torii u.s. army garrison japan weekly newspaper, jan. 27, 2011 edition

8/3/2019 Torii U.S. Army Garrison Japan weekly newspaper, Jan. 27, 2011 edition

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Aug 13, 20 09

www.torii.army.mil

Serving the U.S. Army Japan communityServing the U.S. Army Japan community

www.torii.army.milVOL. 39, NO. 4

January 27, 2 011

2 News 6 Travel 11 Calendar

4 Community 8 Sports 12 Culture

INSIDE the TORII

Photos by Dustin

Sgt. Tatsuhiko Abe, a member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force assigned to the 9th Reconnsance Unit, 9th Division, at Camp Hirosaki, checks his camera after taking a photo of Light MedTactical Vehicles stored at Sagami General Depots Plant 1. Abe, along with 12 other JGSDF membtoured both Depot and Yokohama North Dock on Friday as part of a 90-day co-op program duwhich they get an in-depth, hands-on look at U.S. Army units and facilities throughout Japan.

JGSDF co-op tours Depot, North DockBy Dustin PerryTorii Editor

Chief Warrant Ofcer 3 Jesus Gonzalez-Borjas, a marine engineer,shows co-op members Army vessels at Yokohama North Dock.

CAMP ZAMA Tours of two

U.S. military installations were

given to a group of Japanese ser-

vicemembers Friday as part of a

cooperative program that fosters

further understanding between the

two forces, the groups noncom-

missioned ofcer in charge said.

The 13 Japan Ground Self-

Defense Force members who

comprise the current co-op group

visited nearby Sagami General De-

pot and Yokohama North Dock.

A new cycle of co-op mem-bers comes to Camp Zama ap-

proximately every 90 days, during

which they receive informative

briengs, take part in U.S. Army

training, and go on 15 tours to U.S.

military installations throughout

Japan, said Sgt. 1st Class Lazaro

Hernandezsire.

We bring a group of Japanese

enlisted soldiers and ofcers to

the U.S. side [of the military] and

we integrate them into our units,

said Hernandezsire. I think its a

good way for them to see why we

do the things we do.

At Sagami Depot, the co-op

members were shown several

large facilities where military

vehicles and equipment are stored

and maintained such as Plant

1, which houses rows of Light

Medium Tactical Vehicles. One by

one, they JGSDF members were

allowed to climb into the driver s

seat of a rumbling LMTV while

others took photos and asked

further questions.

Before joining this co-op

program, I was not very familiar

with U.S. Army tasks, but now I

know a lot about the vital training

they conduct and the equipment

they use that is benecial for

both our forces, said 1st Lt. Eiji

Nishiyama, assigned to the 356th

Financial Unit in Yonago, Japan.

Being the NCOIC of the co-

op has allowed Hernandezsire to

show the JGSDF members how the

U.S. military conducts its trainingwhile simultaneously learning

from his Japanese counterparts,

he said.

Were Soldiers just like they

are, said Hernandezsire. We

might do things a little differently

than they do, but the outcome is

the same.

At Yokohama North Dock, the

co-op members arrived in time to

see an Army transportation vessel

being moved and later were able to

board one of the craft. The experi-

ence was an eye-opening one, said

Nishiyama.

I am a nance ofcer so I

didnt know much about what

I was going to see today, but

now I understand there are many

other people Japanese and U.S.

civilian employees who help

accomplish the Armys mission,

said Nishiyama.


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2 January 27, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.m

NEWS

Zama Briefs

You Made the GradeNow in its 10th consecutive year, the

You Made the Grade program recog-nizes Camp Zama students who achieve aB average or better with a benets-lled

booklet. Exclusive offers include a freeBurger King kids meal or a Subway six-

inch combo, video rental and $2 off anynew release DVD at the Power Zone, toname a few.

Students who make the grade also canregister for a drawing to win a savings bondworth up to $5,000 by lling out and mailingan included entry form.

To receive the You Made the Grade booklet, students simply present a validmilitary ID card and proof of an overallB or better average to the Camp ZamaExchange. Students may receive one coupon

package for every qualifying report card,but may enter the savings bond drawingonly once per calendar year.

Camp Zama families can contact theExchange at 263-5585 for more informationabout You Made the Grade.

Sexual Assault Preventionand Response ProgramSexual assault is a criminal offense that has

no place in the Army. Every Soldier who

is aware of a sexual assault should report

it immediately It is punishable under the

Uniform Code of Military Justice and other

federal and local civilian laws. USAG-J

Camp Zama Sexual Assault Hotline:

882# or 090-9395-8909 (24/7 response).

USAG-J Torii Station: 090-6861-8042 (24/7

response). Army Sexual Assault Prevention

and Response Program website: http://www.

sexualassault.army.mil.

Similac recallAbbott is initiating a proactive, voluntary

recall of certain Similac-brand powder in-fant formulas following an internal qualityreview that detected the remote possibilityof the presence of a small common beetlein the product produced in one productionarea in a single manufacturing facility.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administra-tion has determined that while the formulacontaining these beetles poses no immediatehealth risk, there is a possibility that infantswho consume formula containing the beetlesor their larvae could experience symptomsof gastrointestinal discomfort and refusal toeat as a result of small insect parts irritatingthe GI tract.

If these symptoms persist for more thana few days, contact U.S. Army MedicalActivity Japan at 263-4127. For furtherinformation on this recall, visit http://simi-lac.com/recall/Default.aspx.

The recall of these powder infant for-mulas includes:

Certa in Similac powder product linesoffered in plastic containers

Certain Similac powder productlines offered in eight-, 12.4- and 12.9-ounce cans

To immediately nd out if the productin your possession is included in this recall,visit www.similac.com/recall/lookup andtype in the lot number to determine if it isaffected, or call (800) 986-8850. If the itemis affected by the recall, return it to the pointof purchase. For questions or concerns, call263-4127 or 263-5050.

Okinawa Public Works plays it safeBy Lauren Hall

Torii Station Public Affairs

TORII STATION, Okinawa Okinawas

Public Works, Operations and Maintenance

Division reached a signicant milestone

Friday: The organization has maintained

a perfect safety record with no lost timedue to an accident on the job for the past

2 1/2 years.

This is an outstanding achievement

by our 118-strong O&M division, said

Brian Peckins, deputy to the garrison com-

mander. Two and a half years without a

lost-time accident is an incredible feat for

any organization, but even more so for

our maintenance team, which is working

around heavy and dangerous equipment on

a regular basis.

Examples of the work performed by

O&M Division personnel include construc-

tion, alteration, repairs and maintenance

for all Army roads, grounds, structures and

infrastructures located throughout Okinawa

to include Naha Military Port, Fort Buckner,

Tengan Pier, White Beach, the northerntraining area and Torii Station.

Tasks range from xing plumbing

problems to hanging a door to cutting the

grass and repairing a high-voltage electrical

distribution line, said Greg Amlong, chief

of the O&M Division. Basically, whenever

someone calls the work order desk with a

problem, the O&M folks are the ones who

come to the rescue.

The trades worked at the O&M Divi-

sion include electricians, metal workers,

plumbers, pipeline mechanics, generator

mechanics, heating and air-conditioning

mechanics, boiler maintainers, carpenters,

painters, entomologists and sign-makers,

said Amlong.

In addition to training required by instal-

lation Safety Ofce standards and guidance,

safety is emphasized daily at O&M when

shop foremen conduct safety briengs with

their employees to determine potential

risks associated with crane operations, roof

repairs and heavy excavation work, just to

name a few.

Just about everything we do has some

inherent risk, albeit at varying levels, said

Amlong. If I had to name a specic m

hazard it would be complacency. W

someone forgets proper procedures or i

paying close attention, a relatively sim

task could result in an injury.

This accomplishment can be dire

attributed to proper training, use of pers

protective equipment, proper planning

the overall skill and dedication these w

ers display on a daily basis, added Aml

They are a team, and as such, look ou

each other in an effort to ensure safe op

tions to the maximum practical extent

Photo by Cecilia

Members of Torii Stations Public Works, Operations and Maintenance Divisionebrated 919 accident - and injury -free days Friday. The 118-member divisi on incl u

construction workers, electricians, plumbers, mechanics and painters.


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INSIGHTwww.torii.army.mil

This Army-funded newspaper is an authorized publication for the membersof the Army community in Japan in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1.Contents of the TORII are not necessarily the ofcial view of, or endorsement

by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army orthe U.S. Army Garrison Japan command. It is published weekly by the TORIIstaff of the USAG-J HNR/Public Affairs ofce, APO, AP 96343-0054, phone315-263-5978.

This publication, with a weekly circulation of 2,000, is printed by Pacic Starsand Stripes, Tokyo. All photos are U.S. Army photographs unless otherwiseindicated. The newspaper uses military news services includingAmerican ForcesPress Service andArmy News Service.

Story and photo submissions not pertaining to commercial advertising maybe sent to the USAG-J HNR/PAO TORII Ofce at least two weeks prior to thedesired publication date. The TORII is distributed every Thursday. Submissionsmay be e-mailed to the editor at [email protected] . The editor reservesthe right not to publish submissions not in accordance with Army Public Affairsregulations and standard operating procedures. Editorial ofces are located inroom A-208, Bldg. 102, South Camp Zama, Japan.

T RII Newspaper Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison SrGarrison Commander: Col. Perry HeltonGarrison Public Affairs Ofcer: Edward H. RoperEditor: Dustin PerryStaff: Tetsuo Nakahara

Okinawa Bureau Chief: Anastasia Moreno

Okinawa Bureau Staff: Lauren Hall

TORII January 27, 2011

Sound Off!

Do you have a concern or an issue on your mind? Are you seeking a channel for your voice to be heard? Look no further. The Torii welcomes all letters regar

issues or concerns involving the Camp Zama community as a whole. Critical letters should offer suggestions for resolutions as applicable. Letters or e-mails mus

signed, but names will be withheld in publication upon request. The Torii will protect the names of its sources if they so desire.

Letters may be edited for content and length according to the Associated Press Stylebook and the Torii Style Guide.

If you would like to have your voice heard in the Torii, e-mail your letters to the editor at [email protected], or send by regular mail to:

HNR / Public A ffairsU.S. Army Garrison Japan

ATTN: TORII EditorUnit 45005, IMPC-JA-HNR/PA

APO AP 96338

Torii TalkAnd the Oscar goes to ...

The nominees for the 83rd annual Academy Awards were announced Tuesday, and the ceremony will be held Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. There are o

again 10 nominees in the Best Picture category, with early buzz for lms like The Social Network, True Grit, Winters Bone and The Kings Speech. The Torii asked a

members of the Camp Zama community members what their favorite lm of 2010 was, and which they think will take home the Oscar for Best Picture.

By Dustin Perr y

Torii Editor

My pick for the winner would be either

Black Swan orThe Fighter, just from thereviews theyve been getting.Inception I

wasnt too hot on.

- Capt. William Gumabon, USAG-J

I like The Social Networkbecause itinteresting story and a success story a

the American Dream.

- Mitsuo Shirato, Directorate of Logis

Inception because I like the director,

Christopher Nolan. It was kind of a different

movie original.

- Staff Sgt. William Popoff, 78th Signal

127 Hours because its based on a true

story. If Hollywood has its way,Inception

will win. If the people have their way, 127

Hours will win.

- Ray Shawn, Military Personnel Division


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COMMUNITY4 January 27, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.m

SCHOOL NEWSZama Child Development Center: 263-4992 Jan. 28: Bigz and Lilz Activities, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

SHA Child Development Center: 267-6348 Jan. 28: Hot Cocoa and Pajama Day

SAS Open Recreation Pr ogram: Parents: Are you looking for programs that your

school-aged children can participate in? Children: Are you looking for things that will

keep you active and busy outside of the house? If so, then the Open Recreation Program

events are for you. School Age Services is offering open recreation opportunities in the

weekday and Saturday afternoons for youth currently enrolled in grades one to six.

Registration: To register your child or for more information please stop by the CYS

Central Enrollment Registry Ofce in Bldg. 533 on Camp Zama, or call 263-4125 or

SAS at 267-6013.

John O. Arnn Elementary : 267-6602 PSCD Screening: Your child or someone elses may qualify for Preschool Services

for Children with Disabilities. Screenings for children ages 3 to 5 are held twice a month

at AES to locate and identify children who may have developmental delays. Call Arnn

Elementary School at 267-6602 to make an appointment if you suspect your child has

a delay in language, physical, cognitive, social or adaptive behavior development. For

children under 3 years of age, call EDIS at 267-6545 to schedule an appointment.

GradeSpeed: DoDEA has implemented GradeSpeed in all fourth- through 12th-grade

classrooms worldwide. GradeSpeed is a web-based program that enables parents to log

in and view grade and attendance data for their students. GradeSpeed will be the o

authorized and supported grade book used by DoDEA employees in these grades.

All teachers have secure access to GradeSpeed through the use of an Internet web brow

Teachers use the grade book portion of GradeSpeed to enter assignments, grades an

maintain grade calculations. Teachers are also able to e-mail progress reports to par

through GradeSpeed. For more information, go to http://www.dodea.edu/back_to_sch

gradespeed.cfm or contact Brandy Bell, educational technologist, at brandy.bell@

dodea.edu.

Zama American Middle School : 263-4040Visit the Web at www.zama-ms.pac.dodea.edu/for information pertaining to Z

American Middle School.

Zama American High School : 263-3181Visit the Web at www.zama-hs.pac.dodea.edu/for information pertaining to Z

American High School.

Child , Youth and Schoo l Services: 263-4500SAT Test PREP: Every Tuesday in January, 3 p.m. - Close

U-Turn Program

This program is designed for youths to turn themselves around and get the help t

need to graduate from high school and move on to higher education. Its up to U to

yourself around. The teen center staff is here for U! Join us Tuesdays and Thurs

nights form study groups; work together with your classmates; get help from staff

other volunteers; tutor classmates; get S.A.T. tutoring / practice tests; use this tim

work on scholarships and other nancial aid applications. There will be a return bu

SHA for those youth who participate in the U-Turn Program.

Local student experiences jobs in Camp ZamaBy Tetsuo Nakahara

Torii Staff

A local junior high school student was

at Camp Zama Friday to tour the instal-

lation and learn how different employees

here operate in within the U.S. Army

infrastructure.Ayano Takizawa, 14, an eighth-grader at

Shincho Junior High School in Sagamihara

City, requested to visit Camp Zama when

her school announced to its students a

Job Experience Day as a part of a career

education program recommended by the

Japanese government.

While other students in her class chose to

shadow Japanese companies and organiza-

tions in Sagamihara such as McDonalds,

movie theaters, and schools, Ayano said it

was her dream to see a job environment in

which English is the dominant language.

I really love studying English, said

Ayano. When my school offered this job

experience opportunity, I researched on the

internet what kind jobs were out there in

which I could use English.

Ayano found that jobs on U.S. military

installations in Japan are some of the most

popular jobs here that require prociency

in English.

It was so interesting because there were

so many different jobs in Camp Zama, said

Takizawa. Im surprised to see that Japa-

nese workers in Camp Zama can speak very

good English and they get along with each

other very well in a friendly atmosphere. I

think I would love to work in this kind of

environment.

Upon Ayanos arrival to Camp Zama,

Edward Roper, director of the U.S. Army

Garrison Japan Host Nation Relations and

Public Affairs Ofce, welcomed her and

gave a brieng about Camp Zama before

taking her to visit various ofces here.

The job tour included stops at ofces such

as the Japanese Employee Service Ofce,

the Directorate of Human Resources, the

Camp Zama Library, the Post Ofce, and

the Directorate of Public Works.

At DPW, Ayano was actually tasked with

a real job given to her by the staff there,

which was to get a signature on a document

from the supervisor. She politely asked the

supervisor, Could you sign this, please?

and completed her mission successfully.

I think this was a good opportunity to

show the off-base community that U.S.

Army bases are safe, and that there are

many job opportunities for Japanese here,

said Mikako Ono, a community relations

specialist for HNRO. Even though we

live as neighbors, there are some people

who still dont know there are Japanese

workers on the base. I think the event was

benecial both for us and Ayano. Im

she had such a good time.

During the busy tour, Ayano also exp

enced a workout at Yano Fitness Center

had lunch at the dining facility here.

I want to study abroad one day, ma

when I go to college, said Ayano. T

is my rst time visiting Zama, but I

come back with my friends during the

open-post event. This was so much fun

a good learning experience.

Photo by Tetsuo Naka

Tohru Yamaguchi, left, a postal clerk at the U.S. Army Postal Service Center here, explains aspects of working at a post ofto Ayano Takizawa, an eighth-grader at Shincho Junior High School in Sagamihara City, during her visit Friday to Camp ZaTakizawa visited various places of employment on the installation as part of a career education program at her sc hool.


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NEWSTORII January 27, 2011www.torii.army.mil

Zama Police Department shows martial arts spiritBy Tetsuo Nakahara

Torii Staff

A New Years martial arts demonstration

was presented by members of the Zama Po-

lice Department to an audience that included

U.S. Soldiers, Japan Ground Self-Defense

Force members and Zama City ofcials,

Jan. 14 at the ZPD headquarters.

The police department hosts the event

every year to demonstrate to guests from

the community the martial arts techniques

its members learn from their daily training,

and also to boost enthusiasm for the work

done by the police ofcers.

Approximately 25 police ofcers per-

formed a series of Japanese martial arts

routines while surrounded by distinguished

guests that included Maj. Gen. Michael T.

Harrison Sr., commander of U.S. Army

Japan and I Corps (Forward). The demon-

strations were categorized in the disciplines

of judo, a form of self defense that closely

resembles wrestling; and kendo, a form of

Japanese fencing. Each demonstration made

evident the high skill level of the ZPDs lawenforcement members.

Lt. Col. Richard Felices, commander of

the U.S. Army Japan Military Police Bat-

talion, also performed in some of the judo

drills during the demonstration, which he

said showed the guests the bilateral strength

between the two forces organizations.

Ive been practicing judo with the Zama

Police Department for about a month now,

said Felices. The chief of the Zama Police

Department asked me if I was willing to

practice judo and I said, Sure, no problem.

Judo proves that it doesnt matter how ag-

gressive or strong you are. If you know how

to use the technique, you are going to beat

your opponent.

Because the Japanese police are training

all the time, you feel really safe in Zama

City because they work out and train hard,

added Felices. In the future, we are hoping

we can bring more MPs over here.

Practicing judo with members of the

Zama Police Department not only helps

Felices learn about Japanese culture, but

also to build a strong relationship between

them and the U.S. Army, he said.

We [Japanese and U.S. Army polic

cers] always share information with e

other; we share assets by having a systerelationship we training every day

we sweat every day, said Felices.

keep improving the strength of the bilat

relationship between the military po

department and the Japanese nationals

It is mandatory to train either jud

kendo in order to be a police ofcer in Ja

There is a dojo (a gym where martial

training is held) at the Zama Police Dep

ment, and the ofcers there practice t

days a week. They also offer judo classe

children in the Zama City community

Judo is a beautiful and traditional m

tial art of Japan, and I am glad that Lieute

Colonel Felices gets the opportunity to l

here, said Ryugo Amano, coach of Z

Police Department Judo Team. He co

once a week to practice. He is practichard, from technique to saluting, and I h

he continues until he gets a black belt. A

one from Camp Zama who wants to l

judo, we are willing to teach them.

The ceremony included contribut

from other members of the Zama City c

munity, such as a Shishimai perform

a form of the traditional Japanese L

Dance by the Suzuka Nagajyuku Hay

Reserve Group.

At the conclusion a reception was h

during which the USARJ Soldiers w

able to meet members of the Zama

senior leadership.

Photos by Tetsuo Nak

Members of the Zama Police Department demonstrate their skills i n the martial art of kendo during a New Year presentaheld Jan. 14 at the departments headquarters. The audience of more than 100 distinguished guests included U.S. Soldi

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members and Zama City ofcials. The ZPD hosts the demonstration annually.

Lt. Col. Richard Felices, left, commander of the U.S. Army Japan Military Police Battalion, performs judo drills during a J an. 14martial arts demonstration at the Zama Police Department. Felices has been practicing judo with the ZPD since last month.


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6 January 27, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.mil TORII J

TRAVEL & CULTURE

7 Essential Akira KurosawaThat Arent Seven Samu

Anyone can drop Kurosawas masterpieceSeven Samurai in a conversation to appear in-nese cinema, even if they havent seen it Its about these samurai, see? And there are sevprolic director helmed a number of bona de classics both b efore and after his dening 1all 30 of his lms are required viewing, here are few that stand as ideal introductions

1. Stray Dog (1949) Toshiro Mifuneplays a rookie homicide detective trackingdown his service pistol after it is stolen andused to commit a murder. This feverishthriller aptly takes place during a Tokyoheat wave.

2. Rashomon (1950) The rape of awoman and murder of her samurai hus-band is recounted through the drasticallydifferent perspectives of four witnesses.This classic lm was Kurosawas rst ma-

jor introduction to western audiences.

3. Ikiru(1952)A bureaucrat (TakashiShimura) gets a renewed sense of pur-pose after being diagnosed with terminalcancer. Brilliant performances temper thispoignant lm that afrms the notion that

a good deed is its own reward.

7.High and Low(magnate (Mifunein a kidnapping wrong in this mnoir classic. Highof Kurosawas be

4. Throne of BspearesMacbethJapan in this haMifune as a ruthleand Isuzu Yamawife. Best. Death

5 / 6. Yojimbo(1 In Yojimbo, Msamurai bodyguaof a war betweeThe lighter SanjuMifune reprises h

toFrom :A (Partial) Gto Japans MEnduring Fi

Courtesy images

(Above): A screen shot from HayaoMiyazakis 1988 animated classic MyNeighbor Totoro. (Right): Toshiro Mifuneas Kikuchiyo, one of the eponymouscharacters from Akira Kurosawas re-vered 1954 epic Seven Samurai.

Story and Photo Illustration byDustin Perry, Torii Editor

(Top): Eihi Shiina as Asami Yamazaki in th e 1999 cult

horror lm Audition, directed by Takashi Miike. Alm producer who loses his wife holds a fake movie

audition to search for a new mate. He quickly falls forAsami, but later discovers she has a dark past.

(Middle): Tsutomu Yamazaki and Masahiro Motokiin a scene from the 2008 lm Departures, directedby Yjir Takita. Masahiro plays a former cellist who

takes a job preparing dead bodies. Departureswonthe Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.

(Left): Miyazakis Ponyo, released in Japan in 2008and the following year in the U.S., was inspired byHans Christian Andersens The Little Mermaid. In thelm, a goldsh (Ponyo) that yearns to be a human

girl befriends a 5-year-old boy named Ssuke.

There is no de-finitive entrypoint into Japanese cin-

ema, considering its vast

history that spans more

than 110 years. But any self-

respecting lm fanatic looking

to expand his or her horizons would

do well to seek out any number of the

big-screen classics and under-the-radar

favorites that have been produced by the

countrys best auteurs.

The most enduring works of live-actionJapanese lms and especially the con-

tinually growing inuence of the countrys

animation, oranime, throughout the world

have made an impact on audiences for manyof the same reasons that any acclaimed work

of art does: passion, originality, technical

skill, great storytelling.

Ahandful of movies from Japan regularly

crop up on the Best Of lists of respected

critics, passionate bloggers, and even di -

rectors and actors from other countries. Afew western lms wouldnt exist had their

directors not been inuenced by the likes

of Akira Kurosawa, Yasujir Ozu and Kenji

Mizoguchi.

Since as far back as the 1970s and 80s,

anime has also dug its way into the cultural

consciousness of audiences across the globe

particularly the U.S., where properties

likeAstro Boy, Pokmon andDragonball Z

maintain widespread popularity, and book

stores now devote entire sections to English-

translatedmanga comic books.

Watching a Japanese lm gives you an

insight very different than what youll get

from going on a tour somewhere in Japan,

says Jim Lacombe, the supervisory librarian

at the Camp Zama Library, which stocks a

comparably extensive collection of Japa-

nese lms on DVD and Blu-ray.

The lms are just a reection of

the society and how things are

different, says Lacombe. I

look at reviews of Japanese

movies on Amazon.com,

and its obvious that

they never pause

a n d stop to think thatthe movie was not made

for the m and that a

Japanese audience

is going to see it very

differently.

It would be impossible

to summarize the entirety of

Japanese lm history in a single

article, much like it would be im -

possible to cover every movie or genre

that is considered to be a must-see.

What follows is simply an introduction

to some of the countrys more enduring

cinematic works that may help direct any

apprehensive enthusiasts to that ever-elusive

entry point.

The Early Years

With the arrival of the rst foreign

cameraman in Japan in 1897, the

countrys silent lm era took off

with a number of both short and

full-length works. Most of the ear-

liest examples of lms in Japan

were inuenced by the countrys

rich theatrical history. Showingswere often accompanied by

benshi, dramatic narrators who

vocalized the action while a live

musical score played.

It was during the 1930s when

revered directors like Mizogu-

chi and Ozu rst began to make

their mark on the scene. Early

classics likeAn Inn in Tokyo and

Osaka Elegywere instrumentalin establishing a reputation in

Japan as claiming home to

some of the rst forefathers

of the medium.

The 1940s saw a boon in

patriotic propaganda lms

that were meant to boost the

image of Japans military in

the wake of World War II.

This gave way to the next

decade, which is widely

known as the Golden

Age of Japanese cin-

ema.

The Golden Age

It is during this two-decade period that

the lms and directors of Japan rst began

to gain worldwide notoriety. Several of the

post-war works that were being produced

in the country were then quickly being

heralded as instant classics.

Conversations about Japan s Golden Age

inevitably begin with Akira Kurosawa

and with good reason. The prolic director

helmed 30 lms during his career, several of

which are credited with directly changing

the face of cinema.Kurosawas masterfulRashomon (1950)

made famous use of the fractured narra-

tive, during which the story of the rape of

a woman and the murder of her husband is

retold through the differing perspectives of

four unreliable witnesses.

Kurosawas most recognizable work

remains Seven Samurai,a three-hour epicmade in 1954 about a group of samurai

who are recruited to protect a small village

of farmers from ruthless bandits. It was

famously remade six years later as direc-

tor John Sturges The Magnifcent Seven,

its plot and characters transplanted to the

Old West.The curious thing is, one of Kurosawas

inuences was [famous western director]

John Ford, says Lacombe. Its interest-

ing that Kurosawas lms later came out[remade] as westerns, which is sort of a

full circle.

Period pieces, or jidaigeki, set during

the 200-year span of the Edo Era (1603 to

1868) became increasingly popular as the

world of Japanese cinema began to expand.

Among the best known is Hiroshi InagakisSamurai trilogy, the rst part of which won

the 1955 Academy Award for Best Foreign

Language Film.

The Modern AgeFrom the 1970s to today, the scope of

Japanese cinema has expanded to include

grittyyakuza tales (Seijun SuzukisBranded

to Kill), J-Horror stories like the infamousRingu andJu-on series, cult-horror classics

like Battle Royale and Audition, wacky

comedies, sci- epics, and of course amaz-ing animated works.

As Kurosawa is the go-to name for

inuential live-action Japanese lms, so

too is Hayao Miyazaki for the countrys

animated features. The market for episodic

animation in Japan is a crowded one, with

too many memorable 30-minutes series

to summarize here. For a master class

in the full-length medium, however,

there is no better place to start that

Miyazakis filmography:Castle in the Sky, My

Neighbor Totoro, Prin-

cess Mononoke,Spirited

Away and Ponyo are just

a few of the whimsical

directors classic creations.There are hundreds more lms than

those touched on here, the point being that

seeking them out and possibly discovering a

new favorite is among the most pleasurable

aspects of delving into the broad, prolic

and masterful world of Japanese lms.

Ill oftentimes see people who are very

critical of Japanese lms, saying, The

plot doesnt make sense, says Lacombe.

There is so much in Japanese communi-

cation that they understand that were not

going to pick up on. A lot of it is more

about the feeling that it evokes. There is

much more emphasis on the mood.


7/11

SPORTS & FITNESS8 January 27, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.m

New weight room gives boost to Trojans training regime

OFF-SEASON ADVANTAGE

By Dustin Perr y

Torii Editor

Photos by Dustin

Gabriel Malate, a football player at Zama American High School, does reps obench press while being s potted by teammate Roland Cote during off-season tring Monday at ZAHS new free-weight room. The new program is held three timper week and focuses o n strength training, says coach Steven Merrell, far left

CHPC offers health tips[Editors Note: This column is the

third in a series of health tips offered

by the Community Health Promotion

Council here.]

Wheres the energy?

Picking up where we left off last week,

the third reason that contributes to a lack

of energy is caffeine.

Now, before you write this off as

crazy and take another sip of your coffee,

caffeine (in moderation 200 to 300 mil-

ligrams, or two to three cups of regular

brewed coffee, per day) is a safe drug.

It is classied as a drug because when

used excessively (500 to 600 milligrams

per day), people can develop a tolerance

and dependency for it.

Consuming excessive amounts of

caffeine can have adverse side effects

such as insomnia, headaches, restless-

ness and anxiety, just to name a few. So

how does caffeine contribute to drain

ing your energy? It disrupts your slee

pattern as well as interrupts your dee

sleep, making you wake up feeling lik

you need something caffeine to g

you going. Some things to remembe

about caffeine:

- It can take anywhere between eigh

and 14 hours for the effects to completel

wear off.

- It can increase the side effects o

medications such as albuterol, ephedrine

diazepam and others.

- It is not just in coffee or tea but foo

(especially chocolate) as well.

Proudly sponsored by: the Commu

nity Health Promotion Council, Medica

Department Activity Japan. For furthe

information, call 263-5050.

Cody Hateld performs leg presses in the new free-weight room at ZAHS.

After winning their rst championship in

the schools history two years ago, the Tro-jan football team at Zama American High

School realized they liked the feeling.

It was understandably tough, then, when

they lost the Far East title to Daegu Ameri-

can School last November on their home

eld, no less by a disheartening score of

28-2. But head coach Steven Merrell says

his team has a new asset he thinks will be

instrumental in improving their chances for

success next season.

Almost immediately after their defeat

at the hands of Daegu, several existing

and hopeful Trojan team members began

an off-season training program that was a

rst at ZAHS one that was aided by the

addition of a new free-weight room in the

schools gymnasium annex.Off-season training is a normal routine

for most stateside high school football

teams, says Merrell, but until now, the

Trojans program had only consisted of

conditioning exercises and agility drills.

Both are needed to become a better player,

Merrell claries, but one of the major com-

ponents is strength training.

Strength is critical to being successful

on the football eld, so that is kind of the

core of what [the program] is all about, says

Merrell. We really need to make a lot of

strength gains to be competitive because our

opponents are doing the same thing.

Workouts are held three days per week,

during which the athletes complete several

reps of high-intensity weightlifting exer-

cises such as the squat, the bench pressand the lateral pull-down. As the training

continues, Merrell will begin to incorporate

the aforementioned conditioning and agility

exercises. The off-season training is just one

tool of many the Trojans have that will help

push us over the top and help us be a

better football team, says Merrell.

[Winning] takes Xs and Os and the

players executing those Xs and Os on the

eld, but the off-season training is really

critical to being successful, says Merrell.

It plays such a key role in how well you

do the following year.

Participation in the program has grown

exponentially in the last three months, withseveral players admitting that they have

seen tangible improvements in both their

strength and endurance.

I used to work out by myself, but the

team motivation makes a big difference,

says junior Gabriel Malate. Ive seen

jumps in my lifts by, like, 50 pounds just

by having my team there to back me up.

This [training] is denitely going to have a

good effect; were denitely going to have

an edge on the other teams.

Teammate Roland Cote, also a junior,

adds that having access to a weight room on

campus has been a big advantage.

Not only are we getting stronger and

bigger, but it feels like were getting a

closer bond with our teammates, saysCote. Thats a really big part of having a

successful team is to have everyone be a

part of something. I think its going to help

us out in the long run.

In 2009, following the Trojans 46-38

championship win over Daegu, it was

awesome to be on top, says Merrell. The

teams loss in the same matchup the follow-

ing year, however, cemented the need for a

weight room the players could use in order

to prepare for the upcoming season.

Losing our championship was a big

deal, says Malate. It denitely was heart-

breaking to see that taken away from us.

It felt like we were at a disadvantage not

having a free-weight room and a workout

program, but now I think well be even

better than before and be able to competeat a higher level, adds Cote.

High school football, in many ways, has

become a year-round sport, says Merrell.

His players are continuing to work, and have

been making great progress, he adds.

Weve had success in developing

on the eld, and now adding this training

to that is just another piece of the puzzle to

help us maintain success as a championship-

level program.


8/11

SPORTS & FITNESSTORII January 27, 2011www.torii.army.mil

Your Weekly Dose

Sports Briefs

Free seasonal u vaccine available

ages 6 months and up : DoD ID card requ

Vaccines are limited until all shipment

received. For more information, contac

Immunization staff at 263-4838.

Hours: Monday through Wednesday and Fr

8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday: 1

p.m. Patients must be signed in 15 minutes

to closing time to receive their vaccinatio

Access to care at BG Sams U.S. A

Health Clinic is available 24/7. The clinic

open 24/7 but our triage line is available

When calling the clinic at 263-4127, our

will notify a provider who will call you b

The provider will advise you if you can wait

the clinic opens, or if you need to seek me

care elsewhere.

Recently we have noticed an increa

calls to the 911 number. This is the e

gency number which activates the MPs

ambulance, EMTs and translators. If you

a life-threatening medical emergency, call

on post or 119 off post. If you are feeling

or have an injury that does not meet the cr

for life, limb or eyesight, call the clinic at

4127 and push option 1 for triage nurse or

medical advice. Our provider on call will ayou on what options are available.

Singles racquetball tournA singles racquetball tournament is sculed to be held beginning at 9 a.m. on 26 at Yano Fitness Center. The event is to all military personnel in Camp ZaSagami Depot and Sagamihara HouArea, retirees, DoD civilians, AAFESployees, family members (18 years ofor older and not in high school), JGmembers, and MLC employees. Theno fee for this event. There will be mens and womens sivision. Awards

be presented to the rst- and second-plRegister at the Yano issue counter by FebCommanders Cup points will be awafor this event. For more information,263-4664 or 263-7980.

Dodgeball tournamentA dodgeball tournament is scheduled t

held 9 a.m. Feb. 12 at Yano Fitness Ce

This will be a unit-level competition.

tournament is open to all military per

nel in Camp Zama, Sagami Depot

Sagamihara Housing Area, retirees, D

DA civilians, AAFES employees, fa

members (18 years of age or older and

in high school), JGSDF members and M

employees. Register at the Yano Fit

Center issue counter by 9 p.m. Feb

Awards will be presented to the rst-second-place teams. Commanders

points will be awarded for this event.

more information, call 263-4664 or

7980.

Tony Horton Fitness TouMeet the man behind the No. 1 tn

program in America. Tony Horton, trai

guru to the stars, will be at Yano Fit

Center to meet, greet, share training

and personally conduct workouts. He

be at Yano at 6 p.m. Tuesday and 6

Wednesday for PT. A book- and autogr

signing will be held from noon to 1

Tuesday at the Exchange.

Photo by Dustin Perry

Michael Bending of the Directorate of Emergency Services Enforcers leaps ov er

Nickolas Jones of the 78th Signal Battalion for a layup durin g the intramural basketballseason opener Monday at Yano Fitness Center here. The Enforcers won 45-33.

Basketball season opens with DES winBy Dustin Perr y

Torii Editor

Some days Im hot, some days Im

not, said Michael Bending, who was most

denitely the former Monday night on the

basketball court at Yano Fitness Center.

Bending, of the Directorate of Emergen-cy Services Enforcers, scored a staggering

33 of his teams 45 points his individual

total matching that of the 78th Signal Bat-

talions entire bench during the teams win

in the intramural season opener.

Today was unusually good game for

me, said Bending. It always feels good to

come out winning. It feels great to have a

strong showing and let everybody know that

the MPs are going to be here this year.

The opening minutes of the rst half

were dominated by 78th Signal, who took

an early 7-0 lead before Bending nally

put his team on the board with a pair of

free throws. Rashean Oliver of 78th Signal

led his team in rst-half scoring with ve

points, but this was nothing compared to

Bendings 16-point showing which hemore than doubled in the second half.

I think we passed the ball pretty well,

and there was a lot of hustling, said

Bending.

We got off to a fast start, but then I

guess the tempo of the game was too much

for us, said Vincent Williams, head coach

for 78th Signal.

Williams said he considers his team to

be one of the most elite on Camp Zama.

With a full squad and some tweaks in their

transition defense, Williams said his team

can compete with anybody.

Coming out of the pre-season we went

2-0, and we won by an average margin of 14

points, said Williams. When we improve

on [defense] the scoring will come, becausedefense leads to fast-break points.


9/11

Classifieds & Movies10 January 27, 2011 TORII www.torii.army.mi

Movie sCHedUle

aTsUGi Cnm 77

https://www.atsugi.navy.mil/ATSUGI/Mwr/index.html264-3789

saGaMiHaRa

fr yur Tv chu, t www.myafn.net

Classied ads not pertaining to commercial prot

are free to military personnel, DA Civilians,

Family members and MLC/IHA employees.Ads should be 20 words or less with non-

workplace E-mail or phone numbers listed.

To submit a classied ad, E-mail tetsuo.

[email protected]. However, the Torii

Newspaperreserves the right not to publish

inappropriate advertisements. Deadline

is no later than noon Mondays. Militarycommunity classied ads can also be placed

for free on a commercial Web site at www.mymilitaryclassieds.com/xzclf/162_Camp_

Zama_ARMY_/.

Appropriated Fund (APF) and NonappropriatedFund (NAF) job announcements and applicationinstructions are available athttp://cpol.army.mil.For questions regarding APF vacancies, pleasecall 263-3608. NAF MWR job announcementsand required forms are also available at http://www.usarj.army.mil/information/zama/employ.htm. For questions regarding NAF vacancies,please call 263-5800.

Non-appropriated fundPacic Stars & Stripes job announcements are available online athttp://cpol.army.mil. For more information, call

the Job Information Center at 229-3163.

Japanese national position vacancies are postedon the Internet at http://www.usagj.jp.pac.army.mil/ima/sites/jeso/rp_jjobs_list_j.asp.Application forms are available on the samesite. Selection status can also be checked. Formore information, call 263-3325.

Jobs

OthersWanted

Other local positions

Pets

For sale

http://www.aafes.com/ems/pac/zama.htm267-6111

fry6:30 p.m.....................Unstoppable (PG-13) 98 minutes

9 p.m...............The Green Hornet (PG-13) 108 minutes

stury

6:30 p.m.....................Unstoppable (PG-13) 98 minutes

9 p.m...............The Green Hornet (PG-13) 108 minutes

suny

3:30 p.m...........................Megamind (PG) 121 minutes

6:30 p.m..........The Green Hornet (PG-13) 108 minutes

fry7 p.m...Chronicles of Narnia: Dawn Treader (PG) 112minutes

9:30 p.m......................Burlesque (PG-13) 119 minutes

stury

4:30 p.m..............................Tangled (PG) 100 minutes

7 p.m...........................Burlesque (PG-13) 119 minutes

9:30 p.m..........The Green Hornet (PG-13) 108 minutes

suny

3 p.m...Chronicles of Narnia: Dawn Treader (PG) 112minutes

5:30 p.m....................Unstoppable (PG-13) 98 minutes

8 p.m...............Love and Other Drugs (R) 113 minutes

ATTENTION

anm ptn: Dogs and cats are avaifor adoption at the Camp Zama Veterinary CFor more information, call 263-3875.

ZCsa et Mt Wt shp: located behindthe dry cleaners on Camp Zama, carries vintageJapanese items and collectibles. Store hours areevery Tuesday and the 2nd and 4th Saturdaysof the month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Protsfrom the shop go back to the community in

scholarships and welfare grants. For additionalinformation please call 263-5533. Stop on byand check it out.

JaPaNese sPoUse ClUB: Would you liketo socialize with other Japanese spouses, learnmore about being a military spouse, share yourexperiences and support with others? If so, pleasecall Meg at 263-8327 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Rising Sun Lodge 151, F&AM. Stated Meeting

Bby ttr: Seeking a babysitter who is willingto watch my 1-year-old overnight at our house.Our house is It is about a minute out gate 4.If you are interested, please call Scott at 090-8513-6274.

vuntr t U.s. army Gr rn Jp n Ptsrc Cntr : Volunteer opportunities areavailable in the USAGJ Postal Service Center,we will provide you with valuable training in PostOfce and Unit Mailroom operations. Pleasecontact Army Community Services at 263-8087for details and assistance on volunteering yourservices.

engh tchr: A small off-post homeschool(about 200 students) near Sagami Depot.

Ch n Yuth Prgrm atnt (l

2-4), (CYS, Zama & SHA), CY-1/2, RFT/RPT,$9.58 - $17.09, Open Continuous

CYs sPeCiali sT (School Liaison Services),NF-1701-04, $34,500 - $45,000 Annual, ToriiStation. Preferred Experience: Demonstratedstrong communication/liaison skills. Interactionwith other government and civilian agencies, i.e.Public Schools, DoD Schools, etc. Closing Date:18 Feb 2011, First Cut Off date: 4 Feb 2011

amntrt Crk: The U.S. ConsulateGeneral Sapporo is seeking candidates forAdministrative Clerk (Part-Time). For positiondetails and application procedures, please s eeU.S. Embassy website: http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-jobs.html

a T Cutmr src Rprntt

@ Cmp Zm: Requirements are: Must be 20years old. Must have a High School Diploma.Must be a US Citizen or Resident Alien w/ GreenCard for US. Must have knowledge of BasicComputer Systems and know how to use the MSOfce Suite (Word, Excel & Access). ForwardResumes to shaun_bullman@alliedtelesis.

com. Position to begin rst week of August fortraining with the store Grand Opening on 16August 2010.

ant-Trrrm/frc Prtctnntructrwnt. Positions are available with FirearmsAcademy of Hawaii, Inc. Duties includeinstruction of marksmanship, watch standingand tactical team movements. Position locationis Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. Marksmanshipinstructor experience is a must. Tactical teammovement experience is desired. Qualiedcandidates may call Christopher at 243-6171 orsend resume [email protected].

subt tut tchr: Zama AmericanHigh/Middle School are currently accepting

applications for substitute teachers. U.S.citizenship and a high school diploma or GEDare required. For more information or anyquestions, please call 263-4005.

Phyc Thrp t, intrmttnt (240 hur):

Provides physical therapy service in the areasof physical disabilities, neuromuscular andpsychosocial dysfunctions in patients rangingfrom adolescence to the very elderly. Must havelicense to practice physical therapy in the U.S.This is a contract positions open to SOFA statusapplicants. Resumes may be sent to [email protected]. ALL applicants shallregister in the Central Contractor Registration(CCR) at www.ccr.gov.

Phyc Thrp t, intrmttnt (240 hur):

Provides physical therapy service in the areasof physical disabilities, neuromuscular andpsychosocial dysfunctions in patients rangingfrom adolescence to the very elderly. Must havelicense to practice physical therapy in the U.S.This is a contract positions open to SOFA statusapplicants. Resumes may be sent to [email protected]. ALL applicants shallregister in the Central Contractor Registration(CCR) at www.ccr.gov.

First time teachers welcome! Classes availableMon. Thu. 1pm to 9pm ( No weekends orFridays!) Call for details. Derek PartingtonEnglish School, home 042-756-4483; cell090-3082-4439 or E-mail: [email protected]

Prt-tm engh tchr: Pay is16,000 towork four times per month. Two Mondays from4 6:10 p.m., one Tuesday from 9 10 p.m. andone Friday from 7 8 p.m. Located 15 minutesdriving distance from SHA in Minami-Rinkan

area. For more information, E-mail Kaz [email protected] .

esl tchr: Seeking ESL teachers for two

conversational group classes. One requires travel

to Tama and is very accessible by car. Meeting

times are the 1st and 3rd Sat. from 10:30 a.m.

noon for one class and Sat. from 3 to 4 p.m.

for the second. Pay is 7,500 and 3,000 per

hour respectively. Call 090-549-6725 or [email protected].

intructr: Arts and Crafts Center seeks

instructors to teach sewing, water color painting,washi paper craft and/or acrylic paint arts. Alsolooking for contracted framer who has at least

three years experience in framing production.

For more information, call Nodera-san at 263-

4412.

intructr: If you interested to teach Hula, Jazz,Piano, Drum classes please contact CommunityActivity Center at 263-8892 or 3939

JaPaNese visa assisTaNCe: I am in theprocess of preparing the paperwork to sponsormy new Filipino wife for a Japanese TouristVisa. If you have been thru this process, pleasecall Jeff at 090-9102-2117

Due to the recent contract with Allied Telresidential phone numbers with 263- and prexes have changed. If you are currrunning a classied ad in the Torii that lisout-of-date residential number as a poincontact and would like to change it to yourextension, send an e-mail to tetsuo.nakaharus.army.milwith the updated phone numberTorii staff will work to ensure these changereected in future issues of the publication

1st Thursday of every month at the Masonic BSagami Depot. For more information [email protected]; website: risingsunlodgecom; or call Dave 080-3467-7881.

fUReai, Jpn Prnn Nw

is issued and distributed electronically. newsletter is for MLC/MC/IHA personnelUS personnel who have Japanese subordemployees. It is available at https://intrzama.army.mil/?linkid=fureai.

Tb Tp Mntur: Do you play Warham40K or Fantasy? Other miniature games? contact me and lets roll some dice! Please eJames @ [email protected]

sh rpr: A cobbler is available on Zambuilding 378. They are open from 11 a.mp.m. Wednesdays and Sundays.

sprt Pht Wnt: The Torii Newspwants to publish your action sports photosports of all ages, all seasons. To showcase team or your childs team, e-mail your diaction sports photos less than two weeks(with captions) in .jpg format of 3mb or mto [email protected].

Ctrng src: The Catering Ofcopen Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:30 - 5:30 p.m., plus it is open on Wednesday

appointment only. For additional informaand assistance, please call at 263-4204.

98 Hn accr: Red 4-door. 59821kilometers. New JCI, until Feb 2013. Tax thruMar 2011. Navi. Good car. $2295. t_s_murphy@hotmail. 090 9804 7079. (3)

94 Hn act: silver, 4-door, sun-roof,automatic. JCI 23 Apr 11; $600. 080-5883-2205/425-999-8905, [email protected].(2)


10/11

CoMMUNiTY CaleNdaRwww.torii.army.mil TORII January 27, 2011 1

Hn [email protected]

Whats HappeningOutside the Gate?

Eagle 810, AFN Tokyo

UpcomingOngoing Events

Post-Combat Stress SupportA special support group to assist those experiencingsymptoms of post-combat stress is offered from 11:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the community room at ArmyCommunity Services. For more information, call GaryWoods at 263-8091.

CLEP and DANTES Testing

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DefenseActivity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES)

testing sessions are held at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays.

To schedule an appointment, call 263-5379 / 4691 or e-mail

[email protected] study for the CLEP tests, visit

www. petersons.com. To study for the DANTES exams,

visit www.getcollegecredit.com.

Foreign Born Spouse Support GroupWhether your question concerns immigration and natural-

ization, learning the English language, or how to take local

transportation, the Army Community Service Relocation

Program provides assistance, weekly classes and referrals.

The support group is held on the third Wednesday of every

month from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the ACS Outreach Room.

Call 263-HELP (4357) for pre-registration.

Free Bowling ThursdaysZama Bowling Center is open for free bowling from 3 to7 p.m. Thursdays to promote family time. Free bowling

is also offered from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through

Friday with a lunch purchase of $4.50 or more. Pre-paid

bowling cards are also available. For more information,

call 263-4780.

Army Volunteer CorpsWould you like to learn new skills, meet new people

and explore new career elds? Would you like to make

a difference? Then you may want to enter the exciting

world of volunteerism. You can register as a volunteer in

the Volunteer Management Information System. Its easy

to get started. This can be completed at your home, the

Education Center, the library or by utilizing the volunteer

computer at ACS. If you do not have an account at www.

myarmylifetoo.com, register for an account by going to

the site and clicking on Register for an Account. Once

registered, withwww.myarmylifetoo.com, click on Become

a Volunteer and select Volunteer Registration. To

become a Camp Zama volunteer, contact the communitylife ofcer at 263-8087.

CIF relocationEffective Monday, the Central Issue Facility will be

located in Bldg. 686, Room D-101 (across the street

from MEDDAC). For any questions, call 263-7454 or

263-5880.

Red Cross Babysitter s CourseDate: Friday

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please see Command Policy 15 for babysitting guidelines.

Pre-registration is required. Call at 263-3166 for more

details.

Tamagawa University performanceTitle:Hairspray

Date: Feb. 26 and 27

Place: Community Activity Center

Free tickets available at the Community Activity Center.

For more information, call 263-3939.

SetsubunBean-Throwing Ceremony, FebSetsubun is a Japanese festival the day before the

of each season according to a Japanese lunar calenusually the term refers to the start of spring. Setsubu

traditionally celebrated with the bean-throwing cerem

ormamemaki. Usually, men and women who were b

on the zodiac sign of a given year are supposed to th

beans. Some ceremonies invite Japanese celebrities or su

wrestlers to throw beans. They scatter parched soybe

with a shout of Fuku wa uchi, which means, In with

fortune. Other people try to catch as many beans as

can to bring good luck and happiness. The bean-throw

ceremony takes places at shrines and temples in your a

while many families also celebrate it at home.

Ceremonies will be held at the Mount Takao Yaku

Temple in Tokyo, the Samukawa Jinja Shrine in Samuka

the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura,

Kawasaki Daishi Temple in Kawasaki, the Hasedera Tem

in Kamakura, and Tokyo Tower. At Tokyo Tower, you

also try the special setsubun sushi roll, called eho-m

after the bean-throwing ceremony, to wish for good luckhealth this year. You bite the roll facing toward the lu

direction of the year, which for 2011 is south-southe

and you nish the sushi roll without stopping. Do not

while eating; otherwise, your wish will not come true. A

Hakone Jinja Shrine in Hakone, after a parade with pe

dressed in traditional Japanese costumes, a bean-throw

ceremony starts at the shrine, and another ceremony t

place on the water at Lake Ashinoko. Goblins, represen

misfortune, water-ski on the lake, and people throw b

at the goblins from the boat.


11/11

12 January 27, 2011 TORII

Travel & CulTurewww.torii.army.m

By Ttso Nkh

Torii Staff

Oniwa-Soto! Fukuwa-Uchi!:

For those of you venturing out in town onFeb. 3, be sure to watch out for ying beans

and eeing ogres.

The Japanese celebrate Setsubunat the beginning

of February to mark to the preparation for the upcom-

ing planting season. The Feb. 3 ceremonies across the

nation celebrate the risshun, or birth of spring. The

important transition of the seasons offers Japanese

people the chance

to come together

as a community

to manage their

anxieties about

the upcoming year

and cleanse them-

selves of demons

and evil spirits.

Shinto priests

can be seen per-

forming a variety

of exorcisms and

purication ritu-

als at this time of

year, most notably

the mame-maki

or bean-throw-

ing ceremony, at

homes and shrines.

The goal is to drive out sinister demons and ogres, or

oni, that pollute the local environment. Participants

ll wooden masu, or cups, with roasted soybeans

and throw them in and around their homes while

shouting Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! or Out

with demons! In with happiness! This incantation

is performed to bring in good fortune and drive out

the evil spirits that have been lurking about duringthe dark and cold winter months. It is also custom-

ary for the devout to pick and eat a number of beans

which corresponds to their age. What started out as a

cleansing ritual for superstitious country farmers has

grown into a national pastime celebrated at schools,

corporate ofces and private residences.

Setsubun, which literally means change

seasons, is a rollicking affair that can be viewe

thousands of Shinto shrines throughout Japan. Wknown people such as politicians, sumo wres

and actors are often invited to the festivals to th

out beans for good luck for all those present.

Mame-make originally began as an impe

event on New Years Eve to get rid of demons

welcome in a happy new year. It later mixed w

indigenous customs of throwing beans at the t

of rice-seed

planting. Sinc

Edo period (16

1867), the rit

throwing roa

soybeans in

private homes

been performe

Setsubun.

A popular m

states that if a

son consume

entire sushi ro

lently on Setsu

facing that ye

lucky direct

their dreams

soon come tru

sushi roll is e

to symbolize g

fortune being rolled into one. The roll is not cu

ensure good relations will not be cut off during

upcoming year. Sushi eaters take note: this ye

lucky direction is west-south-west. Dozens o

gional myths are also closely related to the Sh

holiday of Setsubun. The holiday is celebrate

different ways throughout the country

If you would like to purchase some roasted beans for your house, they are usually in a spe

Setsubun section of Japanese grocery markets.

You can also bring in some beans to the ofc

case your boss or supervisor happens to be an o

and needs casting out.

Out with demons! In with happiness

Photos by Tetsuo Nakahara

The Setsubun ceremony at Suzukamyo shrine in Zama City isscheduled on Feb. 3. Ceremonies across the nation celebrate therisshun, or birth of spring.

People throw beans dur ing the Setsubun ceremony held Feb 3 2010 at Suzukamyo Shrine Setsubun means change of s easons

torii u.s. army garrison japan weekly newspaper, jan. 27, 2011 edition

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