As previously announced, our art and language contest ‘Art Speaks Japanese Comes Alive!’ has become a national event this year. Go to the website for information, and be inspired by the entries from the 2008 NSW contest! We are looking forward to your applications.

The 2009 Speech Contest information is currently being uploaded onto our website. In the meantime we recommend teachers access our latest Sensei's Pages ‘Speech making as a classroom activity’.

Please take a look at our updated “Centre Visit” website. We now have a one day school excursion option, including task sheets for popular Japanese films. We have already uploaded task sheets for the film ‘Water boys’ and task sheets for ‘Swing Girls’ will be uploaded soon.

In March, our language consultants will conduct workshops at the BCE (Brisbane Catholic Education) and AISQ (Association of Independent Schools of Queensland) Japanese language Seminar, the AISSA(Association of Independent Schools of South Australia) Japanese Immersion Day and the annual conference of JLTAV (Japanese Language Teachers Association of Victoria). Hope to meet you there!

The Prize Donation Program was developed by the Japan Foundation, Sydney to support schools staging any kind of Japanese language-related event. Assistance is provided in the form of donations of small prizes, such as Japanese books or magazines, stationery, and other small goods to a value of $100.
Past prize donations have been made to schools in all areas of Australia, assisting urban and rural schools with events such as speech contests, LOTE days, cultural days, hiragana writing competitions, and a lot more.
Eligible schools are primary or secondary schools with an established Japanese language program.

Further information online or contact the Japanese Language Dept on (02) 8239 0077, email donation@jpf.org.au.

The second volume of New Voices, the Japan Foundation, Sydney’s academic journal has been published and is now available in print and online. The journal’s main aim is to support emerging Japanese Studies scholars by providing a platform for the promotion of outstanding research and writing by students and early career researchers. New Voices Volume 2 contains articles adapted from recent Honours theses of students from a variety of Australian universities, with topics ranging from popular culture to literature and history.

The Japan Foundation, Sydney is now seeking submissions for New Voices Volume 3. We are currently soliciting original papers from recent Honours and Masters graduates who completed their Honours or Masters thesis at an Australian University between January 2006 and December 2008. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2009.

For further details and an information package click here or contact the Japan Foundation, Sydney (Japanese Studies & Intellectual Exchange Department) on Ph: 02 8239 0055 or email: newvoices@jpf.org.au

Asakusa Geigiren ozashiki asobi [videorecording] / kanshū [by] Chiba Keiji ; enshutsu [by] Asahara Sumi.
Tōkyō: Jei Bui Dī, 2005.
2 videodiscs (DVD) (54+65 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 folded sheet.
DVD (All regions, NTSC); standard (4:3) presentation; soundtrack in Dolby Digital stereo. [disc 1] Ozashiki odori -- [disc 2] Ozashiki asobi.
Soundtrack and libretto in Japanese.
Call #: 384.9 ASA 1/2

Asakusa is the shitamachi (downtown) tourist spot that represents Tokyo. For both religious shrine visits and for the theatre, this area has developed as the centre of spirituality and entertainment for the common people of Tokyo since the Edo period. The pleasure quarters of Asakusa are behind the Asakusa Kannon, and locals affectionately call the area kannon-ura, or “behind Kannon”.

The Library’s opening days for March - April are as follows:

Opening hours:
Mon-Fri (except Wed): 11.00 am - 5.30 pm
Wed: 11.00 am - 6.00 pm
Sat (every third week): 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
Sun: Closed

There is a book returns chute at the library entrance.  It is available during the Chifley Plaza building operation hours:
Mon-Fri: 6.30 am - 10.00 pm
Sat : 8.30 am - 10.00 pm
Sun/Public Holidays: Closed

Inoue Yasushi was a prominent post-Second World War novelist and poet. He was a unique writer who managed to combine serious themes with fascinating and intriguing plots. In honour of his achievements, the Inoue Yasushi Award for Outstanding Research in Japanese Literature in Australia is awarded to the best refereed journal article or book chapter published in English during the previous year by a researcher based in Australia.

The 2009 award will be announced in a ceremony at the Japan Foundation Multipurpose Room on Friday 20 March with some members of Inoue Yasushi’s family in attendance. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in The Japan Foundation Gallery to view the photography exhibition entitled ‘Inoue Yasushi on the Silk Road’, featuring text and photographs by Inoue Yasushi from his travels on the Silk Road during the period 1960-1970.

A public forum discussing Inoue Yasushi’s literary works in relation to the Silk Road will be held prior to the awards ceremony in the Japan Foundation Multipurpose Room. Speakers at the forum will include Dr Yasuko Claremont from the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Sydney and Dr Chiaki Ajioka, a lecturer and consultant on Japanese art.

An exhibition that encompasses both the traditions and the innovations of photomedia practice, from black and white photography to interactive video installation.Trace Elements is a Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and Performance Space partnership featuring work by Australian artists together with Japanese artists and groups.

Discover the work of internationally acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama with this major exhibition that spans decades of her artistic practice.

The Japanese Studies Association of Australia (JSAA) is delighted to host JSAA-ICJLE 2009. Featuring research and discussion in various disciplines of Japanese language and studies, the main theme of the conference will be "Bridging the gap between the Japanese language and Japanese studies". The conference aims to provide a forum for Japanese language and studies academics and educators from around the world to meet and share ideas beyond and across their disciplines.

For more information and registration please visit
http://jsaa-icjle2009.arts.unsw.edu.au/en/events.html