President's Message
There are exciting times over the next month for our Australia-Japan community! Ten days in Sydney (September 3rd through 11th) sees a host of events in the Japanaroo 2022 festival of all things Japanese. AJS-NSW is proud to present four different events co-hosted with partner organizations, with topics as diverse as sports law and Japanese baseball, craftsmanship and Japanese pop culture. Most of them are free to attend and require only registration. More details below. For our Japan Trivia Night with JETAA on September 7th (Wednesday), we are calling for prize donations. It will be a fabulous fun-filled night of Japan-related trivia, at a hotel in the CBD. If you or your company would like to donate a prize, please get in touch at info@ajsnsw.org.au. And of course now is the time to register your team or sign up as an individual. Japanaroo will be followed on September 16-18th by the Australia-Japan Societies National Conference. AJS members from around Australia, as well as visitors from Japan, will gather in Adelaide for discussions on business, technology, and people-to-people themes, including the Australian and Japanese space industry, success stories in manufacturing and premium food and beverage, and other presentations on cultural links, education, and sister cities. There will be a Reception, Gala Dinner and a winery tour. See the Conference program and registrations here. On the following weekend September 24th – 25th a number of AJS-NSW members will be travelling to Cowra for the Cowra Spring Festival. There is still time to join us although accommodation in Cowra is tight. We look forward to seeing you at some or many of these events! Anita Byrnes, President
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AJS-NSW and partners: Japanaroo events
September 2: Global Sports Law Symposium (Hybrid event) & September 3: Japan Baseball, the Australian connection (In person)
With the Sydney Law School and ANJeL, the symposium on September 2nd brings together experts and practitioners in sports law and governance from Japan and Australia to discuss the big legal issues currently shaping the global sports landscape, including the governance of sporting organisations and the regulation of labour mobility in a globalised sports world. Register here.
The following day September 3rd, at 2:40PM, as part of the Japan Expo at Sydney University, Dr. Matt Nichol and Micah Burch will give a lively presentation on what makes Japanese baseball so wonderful.
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September 4: Zoom talk: Contemporary Asian Craftmanship
In advance of the Thirst Exhibition of contemporary crafts and ceramics, curator Marge Hwang, founder of Overdue Studio, will give a talk introducing contemporary Asian craftsmanship.
She will showcase one of the exhibition's 15 ceramicists, Ricca Okano, in some depth. Wendy Lin, a Japanese tea master, will then talk about the importance of handcrafted teaware in the tea ceremony, followed by Yoko Kawada, talking about the history of kintsugi. Register at AJS website.
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September 7: Japan Trivia Night
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Click image to register or see more details here.
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September 8: Japan pop culture film night & street fashion/cosplay
Passionate about Japanese popular culture and film, or love cosplay or Japanese street fashion and want to show off your outfit? Or just want to understand the attraction? With Macquarie University we are hosting a free screening of the 2004 cult film Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語)!
After the film there will be a panel discussion on cosplay/Japanese street fashion fandom in Australia. The audience is encouraged to come dressed in cosplay or street fashion and there will be a space for photos, with a prize for the best costume. Register at Macquarie’s site here.
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August 28: Zoom culture - Kimono beyond the borders of Japan
Kyoko Hodgkinson, a Grand Master in Kimono dressing, will talk about kimono dressing, how kimono style has transformed over the past 50 years to today, and how we can enjoy kimono in our busy modern life, and more. She says, “Kimono is there to be enjoyed by everyone, not only by people with Japanese heritage. You will be amazed by how versatile the kimono is and how divine they can make you feel.” See AJS site to register.
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Event Report: Japanese humour with Roger Pulvers
Acclaimed author, playwright, film director, translator and former academic Roger Pulvers enlightened and entertained over eighty people on July 17th with examples of Japanese humour in literature, advertising, film and television, through the ages to the present day. Just one recent example of such humour is at this link.
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Upcoming community events
ANU Crawford School’s Japan Update, September 7 2022 (Hybrid)
Experts from Australia, Japan and the region provide insights into Japan’s social, political and economic challenges and opportunities beyond COVID-19. Confirmed speakers include Mr Masaaki Shirakawa, 30th Governor of the Bank of Japan. Register here.
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FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022
Japan vs Australia September 27 8:30pm
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 is one of the most prestigious competitions in international basketball. The world's best players from 12 of basketball’s powerhouse nations will descend on Sydney Olympic Park for 38 games to be played across ten days from September 22 - October 1, 2022.
Game schedule and tickets here.
Haiku Down Under 2022, a Zoom conference October 7-9
A new initiative to connect English language haiku writers primarily from Australia and New Zealand, using workshops, prompted writing sessions and presentations to celebrate our seasons, people, land and seascapes, vernacular language, and flora and fauna. Specific workshops will cater for beginners and young poets. For more information, visit the Haiku Down Under website
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Not a member but would like to join? Now is a great time; see the form here.
A reminder for members who haven't renewed yet: renewals are due by end of August.
Got something you would like to share with the AJS-NSW community? Let us know by email.
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August 2022 Newsletter
