Author Archives: iwang

J-COLLABO is presenting its first Spring Festival on Saturday April 18th with an exciting variety of workshops and performances including Shakyo Meditative Writing, Origami,contemporary dance, collaborative art and RAKUGO, Japanese traditional sit-down comedy and more.

These workshops and multidisciplinary art showcases have been curated by J-COLLABO to demonstrate the beauty and versatility of contemporary Japanese art and performance.

Guests will enjoy collaborative art performances by Yukari Osaka (Dance), Jun Ando (Koto), Misaki Matsui (Video/Film); Yuka Omori and Humberto Texiera (Contemporary Dance); CHIELA (Song) and Toma (Dance); Japanese RAKUGO performance by Sansyo Nakamura from Japan. Rakugo is a Japanese storytelling art that has been a form of entertainment for over 400 years and has recently experienced a comeback with Rakugo venues increasing across Japan. While performing, a Rakugo artist wears a kimono, sits on a small cushion, and uses only two small props – a Japanese fan and a hand towel – which can be used to imitate various acts such as smoking, eating noodles, and preparing a letter. The Rakugo artist will play any number of characters in a given story, for example a samurai, geisha, merchant, or drunk. These characters can be said to represent qualities within all of us, parts of the human personality.
Also event partner, Saiko Project/Live Music Showcase will present Kaoru Watanabe (Taiko Drums and Bamboo Flutes).

With such a vibrant and diverse selection of contemporary Japanese artists, the J-COLLABO Spring Festival promises to be an entertaining and culturally enlightening experience for everyone.

EVENT INFORMATION

Date: Saturday, April 18th

Time: 1:00pm-8:00pm

Location: 300-302 7th street (between 4th and 5th avenues), Brooklyn, NY 11215

Suggested donation: $20

Website / Official Facebook Page
Click through for detailed schedule.
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Next Thursday, the Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture at Columbia University will host a talk about Hayao Miyazaki‘s final film, The Wind Rises (2013). Susan Napier, Professor of Japanese Studies at Tufts University, will conduct the lecture.

Hayao Miyazaki, arguably the world’s greatest living animator, announced his retirement the same year that he released his final film, The Wind Rises in 2013. The film, while carrying on many Miyazaki traditions such as a compelling narrative, well-rounded characters, and stunning imagery, also departs from these traditions in important ways. The Wind Rises is a realistic historical narrative, rather than a fantasy; the film is set in 1930’s Japan, and traces the development of Japan’s greatest war plane, the Mitsubishi Zero. With its themes of war, technology and evanescence, The Wind Rises was controversial at its release, and left many critics uncertain of Miyazaki’s final filmic message. This lecture will explore the complex legacy Myazaki has left us in The Wind Rises and the controversies that still persist.

Time: Thursday 9 April, 6:00 PM
Location: 403 Kent Hall, Columbia University
No registration required
Details

Japan Society in New York will host the following lectures in the next week:

1. Kawaii Meets Art and Fashion: An Evening with Sebastian Masuda
(details here)

2. Shigeru Ban’s Goal: A Balancing Act of Architecture and Social Contribution

In 2014, architect Shigeru Ban was awarded the Pritzker Prize for his commitment to humanitarian causes through his disaster relief efforts and his innovative works. An innovator in sustainable and environmentally-friendly architecture, Ban’s designs often use locally available materials such as recyclable cardboard paper tubes for columns, walls and beams. These materials are inexpensive and easy to transport, mount and dismantle; and they can also be water- and fire-proofed, and recycled. Ban believes that his Japanese upbringing helps account for his wish to waste no materials. In this lecture, Ban will explore how he balances his artful works with the needs of local communities. This program is moderated by Rick Bell, Executive Director of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Followed by a reception.

Time: Saturday, March 28, 12 PM
Tickets: $12/$8 Japan Society members, students & seniors.

Japan Society is starting its 2015 Globus Film Series, The Most Beautiful: The War Films of Shirley Yamaguchi & Setsuko Hara, with China Nights (Shina no yoru) and a reception.

China Nights was the second film in what came to be known as the “Continental Trilogy,” along with Song of the White Orchid and Vow in the Desert. All three are national allegories centered on a romance between the Japanese star Kazuo Hasegawa and Shirley Yamaguchi (Ri Koran). Like its predecessor, the film centers on misunderstanding, mistrust and the redemptive power of romance. Yamaguchi plays a rebellious young woman, who comes around to appreciate the Japanese through Hasegawa’s tough love. In the famous turning point of the film, Yamaguchi turns love-struck with Hasegawa (and awestruck by Japanese goodwill) with a slap in the face. While this is a convention of Japanese prewar cinema, the allegorical nature of this project led to quite different interpretations in Japan and China. Despite this bit of cultural blindness on the part of the Japanese filmmakers, they cleverly crafted different dénouements for the film; in the Chinese version the lovers live happily ever after, and in the Japanese version Yamaguchi commits suicide. Not surprisingly, the Chinese saw the film as a slap in the face. China Nights was one of the main reasons for Yamaguchi’s death sentence after the war.
1940, 126 min., 35mm, b&w, in Japanese with live English subtitles. Directed by Osamu Fushimizu. With Shirley Yamaguchi (as Ri Koran), Kazuo Hasegawa.

Print courtesy of National Film Center, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

Post-screening reception will feature an anthology of popular music from this period as well as a display of kimonos from the 1940s, courtesy of a private collector from Osaka in cooperation with Japanese Culture & Style, Rinko Kimino, Globus Washitsu and Tea-Whisk. Kimono or other vintage attire welcome!

Tickets:
$15/$12 Japan Society members, seniors & students

Time:
Saturday, March 21, 7 PM

Details
Visitor Information

Japan Society will host a program with Visual artist Sebastian Masuda who helped launch the career of Japanese pop-star Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, the princess of kawaii. In this program, Masuda discusses his works that have drawn attention worldwide, using an explosion of color and nostalgic childhood toys from both the U.S. and Japan. He also talks about his new innovative art project, Time After Time Capsule, which is coming to New York in April. Masuda brings to his work a uniquely cute fashion sense and “kawaii culture” that is distinctively Japanese, yet contains very familiar American elements. Accompanying the lecture will be a rare selection of items for sale from Masuda’s Harajuku shop, 6%DOKIDOKI. Followed by a reception.

Tickets: $12/$8 Japan Society members, students & seniors
Time: Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 PM
Location:
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
Event Details/Purchase Tickets
Visitor Information

I’d like to introduce upcoming Japanese events at J-Collabo to classmates and Japanese club so please share this information!

We will have Yukidoke(snow melting season) Festival on Feb. 22 Sunday from 2PM-8PM.

From 2PM to 6PM, there will be six arts and craft workshops of Ishikawa Prefecture such as making traditional spinning top, how to wear Kimono and tea ceremony. Students will get 50% discounts to attend workshops!

Also, we will host Renjishi Performance from 6PM to 8PM. Renjishi performance requires RSVP. Classmates can reserve to [email protected]. After the performance, there will be a raffle to win prizes! If they make a group reservation (minimum 5 people), they will get extra raffle tickets only for group reservation teams.

As you know, I’m doing an internship at J-Collabo and we need many volunteer staffs who can help us at that day. It is a good chance to work with native Japanese professionals and artists. If classmates want to work with us, they can reach me at [email protected].

Thank you!
Sincerely,
Myungji Chae