T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E TT E R O F T H E J A PA N F O U N DAT I O N , M A N I L A

THIS ISSUE INCLUDES:

Cover Story:

Okko’s Inn Film Screening
at the Animahenasyon 13:
2019 Philippine
Animation Festival

FEBRUARY 2020

Contributor's Corner:
EYES for Embracing Diversity:
Multicultural Coexistence 			and Community Design 			by Raul (Buboy) L. Raquitico Jr.
Activity Report:
Literature Talks with Ginny Takemori,100th Anniversary of the Davao
Japanese Community, and more© Animation Council of the Philippines

COVER STORY

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November 8, 2019
Samsung Hall, SM Aura, BGC, Taguig City

The Japan Foundation, Manila partnered with Animahenasyon
PH: The Philippine Animation Festival once more with a film
screening and talk of Director KOSAKA Kitaro’s Okko's Inn.
Based on the best-selling Japanese novel Wakaokami
wa Shogakusei! by Hiroko Reijo, Okko’s Inn tells the storyof a young girl named Okko who starts living with her
grandmother in the countryside who runs a hot-springryokan – a traditional Japanese inn. There, the young girlcan somehow see friendly ghosts who help her get used to
the ryokan life, and she becomes the apprentice as its future
proprietress.
Director Kosaka Kitaro has worked on many titles as theanimation director and key animator for Studio Ghibli, suchas Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies and Nausicaä of the Valley

COVER STORY

02of the Wind, to name a few. He has also
worked on many MADHOUSE productions,such as Yawara! and Master Keaton, among
others.
Director Kosaka, together with Producer
Saito Masahiro, explained the process ofcreating Okko’s Inn, showed some initialsketches, storyboards, and character
designs, as well as answered questions fromthe audience on animation and productionin Japan.

Left to right: Hiroaki Uesugi, Rene Misa, Kitaro Kosaka, Miguel del Rosario, and Masahiro Saito
during the photo op session

To thank audiences from the Philippines,
Director Kosaka and Producer Saito shared
their messages as seen below:

Short Message from Director 		
KOSAKA Kitaro
My first visit to the Philippines gave me theimpression that, compared to Japan today, thecountry is very young and full of energy.
I was very excited and thankful to be able toparticipate in the event with great potential.

© Molly Velasco

高坂監督__
初めて訪れたフィリピンは日本と違い、若くて勢いを感じるものでした。
大きな可能性を秘めたイベントに参加させて頂き興奮しました。

COVER STORY

齋藤 プロデューサー__『若おかみは小学生！』
では幾つかの国々の映画祭にご招待頂き訪問してきました。
今回のフィリピンは、東南アジアでは初めての訪問先だったので何かと心配でしたがとても有意義なものになりました。

Director Kosaka during the talkback session shares his thoughts about the film.

フィリピンの方々の日本のアニメーションや映像に対する熱意は印象的でした。

Short Message from Producer
SAITO Masahiro
With Okko’s Inn, I got opportunities to visit
several film festivals abroad.
The Philippines was our first destination in
the Southeast Asian countries, which madeus nervous and worried, but it turned out tobe a very fruitful visit. I was impressed by theenthusiasm of Filipinos for Japanese animation
and animated film.

Attendees during the Animahenasyon event

Kitaro Kosaka and Masahiro Saito with an attendee during the meet and greet

ACTIVITY REPORTACTIVITY REPORTLITERATURE TALKS WITH GINNY TAKEMORIOctober 3, 2019
PEN International Congress Public Talks at the The National Museum
October 5, 2019
Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City
The Japan Foundation, Manila, in partnership with thePhilippine Center of International PEN and Fully Booked
Philippines, launched a series of talks on contemporary
Japanese literature with award-winning Japanese literarytranslator, Ginny Tapley Takemori.
Ginny Takemori has translated over more than a dozen earlymodern and contemporary Japanese writers, ranging fromsuch early literary giants as IZUMI Kyoka and OKAMOTO Kido
to contemporary bestsellers MURAKAMI Ryu and MIYABE
Miyuki, and her translations have also appeared in Granta,
Freeman’s, Words Without Borders, and a number of anthologies.
Her translation of INUI Tomiko’s The Secret of the Blue Glass
was shortlisted for the Marsh Award, and her translation of
MURATA Sayaka’s Akutagawa prize-winning novel Convenience
Store Woman was one of the New Yorker’s best books of 2018,
Foyle’s Book of the Year 2018, shortlisted for the Indies Choice
Award and longlisted for the Best Translated Book Award. Her
translation of NAKAJIMA Kyoko’s Naoki prize winning The
Little House was published in February 2019.
In Manila, Ginny Takemori joined a panel of international
writers and translators with the theme Words Crossing Worlds:
Translation/Transliteration during the 85th PEN International
Congress at the Auditorium of the National Museum of Fine
Arts. PEN International is a worldwide association of writers with
an illustrious history of membership, founded in London in 1921,
with over 100 centres all over the world. During the Congress
Takemori shared her journey to becoming a literary translator inJapan, cultural nuances that she had to learn in translation, as wellas the current situation of literary translators in Japan.
Ginny Takemori also conducted a talk entitled Bridging
Worlds: Conversations on translating Contemporary Japanese
Literature with Ginny Takemori, moderated by popular
Philippine writer Jessica Zafra at The Studio, Fully Booked
Bonifacio High Street.
Ginny Takemori and Jessica Zafra discussed the bestseller
Convenience Store Woman by MURATA Sayaka, the processof translation and publication, the current trend of women
writers and translators in Japan, as well as the growing
popularity of contemporary Japanese works.

Ginny Takemori and Jessica Zafra

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CONTRIBUTOR'S CORNER
EYES for Embracing Diversity: Multicultural Coexistence and Community Design is a study program designed to understand multicultural
coexistence among Asian countries. Taking place in the Philippines and Japan last October 09 - 21, 2019, EYES Project aims to create a
network of fellows and provide a mutual understanding of multicultural diversity resulting from human mobility. EYES Fellow Raul (Buboy)
L. Raquitico Jr. shares his experience with other Southeast Asian Fellows as they embarked on their research trip in Japan and the Philippines
last year:

Intersecting Roots
by Raul (Buboy) L. Raquitico Jr.

I have always been interested in what makes seemingly diverse
elements converge or reach a point of intersection, whether
that concerns collaborative work, conceptualization, or
dealing with people. I’ve always thought of intersections as
good starting points to find a common ground between key
players/ideas.
However, EYES for Embracing Diversity changed the way I see
intersections through learning with my co-fellows about
multicultural coexistence. Being with 11 other fellows
from Southeast Asia and Japan of different professional
backgrounds for 12 days, I’ve come to realize what makes
intersections rich in potential – not only diversity and sharedrealities, but uniqueness.

Community interaction with the students of Sta. Rosa Elementary School

Each fellow had a unique story. As we listened to local stories
related to labor migration, challenges and successes in the
promotion of multicultural coexistence, and use of art
methodologies, I’ve come to appreciate how diverse, complex,
multi-dimensional, and parallel the issues we constantly deal
with are, and the creativity we put into devising approaches. I
think the openness and generosity of the fellows to engage inthe discourse had been very encouraging for others to shareabout theirs without fear of being judged or discriminated.
Moreover, the opportunity to immerse in communities in thePhilippines and Japan revealed the “human” aspect behindthose digitized information. Experiencing the communities
taught us to suspend our assumptions fed by these convenientand visual bookmarks. Any statistical data wouldn’t be able to

Daloy Movement by Ea Torrado

CONTRIBUTOR'S CORNER

Communities are brimming with stories
of vulnerabilities, resilience, and collective
action. Listening to people of different
ages, genders, ethnicities, and interests,
and learning from various existing groups
and institutions reaffirm that communities
thrive because of these parts which sustain
the whole ecology. Common grounds shiftconstantly as communities evolve in orderto adapt. Hence, the constant negotiation ofvalues and interests.

The EYES Fellows in Little Italy, Alaminos, Laguna© SHIRAHATA Kasumi

measure and capture the sheer laughter ofprimary schoolchildren at Manizia’s movement
workshop as they held their paper planes andpropel their hopeful ambitions; the unassuming
hospitality of a homesick husband in a wellkept
household heavily adorned with memorabiliaof his loved ones overseas; and the transition
from awkwardness to confidence andexpressiveness as EYES Project fellows engaged
in mindful and embodied movement.

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Paper plane dance workshop led by KAJIWARA Manizia at the Kyoto Ikeda Elementary School

But nonetheless, it is by trusting the capacities of individuals andgroups that they are capable of exploring, providing input, andreconfiguring existing structures to make them more inclusive.
For instance, how the Immigration Museum of Tokyo redefined
museums as physical spaces into something that can be mobile,
bringing awareness closer to its chosen communities; how Ea
Torrado’s Daloy Movement and Manizia Kajiwara’s contemporary
dance practice inspired them both to devise movement
workshops that benefit diverse communities.
The EYES Project has just laid down the first brick for us
fellows to pursue our plans to collaborate, especially now that
communication is very much accessible and diversified. But
more than the possibilities to connect in the future, what EYES
offered us is a humble invitation to go back and know more
about our roots.

It challenged us with newfound EYES to know more
about our respective communities, know its history, go
beyond our households, and engage with people in thecommunity.
And also, the EYES to know ourselves more by practicing
art not as an escape from the mundane but treat it as themundane. To find time to express ourselves is to preserve ourbeing and to know our boundaries as well so that we becomeaware how much or less should we give a part of ourselves.
The rest is a reiteration to trust that others are capable as wellto contribute to the common good.
Only when we acknowledge and embrace the points ofdeparture we’ll find meaningful intersections.

AUTHOR'S PROFILE:
Raul "Buboy" Raquitico is a Freelance Artist, Graphic Designer, and a Senior Member of Daloy Dance Company.
He specializes in movement facilitation, choreography, and community development.

ACTIVITY REPORT

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAVAO JAPANESE COMMUNITY /JAPAN FILM WEEKEND IN DAVAO
October 11-13, 2019
SM Lanang Premier, Davao City
The Japan Foundation, Manila presented five award-winning contemporary
Japanese films in the week-long expo hosted by the Consulate General of Japanto celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Davao Japanese community. It was in1903 when the first Japanese settlers came to Davao.
Capping the celebration was a three-day Japanese Film Weekend at SM
Lanang Premier. The free screenings of the 71st Cannes International Film
Festival Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters by Director KORE-EDA Hirokazu, Samurai
Marathon, Kakegurui, The Tears of Malumpati, and Okko’s Inn, an animation film
which was showcased at the 2018 Annecy International Film Festival Feature
Film Competition, provided an opportunity for both Filipinos and Japanese tocelebrate the longstanding friendship between the two countries through film.
This event was organized by the Consulate General of Japan in Davao inpartnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and withsupport from the Davao City Government, Davao City Tourism Operations
Office, Davao City Investment Promotions Center, SM Lanang Premier, and the
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

FUKUDA KOJI’S A GIRL MISSING FEATUREDIN 2019 QCINEMA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
October 17 - 18, 2019
Gateway Cinema 6 and Ayala Malls Trinoma Cinema 4
The exciting film selection of the 7th QCinema International Film Festival
included the screening of A Girl Missing at Gateway Cinema 6 and Ayala Malls
Trinoma Cinema 4.
The drama film, with an original script written by Director Fukuda Koji, isa cautionary tale in which a single piece of withheld information wreaks
devastating havoc on an innocent woman's life. It was the recipient of thePrix du Jury in the Un Certain Regard (“Harmonium”) at the 69th Cannes
International Film Festival.
A Girl Missing was showcased as part of the Screen International exhibition,
together with other Cannes- and Berlinale-awarded films such as Bacurau(Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles), Beanpole (Kantemir Balagov),
By The Grace of God (François Ozon), God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya (Teona
Strugar Mitevska), among many others.
This year’s lineup was carefully programmed under the theme “Rising Waves”, a
nod to the emerging Asian filmmakers making their mark in world cinema andthe growing presence of women filmmakers participating in competitions.

ACTIVITY REPORTACTIVITY REPORTJAPAN FIESTA 2019
November 9 - 10, 2019
SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City

The Japan Fiesta 2019, held at SM Aura Premier, was launched
to foster a deeper mutual relationship between the peoplesof Japan and the Philippines by experiencing “all the charmsof Japan”, all for free. Audiences were treated to a series ofJapanese-style festivities such as Wadaiko (Japanese drum) andKimono fashion show. JFM invited a World Yo-Yo Champion,
BLACK, and the crowd was thrilled by his Samurai inspired
performances. During his stay in the Philippines BLACK also
visited Makati Science High School and inspired students
studying Japanese language. Through sharing his story about
how a boy with low self-esteem became a World Yo-Yo
Champion, BLACK sent a strong message to the students tofollow their dreams.

NEW PHYSICAL COMMUNICATIONUSING LANGUAGE AND BODY
(A Dance and Physical Theater Workshop 				by KYOGOKU Tomohiko)November 16, 2019Black Box Studio, The PARC Foundation,
San Juan city
The Japan Foundation, Manila in partnershipwith Black Canvas and the PARC Foundation
implemented a half-day workshop bya Japanese dancer/choreographer, Mr.
KYOGOKU Tomohiko. He is an alumnus ofKyoto University of Arts and Design and has
worked with various choreographers fromdifferent parts of the world. His workshop
was a combination of two techniques: “Underground network” and “Inaccurate language.” The first special body technique pays
attention to the connection of the lower body and the floor to make the movement softer and stronger by breathing. Whereas
the second technique is a method which brings out body movements without using words. Around forty (40) dancers andtheater practitioners from Metro Manila have participated and gave positive feedback about the workshop during the Q & A.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

MATSUI Kentaro's Opening Keynote Address

RHETORIC OF CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP:

Conversations on Cross-Cultural Artistic Exchanges
November 14-15, 2019
GT Toyota Auditorium, Asian Center, University of the Philippines, Quezon City
The Japan Foundation, Manila, in partnership with the UP
Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, the
UP Office of the Chancellor through the Diliman Information
Office and UP Asian Center, hosted an international gathering
last November 14-15, 2019. The event was held at GT Toyota
auditorium in UP Diliman where around 400 Filipino and Asianart practitioners were given a space to learn and talk about
their works to heighten their artistry and creativity as starting
points of artistic knowledge.
The two-day event had three main activities namely: keynotes,
plenary sessions, and performances. The conference had two
keynotes: an opening keynote by MATSUI Kentaro (Director of
Kirari Fujimi) from Japan and a closing keynote by Dr. Ramon
Santos (National Artist of the Philippines for Music). Mr. Matsui,
in his talk “A Unique Process of International Collaboration”,
shared his own definitions of the term “international
collaborations.” By citing three out of ten international theatercollaborations that he did in the past, he shared his learnings
and experiences as a producer and director which, in his

words, “shook his identity.” He pointed out that the process ofcollaboration was labor intensive and mentally exhausting but
the key that made this difficult process a success for him was“TIME.” It took him two to three years from the preparation
for a collaboration work until the opening performance.
Matsui said, “For me, like the Singaporean playwright anddirector Kuo Pao Kun, to work on the creation of theatrical
works while thinking of ‘transcending various restrictions suchas race, language, religion, national state, and even cultural
disconnection,’ a theatrical methodology of collaboration isessential.” On the other hand, Dr. Santos discussed “Crossing
Artistic Borders in Sonic Creative Expressions” where he cited
works and practices that illustrate “creative partnership andamalgamation of artistic expressions.” He also pointed out that
one of the most significant characteristics of Asian expressive
traditions is the concept of integration.
The conference’s plenary discussions involved Asian artists
who discussed specific sub-themes. The first session’s theme
was Asian Performing Arts Farm (APAF) where two APAFACTIVITY REPORT

alumni and recent collaborators talked about their own
experience: Maria “Issa” Manalo Lopez (Philippines) discussed“Situating One’s Creative Practice Amidst Various Identities
and Practices”; while KYOGOKU Tomohiko (Japan) talked
about “International Collaboration to Create Multifaceted
Crystals.” Under the sub-theme Practices of Embodiments
and Pedagogy, long-time Filipino collaborators in theatre arts
industry, Armando “Tuxqs” Rutaquio Jr. (director/designer)and Layeta Bucoy (playwright) shared about a glimpse of
their process in coordinating and creating some productions
that they did including “Teru-Teru” which was performed inJapan. According to them, “the key in collaboration revolves
around how you trust the peers you work with, their expertise,
and their cultures throughout the process.” Under the
sub-theme Practices of Devise and Dramaturgy, Dr. Felipe
Cervera (Singapore) discussed “If Devising Meant Not: MetaDramaturgies of Presence and Absence” and Jesca Prudencio(USA) talked about “Trusting the Outsider.” Ms. Prudencio
shared the steps in gaining trust of the community for creative
collaborations: intention, connection, quality time, andcommitment. She also pointed out that acknowledging being
an outsider is part of the process of gaining trust.
The second day of the conference opened with a plenary
session on Collaborative Platforms. Yi-Kai Kao (Taiwan)
in his presentation entitled, “The Way of Engagement from
Communities to Artists in an Independent Art Festival,”concluded that, “ there is not only one way for people tocollaborate when they are interested in each other, when goals
and processes are aligned.” As an example he cited Tua-TiuTiann International Festival of Arts (TTTIFA), an art festival heproduced and was made possible by each and every one of thewilling participants. Moreover, Andrei Nikolai
Pamintuan (Philippines) in his presentation,“Pineapple Lab – The Arts and the Barangay,”
he shared the challenges that he faced when
he first worked with the local government.
He learned that “INCLUSION” is important incollaboration. He did a lot of explaining and a
lot of efforts to involve the local communityand government unit, and seeking funding
from that to sustain efforts. And becauseof consistency, a trust has been establishedbetween his team and the local government.
The second to the last plenary tackled
Contemporary Scenography where two Filipino
designers shared about their works. Leo Abaya in
his presentation provided samples of his designs
from two productions that he did in 2006

(Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Bakeretta” in CCP) and in 2011 (“Macbeth
2.0” which was performed in Manila and Taipei). He mentioned
that, “In all projects, especially when the technicians do not
speak English, gaps in communication create a domino effect.”
Mio Infante on the other hand, in his presentation “Setting theScene,” he shared that scenography is collaborative. He also
added that, “Collaboration is a natural part of any work force,
regardless if you’re in theatre or not and mastering is making
sure everyone is heard.” The sub-topic of the last plenary session
was Arts and Cultural Leadership. Rodolfo Vera presented his
paper “Problematizing Sustainability in Theatre” while Joseph
Keith Anicoche shared “Palabas to Pagsasabuhay: Questions,
Provocations and Propositions for Radical Shifts and Imagination
for Necessary Contemporary Performance-making.”
Aside from the talks, the conference showcased three
performances that were produced via cross-cultural
collaboration: “PAHAYAG (Expression)” by Filipino dancers/
choreographers, Rhosam Prudenciado Jr. and Mia Cabalfin;
APAF 2019: ASIA/N/ESS/ES” by Maria Manalo Lopez(Philippines), KYOGOKU Tomohiko (Japan), Jared Jonathan
Luna (Philippines), Paopoom Chiwarak (Thailand) and Fitri
Anggraini (Indonesia); and, UP Tugtugang Musika Asyatika(UP TUGMA) presented the Mindanao Kulintang Ensemble,
Cordillera bamboo/gong ensemble and the Japanese Koto.
In a nutshell, the conference gathered 14 speakers, morethan 50 performers and a total of around 400 attendees.
Moreover, because of the partnership with UP Integrated
Learning Center (UPILC), not only were the performances
documented, but also all the talks in the two-day conference
were livestreamed.

APAF's ASIA/N/ESS/ES performance

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ACTIVITY REPORTREGIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS:
Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival& Cine Kasimanwa West Visayas Film Festival
December 2019

For 2019, Japan Foundation, Manila actively
participated in local and regional film festival
screenings as one of our major activities. JFM
participated in several key film festivals such as
QCinema International Film Festival, Sinag
Maynila, CineKasimanwa Film Festival in
Visayas, and Nabunturan Independent Film
Exhibition (NABILMEX) and SalaMindanaw
in Mindanao. All these festivals were open tofeaturing Japanese arts and culture alongsideother amazing films.
JFM provided support through film
screenings as well as lectures and workshops
geared towards film directors, actors andproduction people, with topics ranging frompre-production, post production and thebusiness aspect of filmmaking.

Audience shot during CineKasimanwa screening

Through these efforts we envision the
renewal and continuous developmentof partnerships with the academe, film
community and cultural institutions &organization not just in Manila but also acrossthe regions.
CineKasimanwa guests lined-up for the screenings

CineKasimanwa poster

ACTIVITY REPORT

Students registering for Life Goes On screening during
Salamindanaw Festival

CineKasimanwa intermission number during the opening night event

JAPANESE STUDIES IN THE PHILIPPINES:The 2020 Nationwide Competition
November 14-15, 2019
GT Toyota Auditorium, Asian Center

The Japan Foundation Manila and the UP
Asian Center held its 2nd annual forum andresearch competition Japanese Studies in thePhilippines: The 2020 Nationwide Competition last
January 18 at the UP Asian Center.
The event featured seven presentations fromstudents whose papers were selected lastDecember 2019, with topics under Politics,
International Relations, Labor, Art, Gender, andTechnology in Japan. In the forum, 5 winners
were chosen as the best presenters. They willtake part in a five-day study tour in Japan
from February 24 – 28, 2020, where they willvisit academic and business institutions. The
winning papers will also be published in the
Asian Studies Journal of Critical Perspectives
on Asia.

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ACTIVITY REPORT© UP Vargas Museum

CURATORIAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPEXHIBITIONS 2019
December 7, 2019 – March 7, 2020
University of the Philippines Vargas Museum, Quezon City
The Japan Foundation, Manila, Philippine Contemporary Art
Network (PCAN), and UP Vargas Museum presented theculmination of the 2018 Curatorial Development Workshop
with exhibitions curated around the central concern of "space".
The exhibition opened in December 7, featuring five selectedparticipants: Karl Albais, Pristine De Leon, Jay Nathan Jore,
Carlos Quijon, Jr., and Christian Tablazon.
The Japan Foundation inaugurated the curatorial development
program series together with the UP Vargas Museum in 2009,
and together has conducted several workshops since then. The
goal is to enhance expertise in curating contemporary art andrelated platforms, with establishing stronger networks for the
next generation of curators and artists.
Karl Albais’ “Tao at Kalawakan” (Man and Space) features
work on astrophotography by MJ Magallon, with collateral
events “T&K Talks: Contemporary Discourses in Picturing the
Cosmos in Philippine Context” and and Urban Astronomy
Workshop in partnership with the Philippine Astronomical
Society. Pristine de Leon’s “Built on Sand” on the other hand,features works by artists Brisa Amir, Czar Kristoff, Nathalie
Dagmang, Arvin Dimalanta, Doktor Karayom, and Alvin
Zafra, which respond to the act of construction and the ways
in which public space is occupied, owned, controlled, andtransformed. Jay Nathan Jore’s “Humble Objects”project
attempts a historical and social re-reading of Bisaya aesthetic
practices by looking into improvisations in display stall andfurniture constructions and transport carts by inventive
vendors,stevedores etc. in Cebu.
Meanwhile, Carlos Quijon Jr.’s “a knowing intimacy or a life”
prospects the myriad ways in which artistic forms and practice
participate in imaginations of social life, featuring five artists:
Rocky Cajigan, Lesley-Anne Cao, Kat Medina, Indy Paredes, and
Lee Paje. Lastly, Christian Tablazon’s “Variations of the Field”
seeks to plot a course of Anglo-American colonial institutions
and knowledge systems, through the works of artists Allan
Balisi, Bea Camacho, W. Don Flores, Aaron Kaiser Garcia with
Komunidad X, Gym Lumbera, Shireen Seno, Tekla Tamoria,
Sidney Valdez, Gail Vicente, and Tanya Villanueva.

UPCOMING EVENTSUPCOMING EVENTSTPAM (Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama)February 8-16, 2020
Yokohama, Japan

TPAM (Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama) is a space where professionals from various
places in the world who explore the possibility of contemporary performing arts exchange
through performance and meeting programs to gain information, inspiration and network forthe creation, dissemination and vitalization of performing arts. Established in 1995 as Tokyo
Performing Arts Market and moved in 2011 to the “Creative City '' Yokohama. Reinforcing its
focus on Asia and having started to involve itself in Asian co-production, TPAM is internationallyrecognized as one of the most influential performing arts platforms in Asia. The Philippines will
be represented by Jerry Aguilar (Kasing Sining), Benhur Abulencia (Koronadal Hinugyaw CulturalDance Troupe), Micah Pinto (Para sa Sining), and Katrina Stuart Santiago.

Nihongo Fiesta
February 22, 2020
Red Carpet Cinema 1, Shangri-La
Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City

The Nihongo Fiesta is an annual event held by The Japan Foundation Manila, which showcases
the Japanese language, arts and culture through various activities and events such as the
Nihongo Speech Contest, 1st Nihongo Video Contest (NiViCon), and many more.
This will be held on February 22, 2020 (Saturday) in Red Carpet Cinema 1, Shangri-La Plaza Mall,
Mandaluyong City.
Schedule*
47th Nihongo Speech Contest
10:20 am – 12:15 pm
1st Nihongo Video Contest (NiViCon)
1:35 pm – 2:05 pm
JPOP Performance by JPOP Anime Singing
Contest Winners
1:00 pm – 1:35 pm
Japanese Anime Film Screening: OKKO’S INN
3:10 p.m. – 4:45 p.m*Please be advised that the schedule may
change without prior notice. Please follow
facebook.com/jfmanila for updates.

Special Lecture by Dr. KONO Shion
March 13, 2020
TBC, Ateneo de Manila
University

Dr. KONO Shion, Associate Professor at Sophia University in Japan, will be visiting Manila for aSpecial Talk regarding translation and how it has reshaped the image of Japanese literature, as
well as his research on MURAKAMI Haruki.

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UPCOMING EVENTSFilm Screenings
in the Region
January 27 - March 5, 2020
Japan Film Week comes back again! Japan Foundation, Manila in partnership with the Film Development Council of thePhilippines (FDCP) and several universities, hold a series of Japanese film showing in the regions. The film lineup includes
Animated films such as Weathering With You (2019), Okko’s Inn (2018), Maquia (2018), and Fireworks, Should We See It From the Side or the
Bottom? (2017), feature films The Tears of Malumpati (2019) and Dad’s Lunch Box (2017) and a documentary film, Life Goes On (2017).

Screening schedule and venue: *January 27-31		

FDCP Cinematheque, Davao

February 22-23		

University of the Philippines, Cebu (Otakufest 2020)

February 26-29		

FDCP Cinematheque, Manila

February 26		KCC Mall and Mindanao State University, General Santos City

March 2-6 		

FDCP Cinematheque Iloilo

SPECIAL FEATURE

Special Film Screening		
and Workshop			of Life Goes On
Date:

March 2, 2020 at University of the Philippines
Department of Geography
March 3, 2020 at Siliman University

As a part of Japan Film Week,a special screening andworkshop of Life Goes On (2017), a documentary film focusingon people in Tohoku six years after the Great East Japan
Earthquake (2011), is to be held at Silliman University andUniversity of the Philippines Department of Geography with guest speakers from Tohoku and Director Yoon Mia. In theworkshop, they will share their experiences and stories struggling and rebuilding their lives after the catastrophe. This is thecollaborative project of Japan Foundation, Manila, Toshiba International Foundation, Silliman University and University of thePhilippines Department of Geography.
*Please be advised that the schedule may change without prior notice. Please follow facebook.com/jfmanila for updates.

SINE目ME: Personal DOCUMENTARIES from/on Japan
February 17-21, 2020
Panel discussion: February 21, 2020
Venue: Videotheque & Cine Adarna, the University of the Philippines Film Institute
The Japan Foundation, Manila and the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) will hold documentary film screenings andpanel discussion, focusing on personal documentary films, or alternatively called “diary films” or “self-documentaries,” with invited
Japanese and Filipino documentary filmmakers, KURIHARA Mie and Kidlat Tahimik as guest speakers.
The film lineup includes several influential personal films from Japan such as KAWASE Naomi’s Embracing (1992), Family Return(1985) by ISHII Hideto, Impression of a Sunset (1975) by SUZUKI Shiroyasu and Extreme Private Eros: Love Song (1974) by HARA Kazuo
with newer titles such as Cloud, Insect, Wire Fence (2014) by KURIHARA Mie and The Cheese and the Worms (2005) by KATO Haruyo.
Moreover, several diary films about Japan by Kidlat Tahimik will also be screened. The panel discussion is scheduled on February 21
while the film screenings run from February 17 to 20.

16GRANTS

Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film
Festival Davao
October 25-29, 2019
Cinematheque Center, Davao

This year’s Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival Davao showed
two Japanese feature films, namely Mystic Shrine Maiden directedby SONE Takeshi, the cinematographer of 2018’s blockbuster
film One Cut of the Dead and Vise by SHIMIZU Yasuhiko, andseveral other Japanese short films. The cast and assistantdirector of Mystic Shrine Meiden, OSAWA Shinichiro, appeared onstage to answer questions from the local audience.

OSAWA Shinichiro and HAYASHI Yoshikatsu from the Tourism Office of
Chikuma City, Nagano

Ikebana as Sustainable Art:A Lecture-Demo on Japanese Traditional
Flower Arrangement
November 13, 2019
Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman

The UP Asian Center held an Ikebana or Japanese traditional flower
arrangement lecture and demonstration last November 2019 as part of theactivities of the Asian Center’s 64th anniversary celebration. Certified Ikebana
instructor, Asako Tsunoda, was invited to be the speaker for the event. Ms.
Tsunoda started with an Ikebana demonstration followed by a lecture about thehistory of ikebana, and ended with a hands-on ikebana tutorial.

SORA Ensemble Performanceat the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Concert Series III© SORA Ensemble of Japan

November 15, 2019
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)With the support of the Japan Foundation, the PPO's 37th Concert Series
III showcased an outstanding roster of Japanese guest musicians, such as
the SORA Ensemble of Japan, consisting of musicians from Sapporo City in
Hokkaido, as well as Conductor Fukumura Yoshikazu, one of Japan’s mostwell known conductors and former music director of the Tokyo Ballet, Kyoto
Municipal Symphony, and Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra. During their stayin Manila, the guests also conducted a master class (workshop) for young
musicians at St. Paul University.

GRANTS© International Studies Department, DLSUJapanese Studies
International Conference:
Japan in a State of Uncertainty
De La Salle University
November 15 – 16, 2019
The International Studies Department (ISD) of the De La Salle
University, in cooperation with The Japan Foundation, Manila
and the Ateneo de Manila University held a workshop andconference with the theme Japan in a State of Uncertainty.
Last November 15 to 16, ISD had their first MA International
Studies Grad Students Workshop where thesis students
presented their working papers in front of ISD faculty
members and fellow students where the presenters where
given constructive comments to further improve their works.

The Japanese Studies International Conference was held thefollowing day at the Century Park Hotel Manila. Scholars andexperts from Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines were invitedas speakers to discuss issues ranging from maritime security,international political economy, and demographic and social issues.

WSK 10 Years
October 15-27, 2019

Sine Wave Orchestra "Stay" (2017) exhibition at Arete, Ateneo de Manila University

18

WSK is the first and only annual international art festival
dedicated to contemporary electronic, digital, andexperimental art. Celebrating its 10th Year Edition of thefestival, WSK conducted a new joint music program developedwith NUSASONIC, a multi-year project that plunges into a
broad spectrum of experimental sound and music cultures
in Southeast Asia, enabling dialogue within the region, with
Europe, and beyond. Beginning as a multi-day lab where newartist pairings, a hacklab, and an open art science projects
play together and create new musical and visual works, ideas,
and possibilities. The festival showcased the results of theseworks within a programme that also includes concerts, clubnights, guerrilla outdoor events, and daytime programme of
exhibitions, film screenings, talks, panels, and workshops.

ANNOUNCEMENT

THE JAPAN FOUNDATION ACCEPTS
GRANT APPLICATIONSFiscal Year July 2020 - March 2021

The JFM, in its continuing endeavor to promote international cultural exchange and mutual
understanding, is accepting grant applications in Japanese language, arts, and cultural
exchange. For more information, please visit us at www.jfmo.org.ph/grants
The deadline of submission is on December 2, 2020.

EDITORIAL STAFF
UESUGI Hiroaki
director

ISSN 0118-7910
Volume 26 | Issue 2

Photo by
Molinia Velasco-Wansom

VELASCO Szusza
editorSuki is a newsletter published by the Japan Foundation, Manila located at the23rd Floor, Pacific Star Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, corner Makati Avenues,
Makati City 1226, Philippines, with telephone numbers (632) 811-6155 to 58, 		
fax number (632) 811-6153; and email address at email@jfmo.org.ph.

Suki is published three times a year and is duly registered as printed matter mail
LABASTILLA Skyzx
at the Makati Central Post Office under Permit No. 1074-97 NCR dated June 16,
NAKAMURA Tomoko
1997. It is distributed free of charge to individuals and organizations interested
NAMIKI Kanami
in Japanese Studies, International Cultural Exchange and Intellectual Exchange,
ORTIZ Carlos
among others.
OKEDA Mariko
SAMSON Rolando
The opinions expressed in the feature articles are of the authors and notnecessarily of the organization. Reproduction in whole or part of Suki articles is
prohibited without permission from the author and the Japan Foundation, Manila.