Fun Link Friday: Rethinking Tatami

Posted on January 27, 2012 by LM

Photo from ja.wikipedia.org

As someone who has lived in apartments with both old tatami and new tatami, my relationship with Japan’s traditional straw-mat flooring is complicated.  On one hand, tatami is softer under a futon than linoleum; it retains heat better than (faux-)wooden flooring in the winter; and, when new, it looks classy. On the other hand, it’s susceptible to water damage, mold, mites, and tatami funk, especially as it ages, and requires more care and vigilance than non-tatami alternatives.

Via the Asahi Shimbun. Tokai-kiki-kogyo Inc.'s denim-made tatami.

Furthermore, Western-style furniture like beds and tables can dent or tear the matting, and cleaning under dressers and entertainment centers is unpleasant at best. However, in The Asashi Shimbun‘s recent Asia and Japan Watch article “Modern-day tatami gains foothold using new materials,” Emi Hirai and Kyoko Tanaka examine new types of tatami mats, from washable denim to stain-resistant washi paper, that have been developed by tatami-makers to preserve this part of Japanese culture by making the mats easier to clean and more appropriate to contemporary lifestyles: “Their key features lie in their fashionable appearance and ease of maintenance. Some of these new types of tatami are even washable with strong strokes of a brush.”

I personally think the washable denim would be practical for pets, but the elegance of the tinted washi also appeals to me. What do you think?

-Leah

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Announcement: Heian Kambun workshop at USC

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Paula

The Department of History and the Project for Premodern Japan Studies at the University of Southern California announce the 2012 Heian Kambun Workshop

July 16 – August 10, 2012

The Project for Premodern Japan Studies in the History Department of the University of Southern California announces this summer’s Heian Kambun Workshop. We are pleased that Professor Tomoyasu Katô of Meiji University and Professor Hideo Yamaguchi of the University of Tokyo Historiographical Institute (Shiryô Hensanjo) will co-lead the workshop with Professor Joan Piggott of the USC History Department. We will focus on Heian-period (794-1180) materials including official annals, legal records, courtier journals, and ritual handbooks. The primary language of the workshop will be Japanese, but translation into English is also emphasized. Morning and afternoon sessions will be held Monday through Friday from July 16 to August 10 in the USC East Asia Library Seminar Room. Applicants must be fluent in Japanese, and they must have completed basic coursework in classical Japanese and in either classical Chinese or Kambun. The cost of the workshop, including lodging in apartments conveniently located on the USC campus, is $5000.

Applications can be downloaded from the Project for Premodern Japan Studies website at

http://dornsife.usc.edu/ppjs. Applications are due March 1, 2012, and registration deposits are due at that time.

For further details contact:

Professor Joan Piggott
University of Southern California
Department of History, Social Sciences Bldg.
3502 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0034
Phone: (213) 821-5872
Fax: (213) 740-6999
joanrp@usc.edu

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Job Opening: Executive Director of the Center for the Pacific Rim in the College of Arts and Sciences, University of San Francisco

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Paula

Institution:   University of San Francisco, Arts & Sciences
Location:   California, United States
Position:   Executive Director of the Center for the Pacific Rim in the College of Arts and Sciences

Executive Director of the Center for the Pacific Rim in the College of Arts and Sciences
University of San Francisco

Requisition Number:     2011-0035Faculty
Department:     Arts & Sciences
Campus Location:    Main SF Campus
Job Type: Full-Time
Union Type: Non Union

The University of San Francisco (USF) (www.usfca.edu) invites applications and letters of nominations for the position of Executive Director of its Center for the Pacific Rim (CPR) beginning August 1, 2012. USF seeks a dynamic person of vision to lead the development of its CPR to the next level of achievement and influence. The Executive Director (ED) is expected to build upon the Centers tradition of excellence in academic programs, research and publications, public programs, and external fundraising established over its 24-year history.

Job Responsibilities
Responsibilities of the ED will include:

leading the Center, including responsibility for its day to day operations and coordination of its four research institutes on Chinese-Western cultural history and Japan-US policy, (the Ricci Institute, one of the worlds leading archives on Jesuit/Catholic history in East Asia, the Nautilus Institute, the Japan Policy Research Institute, and ChinaDialogue);

overseeing the Centers graduate and undergraduate academic programs in Asian Studies;

managing an annual operating budget of over $1.2 million that is dependent on multiple funding sources and involves developing and
pursuing external funding strategies and support to grow and expand current research, program initiatives, and student scholarships;

managing a 30-person volunteer advisory board, and cultivating active partnerships with other academic and community organizations;

leading and implementing the Centers long-range strategic plans.

Requirements
The ED should have the following qualifications:

demonstrated capacity for vision, entrepreneurial thinking and action, as well as close attention to scholarship and curriculum development in Asian Studies;

a strong record of leadership necessary to promote and foster multidisciplinary collaborative research on the cultures/countries of the Pacific Rim, with an emphasis on intercultural relations and policy issues;

a Ph.D. or the equivalent in an Asia-related discipline with broad knowledge of East Asian affairs and Pacific Rim interrelationships and preferably at least three years of experience in academic and/or research administration;

highly developed oral and written communication skills and strong interpersonal and collaborative skills suited both to a collegial academic environment and to working with the CPRs broad community contacts and partners;

demonstrated commitment to raise external funds and to orchestrate and mobilize the efforts of others (staff and volunteers) to achieve results;

passion for furthering greater mutual understanding, communication, and cooperation among the people and cultures of the Pacific Rim

The ED reports to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and manages a total staff of seven. This is an administrative position, but other academic arrangements are possible for qualified candidates.
Salary is commensurate with experience and/or scholarly and other professional achievements.

Special Instructions Summary
Applications are due by Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

Applicants should apply for this job on the HR website (http://apptrkr.com/227203) by creating a username and login and providing the pertinent contact information. To start this process, click on the Apply for this Job link at the top of the page.

Applicants should also submit a letter of interest demonstrating how their experiences and skills match the needs of the organization, curriculum vitae and a list of at least three references.

Submit application/nominations electronically in PDF format directly to the program at:

Please submit nominations, applications, and inquiries in electronic format to:

Chair, USF Center for the Pacific Rim Executive Director Search Committee
University of San Francisco
Deans Office, College of Arts and Sciences
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
Email contact: elbers@usfca.edu
Tel: 415-422-6357

EEO Policy
The University of San Francisco is an equal opportunity institution of higher education. As a matter of policy, the University does not discriminate in employment, educational services and academic programs on the basis of an individuals race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except minors), sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related and genetic-related) and disability, and the other bases prohibited by law. The University reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities under the law.

Contact: http://apptrkr.com/227203

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Funding: JASSO Scholarship for Students Studying at Japanese Universities

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Paula

http://www.jasso.go.jp/scholarship/yoyakuseido_e.html

 Reservation Program for Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students

Japan Student Services Organization (hereafter “JASSO”) offers Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students who attend a university or other institution of higher education in Japan. In conjunction with this scholarship, JASSO sponsors a reservation program that sets aside scholarship allotments for privately financed international students who achieve a superior score on the EJU, and enroll newly as regular students in a university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college in Japan.

(1) Eligibility / Conditions for Applying

1.Applicants taking the EJU in June 2011, and enrolling as regular students (excluding research students, trainees, nondegree students, auditing students, etc.) in a university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college in Japan between September 2011 and April 2012.

2.Applicants must take any of the following eight EJU subject test combinations.

a. Japanese as a Foreign Language only
b.Japanese as a Foreign Language, and Mathematics (Course 1 or 2)
c.Japanese as a Foreign Language, Mathematics (Course 1 or 2), and Science
d.Japanese as a Foreign Language, Mathematics (Course 1 or 2), and Japan & the World
e.Japanese as a Foreign Language and Science
f.Japanese as a Foreign Language and Japan & the World
g.Mathematics (Course 1 or 2) and Science
h.Mathematics (Course 1 or 2) and Japan & the World

Those taking the English version of the Mathematics (Course 1 or 2), Science, or Japan & the World tests are also eligible to apply.

Note 1: Those enrolling in a graduate school is not eligible to participate in this reservation program.
Note 2: If a particular subject test combination is taken by a very small number of examinees, there may be cases when no scholarship candidates will be selected from that group.
Note 3: Applicants will be considered for selection on the basis of the subjects they indicated on their EJU application form, regardless of whether they are not taking certain subject tests.

(2) Scholarship Amount

The scholarship (undergraduate level) is paid in the monthly amount determined for that school year. (The amount is subject to change each year. For reference, the monthly stipend for the 2009-10 school year was JPY48,000.)

(3) Duration of Scholarship

After a scholarship has been reserved for an applicant, it is awarded for a certain period that is based on the time that the applicant enrolls in a Japanese university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college.

  1. For enrollments initiated by October 2011:Six months, from October 2011 to March 2012.
  2. For enrollments initiated between November 2011 and April 2012: Twelve months, from April 2012 to March 2013.

Applicants who have been selected for Reservation Program set out in (5) Selection 1. will extend duration until completing your course of study when the applicant enrolls in a Japanese university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college.  The applicants must meet all qualifications (see following document).

Extension of duration until completing your course of study for Reservation Program for Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students

(4) Application Procedure

In order to be considered for reservation, applicants need to mark a circle in the appropriate box on the EJU application form.

(5) Selection

The following conditions will decide the reservation recipients among candidates for the honor scholarship for privately financed international students:

  1. Overseas examinees whose score is in the top rank for each subject test combination set out in

(1)   Eligibility / Conditions for Applying 2. for each country and region where the EJU examination is administered.Applicants with excellent result by EJU Overseas Exam can be selected for Extension of duration until completing your course of study for Reservation Program for Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students when the balance of the budget could spare the Reservation Program.

  1. Examinees, regardless of being in Japan or overseas, whose score is in the top rank for each subject test combination set out in (1) Eligibility / Conditions for Applying 2. for each country and region where the EJU examination is administered.

(6) Notification of the Selection Results

Applicants selected for the scholarship will be notified with the Reservation Notice for Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students. (hereafter, “Reservation Notice”).

(7) Acceptance of Scholarship

In order to be able to claim their scholarships, candidates need to submit their Reservation Notice and the prescribed scholarship application to their host university/college, which will forward the documents to JASSO. Please note that anyone who changes affiliation (by transferring to another school, etc.) after being selected as a scholarship recipient cannot receive the scholarship again as a reservation holder, even if affiliation changed during the scholarship payment period indicated in section (3) above.

(8) Cancellation of Entitlement

Scholarship reservations will be cancelled if any of the following circumstances occurs. In the event of annulment, the student will no longer be able to use his or her Reservation Notice to request the scholarship.

  1. The student includes false information or faults due to gross negligence in the application documents.
  2. The student fails to enroll in a Japanese university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college by April 2012.
  3. The student becomes disqualified in any other aspect.

(9) Disbursement Requirements

To receive the scholarship payments as a reservation holder, candidates must meet all of the following requirements.

  1. The student must have the status of residence “College Student” as defined in Appendix 1 to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (Cabinet Order No. 319 of October 4, 1951), and may not be a Japanese government financed student or a foreign state-sponsored student as defined in the Guidelines for Implementation of the Government-financed Foreign Students Program (established by the Minister of Education on March 31, 1954).
  2. The student must be enrolled as a regular-student in advanced courses at a university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college in Japan.
  3. The allowance sent from the student’s private funding source may not exceed, on average, JPY90,000 per month.
  4. The total monthly amount of funding from other scholarships may not exceed the monthly stipend (undergraduate level) of this Honors Scholarship. (The monthly stipend was JPY48,000 in the 2010-11 school year, but is subject to change each year.)
  5. The annual income of a student’s supporter residing in Japan may not exceed JPY5,000,000.

(10) Termination of Disbursements under the Reservation Program

Scholarship payments to students selected as recipients under the reservation program may be terminated after enrollment if any of the following situations occurs and the President of JASSO deems that termination is necessary.

  1. The student no longer fulfills all of requirements 1. to 5. in (9) Disbursement Requirements.
  2. The student’s status of residence changes to a status other than “College Student.”
  3. The student transfers to another school or withdraws from school.
  4. The student’s school reports that the student’s academic standing, etc. is extremely poor.
  5. The student is discovered to have provided false information in the submitted documents etc.
  6. The student is suspended or expelled from school, or is subjected to other punishment by the school.
  7. Any other situation that causes the student to lose his or her scholarship eligibility.

(11) Non-EJU Universities

Candidates who enroll as regular students at an institution that does not use EJU scores in its admission process remain eligible to claim their scholarships as long as they enroll in a university undergraduate school, a junior college, or a special training college’s vocational program in Japan.

Inquiries

International Scholarship Division
Student Exchange Department
Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO)
2-2-1 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8630, Japan
TEL +81-3-5520-6030
FAX +81-3-5520-6031

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Book announcement: Rethinking Japanese History

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Paula

Amino Yoshihiko
Translated and with an Introduction by Alan S. Christy
Preface and Afterword by Hitomi Tonomura

A JOHN WHITNEY HALL BOOK

Michigan Monograph Series in Japanese Studies No. 74

Copyright 2012, xl + 317 pp., ISBN 978-1-929280-71-1 (paper), $20.00; ISBN978-1-929280-70-4 (cloth), $60.00.

THIS BOOK WILL SHIP THE WEEK OF JANUARY 23RD. TO ORDER, GO TO https://www.cjspubs.lsa.umich.edu/books/list/mono74.php

“Amino Yoshihiko was one of the most brilliant, original, and influential Japanese historians of his generation. This elegant translation makes the wide scope of his work available to English-speaking readers for the first time. Amino’s wonderful insights into centuries of human experience continue to transform the way in which we understand Japan’s past and present, and to inspire new generations of historians of Japan.”
—Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Professor of Japanese History, Australian National University

“In writing of underappreciated participants in Japanese history, Amino Yoshihiko ushers social groups, statuses, occupations, regions, and islands to the fore. He recovers the majority from the shadows of samurai and courtiers, emperors and poets, historians and translators. Equally significant, he returns Japan and Japanese to the sea by setting islanders in river, coastal, and foreign activities, especially trade. Mobility, of identity, of people, and of objects, emerges as a key theme, and places Japanese more deeply in the histories of the islands and the histories of areas beyond.”
—Kenneth R. Robinson, Northeast Asian History Foundation

In this fascinating journey across centuries, Amino Yoshihiko, the premier historian of medieval Japan, invites us to rethink everything we thought we knew about Japanese history. From reconsidering the roles of outcastes and outlaws, to the provenance of “Japan (Nihon),” to the very meaning of writing, Amino offers a powerful critique of the conventional wisdom about Japan’s past. Instead of depicting Japan as an isolated island country full of immobile peasants dominated by swaggering warriors and an unbroken line of sacred emperors, he unveils a dynamic history of an archipelago driven by the competition to control trade and movement, in which warlords and aristocrats share the main stage with pirates, courtesans, beggars, and dancing monks.

Written for a nonspecialist audience and standing on a foundation of fifty years of research in a vast and eclectic range of primary sources, RETHINKING JAPANESE HISTORY introduces the English reader to one of Japan’s most original and provocative historians. Since the 1970s, Amino has inspired readers with his view of Japanese history “from the sea,” in which the power politics of the samurai class were contrasted with the countervailing authorities of religious institutions, artisanal groups, and “lords of the sea” who enabled the movement of people and goods from the Asian continent to every harbor and village of Japan. In his portraits of an archaic and medieval past permeated with “places of freedom” and a grand struggle between ideologies of trade and agriculture, Amino challenged his contemporaries to reconsider not only their understanding of Japan’s past, but also its present and future.

RETHINKING JAPANESE HISTORY calls on us to contemplate seriously the meaning of the deep past in our present day. By challenging the reader to reexamine our presumptions of the past, Amino offers us a chance to reimagine the present.

ALAN S. CHRISTY, the translator and author of the Translator’s Introduction, is an Associate Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was a member of Amino Yoshihiko’s Tokikuni Family Research Project at the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture at Kanagawa University from 1991 to 1995. He has written on Japanese ethnography, Okinawa, and war memories and has translated Japanese scholarship on the same.

HITOMI TONOMURA, author of the Preface and Afterword, is Professor of History and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan. Her areas of study include war and violence, commerce and merchants, and gender and sexuality. Her next book will examine the gendered meanings associated with warfare and the war-prone society of medieval Japan. Her publications include COMMUNITY AND COMMERCE IN LATE MEDIEVAL JAPAN: SO VILLAGES OF TOKUCHIN-HO and WOMEN AND CLASS IN JAPANESE HISTORY, as well as numerous articles.

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Shinjo Ito Postdoctoral Fellowship in Japanese Buddhism

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Paula

University of California, Berkeley

Deadline: February 15, 2012

With the generous support of the Shinnyo-en Foundation, the Center for Japanese Studies at UC Berkeley is pleased to invite applications for a one-year postdoctoral research fellowship. The term of the appointment is July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013.

The Fellowship is intended to foster the academic careers of recent Ph.D.’s, providing time to pursue their research. Fellows will deliver a public lecture on their research as part of the Center for Japanese Studies Colloquium Series. Fellows will be provided with office space, library privileges, and a stipend of approximately $40,000 plus benefits.

Applicants must have their doctoral degrees in hand by June 30, 2012, and must be no more than six years out of their doctorate. Candidates who do not yet hold a Ph.D. but expect to by June 30, 2012, should supply a letter from their home institution confirming their schedule to completion.

Applicants whose research interests are primarily in the areas of Buddhism outside Japan should apply to the Shinjo Ito Postdoctoral Fellowship in Buddhist Studies, administered through the Center for Buddhist Studies, rather than to the Shinjo Ito Fellowship in Japanese Buddhism.

Applicants should submit the following materials:

1.Curriculum vitae
2.Graduate school transcripts
3.A personal statement of no more than 2000 words outlining previous research (including dissertation), the research the applicant will undertake during the term of the fellowship, future professional goals, as well as any other information deemed relevant to the application
4.A writing sample
5.Three letters of recommendation

Application Deadline and Notification of Award:

All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be postmarked on or before February 15, 2012. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted. Only complete applications will be considered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all documentation is complete and that referees submit their letters of recommendation by the closing date. Awards will be announced in March, 2012. Send all materials to:

Steven Vogel
Chair, Center for Japanese Studies
Attn: Shinjo Ito Postdoctoral Fellowship in Japanese Buddhism
University of California, Berkeley
2223 Fulton Street, Room 500
Berkeley, CA 94720-2318
U.S.A.

For any questions or concerns, please contact cjs@berkeley.edu

UC Berkeley is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator. Women, minorities, and international candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

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Job Opening: International Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator, Humboldt State University

Posted on January 20, 2012 by LM

Via HigherEdJobs.com.

Institution: Humboldt State University
Location: Arcata, CA
Application Due: Open Until Filled, Review Date 1/31/2012
Type: Full Time

International Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator, Student Services Professional IA (SSP IA) $2,872-$3,513/month. Appointments are typically made at the beginning of the salary range. This is a full-time, benefited, 12-month, on-going, temporary position in the Center for International Programs. Reappointment for subsequent academic years is dependent upon performance and available funding. Typical appointments are renewed for a second year. Third year appointments will be at the classification of Student Services Professional II (SSPII) and will be dependent upon performance, funding, and increased responsibility within the position.

Position Summary: This position is responsible for assisting with all aspects of international student marketing and recruitment efforts, including degree-seeking graduates and undergraduates and students entering into the International English Language Institute. Duties include detailed organization and management of documents and communications related to correspondence with overseas recruitment representatives to include filing and tracking electronic and paper-based correspondence. Additionally, this position will assist with the communication processes with prospective international students and their families and support internal communication with multiple HSU departments in support of their recruitment needs and interests. All duties require tasks to be performed at a high level of accuracy while maintaining confidentiality.

Duties: Under the Supervision of the Director for the Center of International Programs, the International Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator responsibilities include: Professional Team Member in the area of Recruitment Work closely with the Director of the Center for International Programs on marketing, recruitment and admissions efforts. Support the development of marketing and recruitment promotion materials for the University. Detailed tracking of all data and information as it relates to each international student that is recruited by international recruitment representatives. Provide detailed data-driven reports regarding the effectiveness of recruitment efforts. Working with the Director, develop and maintain close working relationships with and knowledge of Graduate and Undergraduate Admissions, academic colleges and departments, and key student support service offices. Professional Team Member in the area of Admissions – Working with the Director, coordinate the operational aspects of the international admission process including: processing conditional admission, freshman and transfer admission, graduate students and exchange and short-term visiting students. Coordinating with the Office of Admissions, Registrar, and Residence Life on the seamless admittance and enrollment of international students. Coordinate the selection process for all international student applications to HSU. Developing an internal communications plan to manage prospective international student data (CSU Mentor and CMS-PeopleSoft) and communications flow from the initial inquiry stage to the final enrollment of the student. Other duties as assigned – Special projects assigned by the Director; may include domestic and/or international travel.

Minimum Qualifications: Education & Experience: Equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree.

Knowledge, Abilities & Specialized Skills: The successful candidate will have earned a bachelor’s degree and excellent time-management and organizational skills with attention to a high level of detail; must possess excellent computing skills (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Access, Adobe Illustrator), and have excellent interpersonal skills, oral and written skills along with cross-cultural sensitivity; the candidate must possess outstanding interpersonal and organizational skills as well as outstanding presentation skills; prior admissions experience with a strong understanding of cross-cultural communications and different cultures; in addition, they will be a team player in a result-oriented, comprehensive international education office. This position may require domestic and international travel, thus a current valid passport and valid driver’s license is required.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience living abroad with experience in Asia, particularly China, to support HSU’s efforts to establish recruitment offices in that region; demonstrated successful experience interacting with students from different cultures; experience working in a busy office environment, preferably at an institution of higher education in the United States; fluency in a foreign language.

Application Procedure: Applicants must submit a letter of interest, an HSU employment application, resume and contact information for at least three professional references to Human Resources, 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA 95521-8299.

Application Deadline: Position will remain open until filled. First application review date is 1/31/2012. Application materials received or postmarked before or by this date will be given first consideration. Applications received thereafter may be considered if the position is not filled.
Human Resources
Siemens Hall – Room 211
Arcata, CA 95521-8299
(707) 826-3626
Fax: (707) 826-3625
www.humboldt.edu/jobs
Email: careers@humboldt.edu

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Fun Link Friday: The Ghibli Museum: The Most Magical Place on Earth

Posted on January 20, 2012 by reedra01

Kiki coffee from the Ghibli Museum Café.

I was a Ghibli fan long before I heard of Hayao Miyazaki or even realized that Disney and Ghibli were two separate things. Back when Japan was just a funny word and my backyard was the most similar thing to a foreign country I had ever explored, I sat glued in front of the Disney channel watching Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro (or My Friend Totoro as Disney called it).

I distinctly remember my mother renting Princess Mononoke from Blockbuster when I was 12 or 13 years old. It was the first time I realized that this kind of animation was from Japan (I will never forget the shock when I learned that Speed Racer, Sailor Moon, Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z were also *GASP* Japanese!) My mind was suddenly opened to a whole new world of creativity and imagination.

As an adult, I have continued to enjoy Ghibli films and I remain a huge sucker for Ghibli merchandise. Even now, my small stuffed Totoro sits next to my computer at work staring at me and blocking my view of my desk calendar (Yes, I am typing this at work.) Luckily, in Japan, the presence of character goods at work is fairly common and pretty much expected. I use my little Totoro as a prop in English class and my familiarity with Ghibli has always opened doors to conversations with even the most unlikely of people, such as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, even though he is by his own admission more of a Lupin the III fan.

The Ghibli Museum. You can see the laputa guy looming in the background.

Imagine my delight when I learned that there was a Ghibli Museum! It is located in Mitaka, Tokyo about a 15 min walk from Mitaka Station. You can also catch a bus cleverly painted like the infamous Cat Bus to the museum from the station. You must purchase the tickets to the museum in advance.  In Japan, the only place you can purchase the ticket is the Lawson’s Convenience store. Directions on how to purchase it are available here at the Ghibli Museum official website. You can purchase the ticket up to three months in advance starting the first of every month. They are 1000 yen each for people over 19 years of age. For a more detailed breakdown of admission prices go here. If you want to purchase the ticket outside of Japan, it is a bit trickier because they are only available at select travel agencies.

Totoro in the ticket booth. They don’t actually sell the tickets at the museum but it would be cute to put this next to the ticket paragraph. My favorite part are the soot balls trapped below the booth.

I had the pleasure of going to the museum last August. I must say it is a truly magical and adorable experience. The whimsical design of the museum itself immediately sets the mood for a Ghilbi-esk adventure. There is a map of the museum but it is intentionally vague, encouraging you to explore the floors as a child would: one imaginative room at a time. There are twisty staircases, small walkways and tunnels, a room that is completely lined with fur and even hidden walkways on the roof through dense foliage. Any Ghilbi fan would be delighted. I certainly enjoyed myself.

In addition to the wondrous rooms, there is also a short original movie that changes periodically. There is a café located next to the museum and of course there is a gift shop filled to the brim with Ghibli merchandise. I highly recommend the museum as a must for those of you who, like me, grew up on the fantastical works of Hayao Miyazaki. You won’t be disappointed!

-Rachel

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Job Opening: Modern East Asian History, Helen Bruce Lectureship, University of Aberdeen

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Paula

Institution:   University of Aberdeen, UK
Location:   United Kingdom
Position:   Helen Bruce Lectureship in Modern East Asian History

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN
SCHOOL OF DIVINITY, HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY
HELEN BRUCE LECTURESHIP IN MODERN EAST ASIAN HISTORY

With the support of a generous bequest from the Bruce family, the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy seeks to appoint an outstanding candidate to the Helen Bruce Lectureship in Modern East Asian History. The successful candidate will pursue a vigorous programme of international quality research into the history of East Asia during the 18th to 20th centuries, with particular emphasis on any of the following: China, Japan, Korea and / or South East Asia. We would encourage applicants with research and teaching expertise in any of these areas, but especially those whose work aligns with the departments research concentrations, including modern political, economic and social history, the history of modern global empires, and the history of science, technology and medicine. He or she will contribute to the research culture within the department, and will cultivate research links with other disciplines within the University. The post-holder will strengthen and expand the Schools provision of courses at undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels in History, as well as providing supervision of research students as appropriate.

The successful candidate will have a doctorate in History in hand by the start of the appointment, will bring experience of university teaching, and will demonstrate outstanding research promise with an excellent publication record relative to the stage of his or her career.

The School of Divinity, History and Philosophy continues to flourish as an established centre of excellence in historical research and teaching. Its ambitions and achievements and its vigorous research culture were reflected recently in its high attainment in the RAE2008, in which it was acknowledged to be the leading History department in Scotland. History is home to a sizable undergraduate student body and growing postgraduate population.

Salary will be at the appropriate point on the Grade 7 scale (36,862 – 44,016 per annum),with placement according to qualifications and experience.

Should you require a visa to undertake paid employment in the UK you will be required to fulfil the minimum points criteria to be granted a Certificate of Sponsorship and Tier 2 visa.  As appropriate, at the time an offer of appointment is made you will be asked to demonstrate that you fulfil the criteria in respect of financial maintenance and competency in English. Please do not hesitate to contact Sharon Cassidy, HR Adviser, for further information on this.

To apply online for this position visit www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs
Job Reference Number: 1226684.

The closing date for the receipt of applications is Friday 3 February 2012.

Contact: To apply online for this position visit www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs

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