Saturday, August 31, 2013

Thursday, September 5: Ichimoku-kai (IMK) features a video presentation on RAKUGO

Summer is winding down, so why not get out on the town while it lasts?  Join us at Canada-Japan Society’s ICHIMOKU-KAI at Manpuku on Thursday, September 5th for a great evening of cultural exchange, tasty Japanese food, cold drinks, door prizes, and lots of fun!

Ichimoku-kai (IMK) literally means the “first Thursday meeting” and since 1995 it has been the Canada-Japan Society’s signature monthly social event, naturally taking place on the first Thursday of every month.  It is a great place to informally network, make new and interesting friends, practise your Japanese or English, and – most of all – have a good time!  Usually, half the attendees are Japanese and half are Canadian, all with an interest in or connection to Japan.  Attendees receive special food and drink discounts and have the chance to win some exciting door prizes.

At this month's IMK, we will have a special video presentation courtesy of the Consulate-General of Japan's Toronto Office.  Starting at 5:30pm (prior to the start of IMK) we will be screening an episode of Japanology: The Past in the Present, highlighting aspects of Japanese culture and society. Thursday's episode showcases RAKUGO (落語、literally meaning "fallen words"), a traditional form of Japanese comedy; it contains English subtitles, making it a rare and informative documentary on a Japanese art!  After the screening, we will continue with our "regularly scheduled program" - IMK - beginning at 6. 

We hope to see you there - and come early for a good seat!

ICHIMOKU-KAI
September 5, 2013
5:30 (Rakugo video); 6-10 pm
Manpuku Japanese Restaurant
105 McCaul Street
Units 29-31 (in the Village by the Grange building, south of the Food Court) 

There is a $5 cover charge for non-CJS members. Discounts are available for groups of three or more people. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff at jeff@cjst.ca.

September 9-11: Events Celebrating the Third Volume of Literary Journal "Monkey Business"

"Monkey Business", the only English-language journal focused on contemporary Japanese literature, is celebrating the publication of its third volume with a series of events in Toronto on September 9, 10 and 11. Events will feature Japanese writers Masatsugo Ono and Yoko Hayasuke with Ted Goossen (York University) Motoyuki Shibata (Tokyo University), Roland Kelts.  Events will take place at York University, the offices of The Japan Foundation, and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.  

About the Events:

Japanese Authors at York: Part III
Monday, September 9 at 12:00 noon
at York University
Click here to learn more about the event

Japanese Literature Today
Tuesdsay, September 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
Click here to learn more about the event

Dialogues: Japanese Literature at Home and Abroad
Wednesday, September 11 at 6:30 pm
The Japan Foundation, Toronto
This event will be moderated by Roland Kelts, noted critic and author of Japanamerica, and interpreted by Rui Umezawa, author of The Truth about Death and Dying and other works. Click here for more information

About the Speakers:

Ted Goossen
York University Professor Ted Goossen specializes in Modern and
Contemporary Japanese Literature. Goossen has translated works
by many Japanese authors including Haruki Murakami, Hiromi
Kawakami, Yukio Mishima and Yoko Ogawa.

Yoko Hayasuke
Yoko Hayasuke made her debut with the story “John,” in the 12th
issue of the Japanese Monkey Business. The English translation
appeared in the 2nd issue of the English Monkey. “Eri‐chan’s
Physics” appeared in the 14th issue of the Japanese MB, and her
stories have appeared in various literary journals including
Waseda Bungaku, Subaru and Bungei.

Roland Kelts
Roland Kelts, author of Japanamerica, is a Lecturer at the
University of Tokyo and a co‐editor of the New York‐based literary
journal, A Public Space. His first novel, Access, will be published
next year. His articles, essays, and stories have been published in
Playboy, Salon, The Village Voice, Newsday and The Japan Times,
among others. He currently splits his time between New York and
Tokyo.

Masatsugu Ono
A Professor in French Literature & French at the Faculty of Letters
at Meiji Gakuin University, Masatsugu Ono combines his
academic work with an acclaimed career as an author, having
been shortlisted three times for the prestigious Akutagawa Prize.
Ono has also published translations of foreign literature, including
work by V.S. Naipaul, Edouard Glissant, Paul Nizan and Marie
NDiaye.

Motoyuki Shibata
Professor Shibata teaches American literature and literary
translation at the University of Tokyo. He received the 1992
Kodansha Essay Award for his book The Half‐Hearted Scholar, and
was the winner of the 27th Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and
Humanities for American Narcissus. Among others, he has
translated works by Paul Auster, Thomas Pynchon, Rebecca
Brown, Stuart Dybek, Kelly Link, Steven Millhauser, Richard
Powers, Charles Simic, and Barry Yourgrau.

Rui Umezawa
Born in Tokyo in 1959, Rui Umezawa’s articles, reviews and essays
have appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and
Venue Magazine, and short stories in Descant magazine. Among
his publications are The Truth about Death and Dying and the
children’s book Aiko’s Flowers.