Author: anniedonwerth-chikamatsu

Story Calendar with Links

Published by

Somewhere Among  takes place in Japan 2001. Anniversaries, holidays, solstices, and historical events that Japan and the United States share were woven throughout the story. For verification and further study, I have included links to English sources. Links to other sources are included in each post on this website. It is important to note that Sea Day and Respect for the Aged Day now fall on the third Monday of July and September respectively. That was not the case in 2001. Also note that moon-viewing is traditionally mid-September but it depends on the year  Check here for the holiday calendar for 2001. Space/moon data and weather charts for west Tokyo were used as reference for the scenes. For Japan 2001 http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/japan/2001 Thurs. June 21, 2001 summer equinox                                           http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/longest-day/equinox-solstice-2000-2009.htm Sun. July 1, 2001 Hawaii raising Ehime Maru, Star Bulletin                  http://archives.starbulletin.com/2001/07/01/news/story5.html Thurs. July 5, 2001 12 pm Japan; …

Story Playlist

Published by

Many songs influenced the writing of Somewhere Among. I have included links to some of them. I listened to these four songs almost daily: two songs, “Inochi no Namae” (the Name of Life lyrics) and “Itsumo nando demo” (lyrics Ghiblink) from Hayao Miyazaki’s movie Spirited Away, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, were played on TV and radio so often after the release of the 2001 movie in Japan, U2’s “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” (2000), was a filler between shows on Japanese cable in the weeks before September 11, and this solo version of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”  was quiet, reflective comfort during the months after September 11. The up-tempo version came out in 1968 when I was eleven, the age of the main character, Ema. Those song titles became poem titles or influenced poems along with two Beatles’ song,  “With a Little Help from My Friends” (1967) and “Let It Be” (1970). The Beatles’ “Ob-la-di Ob-la-da” (1968) provided the title and structure for the poem about the Sports …

Numbering Dickinson, Knowing Stevenson

Published by

Emily Dickinson did not number her poems. She didn’t give them titles. My college anthology of American literature (1978) presented her work using Thomas H. Johnson’s numbering notations in his 1955 edition, The Poems of Emily Dickinson. He used a J. plus a number. The Academy of American Poets uses the first line and a number for the Dickinson poem mentioned in Somewhere Among;  “There is a certain slant of light” # 258. The Poetry Foundation uses the first line as a title and (320). Other anthologies use combinations or variations of the title, number and  J.  Mom and Nana in Somewhere Among had an anthology that used Johnson’s numbering. If you google Emily Dickinson 258 you will find the poem: There’s a certain Slant of light, Winter Afternoons – That oppresses, like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes –  Heavenly Hurt, it gives us –  We can find no scar, But internal difference, Where the Meanings, are –  None may teach it – Any –  ‘Tis the Seal Despair –  An imperial affliction Sent us of the Air –  When it comes, the …

Bullying and Resolving Conflict

Published by

ANTI-BULLYING DAYS & WEEKS & MONTHS Across the world, days, weeks and months have been set aside to spotlight bullying. Here is what a few countries are doing. Let’s add to the list. Australia        National Day of Action Against Bullying & Violence Canada Safe Schools   Pink Shirt Day Canada Scotland UK Anti-Bullying Week resources UK The Diana Award Stand up to Bullying Campaign video message from Prince William USA   Blue Shirt Day World Day of Bullying Prevention ARTICLES Bank Street College of Education  Social & Emotional Learning through Literature Edutopia Resources to Fight Bullying and harassment at School Edutopia What Neuroscience Reveals About Bullying By Eucators Psychology Today article What You Can Do stopbullying.gov What to do when your child is being bullied in Japanese school RESOURCES The Center of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Rutgers University has an extensive list of links to materials for teaching and guiding students in conflict resolution skills. Click here. Harvard Graduate School of Education         Bullying          Making Caring Common Project TELL Japan Outreach Anti-Bullying ASSOCIATIONS …

International Day of Peace for Peace One Day

Published by

International Day of Peace is on September 21. The 2017 theme is Together for Peace, Safety, Respect & Dignity For All.  For information about 2017 events, check here and the UN Peace Day Facebook page.  For more information check the Facebook page for Peace One Day as well as their websites and the other links below. History On September 7, 2001, the United Nations unanimously adopted a fixed date, September 21, for International Day of Peace (originally sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica for the third Tuesday of the month of September.) The U.N. also defined International Day of Peace as a day of ceasefire and non-violence. These proposals were introduced by U.N. members from Costa Rica and the United Kingdom after two years of international lobbying by Jeremy Gilley, the founder of Peace One Day, and his team. Four days later, on September 11 International Day of  Peace for 2001, Kofi Annan, the then Secretary-General of the U.N., was scheduled to make the announcement at a press conference at the Peace Bell outside …

Promoting Peace

Published by

Many opportunities for peace and conflict resolution educational programs and activities can be found through the following links: President John F. Kennedy’s address to the U.N. assembly September 20, 1963 audio from John F. Kennedy Library and Museum Articles & Papers Creating Classrooms for Social Justice   Dr. Tabitha Dell’Angelo       Edutopia The Importance of Thank You Notes   Parents’ Choice Peace Education in UNICEF Susan Fountain, 1999 Peace News:   Children as Leaders Lessons from Colombia’s Children’s Movement for Peace The Guardian “Time to Give Peace a Chance in Schools” Books, Materials, and Ideas Jane Addams Association Book Awards The Center of Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Rutgers University has an extensive list of links to materials for teaching and guiding students in conflict resolution skills. Click here.  A Curriculum of Peace: Selected Essays                                                                                        …

Japan-U.S. Friendship

Published by

GIFTS OF TREES, 1910 – present You may know the long and interesting history of Japan’s 1912 gift of the Washington, D. C. cherry trees. But did you know that in 1915, three years after the gift of cherry trees, the United States government sent seeds and saplings of dogwood to Japan? Gifts of Friendship (Japan Joint Issue) stamps were issued on April 10, 2015 to commemorate the 1915 gift of dogwoods. After World War II ended in 1945, cuttings from the cherry trees in Washington, D.C. were sent to Japan to restore the Tokyo collection that had perished during the American bombing attacks during the war. The two countries’ tree giving continues through the United States-Japan Bridging Foundation Friendship Blossoms Initiative. To read about the history of the National Cherry Blossom Festival check here. Taft’s Gift of Dogwoods to Japan Grew Up in Avon The last original dogwood and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy U.S. eyes 3,000 dogwoods for ‘sakura’ anniversary Friendship Blossoms Launched— Send Off at US National Arboretum Dogwoods given to Yoyogi Park Friendship …

The Ehime Maru February 2001

Published by

On February 9, 2001, The Ehime Maru, a Japanese high school fishery training boat, sank 9 miles off Diamond Head after the submarine USS Greeneville surfaced beneath it. Nine people on The Ehime Maru perished. In January 2002,  a memorial was built at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park in Honolulu and was unveiled in February 2002.  The memorial stands on a hill overlooking the ocean. It is made of nine granite blocks. Engravings include an outline of ship and a map of the accident site. One of the ship’s two anchors lay next to nine links from the anchor chain to signify the nine lost lives. The names of those who perished are engraved on the stone. The Japan-America Society of Hawai’i maintain the memorial with the help of volunteers from the community. This photo was taken in 2015.   Construction of Ehime Memorial Underway January 20. 2002 Memorial to Ehime Maru Nine Unveiled Japan Times Feb. 11, 2002 Ehime Maru Memorial Draws Japan Tourists June 27, 2002  

Mayors for Peace August 2001

Published by

On August 2, 2001, the 5th World Conference of Mayors for Peace opened first in Hiroshima. Events were also held in Nagasaki. Approximately 220 people participated from 63 cities and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from 28 foreign countries and from 44 municipalities in Japan. Nine countries participated for the first time, including Pakistan, which conducted a nuclear testing in 1998. Discussions included what cities and citizens should do to eliminate nuclear weapons. The issue of violence among children was discussed for the first time at the conference. Participants resolved to make the 21st century the ‘century of humanity,’ a century in which “peace is realized not through violence but through reconciliation, cooperation, reason and conscience.” Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi of Hiroshima City, the chairman of the conference, gave a speech in English at the opening ceremony saying, “The 20th century was an era of war. We hope to make the 21st century a century of peace and humanity. We must not forget that cities are expected to play an important role towards that goal.” Morishima Michio …

Hiroshima on August 6, 2001

Published by

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan visited the annual Hiroshima Memorial Service for the Dead and the Peace Memorial Ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park in 2001. There was a moment of silence and a release of doves. Hiroshima’s Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba gave a “Peace Declaration,” and children gave a “Commitment to Peace.” Prime Minister Koizumi stated, “Being the only country ever to have experienced nuclear devastation, Japan observes its Peace Constitution, firmly maintaining the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Japan is also continuing to appeal to the international community for the abolition of nuclear weapons and realization of a permanent peace so that the horrors of nuclear weapons never be repeated.” 2001 Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba’s Peace Declaration 2001 BBC News photos of Hiroshima August 6, 2001 Hiroshima Memorial Service Washington Post Japan marks 56th anniversary of Hiroshima USA Today Education Hiroshima and Peace program for undergraduate and graduate students General Children’s Peace Monument Tower of a Thousand Cranes Hiroshima Peace Site   Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Website Hiroshima Peace Media Center Media Message from Hiroshima Official Trailer …