Over 260 Students to Compete at 15th Anniversary Japan Bowl

Over 260 high school students from across the country will gather at the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel on April 12-13 to participate in the Japan Bowl, the national competition of Japanese language and culture. Some teams are travelling from as far as Guam and Hawaii to be here. The national championship rounds will be held on the afternoon of April 13, and a gala dinner will be held the same evening to honor the students.This year is the 15th Anniversary of the Japan Bowl, and there are a number of special developments. Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan has consented to be the Honorary Patron of the Japan Bowl. The America-Japan Society of Tokyo, in celebration of its 90th anniversary, is inviting the three senior-level finalist teams (nine students) for an educational visit to Japan. While there, the students will hold an exhibition Japan Bowl match, so our Japanese friends can see what the Japan Bowl is all about.

Here are the schools participating in the 15th Anniversary Japan Bowl:
Monta Vista HS of Cupertino CA
Samuel F. B. Morse HS of San Diego CA
Lynbrook HS of San Jose CA
Silver Creek HS of San Jose CA
The Harker School of San Jose CA
Brien McMahon HS of Norwalk CO
St. Alban’s School of Washington DC
Deerfield Beach HS of Deerfield FL
Riverwood HS of Atlanta GA
Woodward Academy of College Park GA
Columbus HS of Columbus GA
St. John’s School of Tumon Bay, Guam
Iolani School of Honolulu HI
Libertyville HS of Libertyville IL
Phillips Academy Andover of Andover MA
Eleanor Roosevelt HS of Greenbelt MD
Novi HS of Novi MI
Ashbrook HS of Gastonia NC
Townsend Harris HS of Flushing NY
Stuyvesant HS of New York NY
Mount Lebanon HS of Pittsburgh PA
Norwin HS of North Huntington PA
Classical HS of Providence RI
St. Mark's School of Dallas TX
The Woodlands College Park HS of The Woodlands TX
The Woodlands HS of The Woodlands, TX
Hayfield Secondary School of Alexandria VA
Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology of Alexandria VA
Lake Braddock Secondary School of Burke VA
Falls Church HS of Falls Church VA
Langley HS of McLean VA
The Potomac School of McLean VA
Oakton HS of Vienna VA.

Good luck to all of them !

Sakura Matsuri is Saturday, April 14

On Saturday, April 14, the day after the Japan Bowl, we will host the 46th annual Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival, following the Cherry Blossom Parade.

The Matsuri will extend for six blocks through downtown Washington. It will stretch from 14th Street, near the White House, down to 10th Street, where the FBI Building is. On 12th Street, it runs from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue.

The Sakura Matsuri will have 20 Japanese and Asian restaurants, 30 exhibitors of Japanese arts and crafts, 15 vendors of Japanese products, and four stages, with over 20 hours of live performances.

What is new at the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival this year?

Target is again sponsoring the Arts and Crafts area, and Target will feature a kabuki theme in its tent.

Last year the Matsuri started J-Pop Land to introduce modern, youthful Japanese culture. J-Pop Land is back for its second year, sponsored by Kabuki Home Entertainment, a company based in Maryland that designs and installs home theatre systems.

In order to help Americans learn more about this new phenomenon of anime, manga, DDR, video games, cosplay, and so on, there will be a special pavilion called “Experience J-Pop,” sponsored by Amway Japan and supported by the Japanese Embassy.

For the first time, we will have a Japanese cooking demonstration, sponsored by San-J sauces, and conducted by the Japanese Americans' Care Fund. We plan to host our first-ever sake tasting, sponsored by Hakutsuru.

Depending on the weather, there will be four geisha from Japan, thanks to the Japan National Tourism Organization, who will perform traditional dances at the Pennsylvania Avenue main stage and then meet with visitors afterward. The Pennsylvania Avenue main stage is sponsored again this year by ANA and WASH-FM.

Kirin beer joins us for the first time in 2007 as the sponsor of two “Kirin Ichiban Beer Gardens.”

The Matsuri will welcome a number of new sponsors this year, including Ito-en Tea. Toyota’s Mid-Atlantic dealers will display two new Tundra trucks, and Interesse will be conducting seminars on Japanese business etiquette.

American companies also are “presenting Japan.” There will be a special Japanese garden area on Freedom Plaza, with a Zen stone garden, a display of ikebana Japanese floral arrangements, and bonsai trees. This is supported by Garnier Nutritioniste.

For young children, the Japan-America Society will introduce its kamishibai theatre, which is sponsored by Flat Earth™.

We have two young music groups, Mitsumassyu and LIZ coming from Tokyo and two traditional performing groups from Okinawa. The very popular Tamagawa University taiko and dance troupe is returning.

The Japan-America Society is grateful to its many other supporters, including Southwest Airlines, Coca-Cola, CVS, Hills Pet Fit, Hitachi, Starbucks, Super H Mart, TEPCO, Toshiba, and the Japan Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

A complete run-down of this year’s Festival is at our special website, http://www.sakuramatsuri.org/.

National Cherry Blossom Festival is Underway

The National Cherry Blossom Festival began on Saturday, march 31 and will continue until Sunday, April 15. For a complete list of events during the two-week Festival, go to
www.nationalcherryblossomfeastival.org

The Japan-America Society is a Partner of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Smithsonian Associates Hosts "Japan WOW!"

A reminder that the Smithsonian Resident Associates, the educational arm of the Smithsonian, is hosting a series of programs on Japan called "Japan WOW!

"Japan WOW" will provide audiences of all ages a wonderful opportunity to not only experience the rich history, traditions, and cultural heritage of Japan, but also to become more familiar with the modern face of Japan, including her influence on culture through fashion and music and her breakthrough achievements in science and technology.

"Japan WOW" will continue until June 9. For more information, see their website at http://residentassociates.org/japan/index.aspx

Kamishibai Theatre to Debut at Sakura Matsuri

When the Society's volunteers visit area schools, one of the most popular activities is kamishibai, the art of Japanese story-telling using paper cards. The Society's kamishibai set is small -- about the same size as the ones that story-tellers in olden days brought to the neighborhood on the back of their bicycles.

So that led to an idea -- why not make a larger-sized kamishibai theatre -- that would be visible to larger groups -- something that the Society could take to school international festivals? And why not use the technique of kamishibai to introduce students to Japanese culture?

The dream is now a reality. At this year's Sakura Matsuri, the Japan-America Society will present an original story on a jumbo version of the traditional kamishibai stage. The story is “Matsuri Meguri – A Merry-Go-Round of Japanese Festivals,” the adventures of two American children who explore Japan when their mother’s job brings them to Tokyo.

The story was written by Cheryl Ames with the help of Carolyn Gold, Cora Yamamoto, Shana Sandberg, Rebecca Butler, and translators Takako Yamanoha and Takamitsu Watanuki. The kamishibai theatre was designed and built by Rex Butler; the storyboard illustrations were created by Eunice Choi; and the original music is by Mamiko Hirai.

The Japan-America Society is grateful to Flat Earth™ Baked Fruit and Veggie Crisps for sponsoring the kamishibai theatre and making our dream come true.

Society Launches New Website

The Japan-America Society has redesigned and rewritten its website, from top to bottom.

Check it out at www.us-japan.org/dc

We believe that the new site is much easier to navigate and use, and information from past years has been deleted.

The graphic design conveys a "sense of place," reminding visitors through its photographs that our Society is based in the Nation's Capital and has a strong connection to Japan.

Take a look, and let us know what you think!

Artist Mari Mihashi at the JICC

Artist Mari Mihashi will present a special lecture on her extraordinary take on traditional Ukiyo-e art at the JICC on April 16 at 6:30 pm.

Ms. Mihashi does not use traditional woodblock printing methods to craft her works. Her use of brush, ink and paint make each of her depictions of the “floating world” a one of a kind masterpiece.

Ms. Mihashi will speak on the inspiration she finds in Japan’s many Shinto Shrines as well as her use of the tea ceremony to attain the proper state of mind to paint. Ms. Mihashi will demonstrate her artistic techniques by finishing a piece live on the JICC stage. This will be done in collaboration with Tsuruga Wakasanojo XI, Japanese Living National Treasure, Shinnai style Shamisen (a three-stringed traditional instrument) Artist.

A collection of Ms. Mihashi’s artwork is on display in the JICC gallery from April 2nd to June 8th, 2007. The Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm but will be closed April 6 and May 28.

Admission to this event is free, but reservations are required. You can RSVP to: jiccrsvpspring07@embjapan.org

The Japan Information and Culture Center is located at Lafayette Center III, 1155 21st street NW in downtown Washington.

Washington Toho Koto Society to Present 35th Annual Concert

The Washington Toho Koto Society will hold its 35th Annual Spring Concert on Sunday, April 29 at 2PM at Guildenhorn Recital Hall/Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center of the University of Maryland in College Park. The concert is free.

Joined by music students of the University of Maryland, the Toho Koto Society will perform an afternoon of traditional and contemporary koto music. This year’s concert includes not only koto selections, but also combinations with shakuhachi (bamboo flute), shamisen (banjo-like instrument), flute and harp, and vocal, providing an insight to the versatility of the instrument.

The Washington Toho Koto Society is a traditional Japanese music ensemble which received a Special Award from the Japanese Foreign Ministry in 2003 for promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the U.S. through music. Lead by Kyoko Okamoto, the non-profit group promotes understanding and appreciation of Japanese music.

For more information, call 301-572-7088 or 202-944-9648 or visit the Society's website at
www.kotosociety.org

Will the Japanese Divorce Rate Go Up?

New pension laws coming into effect in Japan could lead to an explosion in divorces, some experts are warning. The BBC reports that the new rules will make it easier for wives to claim up to half their husband's pension once the marriage is over.

The number of divorces in Japan has been rising for several decades, but the trend reversed four years ago when the new laws were first discussed. BBC says many experts believe that wives in unhappy marriages were waiting for the new laws to come into effect in April 2007.

Japan's divorce rate is still quite low - around two divorces for every 1,000 marriages.