Community Event: "Toronto to Japan: Hope Blossoms" gala fundraiser on April 21/11

Hope Blossoms is a night of entertainment inspired by the grand tradition of the Japanese variety show.

Canadian icons including Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Jian Ghomeshi, Adrienne Clarkson, Bob Wiseman, Basia Bulat, Jim Cuddy and Oh Susanna will share the stage to bring Torontonians laughter, tears – and hope. Not only a fundraiser, this is a show of solidarity for the people of Japan.


Entirely volunteer-run, Toronto To Japan is inspired by the Japanese notion of ganbaru (頑張る) – to do one’s best, to persevere in times of difficulty. Though ten thousand kilometers separate Toronto from Japan, we hold the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in our hearts – and there too blooms our hope.

All proceeds will be donated to the relief and reconstruction efforts on the ground in Japan by the Japanese Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and Second Harvest Japan.

Our Silent Auction will feature items and services generously donated by a long list of fine businesses. Bidding starts at 6:30 p.m. so come early! (Cash, Mastercard and VISA will be accepted.)

For the complete listing of performers and silent auction donors, please visit the Toronto to Japan event site.

$40 tickets are available through the TIFF Bell Lightbox Box Office by calling 416-599-TIFF (8433), or in person at the Lighbox at 350 King Street West.

$20 tickets for students with valid ID may be purchased by clicking here.

For more information, please contact the event organizers.

April 15/11: CJS Movie Night - "All Around Us"

The Canada Japan Society continues its 2010 – 2011 Movie Nights season this Friday (April 15th), with a screening of Ryosuke Hashiguchi’s “All Around Us,” an unflinching look at a couple’s marriage set against the backdrop of Japanese society from 1993 to 2001.

At first, laid-back Kanao (Lily Franky) runs a shoe-repair shop and flirts with the ladies, while Shoko (Tae Kimura) works at a publishing house and likes things to be orderly (sex with her husband is planned exactly three times a week in her calendar). We see them evolve as a couple and as individuals, as they react to the various cruel realities of life. Running parallel to the couple’s significant life events are the grim events occurring in Japan, from the early-90’s economic collapse to the 1995 subway sarin gas attacks and other high-profile crimes.

In turns uplifting, gloomy and humorous, “All Around Us” reminds us of life’s quiet sorrows and triumphs, and the fragile beauty of human interconnectedness.

As always, there will be an after-party at Everest Café (232 Queen W). Please join us!


ALL AROUND US (2008, 140 minutes)

Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi
Cast: Lily Franky, Tae Kimura, Tamae Ando

Friday, April 15, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
National Film Board Theatre
150 John Street (at Richmond)

CJS Members $5, Non-Members $10

April 19, 2011: Surviving in Canada; Information for Newcomers

トロント日加協会(CJS) 主催第3回“ 新住民のためのカナダ生活情報イベント”

“カナダでサバイバルするために; 新住民のためのカナダ情報”
4月19日火曜日　
6.30 PM - 9.30 PM
トロント国際交流基金
(Japan Foundation, Toronto)

当イベントは、留学や永住権を取得したい、またはトロントでの生活を経験したいなど様々な理由で滞在してる日本人を対象に開催されます。3名の講演者がそれぞれの体験談を交えたアドバイスをお話します。講演の内容は移住に関することや日々の生活で生じる問題、そしてカナダに住む日本人のサポート体制など多岐に渡ります。また、カナダで生活していく上でどのような問題に直面するのか、カナダ社会への適応などについて
もお話しします。

講演は日本語と英語で行われます。終了後に質疑応答の時間がありますので、ご質問がある方はこの機会をぜひ利用してください。その後のレセプションではスナックと飲み物が用意されます。講演者や他の参加者と直接話ができる絶好のチャンスで
す。ぜひご参加ください。

皆様からいただいた参加費は当イベントの費用として使わせていただきます。

参加ご希望の方にtoshie@cjst.orgまでご連絡ください。

カナダの生活を始めたばかりの皆様にとっては見逃せないイベントです。

2011年　4月19日火曜日
6:30 p.m; 受付開始
6:45 p.m.; 8:30 p.m. (講演 - 質疑応答)
8:30 p.m.; 9:30 p.m. (レセプション)
トロント国際交流基金(The Japan Foundation, Toronto)
131 Bloor Street West, Suite 213
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1R1
参加費: $5

April 7, 2011: Ichi-Moku-Kai at Manpuku

Come on down to Manpuku this Thursday evening for the April edition of Ichi-Moku-Kai!

Ichi-Moku-Kai literally means the "first Thursday meeting," and since 1995 it's been the Canada Japan Society of Toronto's monthly social event, naturally on the first Thursday of every month.

It is a great place to make new friends, practice your English and/or Japanese, informally network, learn more about life in Canada and Japan, and most of all…have fun! Our attendees are usually around 50 percent Canadian and 50 percent Japanese, all with a common interest or connection with Japan.


As always, you’ll receive discounts on drinks and Japanese food. We also have a musical treat lined up for this month: a special live performance by Chris Kao’s jazz trio!

Please join us as we celebrate the arrival of spring with good company and good music.


Ichi-Moku-Kai
Thursday, April 7th, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
MANPUKU
105 McCaul Street (Village by the Grange building, south of the food court)
CJS Members FREE, Non-Members $5 (discounts for groups of 3+)

Community Event: "ASHITA: Artists for Japan" fundraiser on March 29/11

Our heart and minds are with the Japanese people, and now it’s time for action!

The Toronto arts community felt the shock much like everyone else when images first started to appear on the news and stories through friends started to come in.

Many of the artists have traveled to Japan as visiting artists or to study its rich culture and its embrace with nature. We have made many friends and built many bridges through collaborations and deep friendships.

Curator Rafi Ghanaghounian and Artist Daisuke Takeya are organizing a fundraiser event that will bring the arts community of Toronto together to support our friends in Japan both mentally and financially.

The evening will be hosted by Japanese model Nana Akimoto. Numerous musicians, artists, poets from both Canada and Japan will be performing. Galleries and artists have donated artwork, books and other items for purchase.

Thank you for your support!


DATE:
Tuesday, March 29 at 7:00pm

LOCATION:
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West (at Dovercourt)


ADMISSION:
$10 (students $5 with ID) at the door.

All funds raised through the admission charge and sales of donated artwork will go to the Red Cross through The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s Disaster Relief Fund. Tax receipts available for over $50 donations and art purchases.

CONTACT:

Daisuke Takeya: 416-729-3615 or daisuketakeya@gmail.com
Rafi Ghanaghounian: rafi.projects@gmail.com



Participating galleries (more coming!):

OBorn Contemporary, Le Gallery, Show and Tell Gallery, Art Metropole,
Koyama Press, Narwhal/Magic Pony

Participating artists (more coming!):

Howard Podeswa, Laura Horne, Max Johnston, Fiona Smyth, Yuriko Kubota,
Tomori Nagamoto, Winnie Truong, Nicholas Di Genova, Shigeko Okada,
Keiko Tokushima, Ayako Bando, Sonomi Kobayashi, Bernice Lum, Ron
Loranger, Pierre Julien, Richelle Forsey, Jae-hong Ahn, Juno Youn,
Yuriko Kubota, Miki Shinozaki, Keita Morimoto, Shinobu Akimoto, Yumi
Onose, Shinya Kumazawa, Mark DeCoste, Martin de la Rue, Joshua Choi,
Blair Prentice, James Fowler, Martin Ouellette, Patrick DeCoste,
Daisuke Takeya, Matt Evans,Martin Reis, Martin De La Rue, Aisha
Simpson

Participating performers (more coming!):

Clara Venice and Ken Ogawa
Arisa Itami
Nobu Adilman: Choir!Choir!Choir!
AKA Dance (Keiko Ninomiya, Amy Hampton, Mike Dell)
Ewan Whyte
Bonnie Bowman
VPV(Daisuke Takeya, Ayumi Sawada, Tatsu)
Risa Kusumoto
Ashely Ingram
Nana Akimoto
Tomori Nagamoto
Natasha Bailey