The Makioka Sisters (細雪) at Maridon Museum, September 25.

The Maridon Museum will show the 1983 movie The Makioka Sisters(細雪) as the first of four in its Japanese Film Series this fall. A 1985 New York Times review summarizes:

The film, set mostly in and around Osaka in 1938, is about four sisters - heiresses to one of the three largest shipbuilding fortunes in Japan - who are attempting to live up to the expectations of their dead parents even as the family fortune slips away.

The two older sisters, Tsuruko and Sachiko, both married, share the responsibility of marrying off their two younger sisters, Yukiko and Taeko. Their job is not made easier by the fact that Yukiko, who is third in line, turns down all suitors, which means that Taeko, the youngest and most independent-minded, must wait her turn.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is presented by Dr. William Covey of Slippery Rock University. The movies in the series are free and open to the public, though reservations are required and can be made by calling 724-282-0123.

The Maridon, an Asian art museum, is located at 322 North McKean St. in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

JET Information Session at Pitt, September 22.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center is hosting a Japan Exchange and Teaching [JET] Programme Information Session on Tuesday, September 22. The JET Programme places native English speakers in Japanese classrooms.

Are you graduating soon? Wondering what your next adventure could be? Learn about the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program. It is a great opportunity for college graduates to work in Japan as Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), Coordinators for International Relations (CIR), or Sports Exchange Advisors (SEA).

An overview of the JET Programme, from the official site:

Aiming primarily to promote grass-roots internationalisation at the local level, the JET Programme invites young college graduates from around the world to participate in international exchange work and be involved in foreign language education at Japan’s local government offices, Boards of Education, elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools. The JET Programme has gained high acclaim both domestically and internationally for being one of the world’s largest international exchange programmes. We hope that all people involved in the JET Programme, both the participants and the local people they live and work with, will build an international network and become successful in today’s global society.

The presenter is Pittsburgh JET Alumni Association President Smitha Prasadh, and the event runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

"Listening Ethnographically to the Sounds and Silences of Japan's Antinuclear Movement" at Pitt, September 18.

Marié Abe, an Assistant Professor of Music, Musicology and Ethnomusicology at Boston University, will present "Listening Ethnographically to the Sounds and Silences of Japan's Antinuclear Movement" at Pitt on Friday, September 18. From the University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center:

In April 2011—one month after the devastating M9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent crises at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in northeast Japan—an antinuclear demonstration of over 15,000 participants took over the streets of Tokyo. Leading the protest was the raucous sound of chindon-ya, a Japanese practice of musical advertisement dating back to the late 1800s. Contextualizing the anti-nuclear protests within a larger arc of Japanese social movements, this talk explores how the particular sounds of chindon-ya transposed from the commercial to the political, and what historical moments, translocal relations, and social differences were being articulated through chindon-ya sounds, especially vis-à-vis Anne Allison’s notion of “affective activism.”

The talk will be held at 4130 Posvar Hall (map) from 2:30, and is free and open to the public.

"Japanese Language Testing Overview" at Pitt, September 17.

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will present "Japanese Language Testing Overview" at Pitt on Thursday, September 17. From today's Asian Studies Center newsletter on the session, which will provide an overview of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test [JLPT]:

LEARN ABOUT THE JLPT here and overseas

by JASP Executive Director Amy Boots

OBSERVE AN ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW (OPI) conducted by

Pitt Instructor Sachiko Takabatake Howard

It begins at 4:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

K-pop star Hyomin throws out first pitch in Pittsburgh before today's game.

via @hyominn.

This afternoon, Hyomin (효민) of the K-pop group T-ara threw out the first pitch before the Pirates played the Milwaukee Brewers. Hyomin announced this on her Instagram back on August 31. Friend and Pirates rookie Jung-ho Kang caught it.


via 스포츠조선.

"Cooking and Culture: Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" class in Fox Chapel, October 1.

Fox Chapel Area Adult Education will host a "Cooking and Culture: Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" class on October 1.

Mid-Autumn Festival is the Chinese celebration of a successful harvest. Moon cakes and pomelos are enjoyed under the light of the full moon. Join us as we bake and eat moon cakes while learning Chinese phrases and discussing the history, traditions, and stories of this ancient Chinese holiday.
Open to ages 13 and above when accompanied by an adult.

The cost is $15 for Fox Chapel residents and $20 for non-residents, plus a $5 materials fee. The class is held at Fox Chapel Area High School at 611 Field Club Rd. (map), and will run from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Class and registration information is available at the Fox Chapel Area Adult Education website.

Anthem of the Heart (心が叫びたがってるんだ。) at Hollywood Theater, November 4.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont announced today it will show the 2015 Japanese animated movie Anthem of the Heart (心が叫びたがってるんだ。) on November 4. The synopsis, from the movie's official site:

Jun Naruse is a girl who carries the guilt of breaking up her family with the words she carelessly uttered when she was young…

Suddenly, a mysterious “Egg Fairy” appears in front of Jun and casts a curse on her so that she can never hurt anybody with her words. Jun’s ability to speak is sealed away: every time she tries, she feels a pain in her stomach. Traumatized by this experience, Jun hides her feelings deep inside of her heart, turning to e-mail messages on her mobile phone as her sole means of communication.

Jun is now a second year high school student. One day, her homeroom teacher appoints Jun and three other students as members of the Regional Friendship Exchange Executive Committee. As it turns out, the appointed group is a rather unexpected mix of students. Other than Jun, the members of the Committee are Takumi Sakagami, the burn-out who never speaks his true intentions; Daiki Tasaki, the former baseball team ace who failed his run at the Championships due to an injury; and Natsuki Nito, the cheerleader and honor student who has some concerns about her love life. They all suffer from emotional trauma just like Jun.

The movie will be released in Japan on September 19. Tickets are now available online for the 7:30 pm show. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

"From Underground to Independent: Social and Political Dimensions of Filmmaking in Today’s China" at Pitt, September 15.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host the next event in the "Asia on Screen" series, "From Underground to Independent: Social and Political Dimensions of Filmmaking in Today’s China" on Tuesday, September 15. The presenter is Paul Pickowicz, Distinguished Professor of History and Chinese Studies, University of California, San Diego, who edited a 2006 book titled From Underground to Independent. The talk runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the University Club (map), Ballroom B, and is free and open to the public.

설레임 밀크 쉐이크 in Pittsburgh.

Spotted 설레임 밀크 쉐이크 recently at Many More Asian Market, the first time I'd seen these milkshakes in a bag in Pittsburgh. (They taste pretty good, and they work well on headaches.)

Pittsburgh Taiko beginner workshop, September 19.

The Pittsburgh Taiko Fall 2015 Beginners' Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, September 19 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

Interested in learning how to play taiko? Come participate in our Beginners Workshops!

Over the course of 2 hours, you will learn basic movements and techniques used to play taiko.

Drumsticks will be provided, as will earplugs (although you’re welcome to bring your own if you have some).

The introduction to Japanese drumming (taiko), is held at the Winchester Thurston City Campus Lower School on Morewood Ave. in Shadyside (map). Registration is free and can be done online.