1st day of Christmas Movie Screenings in Ishinomaki: December 23rd

On the night of December 22nd, the Niji-Iro Cinema team members headed to Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture for our Christmas movie screenings, carrying lots of gifts in four separate vehicles.
When we reached to "Sugo" service area in Fukushima, it started snowing and we really felt the cold winter wind.

12/22日深夜、にじいろシネマメンバーは、いざ石巻を目指し出発しました。今回はクリスマス上映会ということで、ご協力法人様、また個人の方から寄付いただいたプレゼントと上映機材を４台の車に分けて移動です。福島県菅生SAに到着する頃には雪が降り始め、厳しい冬の訪れを感じました。

Snow-covered topiary spelling out "Sugo" in Japanese.

We arrived in Ishinomaki early on the morning of the 23rd and took a rest and slept for a little while in our cars. Then we arrived at the "You Home Clinic Community Center" venue and started putting up cheeful and beautiful christmas decorations. You Home Clinic kindly co-ordinated everything for the two days.

早朝に到着し、しばらく仮眠をとり、早速会場の「祐ホームクリニック　コミュニティーホール」で準備を開始しました。会場も、協力者の祐ホームクリニックさんがご用意くださったツリーやデコレーションでクリスマスの雰囲気を盛り上げていきます。

今回はクリスマスバージョンです！

Before we opened the doors at 9:30, many children started lining up outside

The film selection on the first day was Fantastic 4, Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! The Movie: Victini and the White Hero: Reshiram and others.

早速、上映会が始まると子供たちが沢山遊びに来てくれました。

上映作品は「ファンタスティック４」「劇場版ポケットモンスターベストウィッシュ　ビクティニと白き英雄レシラム」

「ジュラシック・パーク」の３本です。

Kids love Pokemon! Their laughter and smiles made all the Niji-Iro cinema members so happy! What a great Christmas gift we received!

やはりポケモンは子供たちに大人気！大好きなポケモンを見ながら笑う子供たちの笑い声にスタッフ一同本当に幸せな気持ちになりました。

At the other community hall, which is located in the center of the Ohashi Temporary Housing Area where about 500 families live, we screened Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States. It was quite popular among seniors and children, and we noticed lots of pairs of Grandparents with their grandchildren.

また、もうひとつの会場大橋仮設住宅内にある”大橋集会所”では、

「クレヨンしんちゃん　嵐を呼ぶアッパレ戦国大合戦」の上映を行いました。

戦国バージョンのしんちゃんは、お年寄りにも人気が高いようで、

おじいちゃん、おばあちゃんがお孫さんと遊びに来てくれました。

In the offices of You Home Clinic, our staff were busy with stuffing gift bags for the following day.  The gifts were made possible with all the support and donations from friendly companies and individuals associated with Niji-Iro Cinema. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone.

祐ホームクリニックのオフィスでは、翌日ゲストの皆さんにお配りするクリスマスプレゼントの袋詰めにスタッフが大奮闘中。代表の並木さんのお嬢さんもお手伝いに駆けつけてくれました！
このクリスマスプレゼントは、協力企業の協賛、また個人の皆様の温かなお気持ちのこもった寄付により可能となりました。
袋の中には、Tシャツ、クレヨン、ルービックキューブや映画関係のグッズやおもちゃ、チャルメラやメロンパンなどのお食事と色々詰めてお渡しすることができました！
皆様のご協力に心より感謝しております。ありがとうございました。

At the end of the day, a few members visited the nearby town of Onagawa, where we hold a screening in October, to see the lighting ceremony of the beautiful tree called "Stardust Pageant". Before the tsunami disaster hit Onagawa, there was a beautiful Stardust Pageant on the main shopping street on a large scale. Although the street was washed away and people almost gave up holding it this year, some people, including our friend Mr. Yamada (pictured below), owner of Onagawa's main fish market, pushed themselves very hard to create a beautiful Christmas tree.

夕方には、今回助っ人で参加してくれた友人（なかむとちえっち）と女川へ。女川は、１０月に現地で開催された"女川さんま収穫祭"の際に、”みんなの花火”の皆さんと一緒に上映会を開催させていただいた思い出の町。この日は、”スターダスト・ページェント”の点灯式ということで立ち寄らせて頂きました。震災前には、商店街の路地をキレイに飾っていたというこのページェント。震災によって今年の開催を諦めかけた中、諦めずに開催を実現させた実行委員会の皆様と１０月より友好を深めさせて頂いているマリンパル女川の山田さん（写真）。

The tree is adorned with 100,010 lights -- the same number as Onagawa's population before the Tsunami. The tree carries the strong message that everyone is together, now and forever.

震災前の女川の人口１０万１０人に合わせて、同じ数の光がともされました。”これからも、みなさずっと一緒に”というメッセージが込められた素晴らしいページェント。
本当に美しい光が輝いていました。

震災で大切な人やものをたくさん失った皆さんが、前を向いて必死で前進しています。

どんな状況でも諦めずに歩き続けること、前進することの大切さをまた教えていただきました。

Then...the sun rose on the 24th. Our special Christmas screenings were here! (Please see our next blog entry, going up very soon).

そして、２４日、日が昇りました。

クリスマス特別上映会の様子は、次回のエントリーをご覧ください。

すぐに、アップいたします。

From Nov 4th to 6th, Niji-iro Cinema had a small tour in Otsuchi-cho, Iwate prefecture and Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture to hold free movie screenings.

On the first day, we visited two kindergartens in Otsuchi-cho, Iwate.  Otsuchi-cho was hit badly by the tsunami and fire, which started after the tsunami, devastated the town awfully.  From the top of hill, all I could see was flat ground spreading everywhere....everything was taken away.  It was unbelievably painful to see and imagine the awful days people have been though.

It was the first time we had a screening at a kindergarten, with 55 children. I was not really sure how they would react to the film... We wondered if they could keep watching it for a half hour?  Would they get bored? What if they didn't like it....?  Many questions were going through my mind.

We chose the title called "Panda ko Panda", which is the Japanese classic animation directed by the golden team of Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki before Studio Ghibli established. (I love this film!!)

Once the film started, all the kids immediately started laughing a lot and the laughter became bigger and bigger. It blew my worries away immediately and made all Nijiiro members so happy.  Kids' pure smiles and laughter are a real treasure, and we always feel "hope" for the future.

After the screening, children sang a "Thanks Song" for us.  It was so beautiful and touching!!

We spoke to the principal of kindergarten, and all we could clearly tell was she is really exhausted and weak after having lost her husband by Tsunami...but she has tried to push herself to be so strong, and has tried moving forward to protect all children attending her school.  Definitely children need sincere attention and love, but we have to remember that all adults trying to protect these children need care too.  They are the ones who have tried not to cry, and smile fully to make children feel comfort and loved.  All teachers are amazing and I am so proud of Japanese woman, their strength and beauty.

Even kids were smiling and playing energetically, but this is the view they can see from the balcony everyday....I don't know what to say...
I do hope they will grow up strongly with a big and sweet heart, and always keep a dream in their mind.

For people kindly supported "Nijiiro Cinema Support Project Campaign" on indiegogo, once again, thank you so much for your kindest consideration and love for people in Tohoku.

When leaving from the first school, children were waving us to say good bye!
I do love to go back to see them very soon.

In the afternoon, we visited the other kindergarden with 80 kids.

Here again, "Panda ko Panda" was very popular and kid's laughter were spread in the hall to make us smile!

We could bring drawing paper booklets, colorful pens which my husband and my friend Jean sent to children to Tohoku!  They really loved it. Thank you Jean!

                                     

And Thank you so much to Go-san and his friends gathered "Champaign and Sandwich Party"and donated for this project. 豪さんをはじめ、シャンドイッチの会で基金にご協力くださいました皆様、ありがとうございました。

They are really great teachers working there.  They are e so sweet, charming, strong and loving!

Thank you so much for supporting and loving children.  

Once again, thank you so much for everyone who supported us to keep our Niji-iro Cinema Support Project going.  With your help, we could see so many happy faces and smiles.

Now we are planning to have a campaign again for X'mas.  We will be again in Tohoku on Nov.19&20 and Dec 23&24. Those dates are fixed.

Thank you for your continuing support.

P.S: I will report the activities in Kesennuma tomorrow. We hired local food stands with your help.

Niji-iro 'Rainbow' Cinema joined Sanma Fish Festival in Onagawa-cho, Miyagi prefecture on October 2nd with Minna no Hanabi (Everyone's Fireworks).

We spent some of the IndieGoGo campaign donation money to buy 200 local cucumbers, grown in Iwanuma-cho in Miyagi prefecture, to make Japanese pickles (tsukemono) to serve to survivors coming to see films and fireworks. Below are two thank you photos from cucumber seller Sakai-san at local supermarket Ainoya of Ishinomaki.

In November we are planning to partner with locals at a Niji-Iro Cinema event in Kesenuma, where more of the donation money will be used and new thank you photos will be posted!

Charity Party Participants / チャリティー賛同者の皆様

The following list of people are the kind donators who attended the Niji-Iro 'Rainbow' Cinema Support Project charity birthday party on August 25th 2011 at Suji's restaurant.


Yumiko Abe & Mr. Abe
Tsuyoshi Ando
Chie Aoki & Yuki-chan
Don Brown
Brett Bull
Kiyoshi Endo
Chikako Furuta
Eri Hanabusa
Seiko Hashida

Michiko Hashimoto

Yasuhiro Higashi
Fumitsugu Ikeda

Hideki Irie
Naoaki Ishihara
Kosei Kadosawa
Yuki Katayama
Fumio Katsuta
Yu Ki
Teiichi Kimoto

Yumiko Kirino
Chiei Kitayama
Aiko Kobayashi

Yuri Kubota

Miwako Kurata
Lira
Hayashi Masaki

Tooru Moritsugu
Haruyo Moriyoshi
Dankichi Murasame
Keiji Muto
Mr. Nao

Norihiro Nakamura
Harumi Nakayama
Kanon Nakayama
Yasuyuki Niino
Kosuke Nishi
Miho Nishiyama
Eija Niskanen
Seiichi Nogami
Hideo Norisue
Miyuki Ohtsubo
Kayo Okazaki
Tadashi Okazaki
Morihiro Oketani
Masayo Saito

Tsuyoshi Saito

Ayako Satake

Toshihiro Seino

Suzan
Naoyuki Takahashi

Tei Tomari
Yuko Yaguchi
Megumi Yamasaki

Tetsuya Yasuno
Takeshi Yokoi
Akiko Yukawa
Yasuyo Yukawa


If any names are missing, we sincerely apologize. Please inform us and we will update the list. 


(*Names are listed in alphabetical order.  名前の記載は、アルファベット順とさせて頂きます。）

Charity Birthday Party on 25 Aug 2011 at Suji's

今年もめでたく年を重ねました。長野にいる父、天国の母に深く感謝するとともに、いつも温かな気持ちで接してくださる家族や友人達にココロから感謝する一日なのがお誕生日。世界中のお友達からメッセージが届き、皆が元気に暮らしている事も知れる有り難い一日なのです。


そんな中、今年は尊敬する仲良しな兄さまが提唱している”Happiness makes someone happy. ”という 素晴らしいコンセプトを思い出しました。 

「とってもHappyで、素敵な1日である誕生日。 

そんな日に「贈られる」のではなく、誰かに愛を「送り」ませんか？ 」 

これだ！ということで、 今年の私は、お誕生日に皆さんと集い、皆様のお力をお借りして、 東日本大震災で被災された方々に向けたチャリティー誕生日会を自ら主催させていただきました。

突然のお声替えということもあり、３０名程のゲストを予定しておりましたが、当日はなんと７０名を超すお客様にご参加いただくことができました。これには、主催した私とジェイソンが一番びっくり！！皆様の優しさに触れる素晴らしい一夜を過ごさせて頂きました。

当日は、にじいろシネマのメンバーの遠藤君の助けを得て、皆様に「にじいろシネマ」の４月から８月までの活動の軌跡をご報告する事ができたのも、この上ない幸せでした。皆様、真剣に聞いてくださりありがとうございました！

また、「みんなの花火」（１０月か１１月ににじいろシネマの上映会時に、一緒に花火をあげてくれるという素晴らしい企画コメント撮りも順調に進んだようでなにより。

尚、当日は皆様の愛が寄せられ70054円が寄付金として集められました。この寄付金は、地元の方の雇用に役立つ形で利用したいと思っています。被災者でありながら無給無償や無料でお食事を配ってくれた方々に賃金をお渡しして、上映会時にお食事を振る舞っていただけるようなシステムにしたいと思っています。

使用させて頂いた際には、こちらのページで随時報告させていただきます。

本当にありがとうございました。

とにかく、皆さんと笑って、泣いて、しゃべって、本当に楽しい時間を過ごさせていただきました。このチャリティー・パーティーの趣旨をご理解いただき、ご協力いただきましたことに、心よりお礼申し上げます。本当に有り難うございました。

We hosted a charity birthday event on Eiko's Birthday, Aug 25th to help raise funds for the people of Tohoku. Specifically our food support campaign for the ongoing Niji-Iro 'Rainbow' Cinema screenings across the region. Although it was very short notice for party, over 70 friends gathered and supported this charity event. It was a really  great turnout!! With everyone's love, we managed to raise just over 70,000 yen for the charity! This will definitely help toward providing food for the next Niji-Iro Cinema event. Stay tuned. 

Dear sweet Hoku,

Thank you for joining the party too.

You made everyone so happy and generous.

ホク君は”Happiness makes someone happy.”を提唱している兄さまの愛犬です。

この笑顔に癒されます。兄さま、連れてきてくれてありがとう！！

また1歳年を重ねた私。成長して行けるようにがんばりますので、

今後とも末永く宜しくお願いいたします。