Japanese People Recommend Japanese Movies
The What Japan Thinks site translated a poll by DIMSDRIVE Research in which Japanese people were asked what Japanese movies they would recommend to foreigners.
The series of movies entitled "It’s Hard Being a Man" (男はつらいよ) was recommended the most by both men and women. I haven't seen it, but I have heard of it. In fact, I have only seen three of the top ten movies (Seven Samurai, My Neighbour Totoro, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind) and I haven't even heard of four of them before (Love and Honour, Always - Sunset in the Third Street, Dororo, Death Note). And isn't Letters from Iwojima officially an American movie? Anyway, it looks like I have some movie watching to do!
Print This Post
Movies in Tsukuba
First of all, I would like to thank all of the people who came to the Coffee Hour yesterday. I was really nervous before I started the speech, but as things got underway, I calmed down and was able to get into a rhythm. It seemed like a successful event from my point of view. I hope that the audience felt the same way.
One of the members of the audience mentioned to me afterwards that she had trouble finding the schedule for the movie theatre. The schedule is available here. Whenever English movies are playing, the English title will appear under the Japanese title.
One thing you have to be careful about, though, is to check whether the movie is being offered with subtitles (which is the normal way in Japan) or with a dubbed soundtrack. Most movies aimed at an adult audience are subtitled, but many children's movies are only offered in their dubbed versions (presumably because kids can't read the subtitles that quickly).
For example, "Charlotte's Web" is currently playing at the theatre, but only in its dubbed version. Too bad for all the non-Japanese speaking kids out there...
Movies that are dubbed are indicated by putting the Japanese word for dubbed (日本語吹替版) after the Japanese title. See, the listing for Charlotte's Web for example.
シャーロットのおくりもの(日本語吹替版)
Charlotte no okurimono (ni hon go fuki kae ban)
Movies that are subtitled are usually not given any special qualification, but occasionally the theatre will show the dubbed version and the subtitled version at different times. Or, sometimes they just want patrons to be clear that they are showing the subtitled version (字幕版), as in the case of Eragon, another movie that is currently showing.
エラゴン 遺志を継ぐ者(字幕版)
Eragon: Ishi wo tsugu mono (ji maku ban)
("Ishi wo tsugu mono" means something like "Inheritance", which is the name of the trilogy. The first book in the trilogy is called Eragon, the second is Eldest, and the third has not been published yet, but it might be called "Empire" according to Wikipedia.)
Print This Post
Parking at You World & Free Bus Service
If you haven't been to Tsukuba You World in a while, you might be shocked to hear this: the parking there now cost you money.
There are still a lot of free parking spaces, but it'll be nearly impossible to park in free parking spaces on weekends and sometimes even on weeknights. The parking will be free if you purchase something at Yamada Denki, but Cineplex Tsukuba won't reimburse the parking fee. Summer "blockbuster season" has started, and Tsukuba You World gets even more crowded. If you are new to this area, stay away from Route 354 during the rush hour, especially around the opening day of a popular movie! (Tip: the opening of Harry Potter is July 20, but the advance screenings are held on July 14 to 16. )
If you live too far to get to the movie theater by bicycle, then you can ue their free bus service from Tsukuba Station.
You World Shuttle Bus Schedule
*** more services have been added on July 1, so please call 029-839-5555 (Japanese) to check the latest schedule! ***
Weekdays
Departing from Tsukuba Station*- 11:10AM/12:30PM
Departing from You World - 16:30PM/17:40PM/20:20PM
Weekends
From Tsukuba Station - 11:10AM/12:30PM
From You World - 17:00PM/18:20PM/19:40PM/21:00PM
*I think by Tsukuba Station, they mean "Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal."
Tsukuba You World website (Japanese)
Print This Post
Schedule for Shrek3 at Cineplex Tsukuba
OK, Tsukuba parents. Are you planning on taking your kid(s) to Shrek3? It came out in the movie theaters last Saturday, so I figured that it'd be wise to wait until mid or late July to go watch this so I can avoid the crowds. Well, I was wrong.
Cineplex Tsukuba on Route 354 shows the English (or Japanese subtitled) version only once during the day and once at night, and they will completely stop showing the English version next Friday!! If you have kids who attend the Japanese public schools, then this weekend is the only chance for your kids to watch Shrek3 in English!
Shrek3 schedule at Cineplex Tsukuba
July 6 (today)
14:30 to 16:15 and 21:50 to 23:35*
July 7 (Sat) to 13 (Fri)
12:55 to 14:40 and 21:50 to 23:35*
comeplete schedule in Japanese
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***
Due to the ordinance by Ibaraki Prefecture,
children under 18 are not allowed to enter movie theaters
and watch movies that end after 23:00
even if they are accompanied by their guardians.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related articles
Movies in Tsukuba (TsukuBlog)
Toe Jam's Top Tips: September 2001 (Alien Times)
Tsukuba You World (Alien Times)
Print This Post
Special Showing of a film in Joso City
I don't know how many of this blog readers are in the field of education or medicine, or just a big fun of Takako Tokiwa, but I got a flyer for this special showing that some of you may be interested.
There will be a special showing of a film called Fudeko Sono Ai, Tenshi no Piano (Fudeko, Her Love, The Angel’s Piano) in Joso City on February 17, Saturday.
This film is about Fudeko Ishii who became one of the pioneers of welfare of people with intellectual disabilities* and education of women. She was also a mother of three girls. Her first child was born with hypophrenia, and second and third girls passed away due to their health problems. She remarried a founder of Takinogawa Gakuen, the oldest welfare insutitution for people with hypophrenia in Japan, after her first husband died at the age of 35.
*I don’t know what the most appropriate word to use is nowadays.
Fudeko was a Christian woman from a noble family born during Keiou Period (1865 - 1868). She spoke 3 languages, and taught French at school for aristocratic women. The Empress Teimei, the wife of Taisho Period emperor, was one of her students. She had everything anyone could ask for, but she dedicated her life to educating people with intellectual disabilities and educating “healthy” people about people with disabilities.
The film’s subtitle, The Angel’s Piano, comes from the piano with the angel emblem Fudeko received as a wedding gift from her father and the other family members when she married to her first husband.
Here’s the official website for this film. The director of this film, Hisako Yamada, is also a mother of 43 year-old daughter who has severe hypophrenia.
Unfortunately, this film is not in any commercial theaters in Ibaraki, and the showing in Joso City is THE only chance for those who are interested to watch it in Ibaraki.
**** 筆子その愛、天使のピアノ(Fudeko Sono Ai) *******************
Casts: Takako Tokiwa(Fudeko), Emiya Ichikawa, Gou Katou
(they are all big names)
Time: February 17, Sat. from 2PM and 6:30PM
Place: Joso Civic Hall, 3222-3 Suwa Machi, Joso City,
Tel: 0297-22-2011
Tickets:
1600yen(1300yen Advance) for adults
1400yen(1100yen Advance) for high-schoolers and younger, people with disabilities, and care personnel.
* Childcare services available for toddlers and children with disabilities.
Advance reservations required. Cost: 200yen for snacks.
**********************************************************************
Sorry, the film and websites are all in Japanese.
Thanks wiki for additional information on Fudeko Ishii.
Print This Post