2013年1月のバックナンバー

2013.1.20New

Nobuhiko Shima's Lecture in Uzbekistan: On Finding the Determination to Face a National Crisis

It had been a long time since I visited Uzbekistan last time. That was five years ago when I was with a party of 50 members of the Japan-Uzbekistan Association, visiting the country to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the association. My very first visit to the country was in 1996 as a freelance journalist and now it was my fifth trip. This time, I had been asked by the Japan Foundation to give talks in Uzbekistan on the current social situation in Japan and on the attitudes and lifestyles of Japan's younger generation. It was a tight schedule--a five-day trip of which one night would be spent in flight.

2013.1.15New

Children Express Themselves through Rap Music--Towards a Society Where Diversity Is a Given

In October 2012, in Shinjuku, Tokyo, I participated in an event titled "Rap in Tondo 2 x Shinjuku Art Project." This was a workshop to teach children with foreign origins living in Japan how to compose hip-hop music and write lyrics.

2013.1. 1New

A Beautiful World That Can Be Enjoyed by Anyone, Anywhere on Earth--Introducing Ikebana in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Kenya

The Japan Foundation organized a tour of Ikebana lecture demonstration and workshop in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Kenya, given by Misei Ishikawa, an instructor of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana. Using the unrivalled supply of materials available in Africa, one of the world's largest flower-producing regions, Ishikawa introduced the attractions of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement that reflects Japanese aesthetics. She gave us an account of her experience, along with photos of the works created.