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British rural tea-rooms seek geisha girls

Date: 2007 July 12 17:03 | Posted By: Joe

BBC News are currently running an interesting story about the quest for geisha in Cumbria. The Lake District is a popular destination with Japanese tourists. So much so that Cumbria Tourism has translated a map of tea-serving places off the beaten track into Japanese and even hosting a Green Tea Day on 19th July 2007. Cafes on the tea trail are advertising for geishas to help with intricacies of the tea ceremony. Experts are also required to help translate the more trickier recipe names like "tarty tarn drizzle" into Japanese.

Fully-trained geisha are rare and apparently would charge up to £7,000 (more than $13,000 USD) to fly across from Japan. So the tourist association is hoping some more local experts can help out. Which is why I'm really posting this story on Otaku News. I know of our readers would be able to help. Any experts when it comes to tea etiquette in Japan should contact Cumbria Tourism. I'm sure a few translators could come in handy too. ^_-

Souce: BBC News

Anime at the British Museum

Date: 2007 July 06 16:22 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime > Film

The British Museum is an amazing place. It's home to the Rosetta stone, the Portland vase, the Elgin marbles and a pretty nice collection of Asian art too.

It's also going to be showing a bunch of anime films for free. All you have to do is book in advance. The thing that suprises us is the so-so angsty tweenage Ninja film Naruto: Clash in the land of Snow is being shown.

I love Naruto but even I'm a bit suprised to see it keep company with Nausicaa, Porco Rosso and Barefoot Gen.

Cambridge Film Festival this weekend

Date: 2007 July 06 16:09 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime > Film

The Cambridge Film Festival has started and includes some anime. Highlights include:

Earthsea - 10th and 12th July
Paprika - 10th and 11th July
Ghost in the Shell S.A.C- 9th July
Highlander (anime)- 7th July

Souce: Cambridge film festival

Mikio Naruse Season at BFI Southbank in London

Date: 2007 July 04 17:49 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

Japanese cinema fans who can get to London this month (July 2007), to catch the classic films of Mikio Naruse, which will be screened for a season at the BFI Southbank.

Japanese Embassy in the UK to hold a manga contest and exhibition

Date: 2007 May 24 14:43 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Events

The Japanese Embassy in the UK will be holding an exhibition dedicated to celebrating Japanese inspired manga named MANGA JIMAN.

The exhibiton will run from 11-19 June including a seminar which will investigate "what is manga?"
The contest is for anyone UK resident aged 16 and over, entrants need to create between four and six A4 pages. They can choose their own theme but it must reference Japan in some way. The deadline for that is 14th September 2007. Prizes include a Toshiba laptop and flights to Japan!

Souce: Japanese Embassy UK

Manga Workshop at Daiwa House

Date: 2007 April 21 16:14 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Events

Continuing on with it's Rising Stars of manga season Daiwa house is playing host to a manga workshop day on the 14th of May. The wokshops will be held by three previous rising stars of manga winners. Booking in advance is required.

Souce: Daiwa House

Hokusai's Mount Fuji

Date: 2007 April 02 16:11 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Art

The nice people at Abrams have sent us details of a new book they're publishing Hokusai, the artist who created one of the most famous bits of Japanese artwork, often called Tsunami by Hokusai or The Under the wave off Kanagawa. The book is printed excellent quality paper. At £15.95 it's superb value for money especially considering it's all in colour. It's due out 30th April 2007. We only wish the book was bigger so that they could print the artwork larger, but I guess we've been spoiled by looking at anime artbooks all these years. The book has some great examples of Japanese culture in the period and come highly recommend by the Otaku News crew.

Hokusai: First Manga Master

Date: 2007 April 02 15:38 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Art

The good folks at Abrams have sent us details of a new book they're publishing about the groundbreaking artist Hokusai. The book contains lots of lovely selection artwork from Hokusai and is a great example of the variety of work he did. The book is well worth £10, for curiosity or academic interests. It hits the shops on 30th April 2007.

Tokyopop at Daiwa House

Date: 2007 March 31 13:16 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Culture

Tokyopop are holding a rising stars of manga exhibition at Daiwa House which runs until 17th of May. They are also holding a seminar on the 19th of April entitled "Bringing Manga to the UK" this requires advanced booking from the website.

Souce: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

UK MP fears reduction of British children's TV

Date: 2007 March 19 15:30 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

The Guardian are reporting on British Conservative MP John Whittingdale's recent speech at the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers conference. Mr Whittingdale is the chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee. He's rather worried about a children's TV and the impact of pulling food advertising from children's TV - "[It will] have a damaging effect on children's broadcasting that will lead to money going out of it, the effect will be fewer children's programmes produced in this country except for the BBC," the main concern he stresses is increase in imported Children's TV - "There will be a growth of the likes of Japanese anime cartoons and American animated content which is something we are concerned about and may need to be addressed as part of challenge of maintaining public service plurality."

So in a nut shell he's worried that there won't be enough British produced children's TV, as ITV has been reducing it's children's output. The Otaku News crew want more TV greats like Danger Mouse. ^_^

Souce: The Guardian

Japanorama is back!

Date: 2007 March 15 14:37 | Posted By: Azure

Category > Anime > TV

The folks at AnimeUKNews.net have spotted Johnathon Ross is back with Japanorama season 3! Episode one promises a sneak peak of Afro Samurai.

The Manga Bible release details

Date: 2007 February 26 09:21 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

We've received a details from publishing house Hodder and Stoughton regarding the Manga Bible. We're not talking about some sort of ultimate must have guide to manga, but the New Testament produced in a manga style. Using the TNIV (Today's New International Version) as the basis, London based artist Siku, who is best know for his work on 2000AD.

Manga Shakespeare

Date: 2007 January 16 16:17 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Manga

We've been sent an interesting press release from SelfMadeHero about their Manga Shakespeare series. The bard's classic tales have been reinterpreted into a manga style. With Romeo and Juliet the action has relocated to Shibuya in Tokyo, with yakuza talking the place of the more traditional families in the original. Hamlet is still set in Denmark, but in the future cyber world of 2017. SelfMadeHero inform us that the series keeps true to the text of Shakespeare, but is specially abridged for use in the manga. Sweatdrop Studio's very own Sonia Leong illustrated Romeo and Juliet, while Emma Vicieli illustrated Hamlet.

Both Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet are due for release on 1st March 2007, priced at £6.99. The Tempest and Richard III are due to be published in Autumn 2007. Othello, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are planned, but no release date is mentioned.

Our readers still in education might want to show this to their English and drama teachers, while our other readers might just enjoy reading a new interpretation of Shakespeare's works.

This is not the first time Hamlet has been made into a manga in English, our good friend Amethyst Angel has done a fan version using characters from Slayers, entitled Hamlet: The Manga.

Japanese Artists display work at London gallery

Date: 2007 January 06 15:16 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Our art connoisseur readers near London will want to check out Sea Change Group Show at the Mark Jason Gallery from 1st to 23rd February 2007. The group show features work by a group of emerging print makers. Japanese artists include Chie Kutsuwada, Akiko Takizawa and Katsu Yuasa.

The Mark Jason Gallery can be found near Edgeware Road Tube Station on Bell Street.

Rick Stein cooks for the Japanese ambassador

Date: 2006 December 15 16:20 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Cuisine

BBC TV chef and seafood expert Rick Stein has made a new one off special on his travels to Japan to cook seafood for the Japanese ambassador.

The BBC are currently airing trailers for this show and it looks like a promising, with lots of interesting sushi facts.

The show will be aired in the UK on Tuesday 19 December at 8pm on BBC Two and is repeated on Thursday 21 December at 7pm. It looks like viewers will be in for a culinary treat.

Souce: BBC Food

Japanorama Returns

Date: 2006 September 04 03:57 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

Keen readers of TV guides may have spotted the return of Japanorama, Jonathan Ross' TV show focusing on the more cool and bizarre side of Japanese culture. The previous season was well worth watching, and this latest instalment promises to be just as entertaining and informative.

UK Viewers (with freeview/cable/satellite) can catch Japanorama on BBC Three starting Thursday 7th September at 11pm, this weeks episode Ross explores the meaning of kakoii, Japanese for cool.

Souce: BBC Three

Japanese Animation and the World of Koji Yamaura. Free Event

Date: 2006 September 01 16:45 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime

London based anime fans will want to head over to the Japan Foundation for their free event Bringing Pictures to Life - Japanese Animation and the World of Koji Yamamura. It's set to run on October 16th at 6:30pm, although it's free, booking is essential (if you do book don't forget to mention you found this through Otaku News). Anime expert Helen McCarthy will also be giving a talk about Japanese animation.

It's good to see that the Japan Foundation will be doing this, and hopefully they'll be having other events like this in the future.

The Japan Foundation is near Russell Square Tube station, a short walk from The British Museum and Gosh comics, which is known to stock a nice selection of manga.

The Nature of Monkey Was Irrepressible

Date: 2006 February 13 16:47 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

British, Australian and New Zealand readers of Otaku News especially may remember a TV show called Monkey based on Journey to the West a classic tale by Xi You Ji, known as Saiyuki in Japan. Yes, we're talking about the same Monkey famed for his Monkey Magic (Born from an egg on a mountain top, The punkiest Monkey that ever popped), according to the Daily Yomiuri On-line Fuji TV have started to air a new version of Monkey. Ratings are already high and Fuji TV have stated that they've received enquires for this new version of the cult TV show from the UK and Australia. We're pondering how long it will take for a TV studio to rollout a great cheesy dub.

Our UK readers who can view ITV 4 can catch the original Monkey TV show on Thursdays and Fridays at 6pm.

In the mean time we suggest our Brisbane based readers head over to Roma Street Parklands to see Monkey at the theatre! ^_-

Souce: Daily Yomiuri On-line

South Bank Show Anime Special

Date: 2006 January 26 18:30 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > TV

The Folks at Manga Entertainment UK have sent us a press release about an anime special South Bank Show, which is due to air on Sunday 19th of February. Some researchers for the South Bank Show even made the steps of visiting the London Anime Club to get the low down from British anime fans. Interestingly enough the press release also has some details about Jonathan Ross' recent Asian Invasion, stating that it got over 310,000 viewers, a BBC4 record (it's now clear however if this figure is for just the first screening of the show, or if the repeat screened later in the week is included too).

ITV4 will also be screening the original Ghost In The Shell movie on Saturday 4th March (we belive it's the dub version), so if you haven't seen it yet catch it!

Japanese Manga and Cultural Politics Lecture

Date: 2005 September 29 16:15 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Author and anime expert Jonathan Clements has sent us details of the SOAS Japanese Manga and Cultural Politics Lecture and Discussion in London. This is due to take place at 7pm Tuesday 11th October, with free admission at the The Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS. Since it's hosted by The School of Oriental and African Studies, you know it should be good.

Anime/Manga Exposure Wanted for Geisha Event in 2006

Date: 2005 September 11 15:15 | Posted By: Voxie

Category > Culture

Following a post made at the Anime Cafe organisers have mentioned plans saying that they will be "the first people to bring real geisha to England"! Geisha being a standard unique to Japanese culture, curious otaku will now have access to this experience without paying the plane fare!

The event is not until May next year. Apart from the chance to view the beautiful kimono, there are also other Japanese-related events to be be held, including calligraphy and martial arts. More information, including prices and availability, are now on the organisers' website.

And finally, at present the organisers are welcoming venture from others, including maybe a mini manga/anime expo! If you're interested in having a workshop, table to sell your works, or even cosplaying, contact the organisers via the website link above, or email them directly: katie_c@tiscali.co.uk

Souce: Anime.org.uk

Japan Manga Tour

Date: 2005 August 04 16:44 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Press Releases

UK Travel company Japan Journeys have sent us details of their package holiday Japan Manga Tour a package departing from London to Tokyo. The highlights include a visit to the fantastic Ghibli Museum, the historical Meiji Shrine, the fashionable Harajuku and the Aladdin's cave of an anime store that is Mandarake.

All of the above places are worth visiting for one reason or another from the cultural value, to the outright wacky. The Otaku News Crew suggest you add the locations to your list of places to visit, for when you're in Tokyo next! ^_-

Spirited Away Makes BFI Must See List

Date: 2005 July 20 07:01 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Anime > Film

According to BBC News, the British Film Institute have complied a list of films that every child should have watched by the age of 14.

The list was put together with help from the public and is intended to spark debate about what children should watch.

Unsurprisingly, The Wizard of Oz, ET and Toy Story are listed, but it also seems that BFI (or perhaps the public in general) know what they're talking about by suggesting Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki's tale of a girl drawn into a world of magic after her parents pig out on forbidden food.

The BFI selected 50 films and eventually whittled them down to 10.

Souce: BBC News

Oxford University Students To Peform In Tokyo

Date: 2005 July 09 14:29 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

According to the Mainichi Daily News, students from Oxford University will be performing Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors in Tokyo this August.

The students are from Oxford University Dramatic Society, the oldest theatre group in the UK, which has produced stars like Hugh Grant, Judi Dench and John Gielgud. So with out doubt the quality of their performance is going to be high.

Old Japanese Garden Reopens in the UK.

Date: 2005 June 27 14:57 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

According to the Japan Times On-line Britain's largest Japanese garden which was neglected after World War II has been restored to it's former glory and has opened to the public earlier this month for the first time in the postwar period.

The garden can be found on the 17th century mansion Kingston Lacy in Wimborne. The original garden was inspired when Henrietta Bankes, a former owner visited the Japan exhibition in London in 1910.

The National Trust took over the mansion in 1982 and have slowly been able to discover parts of the gardens fencing and plants. Recently it has been restored using £86,000 grant money and volunteer labour.

The Japan Times article goes into much more depth and is worth the read for the more green fingered otaku. ^_-

Souce: Japan Times On-line

J-Pop Go July!

Date: 2005 June 23 17:12 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

The funky people over at J-Pop Go have just told that that their tickets are now available for their next event. It'll be on Wednesday 13th July at Fluid in London. This time around you can buy their magazine separately from the tickets, so even if you can't go you can read up about all the latest J-Pop events.

Our very own resident club bunny Voxie has written a report on the first J-Pop Go too. ^_^

Typhoon 4 - International East Asian Playreading Festival

Date: 2005 May 10 17:46 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

We know Otaku News readers are a very cultured group, which is why we've just been sent details about the Yellow Earth Theatre, who will be performing Typhoon 4 - International East Asian Playreading Festival. Billed from Tuesday 17th to Saturday 21st May 2005 at the Soho Theatre in London, it looks like an entertaining showcase for fans of the Far East.

J-Pop Go Report - A Successful Night!

Date: 2005 May 05 07:13 | Posted By: Voxie

Category > Culture

J-Pop Go, possibly the first night of its kind in London town – a club night dedicated to pleasing its crowd with Japanese pop and rock sounds! And that it was, with popular classics from the likes of J-rockstars L’Arc En Ciel, to some of the latest from J-pop groups HALCALI and Puffy.

The night was held at the Japanese-themed social spot Fluid, and the best of its kind I’ve seen so far! Coloured in striking red shades, two floors/bars, with artwork, katakana and anime clips playing across the walls, it proved a perfect venue for the night! The catering was in check, there was Asahi beer and sushi on the menus, as well as some interesting cocktails, including a ‘wasabi martini’! You could only get away with it in a bar like this one!

Bondi Nami Hits London's Barbican Screen

Date: 2005 February 21 16:46 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

We've just got details in about the London Australian Film Festival screening of Bondi Nami, what's that you cry? Otaku News is supposed to be "News For Fans Of Japan", not "News For Fans of Down Under", well the more clever otaku readers (which is about 99% of our readers) will know that this film is being marketed as "The first Japanese Road Movie in Australia". So if you're in London or can get there, get down to the Barbican Cinema Centre for 9pm Saturday 5th March.

Shogun: The Life of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu

Date: 2005 February 10 11:52 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

Since our readership pride themselves on being cultured, I'm sure you'd be interested to know about a major Japanese Exhibition held at The Royal Armouries. Their summer 2005 exhibition will be Shogun: The Life of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu. British otaku better head over to Leeds sometime this year!

Japonisme - Cultural Crossings between Japan and the West

Date: 2005 January 07 15:02 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Phaidon Press have sent us details of a new book they are publishing - Japonisme: Cultural Crossings between Japan and the West, by Lionel Lambourne. It focuses on the history of Japanese of the West's extraordinary love affair with Japan. It's due out in May and sounds like an interesting read.

Samurai History Papers - Quarterly Newsletter

Date: 2004 October 16 16:03 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

We've just got details in from Ridgeback Press, apparently they will be launching Samurai History Papers, a quarterly newsletter from Romulus Hillsborough (whose research on the history of the Meiji Restoration spans over twenty years). It focuses on the facts behind many samurai anime series, such as the Shinsengumi (central to Peacemaker Kurogane and Rurouni Kenshin).

V&A Exhibit - Encounters: The Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800

Date: 2004 October 03 16:54 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

I've just found out that the Victoria and Albert Museum in London are running an Exhibition called Encounters: The Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800. It will have some great Japanese items, including:

- a six panel gold leafed paper screen
- an elaborate painting with gold on silk
- armour from the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada
- a Portable Christian Altar
- Two Dutchmen and two courtesans Hanging scroll
- Food Box (surely they mean bento box?)

Many items are being shown for the first time, so we recommend a visit.

Japanese Swords in the British Museum

Date: 2004 September 26 17:46 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

Fans of sharp pointy things will want to pay a visit to the British Museum in London, from 30th September 2004 until 17th February 2005 they have the "Cutting Edge: Japanese Swords in the British Museum" exhibition, which focuses on history of swords in Japan, including Koto (old swords), Shinto (new swords) and Shinshinto (new-new Swords). The British Museum is always a great place to visit, so we suggest you visit this exhibition while you can, especially since Japanese swords are really works of art.

For a more details visit the British Museum's Department of Asia Exhibitions page.

Souce: British Museum - Department of Asia Exhibitions

Japanese Films at The 12th Raindance Festival

Date: 2004 September 26 17:16 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Culture

London cinema otaku as always are in for a treat with the 12th Raindance Film Festival, which is dedicated to fostering and promoting independent film in the UK and around the world. For fans of Japan, check out their Way Out East strand, they'll be showing films like:

- After The Apocalypse
- Antenna
- Arakey
- Dead End Run
- Doppelganger
- Lunch Box
- Marebito
- Ramblers

If South Korean flicks are more your thing, check out Arahan and Oldboy. If you're into Chinese gothic shockers then go for Night Corridor.

Souce: Raindance Film Festival

Akita Kanto performance at the Thames Festival

Date: 2004 September 11 17:30 | Posted By: Joe

Category > Events

London otaku better get themselves to the the Thames Festival which "closes busy streets and transforms the river, parks and open spaces with a rich programme of new creative commissions, a riverside bazaar and night market, family oriented activities, street theatre, music, and more."

This year artistes balancing Kanto poles will be demonstraiting their skills in London while accompanied by traditional Japanese music of the taiko drum, bamboo flute and bell. On the 18th September they will be supported by taiko drummers from Gyosei International College.

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