Gail Cetnar Meadows (Hiroshima-shi ALT 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine WideIslandView.com, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Tea Ceremony Workshop — Learn how to make a perfect bowl of tea at this hands-on workshop. During this tea ceremony event, participants can learn about the history, cultural contents and basic principles of the tea ceremony in English.
- Date: Friday, Sept. 17
- Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Place: The Japan Society of Northern California (Conference Room),
- For more information, click here.
- Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival — Enjoy traditional Asian music, dance and food, as well as arts and crafts at the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival. JASP will have a booth there demonstrating traditional Japanese wrapping cloth techniques (furoshiki). Learn how to wrap and carry a water bottle, make a waist pouch and more.
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 18
- Time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Place: South Side Riverfront Park, Pittsburgh
- For more information, click here.
Nihon-to: The Swords of Japan — Come and learn all about Japanese swords from Frank Tomicek, a member of the Austin Kendo Doshikai and Japanese Sword Society of the United States, as well as a long time collector of Japanese swords.
- Date: Monday, Sept. 13
- Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: 1701 Toomey Road, Casa de Luz Auditorium (1F), Austin
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Cetnar Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Indiana State Fair “Bridges to Japan” exhibit — Starting this year, Indiana’s state fair will have a new international theme each year, and they’re starting by featuring Japan. The exhibit will introduce visitors to Japanese culture and showcase Indiana’s extensive connections to Japan. Visitors can enjoy Japanese cultural activities, performances, exhibits on daily life, Japanese food, and displays on the many economic, sister city, and educational partnerships between Indiana and Japan. Volunteers are being recruited!
- Date: Aug. 6 to 22
- Place: Indiana State Fairgrounds, on the corner of East 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis
- For more information, click here.
- Summer Film Series — The Summer Film Series sponsored by the Japan Society of Boston will feature screenings of nine major Japanese movies (most of them new or rarely screened in the Boston area). It’s a wonderful opportunity to see Japanese hit movies or classics by great Japanese directors. Plus: they’re free! You can also enjoy dinner (often featuring Japanese delicacies) before the movies. Pre-registration is required.
- Date: June 29 to Aug. 24
- Time: Most screenings are on Tuesdays starting at 7 p.m. There will be a special A-bomb Memorial Day screening on Friday, Aug. 6
- Place: Movies will be in the Rainbow Hall of Showa Boston Institute. Dinner is in Showa’s cafeteria.
- For more information, click here.
Canoe Excursion: Historic Franfort Tour — Enjoy a guided canoe/kayak trip with JASK friends, designed for beginners. Children and families are welcome. Price is $30. Float along and breath the fresh air in the midst of beautiful Kentucky river country.
- Date: July 17
- Time: 4 to 6 p.m.
- Place: Kentucky River View Park, Frankfort, Kentucky
- For more information, click here.
- Japanese Dialect Workshops — Impress your Japanese friends with your knowledge of four dialects from the northernmost to the southernmost regions of Japan. These special language workshops are geared for intermediate to advanced Japanese language learners. Each week, a different dialect will be taught by native Japanese speakers from the regions of Okinawa, Kansai, Kyushu and Hokkaido. To register, click here.
- Dates: Wednesdays, July 21, July 28, Aug. 4, Aug. 11
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth, 11615 Forest Central Drive, Suite 206, Dallas
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Cetnar Meadows the info.
By JQ Magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
July is here, and that means hot dogs, fireworks, and a horde of Japanese films served up by New York’s Japan Society for their annual JAPAN CUTS contemporary Japanese cinema festival. Launched at the tail end of the New York Asian Film Festival, Japan Society and NYAFF have teamed to co-present a whopping 24 films from July 1-16.
“JAPAN CUTS presents the roughest, sharpest, and smoothest of today’s cutting-edge Japanese film scene,” notes Japan Society’s chief film curator Samuel Jamier. “This year the lineup includes psycho dramas, thrillers, period pieces, bizarre comedies, refined melodramas, artistically adventurous indies, j-horror, and even anime. But when the lineup came together, I realized a number of these great films were made by female directors or featured a large number of prominent women’s roles and powerful performances by women–a reflection of industry trends in the last ten years, and the impact women have been making in Japan’s film industry. Overall, I like to think this year’s festival is exemplary of where Japanese cinema is today.”
For this week’s list, see the full article here.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Piano concert performances — JSNC members are invited to attend the Kurosawa Piano Music Foundation’s two upcoming concert performances. The foundation has organized a piano ensemble festival designed to promote U.S.-Japan cultural exchange through music. The festival’s mission is to provide a “trading post” where musicians exchange music from both countries and promote friendship and mutual understanding through musical performances.
- Date: Monday and Tuesday, June 21 and 22
- Time: For a complete listing of performances, see the KPMF website.
- Place: Tateuchi Hall at Finn Center Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA), 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, California
- For more information, click here.
- Technology Showcase of Hiroshima University and Western Japan’s Innovative Academia — JETRO New York invites Japan Society members to this free half-day event featuring a selection of biomedical technologies with commercial potential developed by scientists at Hiroshima University and other innovative academic institutions in Western Japan. This will be the first time these institutions come to the U.S. to present innovative technologies originating in their laboratories. The universities will explain these new technologies through presentations and poster sessions. Following the event, there will be an opportunity to network with the representatives from these universities.
- Date: Friday, June 11
- Time: Program 1:30 to 5 p.m. Reception 5 to 6 p.m.
- Place: The Nippon Club 145 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019
- For more information, click here.
Texas Folklife Festival 2010 — JASSA is participating in this cultural festival with more than 40 different cultural groups represented at the event. This three-day event showcases Texas’s diversity and heritage with a wide variety of ethnic food, music, dance, arts and crafts. Volunteers are needed!
- Date: Friday to Sunday, June 11 to 13
- Time: June 11 — 5 to 11 p.m. June 12 — 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 13 — 12 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Institute of Texan Cultures on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Cetnar Meadows the info.
By JQ Magazine’s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
Japan Society serves up annual sake lecture/tasting Wednesday (5/19)
Japan U.S. Media Professionals launch networking debut Thursday (5/20)
Salon Series offers Joy of Okinawan Music and Dance Sunday (5/23)
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Stories from Space: International Space Station Mission — Come hear stories that are out of this world. Koichi Wakata, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, trained at the Johnson Space Center in 1992 and qualified as a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle. Dr. Wakata is a veteran of three space flights and has logged more than 159 days in space. He originally is from Saitama, Japan, and attended Kyushu University.
- Date: Saturday, June 19
- Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m.
- Place: Holiday Inn Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg Area (Main Floor), 3405 Algonquin Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois
- For more information, click here.
- Japanese Conversation Forum — If you love football, this event’s for you. Pro- and college-level football trainer Naohisa Inoue will talk about his climb to his current profession and offer insight into what happens behind the scenes at a football game. This program will be in Japanese only, but people of all skill levels are encouraged to join.
- Date: Wednesday, May 19
- Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Tates Creek Branch Public Library, 3628 Walden Drive, Lexington
- For more information, click here.
Japanese Girl Stuff: Trends and Innovations in Popular Culture — We all hear a lot in the media about manga, anime and Japanese street fashion, but when it comes to Japanese girl culture, dig a little deeper and you’ll find a whole world of activities that deserve your attention. This presentation by Laura Miller, a professor from Loyola University Chicago, will highlight some of the fascinating but frequently overlooked cultural activities found in Japanese girl culture, including self photography, the divination boom and Abeno Seimei.
- Date: Friday, May 21
- Time: 5:30 p.m.
- Place: Ohio State University Jennings Hall, 1735 Neil Ave., Room 155
- For more information, click here.
- Book Reading — Join JSNC members at Noe Valley’s Omnivore Books to hear author Sarah Marx Feldner read from her new cookbook, A Cook’s Journey to Japan. Sarah spent time teaching English in Japan and later returned to explore her love of food, cooking and Japanese cuisine. In this book she recounts her adventures traveling throughout Japan, sampling home cooking and collecting recipes from everyday people.
- Date: Friday, May 21
- Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Omnivore Books, 3885a Cesar Chavez St., San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
By JQ Magazine‘s Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his NY Japanese Culture page here to subscribe for free alerts on newly published stories.
From Yellow Magic Orchestra to Cornelius to the current wave of chiptune artists inspired by classic 8-bit video games, Japan has a rich legacy of electronic music whose influence continues to grow in the age of globalization. Seizing this trend, New York’s Japan Society will close out its spring 2010 performing arts season with a concert by STEIM (Studio of Electro-Instrumental Music) and related events on May 7 and 8.
Based in Amsterdam, STEIM is “the natural course of what we have presented under the category of ‘music,’” said Yoko Shioya, Japan Society’s artistic director. “In fact, there are many internationally active and acclaimed Japanese musicians and composers in this area, and that is why I started to make the program of this genre several years ago.”
The envoys of this sonic summit are Takuro Mizuta Lippit, STEIM’s artistic director, originally from Japan; Yutaka Makino (Japan/Germany), a musician and artist who works in the convergence of sound, science and architecture; ABATTOIR (U.S./Netherlands), a duo comprised of American cellist/vocalist Audrey Chen and Dutch musician/composer Robert van Heumen; digital media composer Yannis Kyriakides (Netherlands) and guitarist Andy Moor (U.K./ Netherlands) of the legendary Dutch punk band The Ex; and dj sniff (Japan/Netherlands), the performer alter ego of Takuro Mizuta Lippit.
“Put it this way,” said Shioya, “the layer of the musicians and composers in electric music in Japan is very thick—therefore, many types of musicians emerge…Japanese musicians in this genre have been quite influential in the international music scene.”
The program kicks off the night of Friday, May 7 with the Artist Talk + Demo, with STEIM artists Yutaka Makino and dj sniff discussing the process of crafting their sounds and sharing their perspectives on the latest international collaborations in electronic music. Japanese sound poet Tomomi Adachi rounds out the panel. Also, a free STEIM Mobile Touch Exhibition on May 7 and 8 will allow visitors the opportunity to make music on some of the artists’ instruments.
Saturday, May 8 showcases STEIM’s Workshop for Youth for ages 10 to 18, giving them a chance to learn more about their methods and test drive some of the instruments themselves. The night’s centerpiece is the Electronic Music Lab concert, a one-time only performance.
What will it all sound like? According to Shioya, “The music you will hear in STEIM’s concert is music which may make some people wonder, ‘Do you call it “music”’…? But…the definition of ‘music’ can be varied, and many Japanese musicians are not intimidated by the conventional perception of ‘music.’
This program shows that this genre of music—improvisational and experimental—is truly borderless.”
STEIM: Electronic Music Lab takes place Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8, with complete schedule and ticket information here. Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street between First & Second Avenues. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (212) 715-1258 or in person at Japan Society (M–F / 10 AM–4:45 PM). For more info, call (212) 832 -1155 or visit www.japansociety.org.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America Societies…
Agatsuma: Not Your Father’s Shamisen! – This concert, presented by JASI and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, features world-renowned musician Hiromitsu Agatsuma, who plays the tsugaru-shamisen, a traditional Japanese three-stringed instrument. His performance fuses the traditional sound of the shamisen with blues, rock, dance music, folk, flamenco and funk, and he’ll be accompanied by taiko drums and the electric piano. Tickets for JASI members are $10.
- Date: Saturday, May 8
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Place: The Toby Theatre, Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis
- For more information, click here.
- Origami Card Making – It’s not just about folding up pieces of paper to make those little cranes anymore. There’s a whole science to this ancient Japanese art. Attend this workshop and learn how to make three different origami patterns and create your own cards from washi, Japanese paper. The fee is $10 for JASGA members. RSVP required.
- Date: Sunday, April 25
- Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
- Place: Casa de Luz, Cielo Room 1701 Toomey Road, Austin Texas
- For more information, click here.
Kumamoto En Day – Celebrate Children’s Day with games and children’s arts and crafts, including paper kabuto Japanese warrior hat making, uchiwa paper fan making and koi nobori flying carp coloring. There also will be Japanese arts demonstrations for Japanese brush painting, origami and calligraphy, as well jewelry and other Japanese gift items for sale.
- Date: Saturday, May 8
- Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Place: San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston, San Antonio, Texas
- For more information, click here.
- Asian Culture Fest – Check out the Asian market, cultural presentations and performances as this festival. There will be craft activities for kids, henna hand painting, a puppet show and more. And of course don’t forget to swing by the Japan America Society booth while you’re there.
- Date: Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25
- Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 24. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 25.
- Place: Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
This weekend Japan Society hosted the inaugural 12-hour extravaganza known as “j-cation”. The line-up of events was kicked off by the movie Flavor of Happiness (幸せの香り or Shiawase no kaori), the story of a father-daughter relationship between an aging Chinese chef and his young female apprentice. A bit long and sappy, but the food images were to die for! In various corners of Japan Society several workshops were simultaneously taking place, such as Read More
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Cetnar Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Sumo Night — Have you packed on a few pounds since you left Japan? Ever find yourself dreaming of going back and thinking, “Hey, I wonder what it actually takes to be a Sumo wrestler, anyway?” Well, come find out. At this event you can learn all about this traditional Japanese sport, its history and the techniques required to become a Sumo pro.
- Date: Tuesday, April 20
- Time: 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
- Place: University of Texas San Antonio, on the lawn area between the Arts Building and the Main Building by the flag poles (or UC 2.212 Harris Room if there’s inclement weather).
- For more information: http://www.utsa.edu/eai/2010/Sumo.pdf
- Concert by the Columbus Japanese Women’s Chorus — The name of this group, Hanamizuku no Kai, translates to “Dogwood Group”, chosen in honor of the early 1900s exchange of Yoshino cherry trees and Dogwood trees between the people of Japan and the United States. The trees symbolize the friendship and sharing between Japan and America. With an aim to share the gift of music and friendship, Hanamizuki no Kai sings a variety of lyrical songs, nursery rhymes, pop music and folk songs in both Japanese and English.
- Date: Sunday, May 2
- Time: 3:30 p.m.
- Place: Church of the Redeemer Moravian, 3883 Summitview Road, Dublin, Ohio
- For more information: http://jasco.osu.edu/events/2010/HANAMIZUKINOKAI.pdf
Sushi class — Learn the basics of making your own sushi from Sake Bomb, the sushi supplier to the Cincinnati Reds. The fee is $25 for members, $40 for member couples or $38 for non-members.
- Date: Sunday, April 18
- Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
- Place: 3572 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
- For more information: http://jasgc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=22
JAS of the State of Washington
- Teaching Responses to Catastrophe: Hiroshima and the Holocaust — Professor Alan Tansman of the University of California, Berkeley, asked scores of university students to consider how individuals and cultures respond to the devastation of large-scale violence. Students closely examined the words and images created by individuals who chose to express their suffering, and considered the psychic, cultural, historical and political dimensions of responses to violence. Professor Tansman’s work focused on comparative context through the cases of Nazi violence against European Jews, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as other forms of violence experienced by the Japanese in World War II. In his presentation, he will discuss the pedagogy of teaching this material.
- Date: Friday, April 16
- Time: 4 to 5:30 p.m.
- Place: University of Washington, Seattle campus, Communication Building, Room 226
- For more information: http://jsis.washington.edu/japan/events.shtml#_2288
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows is Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View. The Wide Island View is looking for Hiroshima JET alumni to answer a short questionnaire to share their post-JET experiences with current JETs. Email her at wideislandview (at) gmail (dot) com if you’re interested! And now, Gail shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America Societies…
Reading by JET author — JET alumna Malena Watrous lived for two years in the small, rural Japanese town of Shika-machi, the nuclear power plant town in which she set her debut novel, If You Follow Me, described as “at once a fish-out-of-water tale, a dark comedy of manners, and a strange kind of love story.” Ms. Watrous will give a reading from her book at this event.
- Date: Tuesday, April 6
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Kepler’s Books & Magazines, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California
- For more information, click here.
- Sakura Social — Celebrate the arrival of spring with drinks food and good people. There will be plenty of Kirin beer, sake, and Japanese, Thai and Western food. $35 for JASGP members. Register online.
- Date: Friday, March 26
- Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Place: The Headhouse, 122 Lombard St., Philadelphia
- For more information, click here.
- Hanami Party — Pack your lunch and picnic under flowering cherry trees while enjoying live koto (floor harp) and shakuhachi (Japanese lute) music.
- Date: Sunday, March 28
- Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Hina Matsuri Festival — Long ago in Japan it was believed that wizards drive away evil on the first day of the snake in March. The wizards transferred the evil to paper dolls and then placed the dolls in the river to float the evil away to the sea. Eventually the day became known as Hina Matsuri and dolls to represent the Emperor and Empress were displayed. Today, Hina Matsuri is known as the Doll Festival and is also referred to as Girls’ Day in Japan. Come see JASSA’s valuable set of dolls on display during this event.
- Date: Saturday, March 6
- Time: 9 a.m. to noon
- Place: Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center, 811 N. Coker Loop, San Antonio
- For more information, click here.
- Yamamoto Kyogen — Designated “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO, Kyogen, much like Noh, is a world-renowned form of traditional Japanese theater with a more than 600-year history. The Yamamoto Kyogen Company, on their debut U.S. tour, will feature two plays that are unique to the Okura School of Kyogen. This event is sponsored by the Japan Society.
- Date: Wednesday, March 24
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Hall of Flags, University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St., Philadelphia
- For more information, click here.
Bourbon Distillery Tour and Fusaichi Pegasus — Did you know that 90 percent of the world’s bourbon is distilled in Kentucky? Did you know that Kentucky Derby winner, Japanese-owned Fusaichi Pegasus, lives near Lexington at Ashford Stud Horse Farm?
JASGC has partnered with the Japan-America Society of Kentucky to create a family event including tours of two bourbon distilleries (Four Roses and Woodford Reserve) and Ashford Stud in one day. Sounds like a true “Bluegrass Kentucky” experience.
- Date: Saturday, March 27
- Time: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Place: In the Greater Cincinnati area, meet at 7300 Turfway Rd., Florence, Kentucky (Exit Turfway, I-75) no later than 7:45 a.m. In the Lexington area, the bus will pick people up at the Candlewood Suites at 603 Adcolor Dr., Lexington, Kentucky. Participants are asked to arrive no later than 9:15 a.m.
- For more information, click here.
- Tea Program — Melinda Varner, a doctoral student in Japanese history at the University of Kansas, will discuss her personal and professional involvement in the study of chanoyu, the Japanese way of tea. She will offer personal insights on the tradition drawn from 15 years of study in the Urasenke school and place these in historical perspective based upon her current research in early modern tea texts.
- Date: Tuesday, March 23
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Place: Loose Park Garden Center, 51st and Wornall, Kansas City, Missouri
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
In Japan measures are being taken to address the phenomenon of 畳離れ (tatami banare), or moving away from tatami. Many of us probably saw it when we lived over there, as friends’ houses were largely Western style except for the token 和室 (washitsu), or Japanese style-room. In order to make sure this integral part of the culture does not disappear, a certification has been created for eligible tatami craftsman which gives them the title of “doctor.”
One such craftsman in the prefecture of Tochigi, who estimates that over the last 29 years he has worked on 
more than 120,000 mats, received his certification just last year. He is now called a 「畳ドクター」 (tatami doctor), a designation that he admits he is not quite used to. However, like an MD he Read More
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Paper Art Workshop — This one-of-a-kind Paper Art Workshop features the famous Japanese paper cutout artist Shu Kubo, who is well regarded in Japan’s modern art scene with work that has appeared on postage stamps and New Year’s greeting cards in Japan. Participants in this workshop will be provided with tools and materials to produce their own kirié creation.
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 27
- Time: Morning session 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Afternoon session 1 to 2:30 p.m.
- Place: Chaya Japanese Cuisine, 2032 Murray Ave., Pittsburgh
- For more information, click here.
- US-Japan Clean Tech Symposium 2010 — The theme of this symposium is “Why Being in Japan and Partnering with Japanese Companies are Essential for Clean Tech.” The event will highlight clean tech opportunities and encourage collaboration between U.S. and Japanese companies through discussion and sharing of strategies and plans.
- Date: Thursday, Feb. 18
- Time: 1 to 5:30 p.m.
- Place: Hotel Nikko 222 Mason Street, San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
- How Carbon Constraints Impact Manufacturing in Kentucky — On Dec. 7, the U.S. EPA declared that GHG (including carbon dioxide and related gases) are a danger to human health and the environment. Because of this finding, the EPA now must regulate GHG under the Clean Air Act. Many industries in Kentucky will be especially vulnerable to changes that will result from this announcement. Learn more about these changes and how businesses can adjust.
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 23
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Place: DoubleTree Guest Suites, Lexington
- For more information, click here.
JAS of the State of Washington
Educator’s Workshop: Teaching About Japan and Japanese-American Experiences — There are many free educational programs about Japan and the Japanese-American Experience provided by non-profit organizations throughout the Puget Sound region. This workshop will raise awareness about these resources, and each organization will discuss what resources are available for teachers to use in the classroom and how these resources can be utilized.
- Date: Friday, March 19
- Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: Davis Wright Tremaine LLP 22nd Floor Conference Room, 1201 Third Ave., Suite 2200, Seattle
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Japanese Table Manners 101 — Quick quiz! Can you answer these true or false questions about Japanese table manners? 1.) When your soup bowl is hot, it is a good idea to squeeze it to help open the lid.
2.) When someone offers you sake during a meal, it is good manners to put your sake cup down on the table to allow him/her to pour it for you.
3.) When eating a whole fish, you should carefully turn it over to eat the other side. Not sure of the answers? Then this free Japanese culture salon could be for you.
- Date: Monday, Feb. 1
- Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Road, Austin
- For more information, click here.
- U.S. Immigration Basics and Hot Topics — This seminar will cover the latest in U.S. immigration law, updates, and other employment issues related to hiring and retaining foreign workers.
- Date: Friday, Feb. 12
- Time: 2:30 to 5 p.m.
- Place: Ice Miller LLP, Conference Room 29A/B, One America Building – 29th Floor, One American Square, Indianapolis
- For more information, click here.
Whale Watch Cruise — Join JASSC for the annual migration of the Pacific Grey Whales as they make their 12,000 mile journey along the North American coast. There will be narration in English and Japanese.
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 28
- Time: Registration at 9:30 a.m., departure at 10 a.m., return to harbor at 12:30 p.m.
- Place: Long Beach Marina Sport Fishing (Seaport Village in Alamitos Bay), 180 Marina Drive, Long Beach
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Kakizome Event — Kakizome is one of the old traditions to celebrate the New Year in Japan. It literally means “the first calligraphy of the New Year.” The subjects tend to be auspicious words or phrases. Originally, Kakizome was performed at imperial court and expanded to the locals in the Edo period. Paper, ink and brushes will be provided at this event, and you will see calligraphy demonstrations.
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 24
- Time: 3 to 4:30 p.m.
- Place: Essencha Tea House & Fine Teas, 3212a Madison Road, Cincinnati
- For more information: http://jasgc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=9
- Kimono and Obi Program — Learn about Japan’s rich textile arts as embodied in the kimono and obi during this program, which is open to the public. DecorAsian’s Mami Yamamoto and Vintage Kimono’s Janine Thormann will show participants how these delicate fabrics can enhance the modern home. RSVP by Friday, Jan. 22.
- Date: Friday, Feb. 5
- Time: Japanese reception at 6 p.m. Presentation at 6:45 p.m.
- Place: DecorAsian’s new Denver branch, 1787 South Broadway, Denver
- For more information: http://www.jascolorado.org/upcoming.php
Japanese Speech Contest — Did you make a new year’s resolution to improve your Japanese? Now’s the time to submit your application to participate in JASCO’s 11th annual Japanese Speech Contest. Write an original speech under three minutes, tape it and mail it in with your application. Selected finalists will compete on March 6.
- Date: Saturday, March 6
- Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Place: The Ohio State University, 180 Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, Columbus
- For more information: For the application and all the details, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Mochitsuki New Year’s Celebration — Enjoy a rice pounding demonstration and other New Year’s activities during this celebration of JASDFW’s 40th anniversary.
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 17
- Time: 2 to 5 p.m.
- Place: Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., 2801 Telecom Parkway, Richardson, Texas
- For more information: http://www.jasdfw.org/pages/program_events_calendar.html
- Tea Ceremony Demonstration — Guests are welcome to participate in a free tea ceremony demonstration. Reservations are required by 5 p.m. Jan. 13.
- Date: Friday, Jan. 15
- Time: You can choose from two sessions. Session A is 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Session B is 4 to 5 p.m.
- Place: The University of West Florida Japan House, Building 71
- For more information: http://uwf.edu/japan/pdf/TeaCeremonyJan15.pdf
Major League Networking: A Union of International Business and Soccer — If you like soccer, get your kicks at this networking reception bringing together members of the international business community and executive staff from the Philadelphia Union, the area’s new Major League Soccer team. Attending this event will be CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz, President Tom Veit, and members of the Philadelphia Union soccer team coaching staff. When you register, you also get the chance to win two international round-trip tickets courtesy of Continental Airlines.
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 27
- Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
- Place: The Pyramid Club, 1735 Market St., Philadelphia
- For more information: http://jasgp.org/newsletter/current.html
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
2010 New Year’s Party — All you can eat sushi rolls and edamame and all you can drink Kirin — what better way to kick off the new year? Register online.
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 6
- Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
- Place: Sakeya Japanese Restaurant, 1420 Locust St., Philadelphia
- For more information, click here.
- Shinnenkai — Put on some comfy pants and come hungry to this informal potluck party. Bring a dish from home or even just some paper plates or napkins and you’re all set. Reservations required.
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 10
- Time: 1 to 3 p.m.
- Place: AT&T Conference Room at the Girl Scout Leadership Center, 811 N. Coker Loop Road, San Antonio
- For more information: http://www.jas-sa.org/shinenkai.htm
Family Fun Day — Enjoy Christmas story telling, candy-cane reindeer making, holiday music and a beautiful holiday flower show during this free event at the Krohn Conservatory.
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 19
- Time: 3:30 p.m.
- Place: Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati
- For more information: http://jasgc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=11
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Bonenkai “Forget-the-year” Party — Celebrate the year’s end with your friends from the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth. Enjoy an evening of authentic Japanese food, fun activities and mingling with new and old friends.
- Date: Monday, Dec. 7
- Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Place: Jinbeh-Las Colinas — 301 E. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas
- For more information: http://www.jasdfw.org/pages/program_events_calendar.html
- Monthly Japanese Conversation Forum — Special guest Keiko Tanaka, a sociology professor, will join the conversation forum to discuss the differences in food culture between Japan and the U.S., as well as how food shapes a town. This event is free and open to the public.
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 17
- Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Place: Lexington Public Library, 3628 Walden Drive, Lexington
- For more information, click here.
Great Kimono Blow-out Sale — JASW is selling used kimono at the Japan America Society office. In 2008, a donor gave JASW 1,000 used kimono, haori and yukata. Almost 80 percent are for women, and no two designs are alike. Wear them, or use the fabric to tailor your own clothing, create home décor items or make crafts.
- Date: Monday, Dec. 14 to Friday, Dec. 18
- Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Place: Japan-America Society Office, 1819 L St., NW Lower Level, Washington DC
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/dc/pdf/2009/2009Kimono%20Flyer.pdf
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Via Marc Hitzig (Niigata-ken, 1992-95) of the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C. is seeking volunteers to help with the planning of their 50th Anniversary Sakura Matsuri:
Dear JETs & Friends of JET (FOJs),
Next year marks the 50th Anniversary of Japan-America Society’s Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival to be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010. We have already started to prepare for the largest Japanese street festival outside of Japan. We are looking for people who are interested in helping us make it all happen and willing to commit a little time for us.
The festival is broken up into different committees led by a Committee Chair. We have several Committees that still have Sub-chair positions that need to be filled. Sub-chairs work under the Committee Chair to facilitate any help they need before or during the festival.
If you have experience in event planning or like taking managerial roles, please contact Marc Hitzig (mhitzig [at] us-japan. org) or Ms. Nobu Iwata (iwata [at] us-japan. org) at JASW for more information.
If you are interested in volunteering and getting involved but cannot commit the time to become a sub-chair, we still need many people to help us on the day of the festival! We will start recruiting for “Day-of volunteers” in December.
Thank you,
Marc Hitzig (Niigata-ken, 1992-95
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
JAS of Greater Detroit and Windsor
Holiday Celebration and Wishlist Auction — Spend an evening toasting the season with society members at the elegant Meadow Brook Hall, the “Dodge” family mansion. Meadow Brook is one of America’s castles. It is the fourth largest historic house museum in the U.S., and is renowned for its superb craftsmanship, architectural detailing and grand scale.
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 16
- Time: 6:30 to 10 p.m.
- Place: Meadow Brook Hall, Adams Road Entrance – Oakland University, 2200 N. Squirrel Road, Rochester, Michigan
- For more information: http://us-japan-canada.org/en/events/default.aspx?eventid=11
Hokusai’s Summit: Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji — Take a special tour of Katsushika Hokusai’s famed series the Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji, on exhibition for a limited time at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Hokusai is best known for his work in ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world), known as woodblock prints in the West. His most famous and influential print is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of the prints included in this series.
- Date: Friday, Dec. 18
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
- Place: Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania St., Honolulu
- For more information: http://www.jashawaii.org/pdfdocs/Events20091117_3.pdf
The Aftermath corporate program — Sir Deryck Maughan, head of KKR’s Global Financial Institutions Group and Chairman of KKR Japan, will discuss economic and geo-political implications of the global financial crisis.
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 2
- Time: 8 to 9:30 a.m.
- Place: Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St., New York, New York 10017
- For more information: http://www.japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=4edef7fa
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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UPCOMING: CORPORATE PROGRAM The Aftermath Wednesday, December 2 8:00 AM Sir Deryck Maughan, the head of KKR’s Global Financial Institutions Group; Chairman and Chairman of KKR Japan, explores issues stemming from the global financial crisis. Register online or send email to register@japansociety.org.
LOCATION Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held at Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 (at First Avenue). FOLLOW JAPAN SOCIETY ON THE WEB Updates on upcoming events will be e-mailed periodically. |
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
9th Annual Bonenkai — Forget 2009’s economic troubles with an evening of drinking and Japanese cuisine at the Krohn Conservatory, where you can enjoy the Cincinnati Park’s 2010 Butterfly Show, starring the butterflies of Japan.
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 10
- Time: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: Cincinnati Krohn Conservatory, 950 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati
- For more information: http://jasgc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1
- Shiatsu Workshop — Does the holiday season stress you out? Here’s a way to decompress. Masako Wada, a licensed acupuncturist and shiatsu therapist in Austin, will instruct participants in how to give Shiatsu massages for relaxation. She also will teach techniques for applying acupuncture without hurting yourself.
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 13
- Time: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
- Place: Triangle Square Club House, 4600 Guadalupe St., Austin
- For more information, click here.
21st Annual Origami Workshop — Learn the art of origami, Japanese paper folding, from paper cranes to an advanced decorative box and even an origami wreath. Admission and materials are free.
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 6
- Time: 1 to 3 p.m.
- Place: Two World Trade Center (Mezzanine Level), S.W. First Ave. between Salmon and Taylor streets, Portland
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, was interviewed by Japan Society of New York at the New York Anime Festival 2009 which was held September 25-27 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Let’s go to the video tape:
Part 1 of the interview:
Part 2 of the interview:
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PERFORMANCE Vital Signals Japanese & American Video Art from the 1960s and ’70s Saturday, November 14 2 PM – 10:30 PM
This three-part screening program and artist discussion brings together rarely seen and seminal video art works. Co-presented with EAI and part of Performa 09. Open Television 2–4 pm Admission to the 7:30 pm Artist Discussion is included with any purchase.
LOCATION Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held at Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 (at First Avenue). FOLLOW JAPAN SOCIETY ON THE WEB Updates on upcoming events will be e-mailed periodically. |
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The following event info was shared with JetWit by JET alum Laura Sethney, Program Coordinator at the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Ft Worth:
Join us for a private gallery viewing and cocktail party for Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth members and friends.
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Sponsored by Conduit Gallery
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JASDFW members and friends are invited to a special viewing of the intriguing works of three emerging artists, including Japanese photographer, Mimi Kato. Spend an evening mingling with fellow JASDFW members while sipping on wine and sampling hors d’oeuvres. We encourage members to invite guests in order to share this unique opportunity and learn more about the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth.
Date: Friday, November 13, 2009
Time: 6:00 – 8:00pm
Location: Conduit Gallery
1626 C Hi Line Drive
Dallas, Texas 75207
RSVP to Lauren Sethney by Tuesday, November 10th
Email: lauren@jasdfw.org / Phone: 214-342-2022
***Exhibiting Artists’ Information***
Mimi Kato
Website: www.mimikato.com
This exhibit marks the first time for Japanese photographer Mimi Kato to showcase her work in Dallas. The large scale photographic series depicts each of the four seasons. Read More
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Iaido: An Exhibition of Sword Arts Presented by Sword Masters from Fukuoka — The Japan-America Society of Mississippi will host five Sword Masters from Fukuoka, Japan, in three separate performances of martial arts, Japanese dance and performances of Japanese folk songs in Oxford, Fulton and Jackson, Mississippi. The Sword Masters will offer an exhibition of the ancient arts of Iaidō, Jōjutsu, Jūjutsu and Kendō. Master Nawata also will perform a Samurai Kuroda Bushi Buyo (dance). Each event will feature choral performances of traditional Japanese folk songs by local college choral groups. There will be three presentations:
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in Meek Hall on the Ole Miss Oxford Campus.
- Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Itawamba Community College Fulton Campus.
- Friday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Ford Center for the Performing Arts at Millsaps College in Jackson.
- For more information: http://www.jasmis-us.com/events.html#Iaidou
- Japanese Holiday Card Workshop — Celebrate the holiday season by designing one-of-a-kind Japanese cards. During this workshop, you will learn to combine basic calligraphy brush strokes with Sumie techniques to create your own holiday- inspired designs. All levels are welcome.
- Date: Friday, Nov. 13
- Time: Session 1 is from 2 to 4 p.m. Session 2 is from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Place: Japan America Society of Chicago, 20 N. Clark St., Suite 750, Chicago
- For more information: http://www.jaschicago.org/en/events/default.aspx?eventid=105
Kodo: An Evening of Incense Appreciation — Mr. Masataka Hata, president of the Shoyeido Incense company of Kyoto will present an evening dedicated to the lore of traditional Japanese incense appreciation. Engage in the classic incense game of kumiko or genji-ko, a favorite pastime of courtiers, as depicted in The Tale of Genji. Participants also can create their own fragrance to take home in an incense sachet. Register here.
- Date: Friday, Nov. 20
- Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Showa Boston Institute, 420 Pond St., Boston
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of the Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Young Professionals Horsing Around Picnic — What did Mr. Ed say to the throat specialist? … “I’m feeling a little hoarse!” (Sorry, just couldn’t resist.) As if a picnic under the autumn leaves weren’t enough, this event also features horseback riding and fishing (if you bring your own fishing equipment). The cost is $30 for JASG members. Register online here by Nov. 11.
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
- Place: White Dog Farm, 685 Old Alpharetta Road, Alpharetta, Georgia
- For more information: http://jasgeorgia.org/eng/taxonomy/term/1
An Afternoon of Japanese Ghost Stories and Jazz — In the Noh theater, the dead are more important than the living because the actions of the dead are what brought us to where we are today. Japanese ghosts are usually female. Upset females. They are portrayed without feet because they have lost their connection to the earth. They are passionate women on a mission, so filled with love, jealousy or rage; they won’t go peacefully to into the night. At this event, hear Brenda Wong Aoki tell ghost stories masterfully performed in concert with Asian Jazz pioneer composer Mark Izu. This event also features performances of the koto, sax and shakuhachi (a traditional Japanese bamboo flute).
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 1
- Time: 2 p.m.
- Place: Yoshi’s San Francisco, 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco
- For more information: http://www.yoshis.com/sanfrancisco/jazzclub/artist/show/945
Monstrosity after the Bubble: Japanese Visual Culture and Techno-Animism — Anne Allison, author of Millennial Monsters; Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination, will speak about animist sensibility in postmodern Japan.
- Date: Friday, Oct. 30
- Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
- Place: Tufts University, Sophia Gordon Hall, 15 Talbot Ave., Medford, Massachusetts
- For more information: http://events.tufts.edu/details.php?eventid=14953&evdate=2009-10-30
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
- Political and Economic Outlook of Japan — Hear leading experts discuss economic and political issues facing Japan today. Among the speakers will be Minister Hajime Hayashi, Minister for Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan, and Peter Kelly, President of the National Association of Japan-America Societies.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
- Time: 3 p.m.
- Place: The Ohio State University Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus
- For more information: http://jasco.osu.edu/
Fall Festival in the Japanese Garden — Bring the whole family to admire the colorful fall foliage as well as traditional Japanese dance, music, martial arts demonstrations, paper making and tea ceremonies.
- Date: Oct. 24-25
- Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Place: Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth
- For more information: http://www.fwbg.org/calendar.php#2
JAS of the State of Washington
- Globally Successful: US-Japan Business Strategies— This round-table event, featuring a panel of four speakers representing Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Boeing, Nippon Suisan and Starbucks, will compare and contrast the global strategies of U.S. and Japanese firms from the aerospace, retail, food and financial services industries, as well as the similarities in strategies across their different target markets. Click here to register. The registration deadline is Oct. 23.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 29
- Time: 5 to 8 p.m.
- Place: Douglas Forum, Bank of America Executive Education Center, Seattle UW Campus.
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/jassw/
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
Lecture on Japanese Folding Fans — Japanese fans got us all through the miserable Japanese summers, but we should appreciate them for much more than that. They are used in a number of Japanese cultural practices, including Kabuki dance and Noh performances. Japanese fans have, in the past, been a major export from Japan, thought today this accessory to Japanese culture can sometimes be overlooked. During this lecture by Kanji Ishizumi, you can learn about the process of Japanese fan making and its craftsmanship, which have been passed down from generation to generation. The event is free, but places are limited. To reserve a place, e-mail event (at) jpf (dot) org (dot) uk.
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Japan Foundation, Russell Square House, 10-12 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5EH
- For more information, click here.
Classic Japanese Hair Styling — Keiichi Hanada, one of Kyoto’s most prominent contemporary hair stylists, will introduce classical Japanese coiffures of the 18th and 19th centuries and reveal their enduring beauty. This is a free event. Registration is required.
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Showa Boston Institute, 420 Pond St., Boston
- For more information, click here.
Presentation about Japanese employment — Dr. Norma Field of the University of Chicago will give a presentation titled “What’s happening to Japanese workers: What you won’t read in the Wall Street Journal or Business Week.” The perception that nearly all Japanese work for stable, team-oriented, paternalistic employers has been spread by the media over the years, but this is far from reality today. A seismic change has been taking place, with nearly a third of the Japanese labor force now classified as irregularly employed. What is often reported in the Japanese press these days are stories about the “income-gap society” (kakusa shakai), “working poor” (waakingu pua), and more recently, “lost generation” (rosu jene).
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 10
- Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Place: The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 3rd floor (Michael Moskow Auditorium), 230 N. LaSalle St., Chicago
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
Japanese Obento and Food Culture Workshop — This full-day workshop is designed to introduce Japanese culture to K-12 educators through the life of a lunch box, or “obento.” The workshop will cover related topics about the history of rice cultivation, obento as depicted in the arts, an examination of regional variations in obento and a hands-on session that features how to prepare Japanese style rice and assemble an attractive obento package.
- Date: Monday, Oct. 12
- Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Place: Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 E. Waterfront Dr., Homestead, Penn.
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/jasp/obentoworkhopflyer.pdf
- 10th Annual Asian Film Festival — Watch the latest Japanese films on the big screens. JSSDT members can get special discounted tickets for $8 through Oct. 5.
- Date: Oct. 15 to 29
- Place: Hazard Center UltraStar Cinemas
- For more information, click here.
Japanese Anime Lecture and Slideshow — Local otaku Keith Goode will discuss a brief history of anime, reviewing some of its stylizations and niches, and showing how it fits into the grand design of Japanese popular culture. Learn about what some of the most popular animes have been and what’s popular now.
- Date: Monday, Oct. 5
- Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: Casa de Luz, 1701 Toomey Road, Austin
- For more information, click here.
- “Celebrate Colorado’s Japanese!” Family Day — JASC members are invited to learn about the contributions of Japanese immigrants to Colorado during this event at the Colorado History Museum. Colorado’s first Japanese immigrants worked on railroads, in coal mines and on farms. Celebrate their enduring legacy with crafts, activities and artifacts available for the whole family. There will be a Denver Taiko performance at noon and 2:30 p.m., and a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration at 1:30 p.m.
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
- Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Place: Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway, Denver
- For more information, email jascolorado (at) att (dot) net
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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A great job opportunity forwarded to JetWit by by Gail Cetnar Meadows who writes the Japan America Society Round-up posts on JetWit and also serves as the Editor for Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View:
Dear Members & Friends,
We are pleased to share with everyone that the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington has been awarded a grant by the Center for Global Partnership – Japan Foundation, New York in support of our Japan in the Schools Program for the specific purpose of hiring a full-time JIS Program Coordinator for the next two years. A full grant award announcement will be made at a later date.
The reason for this email is to announce the full-time coordinator position and to ask you to forward it to anyone who might be interested in applying. All those who applied for the previously advertised part-time position have been contacted and asked to re-apply if they are interested in this full time position. The part-time position is no longer available. The application period ends September 20.
Thank you for your support and interest in the Society.
Mark Smith
Executive Director, Japan America Society of the State of Washington, 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98121
http://www.us-japan.org/jassw
Japan in the Schools Coordinator
Job Description
The Japan in the Schools Program Coordinator has direct responsibility for the day-to-day oversight and operation of the program including the following:
• Coordinate and schedule school visits of program volunteers
• Recruit Japanese and American volunteer presenters
• Maintain the volunteer database
• Plan and manage volunteer training workshops in cooperation with experienced volunteers and workshop presenters
• Assist by attending school visits when necessary
• Track the location of program suitcases and maintain inventory of program supplies
• Promote the program to school teachers and public
Read More
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
2009 Annual Cultural Festival — This free fundraising event of JASSC will feature a bazaar where you can buy second-hand kimonos, haoris (jackets) and various Japanese goods like washi, pottery and bonsai. Fill up on sushi and other Japanese cuisine while enjoying taiko and koto music performances, Japanese dance and martial arts demonstrations.
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Place: Stargazers Theatre and Event Center, 10 S. Parkside Dr., Colorado Springs
- For more information: Email jcarusorathe (at) msn (dot) com or call 576-2229.
- Ikebana International Pittsburgh Chapter #25 50th Anniversary Celebration — Enjoy a reception with hors d’oeuvers and cash bar and an evening of entertainment including koto music, flute and violin performances and an ikebana demonstration and exhibition.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
- Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
- Place: Phipps Conservatory, Tropical Garden Room, 700 Frank Curto Drive, Pittsburgh
- For more information: Call Nelda Burd at 742-352-5036
Ladies’ Day Trip in Ohio — Recall memories of the inaka while driving through backwoods Ohio. JASK ladies are invited to join a day trip to the Amish restaurant in Plain City, the new Premium Outlets in Cincinnati and the Japanese grocery in Columbus. The cost to JASK members is $45.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 15
- Time: 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- For more information: http://jask.org/events?eventId=84477&EventViewMode=EventDetails
- US-Japan Business Luncheon — Ambassador Shinichi Nishimiya will share his reflections on Japan’s government change, Japan’s past government reforms and its relevance to American business today. The luncheon is $65 for JASGP members.
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
- Time: Noon to 2 p.m.
- Place: The Union League of Philadelphia, 140 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
- For more information and to register, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
Japan Robot Night — Not only is Japan on the cutting edge of the robotics industry, but it even manages to make its robots so kawaii! One example is PARO, a baby seal robot that interacts with people and makes them feel emotionally attached. PARO is part of a new track of Japanese robotics that has taken off — service robots assisting humans. You’ll have a chance to see this therapy robot for yourself at this event, which will feature a lecture by Dr. Takanori Shibata, inventor of PARO. The program also will include a presentation on service robotics trends in Japan. The event is free and open to the public.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 15
- Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Place: University of Missouri-St. Louis, Millennium Student Center, Century Room C, One University Boulevard, St. Louis
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/jasstl/images/Japan_Robot_Night.pdf
- 13th Annual Grand Taiko Concert — Witness the grace of an authentic Japanese classical dance master and the acrobatics of beautiful aerial silk performers at this annual taiko drum performance. Admission is free.
- Date: Sept. 18-19
- Time: 7:30 to 9:45 p.m.
- Place: Miller Outdoor Theatre, Hermann Park, Houston
- For more information: http://www.ilovetaiko.org/
Japan America Kite Festival — Go fly a kite! Bring your own to this event, or purchase one from the variety of kites available for sale. Enjoy international kites of all sizes and colors, and don’t miss the huge 50-foot by 100-foot kites on display. There will be a Rokaku kite battles, stunt kite demonstrations, kite “ballet” and precision synchronized kite team performances.
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
- Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Place: Seal Beach Pier, (North side of the Pier), Seal Beach, CA 90740
- For more information: http://www.jas-socal.org/jas/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=2&tabid=3#13th
- Life for Foreign Workers in Japan — If you’ve wondered what life is like for non-Japanese blue-collar workers in Japan, check out this presentation by Dr. Harumi Befu, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Stanford University. Dr. Befu will present his current research on foreign workers’ lives in Japan — the support they receive as well as the challenges they face. This event is free and open to the public.
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
- Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Place: Union Bank Hospitality Room, 22 Peace Plaza, Miyako Mall, San Francisco
- For more information: http://japansocietyofnortherncalifornia.myshopify.com/products/foreign-workers-in-japan
Japanese Fall Festival — Enjoy stage events including karate, taiko, iado and kendo, as well as plenty of food booths, games and cultural demonstrations.
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
- Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Place: Dallas Japanese Association, South Side Parking Lot, 4100 Alpha Rd., Dallas
- For more information: http://jasdfw.org/downloads/ffest.pdf
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, Editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America societies…
JapanFest Weekend — Try on an authentic Japanese kimono, participate in workshops ranging from the art of bonsai trees to tea ceremony, purchase a wide array of Japanese goods, learn how to make a Japanese kite, listen to Japanese music and more at this year’s JapanFest Weekend. The theme of this year’s festival is Cool Japan, a term that describes the growing international interest in Japanese culture, especially fashion, anime, music, food and technology.
- Date: Sept. 19-20
- Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
- Place: Convention Center at Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, Georgia
- For more information: http://www.jasgeorgia.org/newsletter/Summer2009.pdf
Canoe Trip — JAS members are invited to join a canoe trip down the Little Miami River for about an hour from Old Mill Base to Ft. Ancient. There will be a cookout on the campgrounds afterward. Look for a $6 coupon in the Entertainment Book or in the phone book.
- Date: Saturday, August 29
- Time: 10 a.m.
- Place: Little Miami Canoe Rental, Old Mill Base, 225 Corwin Road, Oregonia, Ohio
- For more information and registration: http://www.jasgc.org/nickcanoetrip.html
JAS of the State of Washington
- Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis — Masamichi Yasuda, Senior Executive VP/Deputy CFO of Union Bank, will be the featured speaker during this lunch program. He will speak about the state of the economy in Japan today compared to its post-bubble years, and the economic challenges facing U.S. bankers. He will also touch on how Union Bank has been able to stay successful during these difficult economic times.
- Date: Friday, Sept. 25
- Time: Noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: World Trade Center West, Holland America Dining Room, 4th Floor, 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 410, Seattle
- For more information and to register: https://www.pspinc.com/jassw/register-9-25-09.htm
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
NEWS FROM THE JAPAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK AND CGP
VOL. 7: August 18, 2009
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Online Application for Japanese Studies Fellowships (Deadline: Nov 2)
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The Japanese Studies Fellowship program gives scholars, researchers, and professionals the opportunity to conduct research in Japan.
We are now introducing an online application system for the Japanese Studies Fellowship program. Please note that hereafter, application forms will only be available online.
The deadline for submissions is November 2, 2009.
http://www.jfny.org/japanese_studies/fellowship.html
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Performing Arts Japan (PAJ) Program (Deadline: Nov 2)
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The Japan Foundation is now accepting PAJ grant proposals for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The PAJ Touring Grant assists the presentation of Japanese performing arts in the US and Canada, emphasizing locations outside major metropolitan areas, and the PAJ Collaboration Grant allows collaborating
artists to create new works with the potential to develop into a touring project.
Applications are due by November 2, 2009 for projects taking place between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011.
http://www.jfny.org/arts_and_culture/paj.html
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Introducing the US-Japan Network for the Future (Deadline: Oct 1)
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The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) and the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (MMMF) are pleased to announce a new program: US-Japan Network for the Future. We are currently recruiting up-and-coming Japan scholars and practitioners in the US to participate in this program to nurture the next generation of Japan Specialists.
The program will include sustained networking through workshops and meetings in Washington, DC, Montana, and Japan. Please note that applications must be submitted to MMMF.
http://www.mansfieldfdn.org/programs/networkforthefuture.htm
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2009-2010 Abe Fellowship Program (Deadline: Sep 1)
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The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) provides support to individuals through the Abe Fellowship, which is designed to encourage international, multidisciplinary research on topics of pressing concern.
The Abe Fellowship program seeks to foster the development of a new generation of researchers who are interested in policy-relevant topics of long-range importance and willing to become key members of a bilateral and global research network. Please note that applications must be submitted to SSRC (Social Science Research Council).
Abe Fellowship applications are due by September 1, 2009.
Abe Fellowship Journalist applications are due by September 15, 2009.
http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/abe-fellowship/
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Announcing the Japan Travel Program for US Future Leaders
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The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), in collaboration with the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), is implementing the Japan Travel Program for US Future Leaders to foster a new generation of future leaders in the US with a greater understanding of Japan and its roles in global affairs.
Thirteen graduate students are traveling to Japan from August 15-25 to acquire first hand knowledge of Japan and how it is fulfilling its shared global responsibilities. Students will meet with experts in politics, economics, and civil society and visit relevant institutions including government ministries, think tanks, policy institutes, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
An Activity Report will be forthcoming on the Japan Travel Program in the next newsletter issue.
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THE JAPAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK AND CGP
152 West 57th Street, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Tel: 212.489.0299 ; Fax: 212.489.0409
Inquiries: info@jfny.org
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Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, editor of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America societies…
- JASCO Business Seminar — JASCO presents a business seminar titled “4 Behavior Styles of People” designed to help those who are challenged with Japan-U.S. cultural differences or those who wish to improve relationships with customers. The seminar will explain reasons why people act in a certain way and give you the ability to slightly modify your approach to different people for much better results. This seminar has been a vital part of the core management training program for many years at Honda companies throughout North America.
- Date: Friday, Sept. 11
- Time: 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Offices of Corna Kokosing Construction, 6235 Westerville Road, Westerville, Ohio
- For more information: http://jasco.osu.edu/events/2009/NDiSCflyer_E.pdf
Greater Kansas City Japan Festival — Enjoy performances of taiko and other Japanese instruments, J-bands, cultural exhibits, martial arts demonstrations, kimono workshops, anime vendors and much, much more.
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
- Time: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: The Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, Kansas
- For more information: http://kcjapanfestival.com/
- Post-Election Political Update — At this luncheon titled “Political Change Comes to Japan: What Lies Ahead”, Professor Gerald Curtis will discuss the results of the elections and what lies ahead for Japan and the United States. He will have just returned from observing the elections and meeting with key political figures in Japan. Register online by 5 p.m., Sept. 8.
- Date: Friday, Sept. 11
- Time: Noon to 2 p.m.
- Place: Capital Hilton: South American Room, 1001 16th St. NW, Washington, DC
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/dc/
Happy 15th Sake Tasting and Beer Garden Party — Get ready to bend your elbows at two upcoming JASGC events. Register online.
- Event: Beer Garden Party
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
- Time: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road
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- Event: 15th Sake Tasting
- Date: Friday, Oct. 9
- Time: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: Sawyer Point Building Atrium, 720 E. Pete Rose W.
- For more information on both events: http://www.jasgc.org/sake_tasting_flyer.pdf
Tsugaru Shamisen Concert — JASGA invites members to enjoy the unique sound of the traditional Japanese Shamisen during this performance by Toshie Suzuki of Oita, Japan. In 2003, she won the National Tsugaru Shamisen contest in Japan, the youngest winner in the competition’s history, and in 2008 she was the first winner of the women’s Tsugaru Shamisen in Kobe and Osaka. See a video of her performance.
- Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Place: Casa de Luz Auditorium, 1701 Toomey Road, Austin
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
Via JETAA Pacific Northwest:
Friday, September 25, 2009
“Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis”
Speaker : Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda
Senior Executive VP/Deputy CFO, Union Bank
The Japan-America Society is pleased to announce Mr. Masamichi “Mitch” Yasuda as our featured speaker for a September 25 lunch program titled “Challenges of Banking in an Economic Crisis.” Mr. Yasuda will speak about the state of the economy in Japan today compared to its post-bubble years, and the economic challenges facing U.S. bankers. He will also touch on how Union Bank has been able to stay successful during these difficult economic times. Read More
Current Hiroshima-ken JET Gail Meadows, co-editor of the Hiroshima JET webzine Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of the various Japan America societies…
JAS of the State of Washington
Wa in a Sports Bar — Best-selling author Robert Whiting, author of You Gotta Have Wa 2009, will be the featured speaker at JASSW’s cocktail reception. Whiting’s book is an updated version of the original 1989 book You Gotta Have Wa, a book about the cultural conflict between Japan and America, as seen through the common sport of baseball. In his talk, Whiting will address the question of whether Japanese and Americans understand (and like) each other more than they did two decades ago and the subject of how culture still manifests itself in baseball. Following the presentation, visitors can watch the Seattle Mariners play the New York Yankees on three large-screen plasma TVs in a private room. Cost is $20 for JAS members. Registration deadline is August 11. Click here to register.
- Date: Thursday, August 13
- Time: Doors open at 5:30 p.m., Presentation starts at 6:20 p.m.,
- Place: FOX Sports Grill, VIP Lounge, 1522 6th Ave., Seattle
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/jassw/index.htm
- Symposium on Historic Preservation in Kyoto & Boston — This symposium will include comments by the mayor of Kyoto and presentations by leading Japanese and American architects, urban planners and other specialists. Presentations will be in Japanese and English, with simultaneous interpretation. The symposium will be followed by a reception in honor of Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa at the Kyo-no-Machiya (Kyoto House) Boston Children’s Museum. Admission is free but registration is required.
- Date: Wednesday, August 26
- Time: Symposium 1:30 to 5 p.m. Reception 5 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, first floor theater, 600 Atlantic Ave., Boston
- For more information: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/Calendar.html
J-Pop Summit Festival 2009 — Mark your calendars for this pop culture-themed street far in San Francisco’s Japantown. The day’s festivities will include a Harajuku Kawaii makeover pageant and performances by Japan’s hottest girl bands. The celebration will be accompanied by the grand opening of New People, a center of Japanese cinema, retail and art.
- Date: Saturday, August 15
- Time: 10 a.m. to midnight
- Place: New People, 1746 Post Street, San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Meadows the info.
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Via JETAA Pacific Northwest. Mark Smith, the Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington, is seeking feedback from JET alums and Friends of JET who, when they were younger, may have participated in the organization’s education programs in schools throughout the state of Washington. Please contact Mark directly to offer feedback.
Dear JET Alumni and current JET Program Participants:
My name is Mark Smith and I am Executive Director of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington. As some of you may already know, one of our core programs here at the Society is our Japan in the Schools program. This is an educational program driven by volunteers who visit elementary schools and high schools.
In the elementary classroom, a day in the life of Kentaro is brought to life through a large format photo presentation that engages the students in exploring similarities and differences between American and Japanese children’s lives. Students are also taught some Japanese words and they have trying to pick up mini erasers (which they get to keep) with chopsticks. Read More
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