F501Z Spring 2024 Japanese Language and Culture

F501Z  Japanese Language and Culture
Tuesdays, 11:50—1:15, Mar 26—May 14
**Note: May 14 will be in-person and on Zoom at 2:15--3:40
Eight sessions
Instructors: Jody Dixon, Phyllis Yoshida, Charles Yoshida, Yoko Thakur, Ajit Thakur, Mutsumi Stone, Shoko Hamano, Saori Kobayashi, Yuriko Gandolfo
Coordinator: Yoko Thakur
Class limit: 50
This course will introduce several aspects of Japanese culture and language. It is intended for students to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture.
Mar. 26: An Exchange Teacher’s Perspective. This session will provide an overview of a foreigner’s experience living and working in Japan, and how this experience was leveraged to begin a career in international education, focusing on programs that encourage consistent engagement with Japan. Jody Dixon is currently the assistant director for international education and global initiatives at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and was also an assistant language teacher on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET). She completed a Master's in International Training and Education at American University after spending five years in Yamanashi prefecture.
Apr. 2: Japanese Folk Arts. Folk crafts from around the world capture our imagination. They uniquely represent a country’s culture and history. Japan’s folk crafts provide special insight into both its pre-industrialization culture and its present day kimochi (feeling or heart). Every prefecture has its own special items that reflect its geography, commerce and/or its spiritual life. While some artists use traditional designs and materials, some artists tweak it but in a way that retains some original characteristics. For example, visitors collected kokeshi dolls on visits to hot springs with each region having its own special designs. While traditional designs predominate, many artists also make imaginative creative kokeshi representing folk tales or current life, e.g., an ice cream soda or an anime character. Phyllis and Charles Yoshida are both retired from the federal government and collect Japanese folk crafts. She has a Ph.D. in International Relations and spent two years studying at the University of Tokyo. He is a computer scientist and a third generation Japanese American.
Apr. 9: Japanese for Travelers and Historical Places to Visit. The instructor will introduce basic Japanese expressions useful for travelers and will talk about historical places in the context of Japanese history. Dr. Yoko Thakur received her Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and Doctoral degree from the University of Maryland. She has taught Japanese language, culture, and history at universities, including GMU and at Fairfax County Public Schools.
Apr. 16: The Diminutive Kurume Hybrid Azaleas. In this PowerPoint presentation, the instructor will share the beauty of the second most popular of the evergreen azaleas, the Kurume hybrids of Japan. He will discuss the origin of these azaleas and their eventual passage to America and Europe and will show the class some examples of these plants; many of which are found in various
collections today. Dr. Ajit Thakur is a retired statistician whose love for azaleas (evergreen species and hybrids such as the Kurume and Satsuki hybrids) spans about 46 years. He has given seminars on azaleas on many occasions and written about them in The Azalean (the quarterly journal of ASA) and is a long-time member of the Azalea Society of America (ASA). He has traveled throughout Japan and has been fortunate enough to have observed many exciting and unusual varieties of both evergreen and deciduous azaleas. Two of his most recent publications are in The Azalean on the Kurume Hybrids.
Apr. 23: Hyakunin Isshu Karuta (One Hundred Poem Cards): The Ultimate Japanese Mind Sport. The instructor will introduce a history of Ogura Hyakunin-isshu, the most famous anthology of Japanese poems consisting of 100 tanka-style poems (31 syllables). Later, those poems were written on cards called karuta as an educational tool. In modern Japan, people are using those karuta cards to play a speedy game called kyogi (competitive) karuta. The instructor will demonstrate how people play the game. Even those without knowledge of the Japanese language can play and enjoy it. Mutsumi Stone is a kyogi (competitive) karuta player with a 6th dan degree. After playing competitive karuta in Japan for nine years, she moved to the U.S. and has lived in England, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and China, enabling her to promote kyogi karuta in those and nearby countries. In the U.S., she holds competitive karuta practice sessions and has introduced the mind-sport in Japanese classes in secondary schools and colleges. As overseas liaison of the Tokyo-based All Japan Karuta Association, she helps karuta players around the world.
Apr. 30: Onomatopoeic Expressions in Japanese. Onomatopoeia is a unique form of language where individual sounds convey meaning. For example, in /pan-pan/, /p/ suggests bursting, and /k/ implies hardness. However, not all cases follow this pattern. For instance, /paku-paku/ doesn't imply hardness despite containing /k/. Similarly, /suku-suku/ and /kusu-kusu/ share the same /s/, /k/, and /u/ sounds but differ in meaning. This lecture aims to explore these complexities and unravel the linguistic structure of Japanese onomatopoeia. Shoko Hamano, professor emeritus of Japanese and International Affairs at George Washington University, holds a Ph.D. in Anthropological Linguistics from the University of Florida. She taught at UC Santa Cruz and Harvard before joining GW, where she chaired the EALL department and authored notable works on Japanese sound symbolism. In 2023, she received a commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting Japanese language education in the U.S.
May 7: The Japan-America Society of Washington DC (JASW). The instructor will delve into the Japan America Society of Washington D.C.'s ongoing programs, such as the Sakura Matsuri—the Japanese Street Festival and the National Japan Bowl. Additionally, she will explore the importance of grassroots activities within the community, underscoring their pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-Japan relations. Saori Kobayashi joined the Japan-America Society of Washington D.C. in May, 2022. In her current position she helps coordinate, manage, and implement society programs including the Japanese Language School and corporate member events. Ms. Kobayashi studied at the University of California, Los Angeles and has an M.A. in Conflict, Security, and Development from the University of Sussex in Brighton, England and a B.A. in Foreign Studies from Sophia University.
May 14: This session only is in-person in TA1 and on Zoom at 2:15-3:40. Koto Performance by the Toho Koto Society. Ms. Yuriko Gandolfo is a member of the Washington Toho Koto Society and a lecturer at the University of Maryland. Sachiko Smith.