Wagashi Demonstration & Sampling Event March 15, 2023

by | Mar 16, 2023 | Community Events, Cultural Event

Kimiko Gunji from Japan House at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Kimiko Gunji, Professor Emeritus of Japanese Arts & Culture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, demonstrated how to make “Ichigo Daifuku” (a type of mochi) for 25 lucky participants on March 15, 2023. Her assistant, Diana Liao, demonstrated how to prepare “matcha,” which paired well with the mochi. Gunji-sensei signed copies of her book, “The Art of Wagashi.”
JASGC Member Denny Kato Interviewed on WVXU

JASGC Member Denny Kato Interviewed on WVXU

by | May 18, 2022 | Community Events

JASGC member Denny Kato was interviewed on May 17 by WVXU’s Lucy May. After retiring from a career in restaurant management in 2014, Kato took a deep dive into his family’s history, including time spent during WWII with other Japanese-American families in an internment camp. Listen to the full interview here.

Photo Credit: Toyo Miyatake

Japanese American Community Day at Great American Ball Park

Japanese American Community Day at Great American Ball Park

by | Jul 26, 2021 | Community Events

Members of our community enjoyed a unique opportunity at Great American Ball Park to experience a Reds game with special Japanese flavor and style. Our new Consul General, Mr. Yusuke Shindo, threw the ceremonial First Pitch, with our Board President, Koji Sado, as Catcher. We were thrilled to witness local sculptor Tom Tsuchiya receiving the Community Advocate Award, and to see kids from the local Japanese Language School participating in the opening ceremony. We enjoyed a number of pre-recorded videos on the JumboTron screen including heart-felt messages from Shogo Akiyama, and fun skits by well-known Japanese entertainers.

Though we were disappointed that Shogo Akiyama didn’t play until the 9th inning, we were very impressed by the effort the Reds production team had put into creating this first-time special event for members of our local Japan-America community.  Thank you, Cincinnati Reds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sakura Tree Care Event – Saturday March 27 – Ault Park

Sakura Tree Care Event – Saturday March 27 – Ault Park

by | Mar 30, 2021 | Community Events, Cultural Event

Sakura Tree Care Event – Saturday March 27 – Ault Park

We are so pleased to report that more than 40 people attended our Sakura Grove Beautification event on Saturday, March 27, at Ault Park — the largest number of volunteers for this event in the past 10 years, according to Tokiko Freeman, event organizer and longtime friend of the JASGC. A number of JASGC and JACL (Japanese-American Citizens League) members attended, as well as a large group of student volunteers from the University of Cincinnati. “This was the first time I can recall having so many student volunteers at one time,” said Anne Golden, Executive Director of the JASGC. “We certainly appreciated the students, and everyone who attended.”
As in previous years, the Cincinnati Park Board provided mulch, wood chips, wheelbarrows, and hand tools, and arranged for several staff members to help guide the volunteers and assist with the project.

“The tree care project often takes two mornings, and we had so much help this year that we were able to finish it in one morning,” said Tokiko Freeman. “I am very happy with the results.”

The Ault Park Sakura Grove is expected to be in full bloom sometime this week, depending on the weather, so people are encouraged to pack a picnic to enjoy under the trees, in keeping with the classic Japanese “O-Hanami” (cherry blossom viewing) tradition.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media!