Japanese culture is complex. Japanese culture is beautiful. Japanese culture is a gift that often comes with an instruction booklet! The Japanese people seem to love ceremonies - and since they have been at this �gright ceremony for the right occasion�h more than a thousand years, they tend to do it right! The Award Ceremony at any Japanese Magic Convention definitely DOES come with an instruction booklet - or, perhaps it is better to say: A guide (This person is just-as-likely to be named Tashiro-san or Fujiyama-san or any of about 100 great helpers who take helping the �gnew comer�h as a personal honor. Of course, the visitors to Japan are those who are ALWAYS the luckiest people!) In a word, The Award Ceremony at The Japan Cup is a well-orchestrated but incredibly comfortable time when some humorous and, as when a beloved friend passes, heartfelt remarks are made, and awards are given to recipients in various categories which The Japan Close-Up Magicians' Association (JCMA) had deemed worthy of recognition. These five awards are: The Media Award The Award of Merit The Best Close-Up Magician Award The Magician of The Year Award The Magic Circle of Japan Fellowship Award From the recipients of these awards, one person is chosen to be the recipient of The Japan Cup Award. It is this person's name that is inscribed on The Japan Cup Trophy which will be, in the year 2101, housed in a permanent place of honor. The names that have already been so rightly enshrined are: 2001 Tomo Maeda 2002 Shimada 2003 Fukai 2004 The Napoleons 2005 The Yamagami Brothers 2006 Magi Shiro 2007 Nagisa Haruhiko 2008 Masuda Katsuya Who will be the recipient of The Japan Cup Award for 2009? That will be revealed when The Japan Cup Award Ceremony for 2010 happens! Now, you do not want to miss history in the making, do you? Join us for The Japan Cup 2010!

Photo by NOBU