WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Chinese-speaking online Spanish tutor.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) announced today an opening for a Chinese-speaking online Spanish tutor (西班牙语辅导老师).

Mazinger Z: Infinity (劇場版 マジンガーZ ／ INFINITY) in Pittsburgh, February 11 and 12.

The 2017 film adaptation of the 1970s manga and TV series Mazinger Z: Infinity (劇場版 マジンガーZ ／ INFINITY) is getting a limited theatrical release in the US next month, and will play at several Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters on February 11 and 12.

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring for three Mandarin-speaking IT positions.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has new openings for three Mandarin-speaking IT positions: 大数据平台高级架构工程师, Hadoop高级工程师, and NLP高级工程师. WholeRen is headquartered at 3434 Forbes Ave. 2nd Floor in Oakland (map).

"State Fictions and the Friction of Frontier Terrain: Songpan and the Huanglong Pilgrimage Since Ming Times," January 19 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Donald Sutton of Carnegie Mellon University and his talk "State Fictions and the Friction of Frontier Terrain: Songpan and the Huanglong Pilgrimage Since Ming Times" on January 19.

Japanese-English Reading Circle in Shadyside, from January 20.

The next series of the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania's Japanese-English Reading Circle will start from January 20 in Shadyside.

2017 Japanese animated film Mary and the Witch's Flower (メアリと魔女の花) at Cinemark theaters January 18, Row House Cinema January 19 through 25.

The 2017 Japanese animated film Mary and the Witch's Flower (メアリと魔女の花) will play at Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters on January 18, 2018 and at the Row House Cinema as part of it's New Animated Films series from January 19 through 25. The distributor provides a summary:

From Academy Award®-nominated Hiromasa Yonebayashi – animator on Studio Ghibli masterpieces Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo, and director of When Marnie Was There and The Secret World of Arrietty – comes a dazzling new adventure about a young girl named Mary, who discovers a flower that grants magical powers, but only for one night.

Mary is an ordinary young girl stuck in the country with her Great-Aunt Charlotte and seemingly no adventures or friends in sight. She follows a mysterious cat into the nearby forest, where she discovers an old broomstick and the strange Fly-by-Night flower, a rare plant that blossoms only once every seven years and only in that forest. Together the flower and the broomstick whisk Mary above the clouds, and far away to Endor College – a school of magic run by headmistress Madam Mumblechook and the brilliant Doctor Dee. But there are terrible things happening at the school, and when Mary tells a lie, she must risk her life to try to set things right.

Based on Mary Stewart’s 1971 classic children’s book The Little Broomstick, Mary and The Witch’s Flower is an action-packed film full of jaw-dropping imaginative worlds, ingenious characters, and the simple, heartfelt story of a young girl trying to find a place in the world.

Tickets for both the dubbed and subtitled versions at Cinemark theaters are currently available online; Pittsburgh-area Cienmark theaters showing the film are Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets for the Row House Cinema's screenings are available online as well.

2017 Japanese movie Gintama (銀魂) in Pittsburgh, January 20.

The 2017 Japanese movie Gintama (銀魂) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on January 20.

Based on the best-selling action comedy manga by Hideaki Sorachi, GINTAMA takes place in an alternate Edo-period Japan, where an Alien race has taken control, forcing Samurai to lay down their swords. Once feared as the “White Demon,” former samurai Gintoki Sakata now works as an everyday handyman – until a master swordsman tasks Gintoki and his friends with finding the cursed sword Benizakura to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Packed with the sword- swinging sci-fi action and offbeat humor that have made the manga a classic, GINTAMA is bound to delight both fans and anyone looking for a journey to a visually-stunning universe where fantastical action lurks just around every corner.

Released in Japan in July, Gintama is the third-highest grossing domestic film in Japan this year. Tickets for the two screenings, 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm, are available online.

The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

MEPPI Japan Lecture Series - Tokyo, One of the Safest Cities in the World, January 18.

"Tokyo" by kalcul (Creative Commons).

The first MEPPI Japan Lecture Series of 2018, "Tokyo, One of the Safest Cities in the World" will be held at Carnegie Mellon University on January 18. The lecture series is presented by the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc.

Why is Tokyo so safe? After devoting 15 years to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Police Inspector Naruomi Ebitani now works at Carnegie Mellon University researching information security. From his experience in both countries and his police officer’s perspective, he will address the differences between policing and crime in Japan and the United States.

The lecture runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in Margaret Morrison Carnegie Hall and is free and open to the public. Registration is required and can be completed online.

Storytelling with Motoko at Alphabet City in April.

via motoko.folktales.net.

The City of Asylum's Alphabet City will host Japanese storyteller Motoko on Saturday, April 7.

Ryoichi Kurokawa and Novi_sad at Wood Street Galleries, from January 26.

from unfold.alt, via ryoichikurokawa.com.

Three installations by Ryoichi Kurokawa—two solo and one collaboration with Novi_sad—will be at Wood Street Galleries downtown from January 26 through April 8. Opening night will be free and open to the public from 5:30 to 10:00 pm as part of January's Gallery Crawl.

Japanese artist, born in 1978, lives and works in Berlin, Germany. Kurokawa’s works take on multiple forms such as installation works, recordings, and concert pieces. He composes the time sculpture with the field recordings and the digital generated structures, and reconstructs architecturally the audiovisual phenomenon. In recent years, his works are shown at international festivals and museums including Tate Modern[UK], Venice Biennale[IT], Palais de Tokyo[FR], Transmediale[DE], EMPAC[US], YCAM[JP] and Sonar[ES]. In 2010, he was awarded the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica in the Digital Musics & Sound Art category.

The Wood Street Galleries website has lengthy introductions to the exhibitions. Wood Street Galleries is located at 601 Wood St. (map).

Mitski at Cattivo, March 16.

NYC-based Japanese-American singer-songwriter Mitski will play at Cattivo in Pittsburgh on March 16. A September 2017 Pitcfork podcast calls her "one of the sharpest young voices in indie rock" and continues:

her raw and evocative lyricism meeting meticulous and sprawling musical ambition.

She studied studio composition at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, where she recorded her first two albums, 2012’s Lush and 2013’s Sad, New Career in Business as student projects. With graduation came a move to Brooklyn, where her 2014 breakthrough, the blistering and relatable Bury Me at Makeout Creek, established her as a favorite of the DIY scene and beyond. With 2016’s Puberty 2, Mitski’s star power came into total focus, through her visuals, her outspokenness, and most of all, her brutally honest songs. She’s been traveling the world on tour ever since.

Tickets for the all-ages show will go on sale at 10:00 am on Wednesday, January 10.
Cattivo is located at 116 44th Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Korea Economic Institute's "The Future of Korea" in Pittsburgh, January 17.

The Korea Economic Institute of America [KEIA] and World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh will present "The Future of Korea" on January 17. A profile of this outreach program, from the KEIA:

KEI's Future of Korea is an outreach program that strengthens interest in U.S.-Korea relations with community members, scholars, and students outside of the DC metropolitan area. KEI hosts a series of six to ten programs annually with leading local World Affairs Councils throughout the United States.

The Future of Korea program features panel presentations by a team of up to three people, usually one member of KEI, a representative from the U.S. State Department Korea Desk, and a diplomat from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. The panel addresses all aspects of U.S.-Korea relations and the situation on the Korean peninsula, including political, economic, and security issues, followed by a question and answer session. In addition to the core event, the program often includes a similar panel discussion at a local university or high school and various media events. Other events are added depending on the wishes of the local host organization. These successful and popular programs have attracted as many as 2,000 participants in some cities.

The panel presentation will run from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the Founders Room of the Duquesne Club downtown (map). Tickets are $30 for World Affairs Council members and $45 for non-members.

Movie & Mumble with 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance (Shall we ダンス?), January 13 in Cranberry.

The 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance (Shall we ダンス?) will play in Cranberry as the year's first installment of the Movie & Mumble series hosted by the Cranberry Area Diversity Network.

He's an overworked accountant. She's an accomplished dancer. Passion is about to find two unlikely partners. The 1996 Japanese romantic comedy “Shall We Dance?” will launch the 2018 Movie & Mumble series. No reservations are necessary. The PG-rated feature, with English subtitles, will be followed by an open discussion led by Elena Geil, a former resident of Japan.

The event runs from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Cranberry Public Library (map), and is free and open to the public.

Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture at Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Thursday evenings.

A Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture group meets at Mt. Lebanon Public Library Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:45 pm.

Join us every Thursday to practice conversational Chinese and explore Chinese culture. All levels welcome.

Participants are asked to donate $30, prorated, to Mt. Lebanon Public Library for each ten-week session. Please check the Event Calendar for potential schedule changes.

Those interested may contact Charlene Zang at czang [at] cmu.edu for more information. The library is located at 16 Castle Shannon Blvd. (map).

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble film, performance by AppalAsia at Mattress Factory, January 23.

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, following the cellist Ma and a collective of musicians from across the world, will play at the Mattress Factory art museum on January 23. It will be followed by a performance by AppalAsia,"a Pittsburgh-based ensemble of dulcimer, erhu, banjo, and vocals that combines the influence of their folk-roots with original composition and inspired improvisation."

Sashiko Embroidery workshop at Carnegie Library - Squirrel Hill, January 31.

by littlelixie (2010, Creative Commons)

There are limited spaces available for a Sashiko Embroidery workshop at the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill on Wednesday, January 31.

Sashiko is an ancient form of Japanese embroidery that utilizes large, simple stitches to create intricate designs. In this class, students will learn how to control their stitches and will practice on two different designs of their choice. Each student will have two small sashiko samplers to finish at home. Beginners welcome!

The class is taught by local artist, designer, and instructor Rebekah Joy.

The event runs from 6:00 to 7:45 pm. The event is free but registration is required and can be completed on the library's website. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map).

"Journey to Japan," February 18 at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Main branch in Oakland will host "Journey to Japan" on Sunday, February 18.

Japanese Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) at Pitt for students turning 20, January 10.

Kasai does 成人の日 in 2010.

A large cohort of students from Yasuda Women's University is studying at Pitt's English Language Institute this fall and will miss the traditional Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) in Hiroshima next month, so the Asian Studies Center will hold its own ceremony on January 10. The Asian Studies Center introduces Pitt's ceremony:

A local government official will preside over the ceremony here in Pittsburgh and a Yasuda University student will give the student address. The ceremony is open not only to the ELI students, but also Pitt students, especially those studying Japanese, who are turning 20 (between April 2, 2017 and April 1, 2018).

And Japan Visitor introduces the day and its traditions:

Seijin Shiki or 成人式 could be translated as 'Coming of Age Day Ceremony' in English. Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day) is a Japanese public holiday that occurs on every second Monday of January.

Coming of Age Day or Adult's Day honors every person that has turned 20 years old over the past year. When young people reach twenty they officially become adults in Japanese society and they now have responsibilities as well as newfound liberties: such as being able to drink, smoke, go to hostess bars, gamble and to drive legally. The voting age was lowered from 20 to 18 in 2015.

The girls always wear gorgeous and very expensive kimono, although most admit to having rentals as the outfit is worth up to 1,000,000 yen. The boys usually wear a regular suit and tie but a few will wear traditional Japanese dress.

It runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in Ballroom B of the University Club (map), and those interested should email asia [at] pitt.edu.

2016 Japanese movie Harmonium (淵に立つ at Carnegie Library in Oakland, January 7.

This month month's International Cinema Sunday will feature the 2016 Japanese movie Harmonium (淵に立つ), which played at 2017's Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival. From a 2016 Variety review:

Even before the arrival of the mysterious Mr. Yasaka (Tadanobu Asano), the marriage of Toshio (Kanji Furutachi), the owner of a small machine shop, and his self-effacing wife, Akie (Mariko Tsutsui), appears passionless. Polite but distant, they share meals and the care of their small daughter, Hotaru, with so little intimacy that when Toshio offers Yasaka a room and a job, he doesn’t even ask his wife’s opinion. All too soon, though, he’ll have cause to regret his impulsiveness.

The movie plays from 2:00 to 4:30 pm at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's main branch in Oakland and is free and open to the public. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (隠し砦の三悪人) at Regent Square Theater, Sundays in January.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers and the Silk Screen Asian Arts & Cultural Organization will show a different classic Asian film each month, with Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (隠し砦の三悪人) featured in January. The Criterion Collection summarizes the film:

A grand-scale adventure as only Akira Kurosawa could make one, The Hidden Fortress stars the inimitable Toshiro Mifune as a general charged with guarding his defeated clan’s princess (a fierce Misa Uehara) as the two smuggle royal treasure across hostile territory. Accompanying them are a pair of bumbling, conniving peasants who may or may not be their friends. This rip-roaring ride is among the director’s most beloved films and was a primary influence on George Lucas’s Star Wars. The Hidden Fortress delivers Kurosawa’s trademark deft blend of wry humor, breathtaking action, and compassionate humanity.

Kurosawa's 1958 film will play each Sunday this month; all shows start at 6:00 pm at the Regent Square Theater (map), and tickets are only available for purchase at the door.

2001's Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) at AMC Loews Waterfront, February 4.

The 2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater on February 4, part of the Classic Movie Nights series. The series organizer writes:

Widely considered to be one of, if not, the best anime ever made, the masterpiece that was the Cowboy Bebop anime series was originally intended to be a single movie but, when they got the go ahead for a series instead, they made it with the idea that each individual episode was it's own mini-movie.

With the success of the show, they finally got the go-ahead to make a full-length feature and the results are magnificent in both presentation, quality, and artistic merit.

I've been trying to start showing anime here for over SIX months and have constantly run in to roadblock after roadblock...so this is an extra-special event and I am incredibly excited to put this show on...

The show starts at 2:30 pm on the 4th, and tickets are available online via Fandango. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes in Pittsburgh.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is an invaluable source of free and enriching programming for people of all ages. Most relevant to this site are the free Chinese, Japanese, and Korean courses at an increasing number of branches. The start of a new year is an excellent time to revisit this list of free courses available for children, complete novices, high-beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced speakers.