Fall 2023 Japan Semester

5-7 PM, MSUB Northcutt Steele - Project Gallery
First Floor - Liberal Arts Building

Enjoy a diverse collection of traditional and modern Japanese artifacts. This exhibit will display some ukiyo-e prints (woodblock prints popular from the 17^th through 19^th centuries), an authentic kimono dress and Samurai armor, alongside a variety of other traditional, unique pieces of art, such as Daruma dolls, Japanese wooden folding screen (Byobu), and more. Coupled with traditional artifacts, you will also see typical pieces of a modern Japanese lifestyle. This exhibit will have something for all tastes and provides an eclectic portrayal of Japanese culture.

An art reception will take place at 5pm in the Lobby of the Northcutt Steele Gallery on Sept. 14. We will have an exhibition talk at around 6:20pm. Light refreshments will be served.

The exhibit will be on display from
Sept. 14 – Sept. 28

10AM - 3PM, Glacier Room
MSUB Student Union Building

Learn about the multitude of study abroad opportunities available to MSU Billings students. Whether you want to study literature in England, Spanish in Costa Rica, or business in South Korea, International Studies has a program for you. All majors can study abroad!

Visit the Study Abroad Fair to learn about the various programs from MSUB students who have studied abroad as well as from visiting exchange students at MSUB who are representing their home universities. While you're there, pick up some snacks from around the world and enjoy a truly multicultural atmosphere.

4-5 pm, MSUB Liberal Arts Building, Room 205

Join the fun craft workshop to make your own daruma doll! Daruma dolls are Japanese traditional dolls and very valued in Japanese cultures. They are used and cherished as a symbol of good luck and future fortune. Daruma dolls also represent a reminder of self-perseverance, focus and discipline. You will be invited to learn about its history and connection to Japanese culture through its goofy look and use as a talisman.

This is a kid friendly event. Registration is required so we can order the appropriate number of dolls. Click the below button to save your spot.

7 - 10 PM, Babcock Theater

We have the rare opportunity to show a Cinema Kabuki film “Onna Goroshi Abura No Jigoku (女殺油地獄),” sponsored by the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles. This film is considered a masterpiece of Japanese playwrite and is about a son who becomes violent after his father refuses him a loan to pay off a debt.

This film is not recommended for children.

WHAT IS CINEMA KABUKI?

Since 2005, Kabuki production company Shochiku Co. Ltd. has released Cinema Kabuki which offers English speakers the unique opportunity to experience full-scale Kabuki performances by some of Japan's biggest stars in high definition on the big screen with English subtitles. This, however, is no regular film screening; Cinema Kabuki allows the audience to vividly experience the excitement of the live stage through the full use and wide-range capability of highdefinition (HD) images and 6-channel sound. Enjoy the authenticity of Kabuki as if you were sitting in the best seat of the Metropolitan Opera House!

4-5 pm, MSUB SUB Galcier Room
First Floor - Student Union Building

Join this special workshop from ScottBrady of Mountain West Aikido to learn about a modern Japanese martial art, Aikido. Aikido was created during the 1920s by Morihei Ueshiba, an expert who reached the highest level of mastery in the classical Japanese Martial Arts. It is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack, rather than opposing it head-on. Aikido training is intended to promote physical and mental training, according to the proficiency level of each skill. Aikido training is not only good for health but also develops self-confidence. You will be invited to learn some basic Aikido techniques and be introduce to Japanese martial arts spirit.

This is a kid friendly event. Please come in clothes that are easy to move around in and remove your accessories and watches for a safe lesson!

Scott Brady (4th degree black belt) is the dojo’s Head Instructor. He began his training with Greg Olson (6th degree black belt) in 1990 and this background provides students with a direct line of transmission from the founder. Scott studied various martial arts, including Shorin Ryu Karate, Tea Kwon Do, Jiujitsu, Iaido, Kali/Escrima and most recently Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo. He is U.S. veteran having served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and is a level ll certified Army Combative Instructor.Mountain West Aikido is the greater Billings area’s only dedicated Aikido school. 

7-10 pm, Babcock Theater
2810 2nd Ave N, Billings

Ju-On is a 2002 Japanese supernatural horror film written and directed by Takashi Shimizu. It depicts a young Japanese woman, Rika, who takes care of an old woman named Sachie. While she is at Sachie's house, Rika finds a young boy named Toshio. She eventually learns about a curse that anyone who enters the house will be killed by the spirit of Kayako. Rika must get herself out of the curse before it's too late.

Ju-On is the original Japanese version on which the American film The Grudge (2006) is based. The Japanese version is arguably more intense than the later American version of the film.

This film is rated R and is not recommended for children.

Ted Kim, cinema instructor at MSU Billings, will host a short introduction of the film prior to the viewing. Ted has worked in the television and film business in NYC and Los Angeles for more than 20 years as a director, writer and producer.  He most recently worked as a producer in Los Angeles developing TV network dramas for Tokyo Broadcasting System (“TBS”). He holds an M.F.A. in film directing from Columbia University in NYC.

6-7 PM, MSUB Liberal Arts Building, Room 205

Former US Ambassador and career US diplomat Richard Boucher will speak about current challenges facing the US in Asia.

Richard Boucher 

Ambassador Boucher was the longest serving Spokesman in the history of the State Department, serving six Secretaries of State. From 2006 to 2009, he formulated U.S. policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as India and the broader region, as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. Richard also served as U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus (1993-1996), Consul General in Hong Kong (1996-1999), and led U.S. efforts for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation as US Senior Official for APEC from 1999-2000.

After retiring from the State Department, Ambassador Boucher served four years as Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

4-5 PM, MSUB Liberal Arts Building, Room 205

Dive into a historical and cultural discussion about Japan’s native Ainu population with MSUB’s Dr. Wendy Felese and guest scholar Dr. Amy McKinney from Northwest College in Wyoming. Felese and McKinney will discuss the Ainu’s ceremonial and cultural practices, as well as how these show up in contemporary artistic expression and practices that precede Shinto. They will address how the Ainu’s official status within Japan has evolved since officially being recognized by the government in 2008 and will explore various aspects of global Indigeneity that Ainu peoples, like other "first peoples" share, thus finding cross-comparisons with local indigenous cultures, including powerful connections to land, spirits, and more-than-human beings.

Dr. Wendy Felese is an Assistant Professor of American Indian and Indigenous Studies at MSUB. She learned of the Auni through her doctoral studies on the Japanese Shinto religious practices, which are derived from earlier Ainu ceremonies.

Dr. Amy McKinney is an Associate Professor of History at Northwest College in Powell, WY, where she teaches a North American Indians history course and a History of East Asia course. Dr. McKinney was a UISFL Faculty Scholar through MSUB’s Office of International Studies, allowing her to travel to Japan in summer 2023 to further research the Ainu culture, among other topics.

5-7 PM, MSUB Rimrock Café
Student Union Building

Learn how to make sushi rolls during this interactive event! Sushi is the most popular Japanese food in the world. In Japan, the sushi roll is called Makizushi. Maki means “to roll," and zushi is the conjugated version of the word “sushi.” The sushi rice and fillings are all wrapped up or rolled inside roasted, dried seaweed. Makizushi can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including fresh vegetables, fish and seafood, egg and picked foods. It is perfect for appetizers or finger food at parties or potlucks. In Japan, it is often prepared for celebrations.

Enjoy your evening with Makizushi making!

4-5 PM, MSUB SUB Galcier Room
First Floor - Student Union Building

EVENT CANCELED

Join this special Battojutsu workshop from Scott Brady to learn about this unique Japanese martial arts form! Battojutsu is a field of Kenjutsu, sword techniques, that deal specifically with the rapid drawing and sheathing of a sword. It is the predecessor of the art of Iaido, a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to a sudden attack. Though their differences stem from the fact that Iaido is more like Kendo as a form of spiritual training and sport, whereas Battojutsu practices and studies the dynamics of sword drawing and hand-eye-coordination regarding live action factors of timing, distance, targeting, and the specifics of one's sword, including its size and blade, to strike readily. You will enjoy watching a cutting demonstration and learn some basic Battojutsu techniques.

This is a kid friendly event. Please come in clothes that are easy to move around in and remove your accessories and watches for a safe lesson!

Scott Brady (4th degree black belt) is the dojo's Head Instructor. Refer to the short biography under the Oct. 12 event for details or vist Mountain West Aikido. 

7-10 PM, The Babcock Theater
2810 2nd Ave N., Billings

Sweet Bean is a 2015 Japanese drama film directed by Naomi Kawase. It follows the story of a manager of a pancake stall who finds himself confronted with an odd but sympathetic elderly woman looking for work. A taste of her homemade red bean paste convinces him to hire her, which starts a relationship that is about much more than just street food.

The film was selected to open the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival was nominated for numerous international film festival awards, winning awards at the Sao Paulo and Cork  International Film Festivals. It was also selected to be screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.

This is a kid and family friendly film.

Ted Kim, cinema instructor at MSU Billings, will host a short introduction of the film prior to the viewing. Ted has worked in the television and film business in NYC and Los Angeles for more than 20 years as a director, writer and producer.  He most recently worked as a producer in Los Angeles developing TV network dramas for Tokyo Broadcasting System (“TBS”). He holds an M.F.A. in film directing from Columbia University in NYC.

5-7 PM, MSUB Northcutt Steele Gallery
First Floor - Liberal Arts Building

Treasuring the Moment (一期一会　Ichi-go Ichi-e) showcases Japanese artist Chiyoko Myose’s ever-growing interactive installation “A Thread X A Thread” that explores the significance of human encounters and connections.  Chiyoko's paintings inspired by threads are also featured.

An artist talk will take place at 4pm (location TBD). The art reception will take place from 5-7pm, Nov. 16 in the Lobby of the Northcutt Steele Gallery, with a gallery conversation at 6pm. Light refreshments will be served.

The exhibit will be on display from
Nov. 16 – Dec. 14