Apr/ May/ Jun 2006, No. 82 painting career. He primarily painted people with oil on canvas in his early years, but changed his focus to abstract painting, mainly using acrylic on canvas, after he moved to America. Cats also feature in many of Marugame Gen’ichiro－Inokuma Museum of Contemporary his paintings. After living in New York for 20 years, Art …………………………………………………… p1 during which he produced many great masterpieces, Flowers around the world …………………………… p2 Inokuma moved to Hawaii. In 1980, he was honored ACherryTreesintheUSA………………………… p2 with the Order of the Sacred Treasure（awarded to 2006 AJET Charity Ball ……………………………… p3 individuals for their long-term contribution in various KAP production 2006 ………………………………… p3 fields）and in 1991, he was granted honorary Out ofSight’sFirst Volunteer Trip to Thailand！ … p4 citizenship by Marugame City. Inokuma died in Tokyo What's on at the Movies？ …………………………… p5 at the age of ninety. KAGAWA EVENTS …………………………………… p6 Kagawa International Festival 2006 ………………… p8 In addition to the permanent Gen’ichiro Inokuma Calling all Interpreters & Other Volunteers !! …… p8 exhibit at MIMOCA, ever-changing special exhibitions BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test ………… p8 showcase a wide range of works by various I―PAL Event Corner ………………………………… p9 prestigious local and international artists. MIMOCA Need some help ……………………………………… p10 also houses an art resource room where up to 300 Mental Health Counceling …………………………… p10 books and videos are available for viewing, and holds creative workshops for children. Visiting Information MMaarruuggaammee GGeenn’’iicchhiirroo－－IInnookkuummaa Address : 80―1Hamamachi, Marugame City, Kagawa 763―0022 MMuusseeuumm ooff CCoonntteemmppoorraarryy AArrtt Access : 1 min. walk from JR Marugame station Kagawa is being increasingly recognised for its fine Opening Hours : 10 : 00～18 : 00（entry until 17 : 30） arts, boasting the Benesse House, the Chichu Art Closed : May 8～13, December 25～31 Museum and Art House Project on Naoshima, the Admission : Permanent Exhibition Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum, the Isamu Adult...Group/20 persons or more ¥240） Noguchi Garden Museum, and various works of art College or university students...（Group ¥160） scattered all around the prefecture. The Marugame High school students and younger...Free Gen’ichiro～Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art （MIMOCA）was built in 1991 to commemorate the Special Exhibitions 90th anniversary of the foundation of Marugame City March 12～May 7 and is said to be the first art museum in Japan to be Zwischen Wirklichkeit und Bild : Positionen deutscher built in front of a railway station. MIMOCA is named Fotografie der Gegenwart after contemporary artist Gen’ichiro Inokuma and （Features German contemporary photography and a houses approximately one thousand of his works. special lecture series） Admission:Adults...¥850（Group/20 persons or more ¥680） Born in 1902 in Takamatsu, Gen’ichiro Inokuma College or university students...¥550（Group ¥440） graduated from Kagawa Prefectural Marugame Middle High school students and younger...Free School（now Marugame Senior High School）,after which he studied western-style painting under Takeji May 14～July 9 Fujishima at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Inokuma ＊Steve McQueen : Caresses then spent 2 years in Paris, from 1938 to 1940. He ＊Gen’ichiro Inokuma : Between the real and the abstract was joint founder of two art groups : the Jotokai in 1950－1964 1927 and the Shinseisaku-ha Kyokai in 1936. Admission : Adults...¥950（Group/20 persons or more ¥760） College or university students...¥650（Group ¥520） In 1955, Inokuma moved to New York to pursue his High school students and younger...Free 1 FFlloowweerrss aarroouunndd tthhee wwoorrlldd There are dozens of different cherry environment. The search for a tree varieties in Japan, most of national identity brought the which bloom for just a couple of desire for national symbols. In days in the spring. Every year, the 1911, the Evening News in Meteorological Agency and the media closely follow South Australia supported the choice of the wettle as the so called“cherry blossom front”,asitmoves the Australian national flower, noting its tangible slowly north ward. In Takamatsu, the average date for features of strength, beauty and color and its symbolic cherry blossoms（sakura）to open is said to be March qualities of health , firmness , endurance and 30th.TheJapanese celebrate this time of year with independence. The golden wettle（Acacia pycnantha）was cherry blossom viewing（hanami）parties under the popularly acceptanced as Australia’snational flower blooming trees. The blooming of cherry trees has been for much of the last century, but it was not celebrated formanycenturies and is of great importance proclaimed as the National Floral Emblem until 1988, in Japanese culture. Therefore, it’snowonder that the the year of Australia’sbicentenary. cherry blossom is Japan’sunofficial national flower. Among the various flowers of the Another prominent flower in Japan and Indian sub-continent, the Lotus is around the world is the rose. The rose regarded with divinity and grace. The symbolizes various topics : the red rose Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswathi are often is seen as the flower of love（the Greek associated with the lotus flower. Even Lord Siva, who goddess Aphrodite once gave a red rose wanted to escape the wrath of the Lord Saneeswaran, to her sun Eros, the messenger of love）,thewhite morphed himself into the shape of a bee and sought rose is an expression of purity and secrecy, and the asylum inside a lotus. Therefore, buddhists regard this pink rose represents grace and charm. But the rose is flower as a sacred one. Adding to its uniqueness, the also symbolic of the Wars of the Roses（1455－1485）, flower grows in murky waters and rises on a long acivil war fought over the throne of England between stalk above the surface to bloom gloriously. So India inheritors of the House of Lancester, symbolized by a chose the lotus or water lily as its national flower red rose, and the House of York, symbolized by a because of it’simportance in buddhist legends and it’s white rose. Around the time period of this war, the unique beauty. rose was adopted as England’ semblem. Also, in the United States the rose was proclaimed as the National Throughout the world, beautiful flowers have often Floral Emblem in 1986. been embraced by various societies and have become symbols of pride, love, beauty, and strength. The cherry The patriotic fervor surrounding the Australian blossom, the rose, the golden wattle, and the lotus as Independence Movement around the turning of the well as many other flower species have achieved roles century heightened public interest in the Australian of importance thanks to their striking beauty. AA CChheerrrryy TTrreeeess iinn tthhee UUSSAA Did you know that over 700,000 tourists flock government, and the cycle of to Washington, DC every spring to view Japanese life and giving came full cherry trees？ circle in 1981, when trees Cherry trees became an important symbol of destroyed by floods in Japan friendship and cooperation between the United States were re-grown with cuttings and Japan when the Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, from Washington’strees. presented Washington with the gift of 3,000 cherry Today, the tidal basin of West Potomac Park trees back in 1912. On March 27th of that year, the is fully lined with cherry trees and is one of First Lady of the United States, Helen Herron Taft, Washington’smostbeautiful attractions during the and the wife of the US Ambassador to Japan, annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s Viscountess Chinda, planted the first two trees along festival will be held from March 25th until April 9th the tidal basin in Washington’sWestPotomac Park. to celebrate the strengthening friendship between the In 1965, the First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, United States and Japan and to usher in the start of accepted another 3,800 trees from the Japanese spring. 2 KJ Apr May Jun 2006 No.82 22000066 AAJJEETT CChhaarriittyy BBaallll branches and over 500 employees and volunteers. Every April, the Association “To help realize a society free of discrimination of Japan Exchange and where the human rights of all are respected，”is the Teaching（AJET）of Kagawa aim of the organization. hosts a charity function in Takamatsu to raise money By hosting the charity event, AJET Kagawa hopes to for a local charity. On beat the ¥306,352 raised last year for the Niigata April 22, at Kenmin Hall AJET Kagawa will be Earthquake victims and Second Harvest Japan. This raising money for the Shikoku Branch of the Japan event is open to everyone interested in supporting a HIV Center. good cause. With a variety of entertainment and music, AJET The events will start at 6 : 00 Kagawa hopes to host a fun event while increasing and run until 9 : 00. There will awareness and education about the disease and JHC. be live music, a professional JHC is a non-profit, non- magic show, dancing, a live governmental organization band, and a silent art auction. that provides support for Tickets can be purchased from those affected by HIV/ Petra at IPAL Kagawa for AIDS. Founded in Osaka ¥2,000 until April 19th,andtheywill also be available in 1988, the organization at the door for 2,800¥. We hope to see you there！ has grown to seven KKAAPP pprroodduuccttiioonn 22000066 Who will be performing in this year’s production？ The cast is made up of a genki bunch of English teachers Last years production of Grease was a big hit for living in Kagawa who come from all 4 corners of the KAP and this year the group are back with a bigger, world. We have a classically trained baritone in Tim better and funnier production！ Sullivan who will take the lead male and Megan Thompson is all set in place for the female lead with a soprano voice Little Shop of Horrors is currently through her work with the Peach Choir.