JET alum Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
11th Annual Mochitsuki New Year’s Celebration — Celebrate the New Year Japanese style with demonstrations of mochitsuki (pounding sweet rice with a mallet and mortar to make rice cakes) and sample the end result with anko, kinako, nori, or Sendai’s special zunda-mochi. The afternoon will feature live performances by taiko drummers, a children’s choir, traditional Japanese dancers and a kimono demonstration. Other activities include New Year’s games for children, origami, calligraphy, and ikebana. Cost is $8 for non-members, $5 for members, $2 for children aged 6 to 12 years, free for children ages 5 and under.
- Date: Sunday, January 16
- Time: 2 to 5 p.m.
- Place: Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc., 2801 Telecom Parkway, Richardson, Texas 75082
- For more information, click here.
- Contact: info (at) jasdfw (dot) org or 214-342-2022
- Pittsburgh Sushi Experience — How’s a resolution to try more sushi sound? In 2011, the JAS of Pennsylvania will visit four Pittsburgh sushi restaurants. The first gathering will be at the trendy Penn Avenue Fish Company, where you can sample fusion sushi and a host of other aquatic offerings. Be sure to bring your business card to participate in a drawing for a gift card.
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 20
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Place: 308 Forbes Ave. (near Honus Wagner), downtown Pittsburgh
- For more information, click here.
Speaker Series Presentation — Dr. William R. Farrell will give a presentation titled “From Black Ships to a Black President: Images and Reality in US-Japan Relations.” Using wood block prints, post cards and political cartoons, he will take the audience on a lively tour through history, viewing events such as Commodore Perry’s arrival, the road to Pearl Harbor, World War II, the Occupation, trade wars and the current international situation.
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 27
- Time: JASGC annual meeting at 5 p.m. Speaker presentation at 5:30 p.m.
- Place: Taft Center, 425 Walnut St., Cincinnati
- For more information, click here.
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email the info to Gail at gail (at) jetwit (dot) com.
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JET alum Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Hatsuharu no Kai (New Year’s Celebration) — Don’t forget to eat your mochi! (Who needs Ovaltine, anyway?) Join students from the Japanese School of Denver as they greet 2011 by pounding rice into mochi, practicing calligraphy and demonstrating a tea ceremony.
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 9
- Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
- Place: Arapahoe Community College, Littleton campus
- For more information, click here.
Outdoor Film Series — Check out this series of free events in Japantown Peace Plaza over the next few months. Events include film screenings and karaoke contests. December’s film presentation is Tokyo Godfathers, a film set in Tokyo at Christmas. Three homeless friends—a young girl, a transvestite, and a middle-aged bum—are foraging through some trash when they find an abandoned newborn. Hana, the transvestite with delusions of being a mother, convinces the others to keep it overnight. The next day, using a key found with the baby, they start tracking down the parents, with many adventures along the way.
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 11
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Place: Peace Plaza in Japantown, Post Street at Buchanan 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 the info.
Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Inside a Japanese Kitchen: Let’s Make Sukiyaki — In this two-part workshop, participants will learn about the wide variety of Japanese condiments such as dashi, miso and ponzu, and then how to use some of those condiments to make sukiyaki.
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 5
- Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Place: Maneki Neko Restaurant, 238 West Broad Street, Falls Church, Virginia
- For more information, click here.
- Japanese Business Culture: Working With Japanese Colleagues — Do you work at or with a Japanese company? This seminar is designed to help cover some of the challenges you may encounter, including: ways to communicate, styles of communication, Japanese style decision making, hierarchy of workers, role of the group, protocols (gift giving, greetings, business cards, etc.), and brief language introduction.
- Date: Friday, Dec. 10
- Time: 8 a.m. to noon
- Place: Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, 7003 Post Road, Dublin
- For more information, click here.
Press Club YPG Bonenkai — Bid farewell to 2010 by sampling a wide variety of wine with Japan Society friends and food at the Press Club with its eight winery-exclusive tasting bars.
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 16
- Time: 6 to 9 p.m.
- Place: Press Club, 20 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco
- For more information, click here.
- The New Era of Medicine with iPS Stem Cells — This lecture will be given by Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, Japan’s best known scientist in the field of stem-cell research. In addition to his Center for iPS Cell Research & Application at Kyoto University, he is also Senior Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, and Investigator in Stem Cell Biology at the University of California at San Francisco. He is the 2010 recipient of two of the world’s most prestigious awards for scientific research: The Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology and The Balzan Prize.
- Date: Monday, Dec. 13
- Time: 4 to 6:30 p.m.
- Place: The Joseph B. Martin Conference Center, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, 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 Cetnar Meadows the info.
Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America Societies…
The Horse in Japan Exhibit Tours – If you love horses and Japan, this program’s for you. Berea College will host a symposium and exhibit with artifacts from the Edo and Meiji periods in Japan, including wood blocks (ukiyo-e), examining the cross-cultural meanings of the horse in society. Tours will be available in English as well as Japanese.
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 30
- Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Place: Frost Building, Room 218, Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
- For more information, click here.
- Japanese Home Style Cooking Class – Learn how to make authentic Japanese food in this hands-on, intimate and practical cooking class. Participants will learn easy recipes that don’t require many special ingredients or tools.
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 24
- Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: Ryu of Japan, 11101 Burnet Road, Austin, Texas
- For more information, click here.
JAS of the State of Washington
Green Energy Event – This event, titled “Adding‘$Green¥’ to the Bottom Line”, brings together speakers from four companies all involved in some aspect of green energy. Two of the companies have green energy products at different stages of development, the third is responsible for developing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure in a six-state region, and the fourth represents a consulting firm and will provide a broad overview of green energy in both Japan and the United States. Additionally, there will be a demonstration by Canycom of one of their all-electric utility vehicles before the event.
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 27
- Time: 5 to 8:30 p.m.
- Place: PACCAR Hall Seattle UW Campus
- For more information, click here.
Do your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail Cetnar Meadows the info.
Gail Cetnar Meadows (ALT, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of various Japan America Societies…
Japanese Buddhist Fire Ceremony — Join a group of Tendai Buddhist monks from Japan as they present sacred chants and perform the dramatic, traditional outdoor goma (fire) ceremony. Discover the meaning behind the ceremony, and participate by writing prayers for sanctification. Curator Anne Nishimura Morse will discuss Buddhist images acquired for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts by three benefactors.
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 24
- Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
- Place: Remis Auditorium, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston
- For more information, click here.
- History of Christianity in Japan – This program provides a unique opportunity to learn about the multifaceted history of Christianity in Japan from its beginning until the present. Dr. Leroy Seat, who lived in Japan from 1966 to 2004 and taught at Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka for 36 years, will give a presentation of Christian history in Japan from the time of Francis Xavier’s arrival in 1549 until Dr. Seat’s own last visit to Japan last May.
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 26
- Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
- Place: Loose Park, 5200 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri
- For more information, click here.
Restless Spirits and Bewitching Transformations! – Get your skin crawling learning about a whole world of Japanese goblins and ghosts. What is that clattering in the kitchen in the still dead of night? Where does she go wandering so mysteriously in the hours of darkness, that beautiful young wife? As Halloween spirits return to their spectral world, this creepy program will explore the Japanese tradition of yokai and yurei.
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 2
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Place: Lodge Room No. 11, The Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen St., London WC2
- 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.
Gail Cetnar Meadows (Hiroshima-ken, Hiroshima-shi 2007-10), co-founder of Hiroshima JET webzine the Wide Island View, shines a light on some of the upcoming events of Japan America Societies…
Godzilla and Japanese Culture – Since the monster’s first appearance more than 50 years ago, Godzilla has become a cinematic icon and a globally recognized symbol of Japan. Southern Methodist University’s new dean and Godzilla expert, Dr. William Tsutsui, will give a talk exploring the serious lessons to be learned from the 28 Godzilla films and the abiding worldwide popularity of the King of the Monsters.
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
- Time: Registration at 6:30 p.m.; Lecture at 7 p.m.; Reception at 8 p.m.
- Place: McCord Auditorium, 3rd Floor, Dallas Hall, Southern Methodist University, 3225 University Drive, Dallas
- For more information: http://www.jasdfw.org/downloads/godzilla.pdf
Japan Career Day – This fall JASM will host its first Japan Career Day, aimed at students and young professionals looking to use their experience with Japanese language and culture in a future profession. This event will feature speakers, panel discussions and workshops on how to leverage your Japan experience into a successful career. Cost is $5 for JASM members or $10 for non-members. Following the Career Day will be a Sushi Social networking event where attendees can network with established Japan professionals from around the metro area. The social costs $30 for JASM members or $35 for non-members.
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 6
- Time: Career Day from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sushi Social from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Place: Career Day will be at Macalester College, Alexander Hill Ballroom, 1600 Grand Ave., St. Paul. The Sushi Social will be at Sakura restaurant, 350 Saint Peter St., St. Paul.
- For more information or to RSVP: Call the JASM office at 612-627-9357 or e-mail jasm (at) us-japan (dot) org.
US-Japan Business Luncheon – The keynote speaker at this luncheon will be Shuhei Aoki, Bank of Japan’s General Manager for the Americas and Chief Representative in New York. Mr. Aoki will explore the topic “Can Japan Prosper Again?” With China having passed Japan as the world’s second largest economy, Aoki will address questions about whether Japan can regain its economic momentum by expanding trade with China, or whether the U.S. is a more reliable partner.
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 28
- Time: Registration at 11:30 a.m.; Lunch and Networking at noon; Lecture and Q&A at 12:30 p.m.
- Place: The Union League of Philadelphia, 140 S. Broad St.
- For more information: http://jasgp.org/newsletter/current.html
Does your Japan America Society have an upcoming event that you’d like to share with JetWit readers? Email Gail the info.
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.
