Venue: The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, Auditorium, 5700 Wilshire Blvd. #100, Los Angeles, CA 90036  Admission: Free Reservation is not required.  + “Mistsuko Delivers” 109min, 2011, In Japanese with English subtitles From the director of “The Great Passage,” Yuya Ishii Wednesday, April 23, 7:00 pm About the Movie: Mitsuko (Riisa Naka) is a young woman who believes everything will be okay and always tries to help those around her. One day, she met an American man and they became involved in a relationship. She moved with him to California. A little later, her boyfriend left her and she returned...
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Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture Kanpai: The Art of Drinking in Japan Feb. 11 – June 28, 2014 Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 pm / Opening Lecture by Dr. Andreas Marks Since the Heian period (794-1185), toso, spiced medicinal rice wine is drunk on New Year’s to chase off impurities and aspire long life. For many centuries of Japan’s history, cultural emanations swept over from China, which was highly respected. Confucianism, which provided an important ethical framework in Japan, endorsed the pleasures of the flesh in the precept, “eat and drink, man and woman – the greatest human...
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USC Pacific Asia Museum A New Way Forward: Japanese Hanga of the 20th Century OPENING APRIL 25, 2014  Closely tracking with the significant developments in Japanese political and social spheres of the early 20th century, traditional ukiyo-e woodblock prints fell by the wayside in favor of reinvigorated forms of printmaking as a means of artistic expression. The exhibition presents examples of shin hanga (modern or new prints) and sosaku hanga (creative prints) side-by-side to bring their differences and their shared aspects into focus for visitors, as well as distinguishing characteristics from the earlier print forms that originally gained popularity in the West. Major artists of...
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From Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival 2014 Planned and coordinated by community volunteers, the Cherry Blossom Festival strives to provide a cultural arts event that offers a forum for learning, entertainment, fun, and support of community. The 2014 Cherry Blossom Festival Committee and the City of Monterey Park are pleased to present the 17th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on April 26 – 27, 2014. Entry to the festival is free to the public. April 26, 2014, from 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. April 27, 2014, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Located at Barnes Park Event Festivities Take the time to...
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Torrance Sister City Association presents its 42nd Annual “Bunka Sai” Japanese Cultural Festival on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Ken Miller Recreation center. The venue is located in central Torrance at 3341 Torrance Blvd. at Madrona Ave. near the civic center. This annual event features demonstrations of Japanese art, dance, koto and shakuhachi music, traditional vocal music, taiko drums, shodo calligraphy, and origami. Stage programs include Okinawa taiko and dance exhibition and martial arts performances such as kendo, judo, aikido and naginata.   A kimono dressing talk, ikebana demo...
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From Segerstrom Center for the Arts Music Sensation Yoshiki Kicks Off World Tour in Segerstrom Center for the Arts Debut Yoshiki, Asia’s foremost rock icon and multi talented music superstar, will bring his new live show, Yoshiki Classical, to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in a special one-night-only concert on Friday, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The show will feature music from Yoshiki’s latest album that includes collaborations with some of music’s most renowned artists and legendary producers. Along with Billboard Magazine, MTV, Reuters and AOL, Classic FM applauds Yoshiki Classical...
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  From USC Immigration Nation Japan?: Immigration Policy, Immigrant Integration, and The Future of Multiethnic Japan USC Hosts Major Symposium on Friday, April 25 Featuring a keynote speech by Hidenori Sakanaka, former director of the Tokyo Immigration Bureau and current director of the Japan Immigration Policy Institute, the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture will be hosting a groundbreaking symposium to explore the future of Japan’s immigration policy on April 25, 2014 at USC’s Ronald Tutor Campus Center. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Japanese government’s initiatives in this area during the past several months augurs...
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PILGRIMAGE: Seats still available on bus to 45th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage from Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES — College students will once again take the lead role during the 2014 Manzanar At Dusk program, sponsored by the Manzanar Committee, scheduled from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Saturday, April 26, 2014, at the Lone Pine High School gymnasium, located at 538 South Main Street (US Highway 395), in Lone Pine, California, across the street from McDonald’s. The Manzanar At Dusk program follows the 45th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, scheduled for 12:00 PM that same day, at the Manzanar National Historic Site, between the towns...
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The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) is offering a chartered bus for individuals to join the 45th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on Saturday, April 26, 2014.  This is the second year in a row that the GVJCI is able to offer this opportunity to join in the commemoration of the forced incarceration of persons of Japanese descent during WWII at this desolate Owens Valley location. “We were pleased with the demand for the bus from last year.  We hope that many more individuals can take this opportunity to visit this historic landmark that represents the tenuous civil rights that...
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From www.teammirai.com Join Team Mirai as we host a very special trip to the 45th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on SATURDAY, APRIL 26th. We will have a Chartered bus which will depart at 7:00am sharp. Hosted and paid for by Team Mirai , SFVJACC and WELLS FARGO. If you are a high school student or a college student wanting to learn more about the Japanese American history, please join us on this trip to Manzanar. Please email us to reserve  your seats at info@teammirai.com , FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. Your seat reservation is not complete until you receive an email...
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The Society for History in the Federal Government has presented the 2014 John Wesley Powell Prize for Outstanding Historic Preservation to Manzanar National Historic Site for the restoration of the mess hall garden in Block 12. The award stated that the Manzanar restoration project, which entailed uncovering and restoring the Japanese garden’s pond, stream, rock pathways, hills, waterfall, fencing, and other landscaping features and trees was  “Judged to be an excellent example of preservation and interpretation of cultural resources associated with the relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II. Through a combination of archaeological survey, historic photograph analysis,...
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North America Japanese Garden Association 2014 Conference will be held at Chicago Botanic Garden from Oct 16-18 The association board adds 1o new directors http://www.najga.org  
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