October 1997
- I'm not sure what I was doing up at that end of the radio dial, but I heard a great
(mostly) Japanese music radio show called "Full Moon" for the first time tonight on CKLN 88.1 FM.
On alternate weeks, deejays Francis (J-Pop, dance) and Ron (folk, acid jazz) spin the tunes.
They're hoping to expand their show to two hours, so send them fan mail or phone your support
at the request line (416) 595-1655.
(28 Oct 97)"Full Moon" on CKLN 88.1, Tuesdays, 2200 h-2300 h
- Tonight I saw Canadian director Atom Egoyan's latest film
The Sweet Hereafter, which is based on a novel
about the repercussions of a schoolbus crash in a small town.
Egoyan's extremely understated but powerful adaptation has received
international acclaim
and features great ensemble acting (the cast includes
Sarah Polley and
Bruce Greenwood),
sweeping aerial shots of the BC interior and a haunting
soundtrack,
which centres around an acoustic cover version of
The Tragically Hip's song "Courage".
Life imitates art: a few weeks ago, a tourist bus carrying a seniors travel club crashed in Quebec, devastating a small town there.
(26 Oct 97) - I got to see the closing night performance of Soh Kuramoto's Ninguls (Ninguru),
presented by the Furano Natural Studio from Hokkaido. The play is a cautionary tale
for those who would despoil the environment for financial gain. Villagers cut down an ancient
forest so they can grow cash crops, with disastrous consequences. The story was
a little too linear and sentimental for my liking, but this was advertised as a children's show,
so that could be excused. There were many points that adults could appreciate.
For one older lady, the mere mention of a certain mountain tree brought back
childhood memories of the smell of that tree's flowers.
The set design was top notch--one could believe the forest was a mystical place where
magical things happen--and the log drumming (talking trees, I thought) that closed the show was sensational.
Japan is often portrayed as an environmental marauder, but this play shows
that there are voices over there other than those of the
keiretsu ***
As I left the theatre, I noticed one of the actors shivering outside the stage door, smoking (Japanese who have travelled internationally complain that Canada's "No Smoking" rules are the strictest in the world). He told me their next stop is Halifax NS, 31 October-09 November ("We heard it's cold there," he said. I tried to tell him it's a fun place.) then Vancouver BC, 13-22 November. Prior to this, they were in Alberta. Here's a review by Edmonton arts critic Colin Maclean (Yes, he's still kicking! Remember "Reach For The Top"? Ou bien "Genies En Herbe"?)
(25 Oct 97)
- This evening I went to the opening of the exhibition of
shodo (Japanese calligraphy) at the Japan Foundation.
Apparently this is the first calligraphy show in Toronto within recent
(or even remote) memory. The 84 beautiful works span a wide range of unique styles, some more
legible than others. Luckily, the poem text is typed on a card next to each piece,
along with an English translation.
Shisen Bota, one of the masters whose work is on display, was in attendance,
and demonstrated his art in large form to the delight of the capacity audience.
I was impressed that although calligraphy is not well known in Canada,
this event attracted so many people from different fields--
among those I spotted in the crowd were author
Margaret Atwood
and photographer Andrew Danson.
My favorite work is at right, by Katei Yokonishi. It apparently says, "Sublime Beauty".
(22 Oct 97)
- The 15th Goodwill Youth Delegation of Toyama City were in Toronto today
as part of their 10-day tour of North America,
and I had the great pleasure of going to meet them along with representatives of the
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. Over dinner, we tried to enlighten each other
about our respective cities and cultures--difficult to do in only two hours!
We watched a travel video about Toyama-ken
and ended the evening by learning their local bon-odori.
The members of the delegation were fine ambassadors for their city--
friendly, polite and extremely patient for enduring our fractured Nihongo
(Mimi ni itakatta deshou!). I've never been to Toyama, but now I'll
certainly consider dropping by there the next time I'm in Japan.
(21 Oct 97) - I'm back from the
2nd Annual Conference on Anatomical Pathology Informatics, Imaging and the Internet
in beautiful Pittsburgh, PA! It was a visionary meeting, very inspiring.
Expect an upgrade to my Anatomical Pathology page soon.
(16-18 Oct 97) - My first game in the
Canadian Japanese Hockey League was this afternoon and featured
fast-paced and even play. For me, it was nice to not be the smallest player
on the ice for a change. Our team, Japan Camera jumped out to a
2-0 lead after two periods, but Ema-tei Restaurant fought back and, with the goalie pulled,
scored the tying goal in the last ten seconds of the game. We'll get them next time!
Some of the players in the CJHL probably wouldn't be out of place in the Japan Ice Hockey League. Hockey is just starting to catch on in Japan, so there aren't many good native-born players. Japanese teams are allowed to recruit Japanese Canadians onto their rosters as "heritage players".
(12 Oct 97) - I've changed the format of the archive portions of the
Community Calendar and
What's New? This should make it easier to access the information.
What do you think?
(10 Oct 97) - I went to hear a talk on "Japanese societies with an interest in Canada" by Japanese businessman Mitsuhisa Ikeuchi.
He profiled various groups that deal with different aspects of the multilayered Canada-Japan relationship,
and reminded us that while Japan is important to Canada (our second-largest trade partner),
Canada lags well behind Europe and Australasia in trade volume with Japan and still has a ways to go
before the average Japanese views it as anything more than a romantically rustic vacation place with
mountains and red-haired girls with pigtails. Societies in Japan and Canada can work together
towards this goal by communicating more with each other-- easier these days with the Internet.
Here are two of the societies mentioned tonight:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan
(06 Oct 97)
Northern Lights Canada-Japan Friendship Club - I pitched in a bit at
Issei Day,
the annual tribute to the Japanese Canadian community's elders at the
JCCC.
I was assigned to help people up and down the front steps as they arrived and left,
but most of them were still quite nimble and only a few needed assistance.
In fact, I heard that some of the people eligible to attend (70 years old and up) had chosen to go golfing instead (it was a beautiful warm, sunny day)!
To be that healthy at that age! Most of their generation can speak Japanese, but they used English with me.
I suppose because I am young(er than them), they assumed that I can't understand Japanese--
which is not far from the truth in my case, and a commentary on the sorry state of
heritage language skills among the sansei and yonsei.
(05 Oct 97)