Presentation

My topics as a presenter and consultant

Japanese Etiquette (gyogi saho)

From the correct way to eat Japanese food to who bows first at a business meeting, I explain and lead my audience through the beautiful yet potentially confusing rules of polite behaviour in Japan, as well as addressing individual situations related to polite and effective contact with Japanese people.

Bushido

The days of the samurai may have gone, but the influence of the way of the warrior lives on. I examine the tenets and practices of this way of life and death, explain how it can be a force for good or bad in the modern world, and how individuals and organisations can benefit from Bushido today.

The Tea Ceremony (chanoyu)

While leading my audience through this most Japanese of pastimes, I explain how chado (the way of tea) has inspired many of the arts we associate with Japan, as well as the language and characterof the Japanese people. It has been called a cult, philosopy, etiquette, a ruse for diplomacy in the age of warriors , an accomplishment for young ladies and stress relief for today's business executives. Oh, yes ... and it is a refreshing drink, too. An understanding of the tea ceremony leads to an understanding of the Japanese mind and view of the world. Therefore, it is a useful accomplishment for many people.

The Kimono

I dress in a kimono nearly every day and my collection of over 100 of has given me a deep understanding of how to wear and care for these precious costumes. I demonstrates how to walk and sit Japanese style, as well as explaining the history and rules of kimono wearing (seasonal patterns, levels of formality and intricate obi knots), I am happy to tell anecdotes of my adventures while wearing the kimono in England and encourage many questions.

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Mary, who attended the kimono workshop at MinamiCon 2008, wrote:
It was lovely to meet you, and thank you so much for an interesting lecture. It is fascinating to learn about the  differences between Japanese and English culture, but so heart-warming to discover the similarities as well. Thank you for  arranging for us all to wear kimono as well. I have two yukata at  home, but I have always been confused about the correct way to wear them, and so I have more confidence to try now.

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Other topics

• Shinto, the indigenous religion of Japan
• The role of women in Japanese Society
• Traditional and modern Japanese lifestyle
• Shodo, Japanese brush-writing
• Keigo formal spoken Japanese
• Soroban, the Japanese abacus

My topics are based on my upbringing as daughter of a samurai family and many years of practicing traditional arts and customs; however, this practical experience is combined with theory from my research at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London) and reflective distance of currently living in the UK, away from my Japanese roots

I don't merely present these topics, they are part of my heritage and everyday life. This means that my kimonos, tea ceremony equipment and calligraphy brushes are in constant use for their original purpose over many years. This gives them a familarity and authenticity that is lacking in mere musuem pieces gathered in cases. It also allows me to really know my subject from the insiders point of view, so I can adapt it to fit audiences as varied as school children, learned societies, martial artists and fans of Japanese animation. When women's luncheon clubs ask me what it actually feels like to kneel and move in Japanese costume, I can tell them and let them experience it for themselves. When fine art students ask why a particular woodblock print depicts a pose or combination of elements, I can recreate the scene for them to explore the possibilites, as well as refering to illuminating incidents from Japanese history and arts.

As noted below, my professional affiliations give me £10 million public liability insurance. I am also CRB checked, most recently in January 2007. I can design and present many kinds of activity: formal academic lectures, conference key note presentations, workshops, instruction courses, informal talks and demonstrations, classroom and field trip exeriences of aspects of Japanese culture, historical and artistic reconstructions, cameo performances for film and stage, and much more. I am registered with professional agencies for public speaking and educational/cultural workshops, as well as being recommended by the cultural section of the Embassy of Japan. If you would like to know more, including cost and availablity to help with your activities, please contact me.