The Magical Art of Translation Lecture at Japan Society

Last month, Japan Society had an amazing lecture discussing translation, Murakami, and some of Japan's up and coming novelists. The panel also shared their thoughts on what it's like to be a writer and a translator. I had some time before the lecture because I left work a little early. I headed to Vivi bubble tea and Dainobu to grab a snack before the event.

I also saw that the Sebastian Masuda's Hello Kitty time capsule was there for his TIME AFTER TIME art project. It was so cute! I meet up with Tiffany shortly after snapping this pic of her majesty, Hello Kitty.

I was super excited to learn that Jay Rubin would be there. He has translated a lot of Murakami's work. They discussed how writing in a foreign language is a valuable tool to free yourself from tradition.

For a lot of the speakers on the panel, translation is a huge piece that plays into their own fiction and their writing process which is something I can relate to. I dabbled in translation in college when I decided to do a conference project producing my own translation of a few scenes of the manga Death Note and comparing it to the official English translation. I found a lot of disparities in language and tone. In my opinion, the official English translation did not carry enough nuance to highlight how creepy/scary of Light and Ryuk's interactions.

It was also refreshing to learn about newer writers in Japan since I'm a huge fan of Japanese literature. There was a writer on the panel named, Aoko Matsuda, and I am really excited to check out her work. I really loved hearing her speak about her thoughts on being a translator and a writer. There was another amazing speaker, Motoyuki Shibata, who is one of Japan's most well known translator and founder of Monkey Business. Also, Monkey Business is a great way to learn about new work from Japan.

Japan Society always has such amazing events and I consider myself lucky to be able to have access to such a wonderful institution. I really enjoy reading works by POC and LGBTQ+ writers and people with different gender identities, and the lecture gave me more writers to check out. I recently picked up the first book in a YA series by a WOC named Marie Lu which I will review after I finish it. Thanks for reading!

Sebastian Masuda: Kawaii Meets Art and Fashion at Japan Society

Hey everyone, I hope life has been treating you well. Last month I was able to attend Sebastian Masuda's lecture wit Tiff at Japan Society called Kawaii Meets Art and Fashion. I had to bust my butt to get there after work, but it was SO worth it. It was wonderful hearing about Sebastian's journey throughout his career. As someone that is getting into Japanese fashion, it was amazing to learn about someone that is revered in the fashion.

Sebastian Masuda also known as "King of Harajuku" is an icon of Harajuku and kawaii fashion and culture. He opened a store for his label 6%DOKIDOKI in 1995. It is the only remaining store from the early era of Harajuku fashion. He is also known for being the art director of Kyary Kyary Pyamu's hit smash PonPonPon music video. Sebastian is also an artist and has art exhibitions throughout the world.

He spoke in Japanese which was wonderful practice for me. There was a lovely translated that did a wonderful job conveying his feelings and thoughts. Sebastian talked about using the concepts of shock and color in his work. He's heavily influenced by Harajuku fashion and culture, because it's where different cultures come together. The fashion contains a mix of different styles and age groups. He also talked about what kawaii was. He explained that kawaii is creating your own very small personal universe, and it cannot be obstructed by anyone. This private space doesn't have to be colorful; it's anything you imagine. This resonated with me because when I first came across j fashion, I saw it as a way to express myself and the many sides of my personality. He also highlighted the importance social media has played in connecting others and spreading Harajuki and kawaii fashion and culture.