Bi-Weekly Newsletter
November 16 - November 30, 2020
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Now open for registration!
Read more about all our events below!
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Join or Renew your Membership and support us continue this important work of bridge making!
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More Ways to Help
You can contribute to the Japan Society of Boston through your Amazon purchases! Every time you shop through Amazon Smile, a small percentage of your purchase is donated to the non-profit of your choice. Please consider choosing the Japan Society of Boston as your non-profit. |
Keep up with JSB on social media! |
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For JSB members in the Boston area, don't forget to use your member discount for these Japanese artisan crafts! |
1 Bow Market Way,
Unit #33
Somerville, MA
The staff at Crane & Turtle selects and sells items that they deem well-designed and well-made, including but not limited to “Dento Kogei” items. The word "Dento Kogei" means refined artisanal arts and crafts from Japan.
The vision at Crane & Turtle is to foster an alternative to the over-consuming, easy-disposing patterns that damage our environment. As mass production and over consumption go hand in hand, they believe people can make an impact by choosing to purchase carefully, use longer, and consume less.
Be sure to show your membership card at checkout to get 15% off your purchases (the discount will eventually be offered online as well). Check out their website here!
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Japan Society of Boston Online Events |
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Our friends at the Japan Society of Northern California have invited us to join them in:
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
8:00 PM EST (5:00 PM PST)
Friday, November 20, 10:00 AM JST
Hosted online - free registration
Our friends at the Japan Society of Northern California have invited us to join them in presenting a crash-course in Kabuki 101. Please join us for a wonderful look into the thrilling world of Kabuki. It is the perfect chance to learn more about the fascinating history, cultural significance, and continuing evolution of Kabuki.
You will get a special opportunity to pull back the curtain with rising star Hashigo Nakamura, as he shares an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how Kabuki actors apply their traditional makeup. Hashigo will also be joined by Haruka Fujii, a classically trained musician with a passion for sharing Japanese culture with the world. In her exciting presentation, Haruka will guide you through the fascinating concept of “ma” (pronounced “maah” in Japanese) and share the unique creative process that sets Japanese performing arts apart from Western theatre forms.
Whether you’re completely new to the art of Kabuki or a long-time fan, this program is perfect for people of all ages with an interest in Japanese culture. We hope to see you there!
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with online sake tasting reception
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Thursday, December 3, 2020
from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Join us to hear from the Japan Society of Boston's 2020 John E. Thayer, III Award recipients, Debra Samuels and the Japan Festival Boston Committee. We invite you to stay after the event and celebrate our honorees with an online sake tasting reception (sake bottles can be purchased in advance).
The John E. Thayer, III Award was established in 1991 to recognize the achievements of individuals, groups of individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the progress of the understanding and friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.
Click the button below to learn more about this award and how to participate in an optional sake tasting reception after the event!
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Saturday, December 12, 2020
5:00 - 6:00 PM EST
$10 JSB Members / $15 Non-members
Hosted online via Zoom
Katsukarē (カツカレー) is a simple Japanese dish consisting of a breaded, deep-fried cutlet served with a Japanese curry sauce over rice. Sometimes the sauce includes vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or onions.
Curry first came to Japan during the Meiji era (1868 - 1912) through the British Navy, which served its sailors curry that was tailored to British tastes. Japanese restaurants started serving curry dishes in the late 19th century, but the dish really caught on in army mess halls as a good way to incorporate meat into troops' diets. Curry was quickly popularized and became a staple within the Japanese diet.
We invite you to make your own katsukarē with the help of JSB volunteer Akiko Ghosh. Be sure to bring your appetites for this next installment of our Easy Japanese Home Cooking series! We look forward to seeing you there!
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Friday, December 4, 2020
6:00 to 8:00 PM EST
Hosted online via Zoom
(you will be sent the meeting code after registering)
Our language gatherings have become so expansive that we now have participants all the way from Japan! We hope you will take part in our community as we strive to bridge Japanese and American cultures.
Please join us for two hours of conversation, where you will be grouped based on your proficiency level. Get ready for some "tongue twisters" in our next meeting!
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Now Hiring Winter Interns! |
Interested in working at JSB? We're looking for amazing new interns to join us in January! You can apply as a general intern or as a graphic art intern. For our general internship, we accept interns from any background. Japanese language skills are a plus but not required!
If interested, please send us an email with your letter of intent, resume, and the contact information of two references.
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Japanese word of the week:
炬燵 (こたつ)
kotatsu
As the weather gets colder and winter draws near, staying warm is very important in both the United States and Japan! In America, the traditional way to cozy up is by a warm fireplace, but in Japan, a different device is used: the kotatsu.
The kotatsu is a low table, covered with a thick futon blanket. A heater is attached beneath the table. Kotatsu have been used for centuries, though the heaters for most are now powered by electricity rather than charcoal. Those using the kotatsu are often seated on the soft tatami floors of Japanese households.
Want to learn more seasonal Japanese vocabulary? We are happy to be offering virtual Japanese classes with our Japanese Language School this winter!
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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:
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Set on the fictional San Piedro Island off the Washington State coast in 1950, the plot revolves around the murder case of Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American accused of killing Carl Heine, a White fisherman. The trial occurs in the midst of deep anti-Japanese sentiments following World War II.
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As a university student and JSB intern who is homesick for Japanese food, I will be exploring what Boston can offer for my ramen cravings. Please bear in mind that this is not a ranked list or endorsement, but rather the opinions of an intern with a ramen addiction! |
Entry 5: Migaku
Migaku is a Kyushu ramen restaurant in Brookline (238 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02445), that specializes in Nagaski-style champon(ちゃんぽん) noodles, which are similar but different from ramen (though Migaku also sells ramen).
Though I do enjoy champon, of which Migaku has a wide variety available, I elected for the “Yakibuta Ramen” instead for the Ramen thematic consistency. The soup was of the chicken and pork tonkotsu(豚骨) variety, and it came with chashu (チャーシュー/braised pork belly), an ajitsuke tamago (味付けゆで卵/marinated boiled egg), moyashi (萌やし/mung bean sprouts), hourensou (ほうれん草/spinach), and negi (ネギ/scallions). Overall, the broth was thick and reminiscent of a non-spicy tan tan men (坦々麺/Japanese version of the Chinese dandanmian).
Read full blog post and more from Daiki's Ramen Diary here!
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Online activities from other Japan Societies across the US |
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
6:00 - 6:45 PM EST
(5:00 - 5:45 PM CST)
The role of ambassador of Japan to the United States is a distinguished post that has existed since 1860, with the exception of a brief period in the mid-20th century. The person chosen to serve often has had a long and successful career, as well as being one of Japan’s most respected diplomats.
The Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth proudly presents a conversation with H.E. Shinsuke Sugiyama, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America. He will comment on his country’s ongoing fight against COVID-19, the new Suga administration in Japan, and his goals for U.S.-Japan relations.
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
7:00 - 8:00 PM EST
(6:00 - 7:00 PM CST)
Hinata Farms is a 1/8 acre Japanese heritage farm located on the southside of Chicago. Founded in 2020, Hinata Farms’ mission is to provide locally-grown and culturally-relevant produce to the Japanese and broader Asian community in Chicago. Owner and Head Farmer, Rachel Nami Kimura, will talk about her motivations, farming practices, and what she’s learned from the first season.
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Non-JSB Online Activities |
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Wednesday, November 18, 2020
7:30 - 8:30 PM EST
Speaker: TOSHIHIRO NAKAYAMA, Professor of American Politics and Foreign Policy, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University; Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs
Speaker: SHIN-WHA LEE, Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Korea University
Speaker: WU XINBO, Dean, Institute of International Studies; Director, Center for American Studies; Fudan University
Discussant: EZRA VOGEL, Honorary Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations; Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences, Emeritus, Harvard University
Moderator: CHRISTINA L. DAVIS, Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations; Professor of Government; Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University
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November 14 - December 5, 2020
Lucy Lacoste Gallery is honored to present Contemporary Bizen: Isezaki Jun and Isezaki Koichiro featuring the Living National Treasure of Bizen, Isezaki Jun, and his trailblazing son Isezaki Koichiro exhibiting together for the first time November 14 – December 5, 2020.
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Thursday, November 19, 2929
7:00 - 8:15 PM EST
Friday, November 20, 2020
9:00 - 10:15 AM JST
Featuring: Dr. Catherine L. Mann
Global Chief Economist, Citibank
Masataka Miyazono
President, Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF)
Geoffrey Rubin
Senior Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist, CPP Investments
Ángel Ubide
Managing Director and Head of Economic Research for Global Fixed Income, Citadel
Moderator: Takatoshi Ito
Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University; Director, Program on Public Pension and Sovereign Funds, Center on Japanese Economy and Business, Columbia Business School
What you'll learn:
- The prospects of the yield curve of safe assets and returns for various asset classes in the post-COVID world (new normal)
- How public pension funds can cope with or take advantage of the new normal conditions
- New developments and trends in public pension fund governance and the asset management industry
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第1部：ポートランド日本庭園 内山貞文さんへのインタビュー
第2部：ボストン子ども博物館 茶山明美さんへのインタビュー
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Friday, November 20, 2020
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (JST)
(5:00 AM - 6:00 AM EST)
*Program is in Japanese
アメリカはポートランドの地に広がる本物の日本庭園、ボストンで出会う本物の京町家――。遠いアメリカの地に、なぜ日本庭園や京町家があるのか？アメリカの人々に日本の伝統美や文化を体感してもらう、その意義とは？
興味深いことに、どちらも姉妹都市（ポートランド市と札幌市／ボストン市と京都市）交流がストーリーの始まりであることが共通点です。先人たちの伝統や意思を受け継ぎ、いかに時代と共に進化、発展し続けるか。
長年、現地で活動を続ける内山貞文さんと茶山明美さんの想い、様々な苦労やこぼれ話、長期的な日米交流の取り組み、今後の展望等について、国際交流基金日米センターの助成プログラムを通じて支援実績のあるポートランド日本庭園・ボストン子ども博物館から、生の声を伝えるインタビューをお届けします。
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Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower in the Shiba-koen district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At 332.9 meters, it is the second-tallest structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. |
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Japanese Art Museum in the Cloud
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The virtual IJC Museum in the Cloud allows visitors like you to enjoy modern artworks by Japan’s representative artists.
You can view works from all directions with 360° freedom and get so close
that you can see the subtlest details and even feel the presence of the artists.
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