“Beyond Barbed Wire” Presentation May 9, 2023

“Beyond Barbed Wire” Presentation May 9, 2023

A Family’s Living Legacy of the Japanese Internment Camps

Cincinnati native Denny Kato presented to a very engaged audience at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church May 9.  The presentation featured a well-curated collection of photos from the camps, as well as historical details and moving personal anecdotes from Denny’s family and others who were incarcerated.  The event was held in May in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. It was sponsored by P&G with promotional support from the Japanese American Citizens League, Cincinnati Chapter.

Craig McKee of Channel 9/WCPO posted this article about Denny on May 15 based on an interview conducted just before our presentation.

Photo Credit: Koji Sado

Wagashi Demonstration & Sampling Event March 15, 2023

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.”
Bonenkai 2022 & Photo Gallery

Bonenkai 2022 & Photo Gallery

Our Bonenkai guests enjoyed a relaxing and festive evening at Heritage Hall at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church on December 8. The event featured delicious appetizers from Mei Japanese Restaurant, mochi from Cafe Mochiko, a performance of Japanese songs by the Sakura Ladies Chorus, and a trivia game featuring Japanese and American superhero-themed questions. (Thank you to Helen & Steve Rindsberg for creating this fun activity!)

Delight and Danger: Notes from a Samurai Armor Collector (Nov. 15th Webinar)

Delight and Danger: Notes from a Samurai Armor Collector (Nov. 15th Webinar)


We had a great turnout for last night’s Zoom webinar featuring samurai armor collector Gary Grose, with Cincinnati Asian Art Society President and JASGC Honorary Board Member Helen Rindsberg as host and moderator. JASGC Board Member and resident tech expert Steve Rindsberg provided behind-the-scenes PowerPoint and tech support.

Here are some participant comments:

“The Zoom program last evening was fantastic! Yuko and I both enjoyed it immensely. Yuko is an avid reader of books whose stories take place during the Warring States Era. She was in her element and glued along with me to our computer screen. Thank you for making this program possible!”
-Bob Lees, New Richmond, Ohio

“That was a very interesting and enjoyable program. Helen, Gary and Steve did a great job!”
-David W. Cook, Honorary Consul of Japan in Columbus

Foot soldier helmet (Courtesy Gary Grose)
Yoshimichi helmet (Courtesy Gary Grose)
Iyeharu kabuto (Courtesy Gary Grose)

(Cover image from the 2017 “Dressed to Kill” exhibition courtesy of the Cincinnati Art Museum)

Member Spotlight Series: JP Okuda from The Links @ Rising Star

Member Spotlight Series: JP Okuda from The Links @ Rising Star

Member Spotlight Series: JP Okuda from The Links @ Rising Star

Jumpei “JP” Okuda, PGA Golf Professional and Manager of The Links

provided by JP Okuda

We recently interviewed Jumpei “JP” Okuda, PGA Golf Professional and Manager of The Links @ Rising Star, where our 30th Anniversary Golf Outing will be held on July 23rd. Our fabulous relationship with JP Okuda for many years is one of the reasons we have returned to The Links year after year.

Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in the Greater Cincinnati area?

 
I was born and raised in Okinawa, Japan and moved to America at the age of 15.  I graduated high school in Birmingham, Alabam, and played two years on a full golf scholarship at Shelton State Community College (Tuscaloosa, Alabama).  Highlights during my amateur career include being a member of the Division II National Golf Championship Team in 1999.
 
 

What prompted you to come to the US?

 
Golf!   I fell in love with the game of golf from the day my dad took me to the driving range when I was 10 years old.   Long story short, my dad attended a golf clinic back in Okinawa, 30+ years ago, and really liked the instructor’s philosophy. He somehow found a way to have me attend HS in the US and take private lessons under this golf instructor, all while I was only 15 years old.  So, I said, “Why not?  Let’s do it!”
  

What was the journey to becoming a PGA Golf Professional like?  What was the hardest part?

 
I became a PGA Class A professional in 2012.  It was probably one of the hardest things and biggest challenge I have had to overcome in my life.  To be honest, the playing test was easiest for me.  I had played so many junior /college tournaments that passing the skills test was easy.  What was hard was the book/study /internship part of the program.  To become a PGA Class A professional, you have to pass 3 levels of exam, and each level gets harder and harder.  For each test, I had to travel to the PGA headquarters in Florida and stay for 5 days of seminars and testing.  If I failed, I would need to wait 3 months before signing up to do it all over again.
 
Also, I became a father just before taking the first level exam, and also had a 2nd child just weeks before the final level; it was very stressful. But I am living proof that if you work very hard, small dreams will come true one day.  But you really have to work hard…it is not easy.
 

What is the most interesting part of your job?  How about the most difficult? 

 
My favorite part of the job is everyday meeting resort guests from different parts of the region and sometimes different states. 
 
The most difficult is not being able to control the weather.  Weather is very stressful; 100% of the time my business depends on what happens outside.

Anne Golden, JP Okuda, and Staff

Photo by David Bailey

How did the pandemic impact the sport of golf? And how are things right now?

 
It was a very challenging few years, but working together has made us stronger, and business is coming back, no problem.  When there isn’t anything else you could do, there is always a round of golf available.  
 

What is special about The Links @ Rising Star? Why do golfers enjoy playing there? 


 The course is always in pretty good shape and the staff is always available to ensure you have a great experience during your round of golf.
 

What advice would you have for new golfers just starting out? 

Sign up for lessons with a local PGA Professional, and of course I am happy to help!
Also, let the family get involved.  The PGA Junior League is a fantastic program, especially for (beginner) kids.

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