日本文化を英国で普及させる民間団体
―日英友好の懸け橋として―
The Japan Society, a private organization that serves as a bridge of friendship between Japan and the United Kingdom, will greet the 125th anniversary of its foundation in 2016. This Hakumon Herald reporter visited the office of the society located near London’s Baker Street underground station during his short stay in the country in the summer and interviewed Ms. Alice Caffyn who works there about what her society does and how Japanese culture is accepted in the U.K.
ロンドン中心部、ベーカーストリート駅のほど近くに事務所を構える、民間団体“THE JAPAN SOCIETY”。白門ヘラルドは、来年で設立125周年を迎え、日英友好の懸け橋として活動を続けるこの団体の職員のアリスさんにその活動、日本文化の英国での地位について話を伺った。
-When was your society established?
―この団体はいつ設立されたのでしょうか。
Caffyn: It was established in 1891 for the purpose of promoting friendship between the two countries and deepening their mutual understanding.
1891年に日英友好を促進し、相互理解を深めることを目的として設立されました。
-What kind of activity do you carry out?
―どのような活動をしているのでしょうか
Caffyn: We do an extensive activity including, for example, business, educational and academic programs. In our educational programs, for example, volunteers who can speak Japanese visit British schools and give workshops on Japanese culture and tradition. They teach the language and origami (the art of paper folding) among other things. We also provide Japanese and British students with a place to communicate and interact with each other.
ビジネスプログラム、教育プログラム、アカデミックプログラムなど幅広い活動をしています。教育プログラムを例に挙げると、日本語が話せるボランティアが英国の学校を訪れ、折り紙や日本語を教えるなど、日本の文化、伝統を学ぶためのワークショップを行ったりしています。また、日英の学生が交流する場も提供しています。
-Can you give us some more specific examples?
―具体的にはどのようなことをしているのですか
Caffyn: We produce our homepage "Japan UK Live", offering a message board where students can write their opinions. We translate them into each other’s languages to promote their interchanges.
Japan UK Liveというホームページを作成し、メッセージボードのような場所に互いの意見を書いてもらい、それを私たちが互いの言語に翻訳することで交流を促進しています。
Preserving Culture
-What else do you do?
―その他にはどのような活動があるのでしょうか
Caffyn: Through our “Small Grants” program, we offer financial assistance to organizations which hold small events to deepen the British people’s understanding of Japanese culture and the language. We provide up to 1,000 pounds (approximately 180,000 yen) per event. We also support large-scale events in cooperation with other organizations including the Japanese Embassy in London. We preserve books about Japan and lend them.
日本の文化や言語に対する理解を深める小規模なイベントを行う団体に資金援助をしています。その額は最大で￡1,000（約18万円）です。またロンドンの日本大使館を含む様々な組織などと協力して大規模なイベントの支援を行ったり、日本に関する書籍の保存、貸し出しも行っています。
-What kind of books do you have?
―どのような種類の本があるのでしょうか
Caffyn: They are mostly books about Japan written in English. We also have many Japanese dictionaries. Basically they have been donated to us. We manage them carefully because some of them are old and have a great value. We also keep the annual reports of our society, including the first issue written in 1892.
主に英語で書かれた日本に関する本、日本語辞書などが多いです。基本的には寄付されものが多いです。中には、価値の高く古い本もあるため、慎重に管理しています。団体として毎年発行している年次報告書も1892に書かれたものから保存されています。
-How is the Japanese culture positioned in the U.K?
―日本文化は英国内でどのような位置付けにありますか
Caffyn: It is very popular. Shops dealing in Japanese foods have explosively increased in number particularly in the past several years. I think British people have begun to understand Japanese foods which they hadn’t had before such as ramen and udon. This trend has been given a push by "HYPER JAPAN", a big event held twice a year in London, which is similar to "JAPAN EXPO" that takes place in Paris.
とても人気があります。特にここ数年で日本食の店は爆発的に増加しました。ラーメン、うどん、などこれまで英国人が食べたことのない料理が理解されはじめていると思います。毎年2回、グリニッジなどで行われている、”HYPER JAPAN” というパリの”JAPAN EXPO”に似た大規模なイベントもこの潮流を後押ししています。
-What has motivated you to take up this job at the Society?
―どうしてこの仕事を始めようと思ったのですか
Caffyn: I was looking for a job that would enable me to get associated with Japan and contribute to Japan-U.K friendship while keeping myself in London. So I began to work here upon graduation from my university. This job was what I had wanted. I can experience various types of work. I sometimes find it hard, but I feel it’s really worth doing.
ロンドンに留まりながら日本との繋がりを持ち、日英友好に寄与できる職を探し、大学卒業後すぐ、ここで働き始めました。様々な種類の仕事を経験できるので、大変ですが、やりがいを感じています。
-Thank you very much.
―ありがとうございました。
(Interviewed by: Takaaki Araki)
コメントをお書きください
Landon Drewes (土曜日, 04 2月 2017 08:23)
It is not my first time to pay a visit this web page, i am visiting this web page dailly and obtain nice information from here daily.
Mayola Dohrmann (日曜日, 05 2月 2017 09:59)
I don't know if it's just me or if perhaps everyone else experiencing problems with your website. It appears like some of the written text on your content are running off the screen. Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them as well? This may be a problem with my web browser because I've had this happen before. Thank you
Heide Chestnut (日曜日, 05 2月 2017 11:36)
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent website. I stumbledupon it ;) I will revisit yet again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.
Terrell Felipe (日曜日, 05 2月 2017 12:38)
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It's always exciting to read content from other authors and use something from their web sites.
Milagros Stokely (日曜日, 05 2月 2017 13:35)
With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of unique content I've either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any ways to help protect against content from being stolen? I'd really appreciate it.
Kimberly Hirano (日曜日, 05 2月 2017 20:30)
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage! Keep up the amazing works guys I've you guys to our blogroll.
Ela Harwood (月曜日, 06 2月 2017 13:17)
I have read so many posts about the blogger lovers except this post is genuinely a fastidious piece of writing, keep it up.
Nerissa Seely (月曜日, 06 2月 2017 22:44)
Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the images aren't loading correctly. I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I've tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same results.
Belkis Dudek (火曜日, 07 2月 2017 18:46)
Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
Isis Rusin (火曜日, 07 2月 2017 22:42)
Right away I am going to do my breakfast, after having my breakfast coming over again to read additional news.
Lavenia Aguinaga (水曜日, 08 2月 2017 01:49)
Hi it's me, I am also visiting this web page on a regular basis, this website is genuinely fastidious and the users are actually sharing fastidious thoughts.
Felix Sampson (水曜日, 08 2月 2017 02:54)
I am actually thankful to the holder of this website who has shared this impressive post at here.
Monet Beene (水曜日, 08 2月 2017 06:04)
Hi there would you mind stating which blog platform you're working with? I'm going to start my own blog soon but I'm having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Creola Schroyer (水曜日, 08 2月 2017 08:48)
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
Susie Tenaglia (水曜日, 08 2月 2017)
Excellent post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our website. Keep up the good writing.
Hsiu Mckinney (水曜日, 08 2月 2017 20:48)
Stunning quest there. What happened after? Thanks!
Lee Dowless (木曜日, 09 2月 2017 18:24)
Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly don't know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks
Cheyenne Leeks (木曜日, 09 2月 2017 22:23)
It's actually very difficult in this active life to listen news on TV, therefore I only use web for that purpose, and take the latest information.
Chiquita Meli (木曜日, 09 2月 2017 22:46)
Link exchange is nothing else but it is simply placing the other person's website link on your page at proper place and other person will also do same for you.
Ela Foree (金曜日, 10 2月 2017 01:59)
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article. Thank you for providing these details.
Tammi Scheuermann (金曜日, 10 2月 2017 04:17)
It's in fact very complex in this full of activity life to listen news on TV, therefore I only use web for that purpose, and obtain the hottest information.
Karolyn Castellano (金曜日, 10 2月 2017 05:44)
I got this web page from my buddy who shared with me about this website and now this time I am visiting this website and reading very informative posts at this time.
Annette Sharrow (金曜日, 10 2月 2017 06:39)
I visited various web sites except the audio feature for audio songs current at this web page is genuinely fabulous.