Japanese/English Language Table

The next Language Table will be held Friday, November 20, 2009 from 6pm - 9pm at the NC Japan Center. What is a Language Table? It's a fun way for Americans to meet Japanese people to practice Japanese, for Japanese people to meet Americans and practice English, and to make friends. Home-style food made by volunteers will be provided (vegetarian meal also available). Participation fee is $3 to cover food and materials. Anyone who is interested in this informal cultural meeting is welcome to attend! For more information, please see the Language Table website.

Mochitsuki Event

Club FLJ501 will be hosting a Mochitsuki event on Sunday, November 15th from 11:30am-1:30pm at the NC Japan Center. There will be a demonstration of traditional methods of making the delicious treat, mochi (pounded glutinous rice). Plenty of free samples will be available for attendees! More information can be found at the Club FLJ501 website, or on the fliers for the event.

Pre-Register Now for Spring Classes

Register online now for spring Japanese language classes! Visit our Courses and Programs page for details about youth and adult classes offered by the NC Japan Center. Hurry, the registration deadline is December 20th!

Second-Hand Japanese Book Fair

The Japanese Language School of Raleigh will be holding a Second-Hand Japanese Book sale on Saturday, November 14th from 10:00am until 12:00 noon. There will be used Japanese schoolbooks, novels, manga, magazines, and more! All books will be 50 cents each--please come prepared with change. The sale will be held in the school cafeteria at Our Lady of Lourdes School at 2710 Overbrook Drive, Raleigh, NC.

A Celebration of Traditional Performing Arts of Okinawa

"Furusato Dento Geino No Tsudoi"
Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

For a 450 year period (1429-1879), Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, was an independent country known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Okinawa Association of America, the traditional performing arts of Okinawa, including: elegant classical dances from the Ryukyu Kingdom era of Okinawa …lively folk dances of the farming and fishing villages … a large mythical lion dancing to chase away the evil spirits … powerful bojutsu (staff martial arts) — will be presented by two cultural arts groups from Kin, Okinawa, the Seinenkai of Namisato and the Tamagusuku Ryu Keisho Kai–Kinjo Hirae Ryubu Dojo.

The performance will be held at the White Oak High School Auditorium in Jacksonville, NC on October 24, 2009 at 2:00. The White Oak High School is located at 1001 Piney Green Rd, Jacksonville, NC.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for youth (18 and younger). For ticket information, please contact:

Fumi Butler 910-353-5071 Jacksonville, NC
Toshie Cerveny 910-353-2892 Jacksonville, NC
Sadako Parker 910-353-4729 Jacksonville, NC

NAAAP-North Carolina 10th Anniversary Gala

On September 26, the National Association of Asian-American Professionals-North Carolina (NAAAP-NC) celebrates and honors the achievements made by Asian Americans across the state at its 10th Anniversary Gala. The first of its kind, this event will recognize and celebrate the past, present and future contributions of Asian Americans in the state. NAAAP-NC will also feature an evening of distinguished leaders in their industries, and will inspire attendees to make a difference in government, education, business and society. Network with leaders in business, industry, healthcare, and government and meet local professionals. Dress up to the nines & dance the night away. Hear distinguished speakers, and let various Asian dance groups and Japanese Taiko drummers entertain you as you dine on a sumptuous meal.
For details: http://gala.nc.naaap.org/

Japanese Embroidery Workshop in Durham, NC

There will be a Japanese Embroidery workshop held in Durham, North Carolina this September 19-20. This could be a good opportunity to study this art form of stitchery with a master. You can learn the skills necessary to create a beautiful design incorporating floral elements with silk thread on silk fabric.

9:00 am - 4:00 pm; Friends $55, General Public $70
Doris Duke Center, Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 426 Anderson Street, Duke University, Durham, NC

For details: 919-684-3698; http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/DukeGardens-classes-fall09.pdf (PDF)

Pre-Register Now for Fall Classes

Register online now for fall Japanese language classes! Visit our Courses and Programs page for details about youth and adult classes offered by the NC Japan Center. Hurry, the deadline is August 20th!

Update on youth book camp in Durham

The youth book camp in Durham during the week of July 13 will be held at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Pre-registration is available online for this and other classes. Click on the following links for details about youth and adult classes being offered this summer by the NC Japan Center.

12th Mainichi Haiku Contest

Charles E. Smith, Associate Professor of Statistics and Biomathematics at NCSU, was a second prize winner in the International Section of the 12th Mainichi Haiku Contest. His entry:

半袖の群れがぶらつく
ミシシッピのゆるやかな流れ
遅い月の出
—チャーリー・スミス（アメリカ）

short-sleeve stroll
slow Mississippi
slower moon
—Charlie Smith (USA)

Additional information on the contest from the Mainichi Daily News is here: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/haiku/etc/archive/contest2008.html

Congratulations, Charlie.

Mochi-Tsuki: Celebrating Children's Day

Date & Time: Saturday, April 25
12:00 noon - 3:00pm
Place: NC Japan Center
(705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, NC)
Admission is free
Pre-registration Required:
triangle_nippon_club@yahoo.com

Pre-register for summer classes

Pre-registration is now available online for Japanese language classes. Click on the following links for details about youth and adult classes offered by the NC Japan Center.

Japanese film "Zen" showing at NCSU

Photo © 2009 Zen Production Committee

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Caldwell Hall Room G107
2221 Hillsborough Street, NCSU Campus

Caldwell Hall is located across from Bruegger's Bagels and one block west of the NCSU Memorial Bell Tower. Parking is available on Hillsborough Street and also on campus after 5:00 pm in any unreserved parking spaces.

Film details

The inspiring true story of legendary Zen Master Dogen is brought to vivid life on the screen, more than 750 years after he lived his extraordinary life.

Currently playing in Japanese theaters, Zen will be shown in DVD format, color, in Japanese with English subtitles.

Not Rated: some material may be inappropriate for younger audiences. The movie is 127 minutes in length. Admission is free.

Sponsored by

Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta

and

NC Japan Center
http://www.ncsu.edu/ncjapancenter

Call (919) 515-3450 for additional information

Talk by Lt. General Yamaguchi

Noboru Yamaguchi, Retired Lieutenant General, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, will give a talk "US-Japan Defense Cooperation under Obama" on Monday, February 23, 2009, from 7-9 p.m. in Riddick Hall (2410 Stinson Dr.) Room 321.

Yamaguchi is a graduate from the National Defense Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of army aviation in 1975. He received his MA at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, in 1988 and was a National Security Fellow at John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard University in 1991-1992. After serving as senior defense attaché at the Japanese Embassy in the United States from 1999 to 2001, he has held positions as Deputy Commandant of the JGSDF Aviation School, Director for Research of the GRDC, and Vice President of the National Institute for Defense Studies.

He has written several articles in regards to Japanese military and security affairs. These include "US Defense Transformation and Japan's Defense Policy," "The U.S.-Japan Security Relationship in Transition," "Soldiers, Civilians, and Scholars: Making Sense of the Relationship Between Civil-Military Relations and Foreign Policy," and "The Future of the U.S.- Japan Security Relationship."

Hiromi: Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 8pm

Hiromi at Stewart Theatre:

A huge crossover star in her native Japan, jazz fusion pianist Hiromi Uehara is nothing short of awe-inspiring. She performs with larger-than-life energy, and her amazingly nimble fingerwork is breathtaking. Hiromi began her training as a classical pianist at a very young age, and performed with the Czech Philharmonic at age 14. While a chance encounter with Chick Corea (at age 17) led her to move toward jazz, her inspirations range from Bach and Beethoven to Oscar Peterson and her mentor Ahmad Jamal to King Crimson and Frank Zappa.

See http://www.ncsu.edu/centerstage/currentseason/hiromi.html for details.

1st US-Japan International Innovation Camp

US and Japanese undergraduate students are invited to apply to the 1st US-Japan International Innovation Camp to be held at Stanford University on September 1-22, 2009. Application deadline is February 27, 2009. It is organized iFEST (International Foundation for Entrepreneurship Science and Technology) in cooperation with Japanese University Network in the Bay Area and Stanford University. Undergraduate students and their mentors come together in teams and learn about invention, entrepreneurship, innovation, and international collaborative opportunities. Details, including application form, will soon be posted on http://www.ifest.info.

Japanese Language Table

The Japanese Language Table is an event organized by Ms. Keiko Ueda who teaches Japanese at NC State. This event is conducted every month to encourage students of Japanese classes to improve their communication skills. There are Japanese people living in North Carolina who bring food to this event and enjoy the company of the students. Admission fee is normally $2-3. Food and drinks served.

http://web.me.com/wakakosera/languagetable/Home.html