CARE & EFFORTS FOR TOHOKU'S & JAPAN'S FUTURE CONTINUES
Tohoku and its people often feel the world has forgotten them as they recreate themselves with imagination and fortitude.
Hanging on to rebuild their communities, families, spirits and livlihoods.
Many dealing with the daily threats of radiation contamination caused by the nuclear accident.
All looking to the future.
And honoring the past.
A young student from Naraha, Fukushima expresses this in the following excerpt in an essay she wrote:
"Three years has passed since March 11th 2011, the day that the Great East Japan earthquake occurred...I was in the classroon of my elementary school, Naraha-North Elementary School. I was talking with my friends as usual.
Due to the earthquakes and the nuclear accidents, I am forced to live as a refugee in a temporary house. I still life there now and I feel most people have forgotten us.
My mind keeps thinking about the idea, 'what if there was no accident...'
I know that many people did not suffer from the nuclear accident so they they think it is not their problem but other people's affairs. I might think the same if it happened in a different place.....the world cannot think this way any more.
We are facing radiation risk...Human beings built nuclear power plants in Fukushima. Possibly we might prevent the accidents. Perhaps, I might live in Naraha surrounded by rich nature...
We have to understand how we can change energy systems...and get closer to reconstructio
I want everyone to know about us."
(excerpt from January 2014 essay by A. Yokota, 14 year old junior high school student)
SOME WAYS WE CAN STILL HELP
(*see below "Other responses to Tohoku disaster")
- Support educational programs focusing on local and global understanding: e.g. natural disasters & recovery, nuclear and new energy, emotional health etc.
- Buy Tohoku products & support Tohoku industry
- Buy products from Japan
- Support programs involving Tohoku youth
- Make money or in-kind donations
- Holiday travel to Tohoku or Japan
- Stay informed and caring
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| Feature documentary film, "Tohoku no Shingetsu" begins final phase of production |
NOW COMPLETED: with 'crowd funding', over two and a half years of filming in Tohoku, headed by Canadian Nikkei filmmaker, Linda Ohama
LAST PHASE BEGINS: the post production editing and finishing
Please join us to help complete this important feature documentary with this final crowd funding campaign.
*A NOTE OF SPECIAL THANKS to the recent contributors from Tohoku! Your support has many meanings for us and we thank you very much.
Contributions can be made at:
English: Paypal Linda Ohama Tohoku no Shingetsu
PayPal カード支払い（英語）
Linda Ohama's Tohoku no Shingetsu project
※、募金額は¥1,000以上から、
おいくらでも結構です
※、募金をしていただきましたら、おそれいりますが「下記メール
フォーム」にて、上映実行委員会までお知らせください。
Thank you very much.
What have we completed to date?
Location filming covering over 2 years in people's lives, was finished in December 2013. With online funding and the many volunteers (see names below), we completed:
- Acquired basic film and sound equipment.
- Hired professional cameramen for 6 weeks. (director filmed the rest).
- Collected in-depth interviews over different seasons & stages of recovery with several people and families affected by the disaster.
- Documented the rich traditional customs and culture unique to Tohoku.
- Gathered original and archival pre-disaster footage. (some will be seen for the first time in this film).
- Worked together with many people in Tohoku.
What do you get for contributing?
Your name will appear in the end roll credits of the film (or choose anonymity)
How much?
Every amount, $10, or 1,000 yen helps the final stage of telling this important story for the people of Tohoku.
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CONTRIBUTORS TO DATE
people joining people...crowd funding
'Tohoku no Shingetsu'
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Adrian Levy (Canada)
Johannes Halbertsma (Canada)
Mikio Segawa (Japan)
CONTRIBUTORS
Adrian Levy and Elizabeth Schatz (Canada)
Manfred Becker (Canada)
Angela Robins (USA)
Margaret Duncan (Canada)
Chiko Hoge (USA)
Natusko Ohama (USA)
Johannes Halbertsma (Canada)
Tona Walter Ohama (Canada)
Laura Stapleton (Canada)
Elinor Schatz (USA)
Robert Smith (USA)
Mark Visnel (USA)
Friso Halbertsma (Canada)
Christine Nakamura Hannah (Canada)
Heather Wardle (Canada)
Stephanie Barthe (Canada)
Klaus Sebok (Canada)
Eunice Rousseau (Canada)
Alice Kloosteboer (Canada)
Connie Kaldor (Canada)
Rory (Canada)
Rossrev (Canada)
Sandra Semchuk (Canada)
Trudie Heiman (India)
Ann Shin (Canada)
Judith Williamson (Canada)
Georgia and Jeff Vallis (Canada)
Greg and Annie Kemp (USA)
Skye and Ella (Canada)
Kenneth Dent (USA)
Carol Harmon (USA)
Wayne Smith (Canada)
Cari Green (Canada)
Ed Wahl (Canada)
Braden Haggerty (Canada)
Svend Eriksen (Canada)
Cris and Sarah Ohama (Canada)
Stan Shaffer (Canada)
Tak Yamamori (Aichi, Japan)
Sharon Davis (USA)
Mieko Sugimoto (Tohoku, Japan)
Greg Strong and Kathi Mitsui (Japan)
Laura Lelasalle (Canada)
Nate Elkan (Canada)
Jinhwa Hwong Ambrose
Marilyn Clayton (Canada)
Tak Yamamori (Aichi, Japan)
Shoko Motokado (Canada)
Brian and Irene Mitani (Canada)
Emi Ito and Neil Humphreys (Canada)
Friso Hlbertsma (Canada)
Augusta Talbot (USA)
Merry Conway (USA)
Emil Struyk
Andrew Robinson (USA)
John Pickering (Canada)
Katt Lissard (USA)
Jenny Dent (Canada)
Gloria Mayer (USA)
J.M. Halbertsma (Canada)
Deborah Ann Woll (USA)
Robert Loewen (USA)
Rose Mohoruk (Canada)
Steve and Yoriko Gillard (Canada)
Paul Varro (Canada)
Patti Kyle (Canada)
Mikio Segawa (Japan)
Yuji Hosotani (Japan)
Emiko Ando (Canada)
Fumi Torigai (Canada)
Richard Sadowsky (Japan)
Kojiro Iuchi (Japan, Canada)
Mahoko Higuchi (Aichi, Japan)
Ninette Poetzch (Germany)
Christopher Nash (Canada)
Danny Brody (Canada)
Johannes Halbertsma (Canada)
Nobuyuki Horiuchi (Japan)
Martin Mauch (Germany)
Greg Masuda (Canada)
Janet Bullard (Canada)
Alan Franey (Canada)
Martin Kobayashi (Toronto, Canada)
Gerry Hewson (Canada)
Kathy Shimizu (Canada)
Nobuaki Ohashi (Tohoku, Japan)
Ayaka Hirakata (Japan)
Bart Simmons (Canada)
Jutta Simmons (Canada)
Marcella Bryce(Canada)
Sara Sutcliffe (Canada)
Dianne Eden (Australia)
Kimiko, John, Joe Prosky (USA)
Keely Eastley
Susanne Eggert(Germany)
Alexander Lee (USA)
Patricia Fletcher (USA)
Gordon Kadota (Canada)
Derek Iwanaka (Canada)
Nicola Ogiwara
Beth Carter (Canada)
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Elisabeth Pechlaner (Canada)
Tonianne Nash (Canada)
George Doi (Canada)
Sheri Alcordo (Canada)
Alexis MacDonald Seto (Canada)
Greg Tong (Canada)
Kyohei Yoshida (Japan)
Jared Brookes
Yoko Tomita
Michelle Trudgeon (Canada)
Mrs Jinno (Aichi, Japan)
Taizo Fukaya (Aichi, Japan)
Takashi Suzuki (Aichi, Japan)
Yasuhiro Kato (Aichi, Japan)
Naoki Honda (Aichi, Japan)
Youko Sakai (Aichi, Japan)
Norm Ibuki (Canada)
Sherry Kennedy (Canada)
Moira Simpson (Canada)
Russ Magee (Canada)
Nick Sueyoshi (Canada)
David Graber (Canada)
Peg Campbell (Canada)
Shelley Kanegawa (Canada)
Tona Pitt (Canada)
Chigusa Saito (Aichi, Japan)
Hiromi Ikeda (Aichi, Japan)
Mika Toff (Aichi, Japan)
April Bosshard (Canada)
Saki Ishihara (Japan)
Gael Maclean (Canada)
Dan Nomura (Canada)
Linda Bisesti (USA)
Natsuko Ohama (USA)
Johannes Halbertsma (Camada)
Scott Kawaguchi (Canada)
Ai Urita (Aomori, Japan)
Chieko Segawa (Tohoku, Japan)
Norihiro Nakanishi (Japan)
Nobuaki and Sakiko Ohashi (Tohoku, Japan)
Toshiko Kumasaka (Japan)
Yoshikazu and Sachiko Kaneko (Tohoku, Japan)
Keiko Mitsusuka (Tohoku, Japan)
Mandy Shintani (Canada)
Akira Koizumi (Tokyo)
Mika Toff (Nagoya)
Toyoko Namba (Nagoya)
Kikue Toff (Nagoya)
Miwako Dias (Tokyo)
Danny Molden (Canada)
Gunji Katsuichi (Tohoku, Japan)
Tsuto Nambu (Tohoku, Japan)
Kimiyo Hozawa (Tohoku, Japan)
Toyohashi Chapter of JALT (Japan)
Marcia Shimizu (Canada)
Masaki Toeda (Tohoku, Japan)
Noboru Satoh (Chiba, Japan)
Anne Rosenberg (Vancouver, Canada)
Kirk Tougas (Vancouver, Canada)
Noriko Kanemori (Onomichi, Japan)
Miwako Dias Kaneko and Joseph Dias (Tokyo, Japan)
Mai Yamane (Japan)
Masayuki Oofuji (Tokyo, Japan)
Hiroko Fujita (Fukuoka, Japan)
Mieko Kawaguchi (Tohoku, Japan)
Misako Sakurai (Tohoku, Japan)
Yoko Kuma (Saitama, Japan)
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OTHER TOHOKU DISASTER RESPONSE COMPLETED:
1. Coordinator of 'Ganbare Japan 2011' benefit concert, Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver Canada raising over $200,000 donations. See
http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/0806-june2008/ganbare-japan-raises-208000-for-earthquake-relief/
2. Establish direct donations of over $250,000 between Canadian and Alaskan fishermen to over 10 fishing communities in need of support along the tsunami stricken coast of Japan. See
http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2012/12/4/linda-ohama-journey/
3. Establish the "Canada-Japan Kids for Kids Cloth Letters" project involving thousands of young people and a national exhibition tour of both Japan and Canada in over 60 cities. (see more below)
The cloth letters from Canada and Tohoku, plus a collection of original photos and poems launched at the Canadian Embassy's Prince Takamado Gallery in Tokyo from October-Decmeber, 2011. This exhibition continues to tour.
4. A photographic exhibition, "Tohoku no Shingetsu: One more flower begins to bloom"
A collection of mounted personal photographic works done in the Tohoku region of Japan, June- September 2011, with original poems.
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SPECIAL LECTURES & PRESENTATIONS
AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE EXPERIENCE with Linda Ohama
Special lectures back by popular demand!
More information or booking, please contact Linda Ohama
2013 lectures & presentations
January 15, 2013 Film Class-Guest lecture, Chukyo University, Nagoya
January 17, 2013 Film Class-Guest lecture, Chukyo University, Nagoya
April 18, 2013 Cross Cultural Studies lecture, Tohoku Fukushi University, Professor Takahashi
April 29, 2013 Research Methods lecture, Aichi Shokutoku University, Professor Mika Toff
April 30, 2013 Presentation on Tohoku, Aichi Shokutoku University, Professor Mika Toff
May 2, 2013 Tohoku and Filming Techniques and Process, Aichi Medical University, Professor Tak Yamamori
September 23-25, 2013 International Career Seminar, Utsunomiya Uninversity, Matsuo Tamaki, Dean of International Studies Faculty
October, 2013 JSAC International Conference, guest presentation, University of Saskatoon, Canada, Prof. Carin Holroyd
October 2013 Documentary Filmmaking Class, University of Saskatoon, Faculty of Fine Arts, Prof Keith Bell
October, 2013 Inspiration and Passion, Department of Asian Religion, Prof George Keyworth
November, 2013 Kaisai Private High School, Tokyo, Lectures in English: creative expression
December, 2013 Aoyama University, Faculty of English Studies, Tokyo, Prof Joseph Dias and Prof Gregory Strong
December 2013 Research Methods lectures, Aichi Shokutoku University, Professor Mika Toff
January 30- February 4, 2014 Community International New Energy Conference, organized by Mr. Tetsuro Iida, Tokyo and different locations in Fukushima province
2012 lectures
June 4, 2012 Symposium "One Year after the Tohoku Earthquake-looking back on the media coverage and the Aid"Special speaker and panel member, Kanda University, Tokyo, Contact person: Professor Norie Yazu and Prof. Fujita, Director of MULC, special Lecture on Film, showing Obaachan's Garden
June 11-22, 2012 Series of Creative Writing Class presentations, Expressing Yourself through Writing, Aichi Shokutoku University, Nagoya, Contact person Prof. Mika Toff
June 15 and 22, 2012 Film making class presentations, Aichi Shokutoku University, Nagoya, Contact person Prof Bev Curran
June 19, 2012 Special interactive Reactions to Tohoku Seminars with Senior Medical Students, Aichi Medical University, Nagoya, Contact person Prof Tak Yamamori
June 5, 2012 English Lectures-Aoyama University, Tokyo, Contact person Prof Gregory Strong
June and July 2012 Volunteer presentations and lectures to students of Sendai University, GOZAIN, English Study groups of junior high, and local community groups in Tohoku
October 11, 2012 Life Writing Lecture, Aichi Shokutoku University, Nagoya
November 3-10 Exhibition of photographs and poems "Tohoku no Shingetsu", International University of Kagoshima Gallery, Kagoshima
November 10, 2012 International Exchange Special Guest Lecture: Cloth Letters in Tohoku, International University of Kagoshima, Contact Satoko Fukudome, coordinator
November 24, 2012 Speaker, Making A Difference, Toyohashi JALT, Contact Toyohashi JALT
November 25, 2012 Guest presentation, The Cloth Letters and How Young People Can Express Themselves, Tokyo KAISEI Boys High School, Tokyo
November 27, 2012 Writing for Business Special Lecture, Aichi Shokutoku University, Nagoya, Prof Mika Toff
November 28, 2012 Lectures, Poems from Tohoku, Aoyama University, Tokyo
November 29, 2012 Living Beyond Borders: International Citizenship Guest Lecture, Aichi Shokutoku University, Nagoya
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Japan-Canada Kids for Kids Quilt Project Update
Since the beginning of this project on March 12, 2011, this inspiring project has spread out to represent the voices of young people across Canada, Tohoku, and now from several cities in Japan. (please check website for the location details)
NEW ADDITONS: Originally, the project was 2 large cloth letters. Now has grown to over 20 beautiful, expressive cloth letter quilts.
Recently, the young people of Kagoshima created their 'Kagoshima' cloth letters from 104 original haiku poems. Kobe City youth added a hand-ewn 'Kobe City' cloth letter full of lyrical colorful letters that express energy and love that is handsewn.
NATIONAL EXHIBITION TOURS: This exhibition has been traveling on a national exhibition tour of Japan since it's exhibition launch at the Prince Takamado Gallery, Canadian Embassy in Tokyo from October-December 2011.
The final exhibitions in Japan will take place in TOHOKU during late November and month of December 2012. After these exhibitions, the cloth letters will travel to Canada for showings.
TOHOKU TOUR 2012: Minamisinriku, Minamisoma, Iwaki City, Kesenuma, Ishinomaki, Ogatsu, Sendai/Yuriage, Otsuchi....
HOW TO JOIN: We are inviting individuals or groups to join this project for young people by scheduling an exhibition or creating your own cloth letters to add to this expression of care and love.
CATCH A CBC RADIO INTERVIEW on the project: www.cbc.ca/nxnw/linda ohama cloth letters project
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| a finished cloth letter square |
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