Bi-Weekly Newsletter
April 3 - April 17, 2020
While we practice social distancing, our events are going to look and feel different. So will our newsletter! Enjoy the resource filled newsletter that will keep you connected with the JSB Community!
Now open for registration!

4/1 - 4/15 JSB Google Map Scavenger Hunt

4/10 Virtual Japanese / English Language Exchange
You Voted!

Last week, in the letter from the Managing Director, we asked you to help us choose our next online program.

The results are in! More than 50% of you voted:

Everyday Japanese Home Cooking by Yuko Handa, our Managing Director and mom of two.

Yuko reminds you that this will be "everyday" cooking, nothing fancy! Look out for more details in the next newsletter.
This Weeks' Poll
What do you want us to highlight in our next newsletter?
The various types of udon noodles in Japan
The various types of ramen noodles in Japan
The various types of soba noodles in Japan
JSB Staff pick of the Week
With more time at home, we've asked our staff to pick some of their favorite Japanese movies and books. Here's the staff pick of the week:

 Shohei Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho) is a successful but unhappy Japanese accountant who, passing by in his commuter train one day, glimpses a beautiful young woman, Mai (real-life ballerina Tamiyo Kusakari) through the window of a dance school and finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons.

Directed by Masayuki Suo; Japan 1996. An English film by the same name, starring Richard Gere in 2004 is a remake of this movie.
Japanese of the week:
お花見 (おはなみ): "O-hanami"
Flower viewing

Hanami ( or more politely,  o-hanami)  is the Japanese tradition of flower viewing. It dates back to the eighth century. Japanese gather around blossoming cherry trees and picnic to celebrate the arrival of spring. Cherry blossoms bloom from the end of March until early May across Japan, and the Japan Meteorological Agency announces the 桜前線,  sakura zensen  (cherry blossom front), the forecast for blossom time in each region. People eagerly watch the  sakura zensen  to plan  o-hanami  because cherry blossoms last only about a week. People also enjoy the blossoms at night.  夜桜,  yozakura  (night cherry blossoms) are just as beautiful, with blossoms faintly lit against the night sky.
Facts about Hokkaido
Honoring the 30th Anniversary of the
Massachusetts - Hokkaido sister state relationship

Given Hokkaido's abundant land, Hokkaido boasts a booming dairy industry. Dairy has been a part of life in Hokkaido way before it became so in other parts of Japan. It was in Hokkaido that a ramen chef first put butter in his miso ramen. Sweets are also another aspect of Hokkaido cuisine that highlights the strong presence and versatility of the dairy industry. Take notice to confectionary treats and how they showcase their ties to Japan's most northern region (like ミルクの国 - Milk Country) the next time you visit a Japanese grocery store.
Join or Renew Your Membership

The Japan Society of Boston is a community of bridge makers and curious minds who have found connections with others through their common interest in strengthening the ties between the US and Japan.

Join or Renew your Membership and support us continue this important work of bridge making!

Keep up with JSB on social media!

Japan Society of Boston Online Events



A fun and interactive way to explore the streets of Japan as if you were actually there!


We've set up some trivia to encourage participants to get to know popular and unique locations scattered across Japan. Take some time to explore the streets around these locations using the street view function of Google Maps and have fun "getting lost"! 5 lucky participants will be selected randomly on April 15th to receive a Shoyeido incense. We will be sending the incense out once we are able to get back into the office.



Friday, April 10th
6:00-8:00 pm

@ Your place

Stuck in the house and need a healthy way to socialize? JSB has you covered! We will be hosting our next language exchange online, giving all of our community the chance to practice their targeted language. Join us for a Japanese/English language exchange with native Japanese speakers! We will begin with a half an hour of speaking in Japanese, followed by a half an hour of speaking in English, and alternate until we hit 8 PM. We hope that our guests will meet others and find new paths for improving and enjoying their Japanese and English language skills. We expect all guests to come with a friendly disposition to learn and help others learn!




Try learning some Japanese while at home!

Wouldn't it be fun if you could use some Japanese while traveling in Japan or with Japanese speaking friends? Why not enroll yourself in a trial online Japanese class!

The first 12 people who email us at language@japansocietyboston.org  will get to try our online Japanese class for free! 

Sign up for the 12 spots on our "Beginners Japanese for Travelers" online class. Classes will be held in late April to early May so email us now to get on the class list!

Non JSB Online Activities
Looking for a fun online educational program?
This is what our friends over at Table for Two are doing to bring people together virtually.

Join for an unique Japanese-inspired food education online course, “Wa-Shokuiku – Lean. Cook. Eat Japanese!” for free now through April 30th!

Through the course, participants can learn the principles of Japanese cuisine and food culture and gain the skills to prepare healthy, nutritious foods to strengthen the body and mind!
Even though the opening ceremony was canceled, you can still check out the Cherry Blossoms 24/7 with live "Blossom Cam" and panoramic views through April 12th!

Experience a virtual tour across Japan brought to you by NHK World.

A relatively low cost and fun way for children and adults to spend quality time!

We'd love to see your work!
Snap a picture and send them over to info@japansocietyboston.org
Painting Edo — one of the largest exhibitions ever presented at the Harvard Art Museums — offers a window onto the supremely rich visual culture of Japan’s early modern era. Selected from the unparalleled collection of Robert S. and Betsy G. Feinberg.

Learn more about the exhibition in a series of videos, including an introduction by Rachel Saunders, as well as a recording of the opening night lecture “Into the Kaleidoscope: Painting in Edo Japan” by Timon Screech (SOAS University of London)
Japanese study resources
This MITx course was developed in collaboration with HarvardX and is co-taught by MIT, Harvard, and Duke historians. You will examine Japanese history in a new way—through the images created by those who were there—and the skills and questions involved in reading history through images in the digital format.