2013 March-April Vol. 52, No. 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 President’s Corner Konnichiwa, JAS members! This month we remember those It was wonderful to spend time in January at Edokko Japanese affected by the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. Restaurant, celebrating the New Year at our Shinnenkai dinner. We send our love and respect to a country that showed us what it Thanks to Jun Shrout and her committee for all they did to make means to be a community when tragedy strikes. Japan continues the event a success. Congratulations to Carole Owsley who was to rebuild. Read about stories of hope provided by the Consulate named as a life member of JAS. Thanks to Mickey Coalwell for General of Japan at Chicago: http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan. organizing another yummy dine-around; this one was held at go.jp/sevenstories.html Ganbatte, Nihon! Kokori Maki House in February. Thank you to the many people who contributed to the rebuilding As usual, we have a lot of interesting and fun programs in store for of Japan in many ways. We, too, are a community of people who members and their guests. Please join us for our March and April care about others in addition to our shared interest in Japan and programs to hear from Erika Norikami and Mindy Landeck (more its people. Our bonds are expressed in a special way this month about their presentations on this page). We’re fortunate to have as 23 students from Olathe high schools visited Japan as part such knowledgeable and engaging speakers. of the Kizuna (bond) student exchange project, developed in an While the snow may have prevented our first member meeting effort to continue to support the Great East Japan Earthquake and general program of the year, you’ll still get to hear from recovery efforts. Trip leader Dianne Daugherty, JAS member and the 2012 delegation that visited Kurashiki in our May program. teacher of Japanese, reported that the students were able to spend We’re looking forward to good weather April 6 so we can enjoy time in Miyage, the area that experienced some of the greatest Loose Park’s beautiful cherry blossom trees. You are welcome and devastation. The personal accounts from survivors were very encouraged to bring family and friends to all these events! moving. Maddie Hoyt, one of our 2012 student ambassadors, was part of this group. —Patty Woods, President Don’t Miss These Upcoming Events! Tuesday, March 26, 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, 7:00 p.m. in the Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Wornall, KCMO in the Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Wornall, KCMO Meet Ms. Erika Norikami, Japan Outreach Coordinator. Erika Come hear Mindy Landeck, Ph.D. candidate in East Asian is working at KU’s Center for East Asian Studies and is a history at the University of Kansas and longtime student great new friend of and resource for JAS. Erika will give a of chanoyu (tea ceremony activities). In her presentation, talk on furoshiki (those beautiful and useful wrapping cloths Wandering Down a Dewy Path: The Aesthetics and Design so many of us buy when we visit Japan!). of Japanese Tea Gardens, Japanese historian Ms. Landeck will introduce the defining characteristics of the roji by Saturday, April 6, 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. highlighting a number of famous examples, place the tea Hanami Picnic (Cherry Blossom Viewing) garden within the larger context of other Japanese garden at Loose Park, near 55th St. and Pennsylvania types, and relate some anecdotes from tea lore that touch We’ll meet on the lawn at the southwest corner of the park upon garden design. We’re grateful to have Mindy return to near the big cannon. Bring a picnic blanket and lunch JAS after her academic research trip to Japan last year! (including something to share, if you’d like). Page 1 Nichibei Notes Heart of America Our Hearts Go Out to JAS Members and Friends Japan-America Margie Kurogi passed away Monday, March 4, 2013. Margie, wife of Denny Kurogi, longtime Society committee member for the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival, was deeply involved in the Head P.O. Box 22487 Start Program and helped many underprivileged children in the Kansas City area over many years. KCMO, 64113 Our thoughts and prayers are with Denny and his family at this difficult time. Margie’s obituary is in the March 6 Kansas City Star. All our best to JAS member Judith Cornish after her recent surgery and radiation treatments. Ganbatte! Board of Directors Japan-America Society Looking for Host Families! President It’s not too early to be thinking about providing a home away from home for a Japanese student Patty Woods this July and August, when this year’s youth delegation from our sister city in Kurashiki comes to Kansas City. To learn more, or for questions, contact Jun Shrout at [email protected] 1st Vice President 2013 Garden Clean-up Dates Announced Ryan Grass Join us in Loose Park from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Saturdays listed below to keep our Japanese garden healthy and beautiful. No experience required; bring garden tools if you have them 2nd Vice President (gloves are highly recommended!). Natsuko Nishimune Clean-up Saturdays: March 23, May 4, June 1, July 6, September 7, November 2 Secretary Pat Knott’s Kansas City Gardener Magazine Article Now Available Tracey Whitman Pat Knott’s article, “A Tale of Two Sister Cities: A Friendship Rooted in Trees and a Japanese Garden” is available in the February 13 issue of Kansas Treasurer City Gardener magazine. It’s a wonderful story of the gardens and cherry blossom trees at Loose Park and a tribute to our friendship with the people of Mickey Coalwell Kurashiki and Japan. Directors Time to Renew JAS Membership Kyle Rogler JAS members recently received a reminder that it’s time to pay yearly dues. Remember, your financial backing is what helps us fund JAS activities, John Schollenberger including programs and events, scholarships and student ambassador trips to our sister city in Jun Shrout Kurashiki, Japan. Questions? Contact Ryan Grass at [email protected] or (913) 219-1536. Steve Woodsmall And be sure to pick up a member roster at an upcoming meeting or event! Ninth Board Member Appointed The mission of the Welcome to Kyle Rogler, the most recently named JAS board director. Heart of America Article VII of the HAJAS bylaws states: “…, if the position of immediate Japan-America past President on the Board of Directors cannot be filled because there Society is to further is no eligible candidate, refusal of an eligible candidate to serve, or any understanding other similar reason, then the newly elected Board shall designate a between the peoples person to serve as the 9th Director.” of Japan and the Kyle has volunteered at a number of events and is most recently the Greater Kansas City co-chair of the Japanese Language Contest committee. Kyle currently area by promoting works at BNIM Architects and conducted an architectural field study in Japan in 2009. He studied social, cultural Japanese at Olathe High School and in college (K-State), where he performed with the Yosakoi and educational Dance Club. We’re glad to fill this position with such a capable JAS member to join the rest of our dedicated board of directors! exchanges. Japan Online Thanks for these recent contributions for interesting ways to learn about Japan via the Internet! The Heart of America 5 ways Japan will surprise you by Frida Ghitis Japan-America Society is a 501 (c) (3) non- http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/17/travel/japan-surprises-travel/index.html profit organization. Make Haste Slowly: The Kikkoman Creed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF8GfajCtgM Page 2 JAS Members Celebrate the New Year January 27, around 85 JAS members and guests celebrated the New Year with our Shinnenkai celebration. Our traditional sake toast kicked off the 51st anniversary of the Heart of America Japan-America Society. Special thanks go to Deputy Consul General Hironori Sawada from the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago for joining us in our sake toast and for his entertaining and informative remarks. Also joining us in the kanpai toast were Kansas State Senator Chris Steineger; Honorary Consul General of Japan at KC and Executive Director of the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival, Francis P. Lemery; and Ethnic Enrichment Commissioner of Kansas City, Sachie Stroder. JAS President Patty Woods served as emcee for the evening. Awards for significant contributions to the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival were presented to Deputy Consul General Sawada and to Fran and Charlene Lemery. JAS is indeed grateful for the ongoing support of the Consulate and the Lemerys. Diane Daugherty playing the koto Longtime JAS member and “volunteer extraordinaire” Carole Japan at the Movies Owsley was named a life member. Carole’s contributions as Third Annual Kansas City Japanese Film Festival moderator of the Japan Council and member of the Greater KC Held at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Japan Festival committee were noted, in addition to Carole’s volunteer work at many events. You may not know it, but many of February 16 and 17, the JET Alumni Association and the Kansas the photos you’ve enjoyed throughout the years or purchased on City Art Institute teamed up to offer Kansas City some amazing note cards at Shinnenkai auctions are courtesy of Carole’s talents. Japanese films. The festival was a fundraiser to continue to support the rebuilding of the Tohoku area of Japan.