collection of old Japan photos at MOPA - San Diego, Calif.

Browsing and thinking of long-ago camera work and people in the frame compared to today, see these albums at the Museum of Photographic Arts:

Japan album (50 pictures), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mopa1/albums/72157631883582807/with/6950790428 

KUSAKABE Kimbei (d.1934) album (39 pictures), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mopa1/albums/72157629862241333/ 

Felice Beato (d1907) & Antonio Beato (d1906) album (12 pictures), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mopa1/albums/72157631883934006/

old and new - Japan views from drone-flying friend in Fukui-ken

Up goes the drone and 360 degrees later there is a panorama to add to Google Maps.

One is the prehistorical burial mounts in Sabae-city.

The other is the new bullet-train station at Tsuruga (port visible in the distance).

王山古墳群 [Ozan Kofun group]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GJbQ51U2oZ6JSHSo8 

敦賀駅 [Shinkansen station at Tsuruga for the Hokuriku line]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/dEJnWq2dBcfJVi3p7 

-----The antiquity juxtaposed to the modernity is worth sharing with people learning Japanese, young or old.

disaster photo-archive 1923 Kanto Earthquake (September 1)

Of interest to those learning Japanese language and life: Announcement on the humanities H-Japan listserv today about a photo-archive. What if each disaster also could have a photo archive like this? Studying the photos can give you new ideas from the scenes and people you re-view (in this case 100 years ago). So much change in Emergency Management can be seen from 1923 to 2023. But maybe some things have not changed very much.

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I'm pleased to announce the launch of the Earthquake Children Image Archive. This archive, containing over 500 images, serves as a companion to my book Earthquake Children: Building Resilience from the Ruins of Tokyo (Harvard University Asia Center, 2020).

Please visit www.earthquakechildren.com

The images contained in this website visually document children's experiences of the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and daily life in 1920s Tokyo. Sources range from postcards, children's drawings and photographs, to maps, architectural drawings and memorabilia. In addition to images of and by children, the collection depicts teachers, imperial family members, government officials, policemen, doctors, nurses, foreign tourists, and other adults involved in providing relief, education and care of children in the aftermath of the Great Kantō Earthquake. 

Today, as Japan marks the 100th anniversary of the Great Kantō Earthquake on 1 September 2023, I hope your visit to this website also encourages you to review your own knowledge of what to do in the event of a future earthquake, wherever you are in the world.

Janet Borland

International Christian University

www.janetborland.com

URL http://www.earthquakechildren.com

Heritage learners of Japanese - dedicated site, 'keisho nihongo'

cross-posting from Japan Foundation LA language center on July 25, 2023:

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Summary: The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles has launched a new website (<keishonihongo.org>) wholly dedicated to supporting parents and teachers of Japanese heritage language learners.

In America, children who speak Japanese at home are considered Japanese heritage language learners.  These children may live in areas with little access to Japanese-language classes, much less ones with curricula tailored to their unique experiences and skillsets.

To help serve their needs, JFLA has launched keishonihongo.org, an online platform for parents and teachers of Japanese heritage language learners. 

Keisho Nihongo pools from the knowledge of The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, and the Keisho Nihongo Special Advisory Committee, consisting of three experts in the field of Japanese heritage language education.  The site includes a nationwide map of heritage language programs, in addition to a curated list of educational materials and resources for  teachers and guardians.  There is also a community forum and a page highlighting exemplary heritage language programs.

Keisho Nihongo is available in both English and Japanese, so please visit today!

Pictures and Words from Ise Jingu & the study program based on it

The 13 international Japan researchers of diverse fields just wrapped up the 2023 cycle of the "Ise and Japan Study Program." The range of subjects included linguistics, humanities and social science: language, culture, society past & present. Much of this connects to Shinto now and at earlier points in history, too. That is a lot of history and a lot of new things to know in three weeks. The capstone to the seminar was the Kumano SanZan: 正式参拝 (seishiki sampai) to the 3 Taisha - first to Hayatama in Shingu, then Nachi (and waterfall), and finally to Hongu.

Some parts of the experience were lucky: like the chance arrival just as the annual gathering of Izumo association members was beginning (Osaka branch) at the Hana-no-Iwaya mountain face at the city of Kumano. Another time was happening to meet the Shinto priest in charge of turning the seawater into salt for use at the Ise Jingu ceremonies. This lucky meeting resonates with the "ichigo ichie" insight.

Kogakkan University hosts and administers the lectures and field trips, while Ise city sponsors its cost. It has been going more than 10 years, but owing to Covid there were breaks until resuming in person this time.

Participants were asked to create comments and pictures online to attract wider awareness, interest, and knowledge of Ise Jingu, the city, and the connection to Japan overall. Some of those pictures and words (Creative Commons, freely usable to one and all) are collected at https://tinyurl.com/ise2023gw

Watch for next year's cycle this fall or browse the 1-page summaries from previous participants at http://ise-japan.kogakkan-u.ac.jp/report/