December news and events

Apologies for the long delay since the last entry. Things have been busy around here. With the holidays coming up, this will probably be the only entry until mid-January.

A reception for returning JET programme and the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund participants, and another reception celebrating the birthday of Emperor Akihito, were held at the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago was held on December 1st and December 11th, respectively. In spite of hostile weather on both occasions, the events were well-attended.

The Japan America Student Conference is recruiting participants for the 2008 Conference. American delegates will be selected from all fields of study and will range from 1st year college students to Ph.D. candidates. Applications are due February 8th. This is a great opportunity for students interested in Japan.


IOWA

Polly Fortune, President of the Japan America Society of Iowa, is stepping aside after a successful term. She will be replaced by Mayumi Ameku. The JASI has a new website at http://www.japaniowa.org. They will host their New Year meeting in Des Moines on January 13.


ILLINOIS

Aikido seminar with Horii Shihan
February 1 - 3, 2008
Aikido Shimboku Dojo, 9115 Trinity Drive, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156


CHICAGO - FILM

Zebraman
Takashi Miike's bizarre superhero film is playing at Facets Cinematheque.
December 28 - January 3rd.


A major Shohei Imamura retrospective is playing at Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago in January and February. If you are unfamiliar with his rowdy, emotionally complex pictures, this is an excellent chance to get acquainted, as many of these films are unavailable on video. Between January 5th and March 4th, 18 of Imamura's films will be screened.


Coming soon...Watch for announcements in January about Japanese figure skater and Olympic medalist Yuka Sato and an anime event in Chicago...

Events: Bunraku in Illinois

The University of Illinois, Northwestern University, The Consulate General of Japan at Chicago, The City of Osaka Chicago Office, and Japan House (UIUC) are pleased to announce that Bunraku, one of Japan’s best known and most highly prized traditional performing arts, will come to the Midwest in October. The internationally-acclaimed National Bunraku Theatre – the most authentic puppet troupe from Osaka – will come to America for its first major tour in 15 years. For the Midwest, it will appear on stage for the first time ever.

October 6, 2007: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
October 8, 2007: Cahn Auditorium, Northwestern University - Evanston Campus

For ticket and general information on the Bunraku performances please visit the following website –

http://bunrakumidwest.com/

The press release for this event is located here –

http://bunrakumidwest.com/images/Bunraku_Press_Release.pdf