Spring Festival Celebration at Pitt, February 16.

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese Program will present a Spring Festival Celebration on Friday, February 16 in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Free! Take Your Marks (特別版 Free!-Take Your Marks-」) in Pittsburgh, March 14.

The 2017 anime film Free! Take Your Marks (特別版 Free!-Take Your Marks-」) will play at Southside Works Cinema on March 14, part of a one-day screening in the US.

Anne Allison and "Matter of Death" at Pitt, February 16.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Anne Allison of Duke University and her talk "Matter of Death" on February 16.

At a moment when marriage and childbirth are on the decline, employment is increasingly short-term and precarious, and more and more people are living longer and all alone, sociality is changing in Japan. Away from the workplace or the family, ever more attention is placed on a free-floating, mobile but responsible self. Consistent with this streamlining of the social is a new trend in “simple living” spurred by de-clutter guru, Marie Kondo. Encouraged to detach from all but the most essential, most joyful of personal possessions, the stress is on matter that materializes life in a very particular way. But in this presentist, self-oriented lifestyle, what happens at the time of death? To those possessions the deceased has left behind, and to bodies of the dead, in cases when there is no social other to attend to these persons and things? Asking what the matter of death is in an age of decluttered belonging(s), I examine new businesses emerging in Japan (ihin seiri gaisha) that help clients sort through the possessions left behind, or that they may leave behind themselves, at the moment of death. Special clean-up of the "lonely dead" is one of their services—sanitizing the landscape of the waste left behind by a wounded sociality.

The event runs from 3:00 to 4:30 in 3306 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

"Journey to Japan," February 18 at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Main branch in Oakland will host "Journey to Japan" on Sunday, February 18.

2018 Year of the Earth Dog Lunar New Year Celebration, February 17 in Squirrel Hill.

Pittsburgh will begin this year's Lunar New Year festivities with the 2018 Lunar New Year Kick-Off on February 17 at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill.

For the third year in a row, Squirrel Hill is celebrating the 2-week Lunar New Year Festival. Beginning with a kick-off celebration on Saturday, February 17th at the Jewish Community Center and culminating with the Year of the Earth Dog Parade on March 4th on Murray Avenue, be awed by dragons and dancers, taiko drummers and martial artists, and eat in some of the best Asian restaurants in the city!

Throughout the building, attendees can enjoy free arts and crafts for the kids including calligraphy, origami, making hand-drums (for the parade of course!), Chinese paper cutting, and more. There will be door prizes and free give-aways throughout the afternoon, be sure to submit your name! There will also be delicious, authentic Asian foods and drinks, savory and sweet for sale.

In addition to the activities inside the JCC, two teams of lion dancers will be visiting and blessing our merchants on Forbes and Murray from 10am to 3pm.

On stage in Levinson Hall, we have planned over 21 live performances.

The event runs from 1:00 to 5:00 pm in the JCC (map) and is free and open to the public. The annual Lunar New Year Parade will be held in Squirrel Hill on March 4.

Ghibli Fest 2018 brings nine films to Pittsburgh area, including two rarely seen in theaters, from March through November.

Nine Studio Ghibli films will play at Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters in 2018 as part of this year's GKIDS Ghibli Fest. The lineup, which includes two films that rarely play in Pittsburgh:

Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ)
English dubbed: March 25 and 28
English subtitled: March 26

The Cat returns (猫の恩返し) - First time in Pittsburgh since 2009
English dubbed: April 22 and 25
English subtitled: April 23

Porco Rosso (紅の豚)
English dubbed: May 20 and 23
English subtitled: May 21

Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ) - First time in Pittsburgh since 2010
English dubbed: June 17 and 20
English subtitled: June 18

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫)
English dubbed: July 22 and 25
English subtitled: July 23

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓)
English dubbed: August 12 and 15
English subtitled: August 13

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ)
English dubbed: September 30 and October 3
English subtitled: October 1

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し)
English dubbed: October 28 and 30
English subtitled: October 29

Castle in the Sky (天空の城ラピュタ)
English dubbed: November 18 and 20
English subtitled: November 19

Area Cinemark theaters currently scheduled to show these films are in Monaca, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. Tickets and showtime information are available online.

Coming of Age Ceremony Brings Japanese Tradition, Pittsburgh Community Together

Below is an article covering the first Coming of Age Ceremony for Japanese students at the University of Pittsburgh, a profile from the University of Pittsburgh's official news source reprinted in its entirety with permission. Visit pittwire.pitt.edu for additional photos.


Yasuda Women's University student Nayu Hattori is dressed in her kimono by Pitt alumnus Evan Mason (left, A&S '15) and Katsuko Shellhammer (right), educational outreach coordinator for the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania.

Most of the Japanese students hadn’t packed colorful and elaborate kimonos in their suitcases when they came to Pittsburgh — they were limited to carrying one bag apiece.

About 25 students from Yasuda Women’s University in Hiroshima, who were at the University of Pittsburgh for five months learning English, were away from home in January, missing out on the annual Coming of Age ceremony, a national holiday in Japan.

So, Pitt’s Asian Studies Center threw a party — kimonos included.

A banner that reads “University of Pittsburgh Coming of Age Day Ceremony” in Japanese greeted student Nika Tanimoto and other participants.

“This Coming of Age ceremony seems like the perfect confluence of the University, our Japanese students and the community to celebrate together,” said Lynn Kawaratani, the center’s acting associate director. Members of the Pittsburgh community, the Japanese Nationality Room Committee and the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania all loaned kimonos for the students to wear. The Asian Studies Center has been partnering with Pitt’s English Language Institute for about a year, developing programming for these international students as well as Pitt students.

The age of 20 is considered the beginning of adulthood in Japan, and the national holiday — with roots dating to 714 A.D. — officially recognizes this transition in grand style. Preparations for the Pittsburgh ceremony began in the early afternoon of Jan. 10 as the women began arriving at the University Club’s Gold Room to be dressed in silk kimonos.

Mazinger Z: Infinity (劇場版 マジンガーZ ／ INFINITY) in Pittsburgh, February 11 and 12.

The 2017 film adaptation of the 1970s manga and TV series Mazinger Z: Infinity (劇場版 マジンガーZ ／ INFINITY) is getting a limited theatrical release in the US next month, and will play at several Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters on February 11 and 12. The distributor summarizes:

Ten years ago, the villainous scientist Dr. Hell led his wicked followers, known as the Underground Empire, in a struggle to destroy all of humanity. It was against these forces that the young hero Koji Kabuto fought, piloting the legendary super robot “Mazinger Z.” Koji’s victory stopped Dr. Hell’s evil plan and returned peace to the Earth.

Now Koji has left the pilot seat behind and become a scientist in his own right, following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Yet an unexpected encounter deep under Mt. Fuji triggers an even greater threat to mankind than ever before and alters Koji’s destiny forever. With humanity’s fate in their hands, Koji and Mazinger Z face a choice between good…and evil.

Audiences who attend the English subtitled premiere will also have the chance to receive an exclusive Mazinger Z: INFINITY mini-poster (limited quantities, while supplies last).

The movie opened in Japan on January 13. It will play in Japanese with English subtitles at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson at 12:55 pm on the 11th and 7:00 pm on the 12th. Tickets are now available online.

Magical Girl Lyrical NANOHA Reflection (魔法少女リリカルなのは Reflection) in Pittsburgh, February 12 and 14.

The 2017 Japanese animated movie 魔法少女リリカルなのは Reflection will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on February 12 and 14.

"Assigning study with Anki as homework," February 9 at Pitt.

The Robert Henderson Language Media Center at the University of Pittsburgh is hosting a new series of language-teaching workshops this semester, the first on February 9, "Assigning study with Anki as homework," with Dr. Stephen Luft of the Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures. Dr. Luft presented on this topic in December:

Assigning study with Anki as homework: This presentation will describe how to hold students accountable for studying with Anki, a free flashcard program, outside of class. While the presentation will focus on using Anki to aid retention of newly learned characters (e.g., kanji), it is considered to be applicable to a wide variety of subjects.

The event runs from 12:00 to 12:50 pm and is free and open to the public. The Language Media Center is located in G-17 Cathedral of Learning (map).