March 1-31, 2013: Balloons of Colorful Hopes

The "Balloons of Colorful Hopes Exhibit", proudly sponsored by Shiseido (Canada) Inc., has come to Canada for the first time and is on display during the month of March at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. 

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Tohoku region was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Fukushima experienced unprecedented damage from this earthquake and the resulting nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric’s No.1 Fukushima power plant. Almost two years later, there is still a long road to recovery. As of December 2012, 150,000 people were still forced to live as evacuees outside of Fukushima.

As part of their social action programs to support the future of the devastated Fukushima area, Shiseido and the Mainichi Newspaper co-organized the “Balloons of Colorful Hopes Exhibit,” held in December 2012 in Fukushima.

Elementary school children from Fukushima sent in drawings of “my future self” and essays on “my plan to make the adult(s) I love more beautiful.” Shiseido’s hair and makeup artists and creators turned these drawings and essays into fun posters.  The result is an exhibit worth visiting -  the thought of many Canadians viewing these posters in the gallery is sure to make the children of Fukushima smile.

Admission is FREE.  For more information, please visit the exhibit website.

BALLOONS OF COLORFUL HOPES
March 1-31, 2013
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Garamond Court, Toronto
FREE admission

March 7, 2013: March Ichimoku-kai features a Japanese & English book swap

Those hardy souls who braved a snowstorm to attend February's Ichimoku-kai (IMK) proved that nothing will get in the way of a fun evening of cultural exchange, Japanese food and drink, door prizes and good fun!!  March's IMK at Manpuku on Thursday, March 7 will feature the return of our popular Japanese & English book swap, so there will be yet another reason to come!  

How does the book swap work?  Simply bring your unwanted Japanese or English books and trade them for others.  Any type of book is fine: textbooks, cookbooks, Manga, fiction, non-fiction, etc. There is no cost for the books, and anyone can take what they like.  (If you bring books and they remain unclaimed by the end of the evening, however, we would ask you to take them home with you as they cannot be left behind at Manpuku.)

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.

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

ICHIMOKU-KAI

Thursday, March 7, 2013

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. Bonus this month: bring a book for the book swap and get in free!

Upcoming Arts Events at The Japan Foundation

Two great events are taking place at The Japan Foundation in early March.  As part of Spotlight Japan, The Japan Foundation will be presenting readings of two short, hilarious plays by Oriza Hirata (writer and director of Sayonara and I, Worker).  Featuring local actors and directors, these 30-minute plays will be read back-to-back, following by a Q&A session with the playwright.   It's a great opportunity to get a free taste of contemporary Japanese theatre featuring top local talent!  Readings will take place on Friday, March 1 at 4pm and Saturday, March 2 at 4pm at the Berkeley Street Theatre.  RSVP is required (call 416-368-3110 or click here.)  For more information about this event, click here.

Another Japan Foundation event is a talk and slide presentation about ceramic design by Yasuki Sakamoto: "Creativity at factory in designing ceramics for daily comfort".  This presentation will explore where inspirations for good design and award-winning products come from and how designers cope with the market's shifting interests and senses of convenience, among other topics.  This event (in Japanese with an English interpreter) will take place on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 pm at The Japan Foundation, 131 Bloor Street West, 2nd floor of the Colonnade Building. RSVP is required (416-966-1600 x300 or click here.) For more information about this event, click here.

March 10, 2013: World Premiere Screening of Yuki Nakamura's "Never Forget, Never Give Up"

Members and friends of the Canada-Japan Society are invited to attend the World Premiere Screening of award-winning director Yuki Nakamura's documentary, "Never Forget, Never Give Up" at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on Sunday, March 10.

In the weeks following the 3.11 Earthquake Disaster in Japan, Canada-based Japanese filmmaker Yuki Nakamura set off to the stricken regions with a camera crew to document the disaster and the recovery efforts first-hand. The result is a powerful and emotionally devastating look into the human capacity for suffering, perserverance and hope.

"Never Forget, Never Give Up" is Yuki Nakamura's second documentary film following her award-winning film "No More Hiroshima, No More Nagasaki" in 2007.

Admission is by donation.  Funds raised through this screening go to support survivors in the stricken areas.

We hope you can attend what will surely be a thought-provoking and moving film.

NEVER FORGET, NEVER GIVE UP (English language version)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
2:00 pm
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Garamond Court, Toronto
Admission: By donation

February 7, 2013: CJS February Ichimoku-kai

It’s a Canadian winter out there - and spring's at least six weeks away - so why not come in from the cold to Canada-Japan Society’s ICHIMOKU-KAI on Thursday, February 7th? Everyone is invited to join us for a great evening of cultural exchange, tasty Japanese food and 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.

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

ICHIMOKU-KAI

Thursday, February 7, 2013
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.