Dr. Bob Huey, even in retirement, has been diligently working to help complete a major collaborative project that began in 2020. Alongside faculty and graduate students in the East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) department at UH Mānoa, Dr. Huey collaborated with scholars in Japan and the Honolulu Museum of Art. This multi-year endeavor has culminated in the March 2024 publication of a unique bilingual print-and-online book, “The Heian Cultural Revival in Edo: Reading the Jūban Mushi-awase Scrolls in the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Lane Collection.” The book, with Dr. Huey and Dr. Teiko Morita (Kyoto Sangyo University) credited as co-editors, brings scholarly attention to an 18th-century treasure, Jūban Mushi-awase, from the museum’s Lane Collection.

CJS Faculty member and former CJS Director Lonny Carlile is in Hokkaido, Japan to chair the Hokkaido 2024: Diversity, Transformation, Renewal workshop. CJS graduate students Brandon Marc Higa, Richard Barnes, and James “J.D.” Parker were among those who have the opportunity to gain a nuanced understanding of Ainu Society and Culture through field trips to various sites during this multi-day workshop.

Dr. Julie Iezzi, a CJS Faculty member and Professor of Theatre, skillfully directed a remarkable cast and crew, including several CJS graduate students, in a stellar production of The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves at UH Mānoa’s Kennedy Theatre in April 2024. Also known as Benten Kozo, this popular play, even featured in a Japan Times article, was performed in English in Mānoa, marking the 100-year anniversary of English-language kabuki productions in the U.S., a unique tradition that began at UH Mānoa in 1924! This production was brought to life through the hard work and support of many, including mentorship from Kabuki Masters Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII and Ichikawa Komazo XI. Dr. Iezzi and the troupe are now set to showcase their talents in Japan with two sold-out shows: June 1 at Gifu Bunka Plaza Seiryu-za in Gifu, and June 2 at Aioi-za in Mizunami, Japan. Read more about it in the UH Mānoa News story: UH Mānoa Kabuki: Japan bound!