The Fort Worth Japanese Society Jan. – Feb. 2020 Kagami Mochi A Japanese New Year’s Tradition www.fwjs.org ‘Kagami’ means ‘mirror’ in Japanese, and it is often said that its shape resembles a bronze mirror which was considered a treasure by the ancient Japanese. It is believed that by double decking such noble items, your fortune will also double. The mandarin on top is called dai-dai and it is supposed to give hope and prosperity to the following descendants.
Our Mission: Foster understanding between Japanese and Americans by providing an opportunity to learn about Japan, it’s people, language and culture.
New Year’s Oshogatsu Luncheon Sunday Jan 5th from 12:30pm to about 4:00pm at Yamagata Kaikan
Come celebrate the new year at our delicious… Oshogatsu Luncheon. Every year, our members bring in food for this potluck, so please bring your favorite dish. We will be entertained by the students of our Japanese Language children’s classes and have a festive and exciting raffle drawing. We have so many prizes that many of you will go home with a prize. Prizes include items like houseware and gift certificates to favorite local Japanese restaurants. The grand prize this year will be a round- trip ticket for one to Japan, a generous donation by Japan Airlines.
Don’t miss out on our Delicious New Year’s pot luck and raffle
- 1 - SOCIETY NEWS – RECENT EVENTS
Fall Festival in the Fort Worth Japanese Garden The Festival was a record breaking success! The Japanese Garden staff reported an attendance of 7,646 paying guests. Usual attendance for the two- day event is about 3 to 5,000 guests so this Fall was about 50% more visitors than the average festival. Specifically, for the Fort Worth Japanese Society, all our demonstrations received donations well above average. This was also the first time the FWJS operated the food concession stand and that alone had revenues of over $7,000 and a bit over $4,000 after expenses. This amount may seem unremarkable, but for a small organization like the FWJS, this will make a great impact on paying the Our food concession stand was packed nearly all expenses of operating our society. As a point of day with customers. interest, our concession stand sold 368 taiyaki, 154 gyudon, 152 yakisoba, 116 chicken karaage, 116 misoshiru, 107 onigiri, and a slew of other items. Again, this can’t be done without so many of you who volunteer to help create this success, so THANK YOU!
Bazaar – Sun. Dec. 1st 2019 has been a very good year for our society, and the bazaar was no exception. Revenues exceeded $5,000, and after expenses, we netted about $4,000. Of course, it’s important for the society to raise funds from activities like the bazaar, but it’s also important that so many people enjoyed dining on okonomiyaki, yakisoba, taiyaki, obento, and the many Japanese confections made by the Wakabakai group. We also had an opportunity to do some very unique Christmas shopping like paper jewelry from Ina Crow, pottery from Running Bunny Pottery and Moyan Japanese Market. UPCOMING EVENTS Consul General of Japan, the Hideo Fukushima volunteered at our Calligraphy demonstration table. Oshogatsu Luncheon – Sun. Jan. 5th from 12:30pm to about 3:30pm at Yamagata Kaikan Come celebrate the new year at our delicious… Oshogatsu Luncheon. Every year, our members bring in food for this potluck, so please bring your favorite dish. We will be entertained by the students of our Japanese Language children’s classes and have a festive and exciting raffle drawing. We have so many prizes that many of you will go home with a prize. The grand prize this year will be a round-trip ticket for one to Japan, a generous donation by Japan Airlines.
2020 Membership Fee Due in January Membership in the Fort Worth Japanese Society is paid in January of each year. The form is in this newsletter. If your contact information has not changed, just write in “Same.” Please mail your check as soon as you can, or bring your check to the Oshogatsu luncheon
- 2 - 日本人会会報 More photos from the Fall Festival 最近の出来事 フォトワース日本庭園での秋祭り 今年の秋祭りは記録破りの大成功を収めました。日本庭園のスタ ッフによると、この日の有料来園者数は7646人でした。平均的な 秋祭りが3000人～5000人ですので、約50%増しの人が訪れました 。なかでも、フォートワース日本人会の全てのデモンストレーシ ョンが受け取った寄付金は、例年の平均を大きく上回りました。 また、日本人会が食品売店を管理運営したのも今年が初めてでし た。 この売店だけで7,000ドル以上の収益があり、諸経費を差し引いて も約4,000ドルの利益がありました。この金額はこれといって取り 立てるほどではないと思うかもしれませんが、私達日本人会のよ うな小さな組織の場合は、その運営費に大きな影響を及ぼします 。 興味のある点として、私たちの売店では368個のたい焼き、154個 の牛丼、152個の焼きそば、116個のから揚げ、116杯のみそ汁、 107個のおにぎりを売り上げました。この成功は、ボランティアの 皆さま無しには成し得ませんでした。ボランティアの皆さま、本 当に有難うございました！
バザー 12月1日 2019年は私達の日本人会にとって非常に良い年でありましたが、 バザーもまた例外ではありませんでした。収益は5,000ドルを超え 、諸経費差し引き後、約4,000ドルの利益を得ることが出来ました 。日本人会がバザーのような活動を通して会の運営資金を調達す るのは重要な事ですが、私達が作ったお好み焼きや焼きそば、た い焼き、お弁当、また若葉会グループが作った多くの和菓子等を 皆さまに喜んで食して頂くのも非常に意義深いことです。他には 、Ina Crowさんのおり紙アクセサリー、Running Bunny Potteryと Moyan Japanese Marketによる陶器なども販売され、非情にユニーク なクリスマスショッピングの機会でもありました。
予定されている行事 お正月ランチョン 1月5日（日曜日） 午後12時半―午後3時 山 懸会館 お正月の昼食会で新年を祝いましょう。この日はポットラック形 式のランチョンですので、皆さんお得意のお料理をお持ち下さい 。 日本語子供クラスの生徒達による可愛らしい歌声を楽しんだ後は 、エキサイティングなラッフルが待ち受けています。多くの方が 当てられるように沢山の賞品を用意しています。今年の大賞は、 日本航空の寄付による日本行き往復航空券です。
2020年の日本人会会費 フォートワース日本人会の会費は、毎年1月が更新時期となってい ます。申込用紙はこのニュースレターにも載っています。ご住所 や電話等、連絡先に変更がない方は、「同じ」と書き込み、小切 手と共に早めの郵送をお願いします。または、1月5日の新年会に ご持参下さい。
- 3 - THANK YOU! Japanese Garden Fall Festival Volunteers CALLIGRAPHY KIMONO DRESS-UP TEA CEREMONY GAMES & GIFTS ORIGAMI Chizu Abe Julia Flowers Antha Auston Elishia Flowers - Lead Mia Banks Hiroshi Abe Yumiko Frabosilio Melisse Benson Julia Flowers Nina Banks Kyunghee Ahn Daniel Gliniak Kieko Burge Evelyn Garcia Yukiko Banks Emmi Brooks Julia Hall Chise Coleman Isaac Hall Esperanza Fe Borg Consul General Konomi Hall Michiyo Fitzgerald Katie Hintze Anita Gunda Fukushima Minako Ichikawa Haruko Herness - Lead Emily Jackson Sara Helmer Katsuko Johnson Chinatsu Lewis Jo Ann Herness Kaitlin Jones Dale Kim Sonoka Nishigauchi Emma Lewis Tamiko Janofko Travis Little Kazumi Kim Wesley Noles - Lead Kanako Narita Carmen Johnson Ellie Martinez Irene Koscal Yoshiko Nue Tu Nguyen Mr and Mrs Kawahara Liberty Mata Aika Matsui Grant Ogata Sakura Noritsune Maya Kelleg Keith Miller Adel Matsui Mixon Polina Oglesby Tommio Porter Sarah Miles Kenney Miller Chu-Hua Mou Daysi Rivas Emma Rogers Rubey O Neil Tu Nguyen Daysi Rivas Harumi Sharp Harumi Sharp Miki Shibuya Yves Perez JoAnn Trimmier - Lead William Winston Ayako Small Crice Yaw Emma Rogers Rio Yoshida Yumiko Smith Takako Rogers DANCERS Ritsuko Totani KAMISHIBAI Komal Shah TAIKO DRUMMERS Colin Bray Masako Yoshida Emmi Brooks Aaron Bakutis Liam Bray Rio Yoshida Chris Carson FOOD STAND David Bakutis Naoko Bray Holly Julia Flowers Julia Dunaway Asako Cosby - Lead Akiko Brewster Raven Johnston Elishia Flowers Lori Fox Lulu Brewster INFO TABLE Libby Watson Cori Hallock Cori Hallock Mimi Brewster Katy Hintze William Winston - Lead Sam Sumner Krissy Lopez Nobue Collins Tammy Mata - Lead Jason Trent Edward Price Orion Hall Joe Sato SIGNS Harvey Yamagata Cassi Southerland Yoshiko Hall Maryliz Shah Devlin Chouinard Mary Yamagata Haruko Herness - Lead Yoko Hokazono Our apologies in advance if we omitted anyone who should be on this list. Chiga Oi - Lead
Kimono Dress-up is one of our most popularly attended activities at the festival. Left: Visitors posing for a photograph. Below: Some of our volunteers who helped our visitors put on their kimonoes/ukatas.
- 4 - More photos from the Fall Japanese Garden Festival
Weekly or Bi-Weekly Society Activities Dondoko Taiko (Drum Group) - This group performs at many metroplex festivals and special events. Practice every Sunday 6:00 to 8:30 PM. Contact: Asako Cosby 817-737-6581 or Cassi Southerland at [email protected]. Classical Japanese Dance - Meets at the Society every Monday morning from 11:00am to 1:00pm. The instructor is Mrs. Keio Miyamoto, an accredited master of Fujima School. Please come and join us. The group enjoys dancing with other Fort Worthians at the spring and autumn Japanese Festival. Contact: Teruko Green Cell: 817-723-3213. Ikebana – Learn and enjoy the art of Japanese flower arrangement. Class times vary. Contact Sandra Prachyl at 817-988-6360 or email [email protected] Japanese Language Class - Adult classes Mon. or Wed. 6:15-7:45pm. (There may be other evenings, depending on class size.) Children’s classes Mondays 5:00-5:45pm (must be 6 years old and over). Very reasonable tuition. Visit our website at www.fwjs.org and click Language School. Contact: Fumiko Coburn. Email [email protected] SAVE THE DATE (details in this newsletter)
Oshogatsu Luncheon – Sun. Jan. 5th from 12:30pm to about 3:30pm at Yamagata Kaikan Come celebrate the new year at our delicious… Oshogatsu Luncheon. This is a pot luck so please bring your favorite dish. We will be entertained by the students of our Japanese Language children’s classes and have a festive and exciting raffle drawing. We have so many prizes that many of you will go home with a prize.
2020 Membership Fee Due in January
Be on the lookout for information by email on our February Luncheon
- 5 - Annual Membership Fees are due each January
Join the Fort Worth Japanese Society www.fwjs.org Tel: 817-294-5004 (Best to contact us via eMail at [email protected])
MEMBERSHIP FORM Date ______Name ______Born/Raised ______City/State/Country Name ______Born/Raised ______City/State/Country Current Address: No. & Street ______City, State, Zip ______Tel. No. Home ______Mobile ______Email ______I would like to receive my newsletter by (check one): Mail eMail I would like to be notified of coming events by (check one): Telephone eMail
If you will let us know what activities are of interest to you, such as Japanese Dance, volunteer at our the Spring and Fall Japanese Garden Festival, etc., let us know. Also, if you wish, let us know your age range and we will let you know what activities might be of interest to you. Your comments: ______Please mark (x) in front of the classification you are joining. ____ Family Membership $40.00 annually ____ Individual Membership $30.00 annually ____ Associate Membership (Students) $20.00 annually Make check payable to Fort Worth Japanese Society. Mail to: Fort Worth Japanese Society c/o Harvey Yamagata 4220 Ridgehaven Road Fort Worth, TX 76116
Optional: Membership fees do not cover all expenses such as maintaining our building which facilitates all our activities. These expenses are augmented by donations and fund raising events. If you wish to make a donation at this time, please mark (X) in front of the level of donation. ___ Maple $10.00 - $49.99 ___ Ginko $50.00 - $99.99 ___ Sakura $100 and over. Donations will be recognized in our newsletter. The Fort Worth Japanese Society is a not-for-profit organization and donations are tax deductible.
- 6 - Local Business Supporters Arigato Gozaimasu
INNOVATIVE CAPITAL SOLUTIONS ORIX Corporation USA 1717 Main St #1100, Dallas, TX 75201 Phone: (214) 237-200 Corporate Sponsor of the Fort Worth Japanese Society
FWYO Suzuki Program Join the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra! Suzuki Program Piano, Strings 4401 Trail Lake Drive Fort Worth, TX 76109 817-923-3121 www.fwyo.org 5121 Pershing Ave Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 737-8568
- 7 -