Newsletter No.53

August 2003

ESUJ Luncheon:
Edo Period and Today, a lecture by a Shogun

A new program of lunch meetings (lecture in Japanese, fee for attendance) was launched in February mainly for our corporate sponsors and supporting members who help us financially or otherwise. The second luncheon was held on 14 July at Ark Hills Club. This time, the lecturer was Mr. Tsunenari Tokugawa, President of Tokugawa Memorial Foundation, former executive vice president of NYK, and ESUJ's supporting member. He is the 18th Lord of Tokugawa Shogunate. Mr. Tokugawa spoke with many anecdotes about the Edo period, characterizing it as a unique, unprecedented period in the human history---260 years of peace, stability and self-sufficiency, giving rise to a highly developed civilization under the single government of a fully independent nation with over 30 million population. He explained how the system of alternate attendance (sankin kotai) to the capital by feudal lords was effective in creating a national consensus and disseminating common knowledge and education nation-wide, and how the government wisely dealt with such contemporary issues as "recycling" or"environment." Or how Japanese developed fondness of bathing or ablution. He confessed, however, that there are considerable difficulties in expressing in English some typical Edo systems, such as rice-standard economy or a class of vassals called hatamoto. ESUJ plans to hold such lectures unavailable elsewhere. We hope this will result in more members becoming supporting members of ESUJ and actively participate in such meetings.

Thanksgiving Services to Celebrate 85th Anniversary of the ESU held in London

Although our ESUJ is only five-years old, the English-Speaking Union in London is old enough to celebrate its 85 years anniversary at Westminster Abbey on 26 June. To our regret, ESUJ officers were not available to attend the ceremony. Mr. Hanabusa and Mr. Matsudaira, however, asked their old "homes," the Japanese Embassy in London and JAL London, to help ESUJ by participating in the parade of all member nations carrying their national flags and wearing their national costumes. The Embassy kindly donated a big Japanese Hinomaru flag, and JAL's Ms Yuko Marchant carried it in Kimono. The service started with Handel's Royal Fireworks. The Duke of Edinburgh gave a message of congratulations and the representatives of many nations gathered. Amongst them were H.E.Mr. Orita, the Japanese Ambassador, JAL's Director of Europe, Mr. Oda, and Mr. Morikawa, JAL's General Manager, UK.; and Yuko in her kimono was very popular there. Some photographs will soon be posted on our website.

51st English Club

ESUJ's English Club met Tuesday, July 15, at the Tokyo International Forum under the usual chairmanship of "MM" (Mr. Masumi Muramatsu). He reported on the International Society for Humor Studies annual conference he attended in Chicago, and in particular about the paper he presented on "Humor in Proverbs and Idioms As They Transcend Cultures and Generations." The second half of the evening was a talk by Mr. Ken Moskowitz, director of the Tokyo American Center, US Embassy, on the role of humor in public speaking, New Yorkers' speech and humor, differences from other regions, a most interesting topic. Mr. Moskowitz's young nephew, Mike, a university student from Florida visiting Japan joined the discussions, making the session more animated than usual. English Club will not meet in August because of summer holiday; and the next regular meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 16, 18:30-20:30, in Room G405 of the Tokyo International Forum.

HOT Idioms

Below is a list of some American idioms that recall some of the words of summer. (From the newsletter of "English in Action", by ESU-US.)

・ Joseph is full of hot air, so you shouldn't believe his stories. (exaggerated talk characterized by emotion rater than intellectual content.)
・ Jillian was hot and bothered when the teacher surprised the class with a test. (flustered; excited and worried, displeased, or puzzled.)
・ Lisa got hot under the collar when her friend said she was fat.(angry)
・ My brother was in hot water when he broke my mom's camera. (trouble)

Coming Events (already confirmed as of today)

Monday 8 September Ambassador's Lecture Series "Iceland, the County of Fire and Ice" by H.E. Mr. Sigfusson at Conference Room, Japan Press Club in Hibiya 18:30-20:00 Wednesday 8 October Parliamentary Debate Seminar in Kansai 18:30-20:30 at Osaka Prefecture University Sunday 12 October - Monday 13 October ESUJ University Debate Competition 2003 (6th) at National Olympics Memorial Youth Center

Notice to Members

From Monday 11 August through Friday 15 August, ESUJ office will be closed for summer. Office will reopen on Monday 18 August. Meanwhile, Bon Vacance!