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BREEZE #91

MAY, 2015: BREEZE ISSUE #91
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GREETING FROM THE DIRECTORI am very excited to assume the position as Director at this very important juncture in the history of USJapan relations as our two countries commemorate the 70-year anniversary of the end of WWII. This is agreat opportunity for us to reflect upon the fact that the positive bilateral relationship we enjoy today has
been the product of unwavering efforts by our forerunners with good spirits and imagination on both sidesof the Pacific. These people, from every corner of society including governments, corporations,educational institutions, and civic organizations, unanimously thought the reconciliation must start with asincere exchange of ideas and opinions between our two nations. Hence, there have been numerous
avenues established through which we can closely observe and appreciate each other’s culture, engage
in dialogue, and collaboratively develop new ideas and solutions. The Japan Foundation has supported
these endeavors since its establishment in 1972 and has been providing opportunities for cross-culturalexchanges in the fields of arts and culture, Japanese language education, and the Japanese studies andintellectual dialogue. My colleagues and I here at JFLA feel very privileged to carry on this important
legacy of fostering mutual understanding, friendship and trust between the US and Japan and hope to doso for many more decades to come.
At the core of our numerous programs in Los Angeles is our support of Japanese language education.
Thanks to the close partnership we have developed over the years with individual and institutional
stakeholders within the field of Japanese language education in the US, more and more Americans arenow studying the language. We will put forth our best effort to meet their demand, but we would like Privacy
to do- Terms

more by inviting new friends and making the language even more popular. This will only be possible byfurther collaborating with our diverse cultural and educational partners. Language can be a very flexible
tool to observe an unfamiliar culture. It can provide a cinematographic overview of the culture in thebeginning, then as you explore further, it can also work as a microscope to discover what has been
completely hidden from you about it. I would like to take this opportunity to ask our friends for their handin supporting our ever more exciting cross-cultural endeavors through the power of language learning withthe ultimate goal of bringing our two nations even closer together.
Hideki Hara, Director

LECTURE SERIES 27
TALES SPUN FROM ILLUSTRATIONS OF BEAUTIFUL WOMEN: QUIET, UNCHANGING, ALL
TO MYSELF
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 @ 7PM
Professor Robert Campbell, from the University of Tokyo, will take us through the visual arts and literatureof nineteenth century Japan, when the nation first opened its frontiers and struggled to adapt andsucceed within the western-led global context of modernization.
Read MoreDISCUSSION AND BOOK SIGNING WITH JANICE P. NIMURAAUTHOR OF DAUGHTERS OF THE SAMURAIMONDAY, MAY 11 @ 7PM
Based on in-depth archival research in Japan and in the United States, including decades of letters sent
between the three women and their American host families, Daughters of the Samurai is beautifully,
cinematically written, a fascinating lens through which to view an extraordinary historical moment.
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SPECIAL SATURDAY SCREENING Q&A WITH POET CAST MEMBER"TRUE SONGS " (100MINS, 2014)
DIRECTED BY HIROKI KAWAI
SATURDAY, MAY 16 @ 2PM (JFLA AUDITORIUM)
This documentary film titled True Songs (Original Title: Hontou no Uta ） follows the artists over the courseof two years as they tour Japan bringing their emotionally charged and imaginative show to the people ofJapan who are still grappling with the fallout from the disaster.

JAPANEMA: FREE JAPANESE CINEMA SCREENING"THE LETTER" (121MINS, 2006)
DIRECTED BY JIRO SHONOWEDNESDAY, MAY 27 @ 7PM (JFLA AUDITORIUM)
Tsuyoshi (Tamayama Tetsuji), the elder brother, and Naoki (Yamada Takayuki), the younger brother, havebeen helping each other since they lost their parents. When Tsuyoshi becomes unemployed, however, hecommits a robbery in order to obtain the school tuition fees for Naoki and, in the process, kills someoneby mistake. While his elder brother is serving his sentence, Naoki undergoes a rough life.
Naoki's hope to escape his troubled life fails because of his elder brother, and gradually, Naoki begins todespise his brother. Naoki later marries Yumiko (Sawajiri Erika) who always supports Naoki by his side, butYumiko ends up being victimized by people around her because of the marriage. Naoki is no longer able
to endure the unreasonable discrimination and writes to his elder brother to explain all the difficulties hehas been facing, and asks to sever their ties as brothers. Tsuyoshi learns the truth from the letter andrealizes for the first time the significance of his crime.

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RAKU: THE COSMOS IN A TEA BOWL
THROUGH JUNE 7 , 2015
PAVILION FOR JAPANESE ART, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
The Japan Foundation and the Raku Museum are very pleased to announce Raku: The Cosmos in a TeaBowl, an exhibition presenting 450 years of Raku ware to be held at the Los Angeles County Museum ofArt.
Raku ware, a type of Japanese ceramics first made in the 16th century by founding father Chōjirō, hascontinued to be made by 15 successive generations of heads of the Raku family, and with its distinctive
aesthetic, holds an unparalleled place among Japanese pottery. Featuring work by past Raku masters andby the brilliant Honami Kōetsu, a close associate, as well as the wide-ranging activities (not limited toceramics) of the current master Raku Kichizaemon XV and pieces by his son Atsundo, the future family
head, this exhibition is a comprehensive survey of the unique aesthetic and philosophical realm of Raku
ware, providing fascinating glimpses into each of the eras it covers.
This exhibition presents 94 works, from the serene, monochromatic tea bowls of founder Chōjirō, whichmost directly reflect the wabi tea ceremony ideals of legendary tea master Sen no Rikyū, to the strikingly
original innovations of the current Raku master. We are confident that this first full-fledged show of Raku
ceramics on American soil will draw much attention and acclaim.
After its run in Los Angeles, the exhibition will travel to Russia and appear, with partially modified content,
at the Hermitage Museum and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.
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SUMMER CAMP FOR TEENSDISCOVER LITTLE TOKYOJULY 20 - 24
REGISTER NOW!
Step away from the classroom for a more interactive approach to language learning! Learn Katakana andsimple expressions in Japanese through fun activities such as exploring Little Tokyo and scavenger hunts.
For 14-18 year-olds with no prior experience in learning Japanese. 10% discount off of the tuition when you
register by Mon. June 15.

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FISCAL YEAR 2015-2016 JAPANESE LANGUAGE GRANTS
We are accepting applications for the following grants:
1. Japanese Language Learners Event Grant previously known as "Speech Contest Grant" (Deadline:9/1/2015)
2. Japanese Teaching Material Purchase Grant (Deadline: 9/15/2015)
3. Japanese-Language Education Project Grant (Deadline: 2 months prior to project start date)
Read MoreJAPANESE LANGUAGE EDUCATION UPDATE 18: A CLASSROOM TO BE ADMIRED
Iya Nemastil-sensei of Marysville High School in Ohio presides over a classroom stuffed to bursting withauthentic Japanese stuff. Posters cover every inch of wall space, every desk has trinkets and toys, andeven the window sill is overloaded with Japanese juice cans and snack boxes. Particularly eye-catching isa large, genuine map of the Kansai area transit system. Students who study in this room are surrounded byeveryday objects found all over Japan, so even if their eyes stray during the lesson, they'll findthemselves reading common Japanese labels or studying cute Japanese designs.
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