Talk on Japanese horror films "Naming Fears," April 7 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Michael Crandol and his talk "Naming Fears" online on April 7.

Dr. Crandol will share insights about his latest publication, Ghost in the Well (Bloomsbury 2021), the first study to provide a full history of the horror genre in Japanese cinema, from the silent era to Classical period movies such as Nakagawa Nobuo’s Tokaido Yotusya kaidan (1959) to the contemporary global popularity of J-horror pictures like the Ring and Ju-on franchises.

The talk starts at 12:00 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

#StopAsianHate: A Teach-In, April 9 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center is hosting "#StopAsianHate: A Teach-In" on April 9.

Recent increases in violence and harassment have brought to national attention the prejudices Asian Americans face every day, and events like the March 16 shootings in Atlanta, GA have left communities feeling shaken. This teach-in will examine the history of anti-Asian prejudice, both overt and covert, in the US, as well as discussing current events in an interdisciplinary context.

The online event starts at 2:00 pm, and registration is required.

Sakura at Japanese garden in Shadyside.

The Japanese Garden at UPMC Shadyside is a quiet oasis next to a busy, oft-jammed Centre Ave. It has several ornamental statutes, rock gardens, and quiet nooks, and is ringed by cherry blossoms. Reads a plaque at the entrance:

This garden is a gift from Dr. Kazuo Kodera in honor of nurses. It is a place for health care providers to think about our friends around the world and to reflect on the meaning of our work, which i to care for one another. It is a place to find new friendships, to find new hope, and to find peace.

We hope you enjoy your time here.

September 2005

See also posts from 2018 and 2014.

2018 Japanese film Mirai (未来のミライ) online at Pitt, April 28.

The University of Pittsburgh's Office of International Services will present the 2018 Japanese film Mirai (未来のミライ) on April 28 as an installment of its Watch Party Wednesday series. From the distributor:

From acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children) and Japan’s Studio Chizu comes MIRAI, a daringly original story of love passed down through generations. When four-year-old Kun meets his new baby sister, his world is turned upside down. Named Mirai (meaning “future”), the baby quickly wins the hearts of Kun’s entire family. As his mother returns to work, and his father struggles to run the household, Kun becomes increasingly jealous of baby Mirai… until one day he storms off into the garden, where he encounters strange guests from the past and future – including his sister Mirai, as a teenager. Together, Kun and teenage Mirai go on a journey through time and space, uncovering their family’s incredible story. But why did Mirai come from the future? An official selection at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and the epic capstone of director Mamoru Hosoda’s career, Mirai is a sumptuous, magical, and emotionally soaring adventure about the ties that bring families together and make us who we are.

The movie starts at 7:00 pm and registration is required.

Talk on technology in Japanese language classroom, April 15 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will host Dr. Abigail McMeekin on April 15 for a talk on using technology in the Japanese language classroom. It runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, though login information is not yet available.

"Estrofem Lab: Estrogen Geeking" with Mary Maggic, April 7 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh will host Mary Maggic and "Estrofem Lab: Estrogen Geeking" on April 7.

Artist and biologist Mary Maggic will introduce and screen their short film, Open Source Estrogen, and discuss their work ESTROFEM LAB:: ESTROGEN GEEKING which combines do-it-yourself science, body and gender politics, and ecological ramifications of the present. Maggic will discuss their work as a form of biotechnical civil disobedience.

The event runs from 3:25 to 4:40 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Chao Phraya Thai Cuisine now open in Baldwin.

Chao Phraya Thai Cuisine has recently opened in Baldwin. It is located at 328 Curry Hollow Rd. in the Curry Hollow Center strip mall (map).

2020 American-Chinese film Over the Moon online with Pitt, April 7.

The University of Pittsburgh's Office of International Services will present the 2020 American-Chinese film Over the Moon on April 7, part of the Watch Party Wednesday series. A synopsis from Netflix:

Fueled by memories of her mother, resourceful Fei Fei builds a rocket to the moon on a mission to prove the existence of a legendary moon goddess.

The free online watch party starts at 7:00 pm and registration is required.

"'Authors and Anecdotes' Book Club: Featuring Adrienne Su," April 8 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh will host Adrienne Su in an upcoming installment of its "Authors and Anecdotes" series on April 8.

Join this week's featured author, Adrienne Su, in our virtual book club series, “Authors and Anecdotes”, as she discusses her book, Peach State.

Peach State has its origins in Atlanta, Georgia, the author’s hometown and an emblematic city of the New South, a name that reflects the American region’s invigoration in recent decades by immigration and a spirit of reinvention. Focused mainly on food and cooking, these poems explore the city’s transformation from the mid-twentieth century to today, as seen and shaped by Chinese Americans. Often employing forms—sonnet, villanelle, sestina, palindrome, ghazal, rhymed stanzas—they also mirror the constant negotiation with tradition that marks both immigrant and Southern experience.

Click HERE to be directed to the University of Pittsburgh Press website to learn more about Peach State. Purchasing options for the book is available on this site, and it can also be purchased at any independent bookstore of your choice. (While we encourage you to read the books ahead of time it is not a requirement to participate in the series.)

Join us as we not only discuss her book, but also dive into Su's personal literature collection, her favorite readings, and participate in a live Q&A!

The free event starts at 12:00 pm and registration is required.

"Malaysian Horror Series: Virtual Lecture with Dr. Rosalind Galt," April 8 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present "Malaysian Horror Series: Virtual Lecture with Dr. Rosalind Galt" on April 8. The online event starts at 12:00 pm.