September 27, 2012: Craft Beer Night at the Granite Brewery

Attention, Toronto beer lovers! Come out and taste locally-made beer at the Canada-Japan Society's first-ever CRAFT BEER NIGHT. Experience a wide variety of hand-crafted, all natural ales at Toronto's famous Granite Brewery. They have over 20 years of experience in making award-winning beers... and this is your chance to try them! Taste the difference of Canadian, hand-crafted, small batch beer, and - of course - enjoy an evening out and meet lots of interesting and fun people!

Admission to the event ($20) includes the beer tasting and a selection of finger foods.  Attendees are welcome to order more food or drink if they like (at their own cost).

Please note: if you are interested in attending, you MUST RSVP to jeff@cjst.ca no later than Wednesday, September 26. Space is limited. Attendees must be at least 19 years old. Bring ID.

CRAFT BEER NIGHT AT GRANITE BREWERY
Thursday, September 27, 2012
7-9 pm
Granite Brewery
245 Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto
(at Mt. Pleasant, approx 5-10 mins walk from Eglinton subway station)
Cost: $20

September 29, 2012: JCSA presents The Boat Cruise

Long-time members and friends of CJS may remember the annual summer boat cruise on Lake Ontario organized by CJS, JETAA, JCSA and JAVA, one of our most popular and successful annual events. Well, thanks to our good friends at the JCSA, "The Boat Cruise" is back on Saturday, September 29!

If you've been on a Toronto harbour boat cruise, you'll know that it's an amazing way to take in our scenic skyline. The Boat Cruise will feature DJs, dancing and more, including food and a cash bar - all in all a fun way to spend a Saturday night!  Tickets are $20 each.

Now, the organizers at JCSA have offered CJS a very limited number of tickets to sell to our members and non-members alike. It is expected that tickets will sell out quickly, so don't miss out on this opportunity!

What to do if you want tickets?  Please contact Jeff Harju at jeff@cjst.ca and indicate how many tickets you wish to purchase. IMPORTANT NOTE: tickets must be picked up and paid for at the next CJS Ichimoku-kai on Thursday, September 6.

Thank you - and we hope to see you on The Boat Cruise!

JCSA PRESENTS THE BOAT CRUISE
Saturday, September 29 (rain or shine)
7-11 pm (boarding time 6:30, boat departs at 7)
Boarding location: 333 Lakeshore Boulevard East (Pioneer Cruises)
Tickets: $20 each
DJs, dancing, cash bar, food available
ID required
Prizes for yukata and cosplay

September 6, 2012: September CJS Ichimoku-kai

The Labour Day weekend may soon be upon us, but summer's not over yet!  Join us at the Canada-Japan Society's Ichimoku-kai (IMK) on Thursday, September 6 for another great evening of cultural exchange, "oishii" Japanese food and drink, door prizes, and lots of fun!

Ichimoku-kai literally means the "first Thursday meeting" and since 1995 it has been the Canada-Japan Society's monthly social event, naturally taking place on the first Thursday of every month. It is a great place to make new friends, practise your English and/or Japanese, informally network, learn about life in Canada and Japan, and most of all... have fun! Typically, attendees are around 50 percent Canadian and 50 percent Japanese, all with a common interest in or connection to Japan. At IMK you will receive special food and drink discounts, get to talk to lots of interesting people, and have the chance to win some exciting door prizes.  It's sure to be a fun evening and we hope to see you there!

ICHIMOKU-KAI

Thursday, September 6, 2012

6-10 pm

Manpuku Japanese Eatery

105 McCaul Street

Units 20-31 (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.

August 24, 2012: Farewell to CJS Movie Nights - FINAL Film Screening at National Film Board and an All-Inclusive Wine & Cheese Reception

Save the Date!  After SEVEN years of screening entertaining films about Japan, the Canada-Japan Society is wrapping up our CJS Movie Nights at the National Film Board Theatre. We will be showing our *final* film on Friday, August 24.  The evening will be a celebration of cultural exchange through movies and will feature Alain Corneau's critically acclaimed "Fear and Trembling (Stupeur et tremblements)", to be followed by an all-inclusive wine and cheese reception.

"Fear and Trembling" is based on the autobiographical novel by Amelie Nothomb, and is a comedic look at a young Belgian woman's epic struggle to fit into a large Japanese company in Tokyo. Sylvie Testud stars as Amelie, who grew up in Japan as a child, and whose life-long dream is to return there to work. She succeeds in landing a one-year contract job as an interpreter with a large Japanese company, but soon finds out that not everything is as she imagined it nor does speaking the language mean she can easily fit into another society. An epic struggle between East and West takes place and - of course - hilarity ensues!

We hope you can come out and enjoy an evening of fun, laughs, food and drink and help us celebrate seven wonderful years of sharing Japanese and Canadian culture through film.

PLEASE NOTE: As space is limited, if you wish to attend, you MUST RSVP to aobadai@rogers.com.

Thank you - and we hope to see you at our "wrap party"!

Fear and Trembling (Stupeur et tremblements)
(in Japanese and French with English subtitles)
6:30 pm start
National Film Board Theatre (2nd floor)
150 John Street (at Richmond)
CJS Members: $15
Non-CJS Members
RSVP: aobadai@rogers.com

August 17-19, 2012: North American Premiere of Susuriwka - Willow Bridge with Kaha:wi Dance Theatre and the Ainu people of Japan

Presented with support from the Japan Foundation Performing Arts Japan Grant Program, Planet IndigenUS is proud to present the commissioning of the North American Premiere of Susuriwka - Willow Bridge with Kaha:wi Dance Theatre Japan.


Susuriwka is an Ainu word meaning willow bridge and was offered up as a fitting title by Ainu composer Oki. The willow tree holds sacred meaning for the Ainu and the bridge represents our inter-dependent and connected web of existence. As with traditional Ainu and Iroquois practice, Susuriwka - Willow Bridge intertwines music and dance together by taking inspiration from Ainu rhythms and the melodious serenity of Tonkori while maintaining a strong sense of connectedness to the earth.


At its essence Susuriwka - Willow Bridge is a dance piece that explores the connection between Iroquois and Ainu song and dance, and expresses and honours our many shared cultural beliefs while seeking relevance and empowerment from our ancient tenants in today's reality.


Co-produced with Yokohama Noh Theatre, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, and Harbourfront Centre's Planet IndigenUS Festival 2012.

For more information, please visit the Harbourfront Centre website.