October 20, 2016

The feature of Himalaya Awareness Channel’s 2016 Autumn Edition is finally set: “The Kashmir Conflict.”  The big powers, India, Pakistan and China, especially India and Pakistan the nuclear armed nations have been fighting each other intermittently over the sovereignty of Kashmir in the northwest Himalayan region.  As you may know, Kashmir is used as the root of “cashmere“ the high-class fabric.  The Kashmir conflict is the longest conflict in the world, starting just after the partition of India in 1947.  This year the conflict between Kashmiri local people especially the youths and Indian security forces is getting intense again.  In addition, an Indian army base was attacked by an armed group and both India and Pakistan have started to criticize each other over the case.  We want to use this opportunity to think again the forgettable longest –term conflict in the world with you.  

September 08, 2016

We have launched Himalaya Awareness Channel (HAC) , which is one of the major projects by the Himalaya Archive Japan.  HAC is a special website on the Himalaya-related information and designed for users to think about our contemporary world and lives through the “organically-bonded reference information“ based on the original concept.  HAC provides users with various topics by videos, still pictures, and texts under such categories as society, education, environment, culture, health, politics & economy, nation and feature.  HAC will be upgraded incrementally.   

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(Updated on Feb. 12, 2019: It is renamed to "the Himalaya Awareness Archives.")

March 14, 2016

The official website of the Himalaya Archive Japan is entirely renewed today.   Regarding this renewal, we  are promoting the association with both social media and the Himalaya Awareness Channel.  Please contact us if there is anything faulty.   We will continue to improve our website with new contents.   We would be happy if you would bookmark and visit it often.   The Himalaya Awareness Channel is scheduled to be published this spring.  Please wait a little while more.

April 27, 2015

On April 25 in 2015, a large earthquake hit Nepal.  It’s a 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered in the area, which are approximately central mountains of the nation.  Many buildings including temples in World Heritage Sites collapsed and many died and were injured.  As of Apr. 28th, the death toll is now more than 4000, more than 7000 are injured and more than 8 millions of people were damaged.  However, the exact damage in the mountain areas, where many small villages are scattered and there were assumedly many tourists, trekkers and climbers, are unknown. The damage will surely increase.  The earthquake has also damaged the neighboring countries such as India, Pakistan, Tibet and Bangladesh.  Nepal gave sincere supports to Japan at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.  There has been a strong tie between two countries.  Therefore, it’s time for Japanese people to repay Nepal for its help.  We also ask everyone especially those who love Nepal to support it continuously. 

April 17, 2015

After about 4-year preparation, we’ve finally started to create a new official website of our organization and the Himalaya Awareness Channel, an informative website on the “Himalayan world.”  For the preparation years, the application of our concept of “Think of our mother earth, Think from the Himalaya” has been getting more clear.  Here are some evidences for it:  The repeated deluges in India, Pakistan and the large avalanche in Mt. Everest killing many Sherpas in 2014 are thought to be caused by the global warming; Many new social issues have been arising in the rapid growth of the economy in India; More than 200 Tibetans have done self-immolation for their protest against the China’s unjust occupation in Tibet; Ms. Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian activist against child labor got Nobel Peace Prize.  The new website (the Himalaya Awareness Channel) is scheduled to be launched in spring 2016.   

March 29, 2012

" Price of Letter " - the Bhutanese documentary film by Mr. Ugyen Wangdi got the grand prize of  the 20th 'EARTH VISION' Tokyo Global Environmental Film Festival.  HAJ produced the Japanese version of the film and screend it in our Himalaya Film Festival Tokyo 2008 for the first time in Japan.  In the Himalaya Film Festival Tokyo 2010, we screened it again and also invited Mr. Wangdi for the relatd symposium for the festival.  He talked about epispodes of his film and  Gross Nartional Hapiness, a unique Bhutanese policy.  For the above reason, we were happy that he got the prize.Mr. Wangdi's acceptance speech was impressive: " Tenzin, a senior postman in the film has been traversing foothills of the Himalayas, visiting from village to village. He is not interested in city life, and loves mountains and his life there. He said though it was tough work and I often had to sleep outside, but I'm all right. There is a saying, ' every place is my home even though under bridges' " " Japanese people especially people in Tohoku district suffered the Great East Japan Earthquake. I understand how they have been suffered since then. However, please do remember, like Tenzin said, we have the potential to survive under any kind of situation. " " Price of Letter " is a good human-touch documentary with the severe but beautiful landscape of Bhutan. We hope manly people will see it and become aware of the different aspect of happiness.​

July 18, 2011

Do you know Mr. Reinhold Messner?  He is one of the best climbers in the world.   In 1986, Messner became the first climber to complete all fourteen eight-thousanders (peaks over 8,000 meters above sea level).  He strongly questioned Expedition style and establish the "eco-friendly" Alpine style.  He is also the first man to climb Mt. Everest alone without oxygen.  I (the head of HAJ)  am a mountaineering enthusiast and have respected his climbing style based on his deep  philosophy.  He wrote many books, so if you are interested in him or mountaineering, I recommend you to read some of them.  The movie "Nanga Parbat" about his tough struggle over Mt. Nanga Parbat in Pakistan one of the  eight-thousanders will be screened at Ginza Theatres Cinema in Tokyo.  In commemoration of the screening, "The Climbing Film Festival" will be held there.  HAJ will collaborate with it.  I trekked in the foot of Mt. Nanga Parbat in winter.  The blaze-like shining mountain with sunrise in the severely cold early morning was truly awesome and did impressed itself on my memory.  I hope many people will enjoy the movie and undestand the meaning of climbing.  

October 10, 2010

We will hold a "HIMALAYAFRICA "  on Oct. 30th in Nasu City of Tochigi Prefecture.  It's a pre-event for Himalaya Film Festival Tokyo 2010, which will be held in November.   We will collaborate with several interesting people such as Ms.  Chiaki Hayakawa, a famous freelance writer and activist to support  street children in a slum area in Kenya, a tour conductor who married a Masai man, a musician who trained African music in a tribal community, and an artist who do performance based on the Nasu's vast nature.   On the day when there will be full of Autumn leaves, "Himalaya" and "Africa" will be united and they will create a unique art space where people can enjoy an talk show, films and music.   Come and join us!

April 09, 2010

As you already know from the news, a large earthquake has hit much of Yushu, the regional centre of a remote part of Qinghai province in Tibet. This area is traditioanaly called "Kham", the eastern Tibet and the hometown for "Khampa", the eastern Tibetan people. According to Xinhuashe dated on Apr. 20th, 2039 people died and 195 people are still missing. The disaster area is about 3,700 meter high, so aid groups are suffering from high-altitude sickness, which has delayed the relief activities.  Yesterday, our chief director got a mail form the head of the Tibet Partners Association.  She calls for our aid for the people in the area.  Her whole message appears in the HAJ’s official blog (Japanese only).  We truly hope to get your warm supports.

October 25, 2009

"Compassion" is a specialty journal on Tibetan issues from diversified perspectives such as history, culture, thought, human rights, environment etc. It draws public attention not only in Europe but also in Japan. In its Vol.2 Tanaka, the representative of HAJ, contributes an article. The publisher is a volunteer group of young Buddhist monks of Shingon sect Chizan branch. The main theme of volume 2 of the journal is "nostalgia and non-violence." The leader of the group, Keicho Okazumi, chief priest of Hase Temple (Nagano Prefecture) said he had got inspirationi from the documentary film "Tibetan refugees, A Struggle Beyond Generations" made by Tanaka, the representative of HAJ. This jornal is filled with information the Japanese mass media don't convery and can't convey. This will be a good reference for those who think of Tibetan issues calmly, sincerely and deeply. HAJ will distribute the jornal on commission.

September 03, 2009

Let's get to know Tibet 2009!" is a film festival to think of current status and future of the Tibetan cultural sphere. It will be held from 19 - 25 September at the Cine Nuvo in Osaka city (Kujo). The Himalaya Archive Japan cooperate with the film festival by providing films as HAJ agree with the purpose of the film festival."Tibetan cultural sphere" is now on the cutting-edge of today's issues such as democratization, preservation of tradition, human rights etc. We encourage not only those interested in Tibet but also those interested in hidden issues of the global society of our time. For details of the film festival, please refer to the official site.

July 22, 2009

‘Mitaka Film Life and Peace Festival’ with theme on ‘Life’ and ‘Peace’ will be held on 22 – 23, August 2009 in Mitaka city, Tokyo. Himalaya Archive Japan will support this film festival by providing its films and a speaker. This time is its first-time holding. We are looking forward to seeing audiences' reaction.For the detailed info, please visit the official site(Japanese only).

February 22, 2009

“The Himalaya Film Festival” will be organized by our new members in Kyoto and Kobe in April 2009 which will follow the success of “The Himalaya Film Festival” in Tokyo in 2006 and 2008 organized by HAJ. You will sense the common agenda of humanity such as the global climate change and human right issues through 30 fine documentary films of the world representing diversity of the Himalayan world. (* The official site)