this event. We look forward to meeting all the participants and we will be posting theirstories in an eight part series in future issues of Breeze.

JAPANESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION UPDATE #8: JFLA ADVOCACY RESOURCES SURVEY
FOR JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS
It’s time to upgrade JFLA’s Advocacy Kit! And Japanese language teachers in the U.S. can help.
Part of our mission is to support teachers as they advocate for their Japanese language programs.
Advocacy usually involves showing the community the value of its Japanese language program throughfun cultural events, PR, and professional development, all of which lead to student recruitment and highquality, sustained Japanese programs. With that objective, the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles and theAmerican Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) are working together to update JFLA’s current
advocacy resources.
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JAPAN-AMERICA SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Japan-America Society of Washington DC has announced the establishment of the Tanaka and Green
Scholarships to support short-term academic study (one semester or one academic year) at colleges anduniversities in Japan. The application deadline for the 2014-2015 academic year is July 15, 2014.

BUILDING RENOVATION UPDATE: ENTRANCE CHANGE
As many of our guests have noticed, there is considerable construction around our office with the ongoingrenovation of the courtyard. Starting on June 10th, our guest entrance will no longer be accessible. Youwill need to enter through our employee entrance to access the library. This will last for approximately 3months and we will provide additional information as the construction completes. We apologize for theinconvenience and look forward to the completion of our new courtyard.

STAFF UPDATEThis past month included additional staff changes here at JFLA including the departure of Maiko san as
she completed her three year assignment here as the coordinator for assistant Japanese language
teachers across the US participating in J-LEAP as well as our Japanese language courses. Ayako san will
be replacing her and we also welcome Mike san as our new receptionist. Make sure to drop by and meetthem during your next visit.

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