JAPANESE LANGUAGE & CULTURE COURSE

Kanazawa, JAPAN, April 2014

The Australia-Japan Society of the ACT (AJS ACT), in conjunction with the Ishikawa Foundation for International Exchange (IFIE), is again calling for applications for the two-week in-country course in Japanese language/culture in Kanazawa.  This will be the 20th course that has been run under this program.

The course will run for 2 weeks from Sunday 13 April to Friday 25th and includes intensive language lessons, cultural activities and home stay accommodation with a Japanese family – this latter is one of the outstanding features of the program and will certainly give a boost to your language skills.

During the course, mornings are spent in formal language classes and, most afternoons, opportunities are provided to explore the local culture, either in organised classes or by exploring on your own. There are excellent facilities and very helpful teachers at the language school.

http://youtu.be/wiv2YBPQ4p4

The AJS two week course doesn’t, of course, cover the full range of activities shown for the longer courses in the video, but there are many common features.

The classes are tailored to the individual participant’s language skills – participants are assessed on the first day and placed in groups according to their language abilities.  Beginner places will be available in the October course (the April course is limited to participants with, at least, elementary Japanese language skills).

Applicants for this two week course must be at least 20 years old, must be a member of an Australia – Japan Society or an affiliated organisation (or join one) and must be prepared to stay in Japan for the duration of the course.

The total cost per participant, including all course fees, cultural activities and accommodation for the duration of the course (but NOT including fares to and from Kanazawa, Japan) will be, depending on fluctuations in the $/yen ratio, around $950 – $1,000.  A deposit of $400 is payable by 10 January 2014.  The balance is payable by 10 March 2014.

This is a great chance to commence, refresh, improve or develop your Japanese language skills and, if your profession is appropriate, the cost may be tax deductible as a self-education expense.

Contact the coordinator of the program, Mr Michael Hodgkin, for a more detailed outline of the program and for homestay application forms.

E-mail:  ajscoursecoordinator@gmail.com

or snail mail:
IFIE Program Coordinator
c/o Australia – Japan Society (ACT)
PO Box 1066
Canberra
ACT 2601

 Dr Yoshihisa Shirayama Lecture 

http://www.questacon.edu.au/events/toward-better-understanding-ocean-and-earth

On Friday 22 November 2013 Dr Yoshihisa Shirayama, Executive Director of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), will deliver a public lecture titled Toward a Better Understanding of the Ocean and the Earth.

This lecture is hosted by the Embassy of Japan, Canberra and examines findings from a recent series of surveys conducted by JAMSTEC. These surveys were initiated in response to the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake off Japan’s eastern coastline and investigated influences on marine ecosystems. These surveys form the basis of a 10-year project monitoring marine ecosystems in the Tōhoku region.

The opportunity for an engaging discussion will follow Dr Shirayama’s lecture.

The lecture will be held between 4.00–5:30pm in the Japan Theatre at Questacon, King Edward Terrace, Canberra. If you would like to secure a seat at this lecture please RSVP by Monday 18 November 2013 to RSVP@questacon.edu.au. 

Background

Dr Shirayama is one of Japan’s leading marine science researchers and is a highly-specialised marine biologist, especially in taxonomy and the ecology of deep-sea meiobenthos.

As a prominent member of Japan’s science community, Dr Shirayama has held positions with numerous domestic and international scientific societies. These have included:

 Executive Director of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC);

 Director of the Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University;

 Director and Professor of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University;

 Coastal Ocean Environment Assessment Committee to Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE);

 Japanese Society for Systematic Zoology;

 Japanese Association of Benthology;

 Society of Nematologists;

 Oceanographic Society of Japan; and

 International Association of Meiobenthologists (IAM),  where he served as Chairperson of the Executive Committee from 1999 to 2001.

Dr Shirayama has also made contributions to many international science initiatives. These include the C-GOOS Steering Committee of the UNESCO, the Scientific Steering Committee of the Census of Marine Life (CoML), and the Intergovernmental Platform of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Dr Shirayama received his Doctor of Science from the University of Tokyo in 1982. He has published over 80 papers, reviews, and other articles in both English and Japanese.

For more info on the movies showing, check out the JFF website here.

A printable copy (PDF) of the  Canberra screening times can be downloaded here.

Note that the classics are showing for FREE! (more details below)

Personally I will be going to see 県庁おもてなし課 (Hospitality Department) as it is set in my prefecture.  Kochi ken represent!

-Matt

Continue reading “2013 Japanese Film Festival 30 Oct – 3 Nov” →

It’s time to eat Japanese food and drink Japanese refreshments!

Oshaberikai continues in 2013! Do you like Japanese food? Do you like Japanese Beer? Cannot resist the edamame and renkon chips at Coo Izakaiya?

Come along to our regular monthly get together for JETAA alumni, friends, acquaintances, anyone … (1st Wednesday of the month)

Where:   Coo Izakaiya, East Row, Civic
Date:       Wednesday, 2nd October
Time:      From around 6pm
Why:       Get together with lots of people with an interest in Japan and chat in English/Japanese about anything you like!
RSVP:       to president@jetaacanberra.org by 12:00 noon 2nd October

Check out the Facebook Group for any last minute changes or updates
If you can’t speak Japanese come along anyway, we all speak English too …

For those who haven’t been before here’s how it works: You only pay for what you eat/drink. If you have to leave early, just find your friendly JETAA officer and settle up with them. Don’t forget to tell them what you ordered so we can check your order off the bill. JETAA provides the edamame & renkon chips. And, meet the new JETs – some new JETs may come along as well.