NC Japan Center

Winter Exhibition:Hard and Soft

2011-11-14T12:07:00.004-05:00

Experience the hard rugged beauty of the earth in pottery
by Takuro and Hitomi Shibata,
counterbalanced by the airy delicate shibori
by Susan Fennell.

Reception:
Sat. Dec. 10 4-6 pm

Exhibition dates:
Dec.5, 2011 ~ Feb.29, 2012

Location:
NC Japan Center
705 Barbour Drive
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-515-3450
www.ncsu.edu/japan

Presented by:
NC Japan Center

Tales of Now & Zen

2011-10-12T10:19:00.004-04:00

Japanese Story Teller, Motoko

Mark your calendars! Award-winning Japanese storyteller Motoko is coming to NCSU! In a special, one-time appearance on October 25, Motoko will share her extensive repertoire of comical zen and rakugo tales, ghost stories, and her intimate personal stories as an immigrant, artist, and mother. Admission is free, but the seats are limited! For more information, please go to http://folktales.net/ncsu-flyer.html

Date: October 25, 2011 (Tuesday)

Time: 7:00~8:30 pm

Location: Daniels #214 North Carolina State University

Admission Free

Presentation for Japansese Green Tea

2011-09-12T11:56:00.004-04:00

Please come to NC Japan center, if you are interested in Japanese culture.

Japanese Green Tea is the center of Japanese culture, and you can also enjoy iced Japanese green tea and some sweets. If you want to attend this session, please let me know your name by e-mail. (e-mail: hiroshi1.nishikawa@gmail.com) Your response helps us to organize.

Date: 9/24/2011 (sat.) 4:00pm~5:30pm

Presenter:
Hiroshi Nishikawa (Shizuoka Prefectural Government, Tea and Agricultural Production Division)
E-mail: hiroshi1.nishikawa@gmail.com
Phone: 919-332-0452

Location:
NC Japan Center
705 Barbor Drive
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-515-3450
www.ncsu.edu/japan

Autumn Exhibition: Fantasy/Systems

2011-08-23T11:34:00.003-04:00

Come see the ancient art of temari, Japanese thread balls, and contemporary paintings by artists Barbara Suess and Reiko Chosokabe.

reception:
Sat Sept 10 4-6 pm
w/live music by "Onju-kai" 音樹会

exhibition dates:
Aug 20 thru Nov 19, 2011

location:
NC Japan Center
705 Barbour Drive
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-515-3450
www.ncsu.edu/japan

presented by:
NC Japan Center

日米大学野球大会に出場する日本代表選手の歓迎レセプション

2011-06-22T12:57:00.000-04:00

日時：７月３日（日）７時～９時　（６時３０分チェックイン）
場所： NCジャパンセンター
　　　705 Barbour Dr., Raleigh, NC 27603
　　　 http://www.ncsu.edu/japan/map.html　

連絡先：長曾我部　 (919) 515-3450
Reiko.chosokabe@ncsu.edu

参加費：一人７ドル　（南部スタイルＢＢＱ）

*会場の関係上、定員になり次第締め切りさせていただきますので、ご了承ください。

After the Wave: Japan's Tsunami Zone

2011-04-21T08:13:00.015-04:00

After the Wave: Japan's Tsunami Zone

Photographs by Takaaki Iwabu

Takaaki Iwabu, photographer for Raleigh's
News & Observer, returned to Japan in the
weeks following the earthquake to chronicle
the disaster and challenges facing his homeland.

location:
NC Japan Center

dates:
April 30 thru July 29, 2011

reception:
Saturday April 30 3-5 pm
w/slide presentation
@3:30

special thanks:
JTA Inc.
Triangle Tshot!
Realty Triangle Inc.
US Remac
Sankaku Yokocho

NC State Nuclear Engineering Experts to Discuss Events at Japanese Power Plants

2011-03-23T09:59:00.005-04:00

What:

Nuclear engineering experts at North Carolina State University will offer insight and analysis during a symposium on the recent events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. The plant was damaged during the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulting in nuclear fuel damage and the release of radioactive material. Media coverage is invited.

Who:

A panel of four NC State nuclear engineering faculty members who have been closely following the events in Japan — Drs. John Gilligan, Joseph M. Doster, Paul Turinsky and Man-Sung Yim — will discuss technical issues related to the damage to the plant, as well as challenges officials face as they try to contain the radioactive material. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions during the event.

When:

Wednesday, March 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Live stream available here, no login needed

Where:

Room 130 Park Shops

101 Current Drive on NC State’s North Campus (map)

Parking is available in the Cates Avenue (Coliseum) Parking Deck at 201 Jeter Drive on Central Campus (map). From the deck, visitors should walk north through the tunnel under the railroad tracks to reach North Campus and Park Shops.

Cost:

The event is free and open to the public.

Media Contact:

Nate DeGraff, Engineering Communications, 919.515.3848

Message from NC Department of Commerce in Tokyo

2011-03-18T14:17:00.004-04:00

A number of people have asked us if we can recommend any way to help the victims of last Friday’s earthquake and tsunami, several specifically asking if we can suggest organizations that can make good use of donations. Here are some suggestions and a bit of background on one organization that we are involved with.

The Japanese Red Cross Society is an integral part of relief efforts in the current crisis as they are in disasters around the world (http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/index.html)
The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan has set up a disaster relief fund (http://www.accj.or.jp).
Second Harvest Japan is fully engaged in getting food and other essential supplies to the victims (www.2hj.org). The website accepts credit card contribution denominated in Japanese yen. For reference 10,000 Japanese yen equals approximately US $120.00. (http://www.2hj.org/index.php/get_involved/donate_money).

We have been volunteering with Second Harvest Japan for a number of years. Leland wrote and maintains the current business plan, made the financial models we use, and serves on the Professional Advisory Board. Carolyn volunteers in fundraising activities. We can personally vouch for the integrity, frugality, and efficiency of the organization and its operations.

Second Harvest Japan (2HJ) is Japan’s first and largest food bank. In 2010 we distributed 800 tons of food to over 500 agencies all across Japan. This food goes to orphanages, women’s shelters, single mothers, low-income elderly, and anyone in need of emergency food supplies. Regular operations include food banking, food pantry, and hot meal programs. But in a crisis such as this, 2HJ shifts to providing emergency food and supplies to emergency shelters in the worst affected areas.

Some of you in Japan may know the organization and some of its key people. Shortly after the earthquake, Charles (2HJ’s Executive Director) was heading into the hardest hit areas to assess needs and set up distribution operations. Akimoto-san started calling on companies in Tokyo to secure emergency supplies beyond our normal food sources. Now our trucks are moving food and supplies to the emergency shelters and we are using our infrastructure to supply other organizations that can provide transport. I could tell you that the more you donate, the more we will deliver during this crisis but those of you who know Charles understand that at a time like this, he is going to go full speed ahead and worry about paying for it all later. That mindset is in the DNA of the organization and, though worrisome from a fiscal point of view, it is part of what makes 2HJ a valuable community resource.

With continued contributions, 2HJ will continue to support the victims after the crisis subsides. So many people have lost their homes and their livelihoods that their needs will not go away when the emergency shelters are finally closed. 2HJ will be there to assist through regular food banking and food pantry operations.

If you are not familiar with food banking, the basic premise is that food companies dispose of vast quantities of perfectly good food. The most common reasons are packaging or labeling problems or a variety of issues that in no way impacts the quality of the food inside. These companies incur significant costs for disposal and the food goes to waste. Food banking rescues these food resources, saves companies money on disposal, and channels the food to people in need. We do not buy food. Instead we invest in the infrastructure to collect and redistribute available food and in so doing, we create significant leverage. For every dollar invested in 2HJ, we strive to deliver 10 dollars worth of food.

Japan is a wealthy country and most people are well provided for; however, a growing number of people are caught in the gaps within the system. Japan is a thoroughly developed country in nearly every way except in the non-profit sector. As a result, Japan lacks the social safety net usually provided by non-profits in other countries to meet the needs of the growing number of people that do not fit neatly in the existing system. 2HJ strives to set an example in Japan of what an NPO can be –a business-friendly, professionally-managed, reliable, value-creating business partner fully invested in the business success of our contributors and food company partners.

If you would like to donate, your contribution will be put to good use. If you are in Japan and you feel your company would like to be involved with 2HJ in some way, please let us know and we will facilitate a meeting sometime after the situation here has stabilized.

Please feel free to share this message with anyone you think would have interest.

Thank you for your concern and for allowing us to make this pitch for an organization near and dear to us.

Carolyn & Leland Gaskins

Launching Project Kokoro

2011-03-18T09:37:00.005-04:00

A meeting will be held at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, March 22nd, at the NC Japan Center, 705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, for Project Kokoro, whose objective is to identify an affected community in Japan and to work toward enriching and rebuilding the lives of those who live and work there.

Who's involved: North Carolina Japan Center, Southern Bridge International, the Triangle Business Community, NCSU Center for Student Leadership, and selected public and private schools.

We welcome your participation as well. Come be a part of our team!

The NC Japan Center is located at 705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603. If you would like us to know you are attending Tuesday’s meeting, please email ncjapancenter@ncsu.edu or call 919-515-3450.

Vigil of Silence to be held Monday, March 21

2011-03-17T22:07:00.001-04:00

Join us in learning how you can support the campus response to recent events in Japan.

Date: Monday, March 21, 2011
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Wolf Plaza (near the Free Expression Tunnel)

Hosted by:

Origami Wishes-Japan Disaster Relief
CSLEPS & Student Government
NCSU Japan Club
NC Japan Center

UNC 日本語ボランテア募集のお知らせ

2011-03-16T11:54:00.002-04:00

UNC の日本語プログラムでは４月１３日（水）に日本語のクラスでUNCの学生と５０分間
日本語で話してくださる方を募集しています。お子様を連れての参加も可能です。
ぜひこの機会にアメリカの学生がどんなことをかんがえているのか一緒に話してみませんか？
時間などの詳しいお問い合わせは下記まで連絡ください。
荒竹由美　yaratake@email.unc.edu (919)967-3735

New Zealand Earthquake Tragic for Durham’s Sister City, Toyama

2011-03-08T12:25:00.009-05:00

The Durham‐Toyama Committee of Sister Cities of Durham is initiating a three week campaign to raise funds to support the families of the Toyama quake victims. Please help us to support these families as they grapple with the devastating consequences of this disaster. Please give what you can; any sums are appropriate. Funds collected by March 25 will be donated directly to the Japanese Red Cross / Toyama Earthquake Victims Fund.

Quick relief really matters – please help now and be generous.

Chris Boyer and Mavis Mayer Co‐Chairs, Durham‐Toyama Sister City Committee

Make checks payable to Sister Cities of Durham
Memo line: Toyama Relief
Fund Questions: Contact Mavis Mayer at (919) 489‐1870

Address: Sister Cities of Durham, Inc.
P.O. Box 767
Durham, NC 27702

Bunraku at Wake Forest University

2011-03-08T07:42:00.002-05:00

Event: Asian Spring Festival

Date: Saturday, March 26

Time: 5:00-7:00 p.m. (5:00-5:30 performances by student groups,

5:40-6:40 Performance by Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe http://www.bunraku.org)

Location: Brendle Recital Hall, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Free and open to the public

Japanese and English Language Table

2011-02-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

Japanese Language Table- Setsubun Night

(Bean-Throwing Ceremony)-

There is a major change at Language Table this year. Please read it carefully.

This invitation is strictly limited to Japanese language learners and native speakers of Japanese.

Date: Friday, February 25, 2011

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00pm

Place: Japan Center

705 Barbour Dr, Raleigh, Nc 27603

Email: kueda@ncsu.edu (English) or kueda@nc.rr.com (Japanese)

Participation fee: $1.00

Our original purpose of having language table was to provide an opportunity for our students to practice speaking Japanese with native speakers of Japanese. However, recently eating and English conversation have gained a greater focus than speaking Japanese or participating in language activities.

This year we will switch our focus back to Japanese conversation and cultural learning. We will invite more native speakers of Japanese so that two or three students can have the conversation with one Japanese speaker. Japanese teachers will sit together with students instead of serving food. Every gathering, a conversation worksheet based on FLJ 102 contents will be provided to help carry on a Japanese conversation.

For food, we will serve simply onigiri (rice balls) and tea, and will lower the participation fee to $1.00. If you want to eat something else, you can bring your own dinner or eat your dinner before language table.

Every month, we will have one cultural presentation, its follow up activity, and language activities. The following are our plans for this semester.

Februrary: Setsubun night

March: Hinamatsuri (girl’s festival), Japanese speech and Japanese parody song night

April: “Are you ready for the Final Exam ? “ activities and the end of the semester party!

(Japanese dinner will be provided!)

The following is our program this month.

Onirigi and conversation time: 6:00~7:00pm (no more food after 7:00pm.)

(A worksheet to help your Japanese conversation will be provided.)

Presentation on Setsubun in Japanese and English by Nihongo Club 7:00~

Activities: learn how to make origami boxes for soybeans.

: “Demons out! Luck in!" outside of Japan Center

: eat soybeans

: Fun Japanese game time: acchi muite hoi!

Additional notes:

(1) We use real plates and chop sticks. Please help us wash them after language table.

We have a sign-up sheet for cleaning. Please take turns sign up for this volunteer work.

Do not throw chopsticks away.

(2) Use only the kitchen trash can. Do not throw any trash in any other trash cans in the Japan Center.

(3) We will make onigiri starting from 4:30 on Language table day at Japan Center. If you can help us or want to learn

how to make it, please contact me at kueda@ncsu.edu.

Are you willing to practice speaking Japanese, participating activities and learning Japanese culture? Join us! If you have any questions, please contact me. See you at Language Table!

Keiko Ueda Lecturer of Japanese, NCSU

2011-02-22T09:42:00.001-05:00

第11回トライアングル婦人会ランチ

この度日本から幼児教室を経営して２５年の近野由美さんが来ます。トライアングル婦人会ではリトミックを通してどうやって子供を賢く育てるかということを中心に自身の長年の子供との係わりの中からお話をしてくれます。その他以下のことについてもポイントを教えてくれます。どうやって子供の集中力を高めるのか。物事をよく考えられる子供に育てるには。子供にどうやって絵本をよんであげたらよいか。幼児期の家庭でのしつけで大切なことは何か。幼児期の親のかかわり方。

日時：３月４日（金）１１時半より場所：12 Porters Glen Durham

昼食：ポトラックなので、何か一品お持ち下さい。

申し込み：荒竹　yaratake@email.unc.edu 山岸 yamagishiyoko@gmail.com

出張幼児教室

近野由美さんが３月７日から１１日までトライアングルに住んでいるお子さんのための幼児教室を行います。内容：リトミック、本の読み聞かせ、工作、お絵かきなど

時間：10:00―11:30２－３歳児　　　12:30－14:00４－５歳児

場所：12 Porters Glen Durham

費用：一回１５ドルお申し込み・問い合わせ：荒竹　yaratake@email.unc.edu

１時間半のレッスンはお母様の見学もできます。また各レッスンの後にはお子さんについてのご相談にも応じます。クラスは５名で、先生が２名の少人数です。毎日内容はちがいますので、毎日の参加もできますし、一回の参加でも可能です。詳しいお教室の内容は西荻フレンドリースクールのサイトをご覧下さい。 http://www.friendly-school.net/

Art Show Reception: Saturday, February 5

2011-01-26T10:39:00.005-05:00

“Spring Dream”
春の夢
Paintings by
YUKO TAYLOR

Location: NC Japan Center
705 Barbour Drive Raleigh, NC 27603
919-515-3450
Map: http://www.ncsu.edu/japan/map.html
Dates: 1/15 ~ 4/22/2011

Reception: 2/5/2011 (Sat.), 3~5 pm
Koto performance @3:30pm
Sushi by Waraji Restaurant

Special thanks to
JTA (Japan Travel Advisor)
Realty Triangle Inc., US Remac, Sankaku Yokocho
Presented by: NC Japan Center

2011-01-20T12:28:00.002-05:00

Japanese and English Language Table
Late Japanese New Year’s mochi(rice cake) party

Date: Friday, January 28, 2011
Time: 6:00 pm – 9:00pm
Place: Japan Center
705 Barbour Dr, Raleigh, Nc 27603
Email:kueda@unity.ncsu.edu (English) or kueda@nc.rr.com (Japanese)
Participation fee: $ 3

You are cordially invited to Japanese & English Language table, which will be held on Friday, January 28th at Japan Center. We welcome Japanese students, NCSU, Duke and UNC students studying Japanese and Japanese people living in this area who want to practice speaking English. The purpose of this gathering is for American students to meet Japanese people to practice Japanese, for Japanese people to meet Americans, and to make friends. Home style food made by volunteers will be provided. Enjoy this informal and cultural meeting! Language table is sponsored by Dept of Foreign Lan and Lit at NCSU.

January plan:
(1) We will play Japanese traditional card games “karuta” and “hanagaruta” which
Japanese play on New Year’s Day.
(2) Special New Year Calligraphy: Write your resolution of the year in Japanese.
(3) We will talk about our winter break. Please bring your short essay in
Japanese.

Any donations such as a bottle of water, food, chips or fruit, cookies are fully appreciated.

We use real plates and chopsticks for dinner to reduce trash and to save our resources. We will take turns and wash them after Language table. Please help us!

Now we have our language table website. Please visit it! Thank you, Sera-sensei!
http://web.me.com/wakakosera

If you have any questions, please contact me at kueda@unity.ncsu.edu or 515-9298.
Hope to see you there! Keiko Ueda

2011-01-18T10:31:00.000-05:00

第10回トライアングル婦人会ランチ」

日時：1月21日(金曜日)11時半~　(遅刻、早退もちろんOK)
場所：Durham, NC
内容：「久美子先生の幼児教育はお任せ！」
ランチスタイル：ポットラック
Babysitter:$3/family
申し込み方法：1月19日まで(参加の際に、どんなランチを持参するか教えて下さいね)荒竹、または山岸までご連絡ください

荒竹：yaratake@email.unc.edu
山岸：yamagishiyoko@gmail.com

The Annual Year-end Mochi-Tsuki Event

2010-12-03T07:06:00.004-05:00

You are invited to our annual year-end Mochi-Tsuki (rice cake pounding) event! Let's enjoy fresh mochi with various toppings and hot tonjiru soup together.

We are planning to pound eight sets of mochi rice cakes so there will be plenty for everyone. There is no reason to hesitate to come over since the participation fee is free this time! Come share in a unique Japanese cultural experience.

Date/Time: Saturday, December 18th, 12:00pm-3:00pm

Place: NC Japan Center (705 Barbour Dr, Raleigh)

Participation fee: Free

Japanese and English Language Table

2010-11-10T10:03:00.000-05:00

1minute speech night

Date: Friday, November 19th, 2010

Time: 6 pm – 9pm

Place: NC Japan Center

705 Barbour Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603

Email: kueda@unity.ncsu.edu or kueda@nc.rr.com (Japanese)

Participation fee : $3.00

You are cordially invited to Japanese & English Language table, which will be held on Friday, November 19th. We welcome Japanese students, NCSU, UNC and Duke students and high school students studying Japanese and Japanese people living in this area who want to practice speaking English. The purpose of this gathering is for American students to meet Japanese people to practice Japanese, for Japanese people to meet Americans, and to make friends. Home style food made by volunteers will be provided. Enjoy this informal and cultural meeting! Language table is sponsored by Dept of Foreign lan & Lit at NCSU and local volunteers.

Our special menu this time will be sushi and butajiru (pork miso soup), miso soup without meat for vegetarians will also be available.

Both 101 students and 201 students wrote and gave one minute speech in classes recently. We will share our speeches with a group of 4~5 students. The titles of your speech should be “my daily life” “a place where I want to visit” or “when I was a child . Please bring your speech to language table. Upper class students and Japanese students are also required to share their speech.

We use real plates and chopsticks for dinner to reduce trash and to save our resources. We will start to clean up and wash dishes at 8:40. Please help us!

Now we have our language table website. Please visit it for more information and location! Thank you, Sera-sensei!

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

You can check facebook as well.

Any donations such as food, chips or fruits, cookies, especially a gallon of water,soda or juice, ice tea (no alcohol), are fully appreciated.

If you have any questions, please contact m

Business Manner Lecture (presented in Japanese) (Chapel Hill, NC)

2010-10-29T11:56:00.003-04:00

November 1
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm; free, registration required
UNC-Chapel Hill
Directions and details will be sent to participants after registration For details: 919-215-4665; nc@usremac.com; http://cdja.1616bbs.com/bbs/

Invitation to Sushi Country

2010-09-12T16:56:00.035-04:00

acrylic paintings by
KEIKO GENKA

"Taco Jungle" 36" x 36" acrylic on canvas

"INVITATION TO SUSHI COUNTRY"
acrylic paintings by
KEIKO GENKA

Reception: Saturday, September 18, 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Location: NC Japan Center (Dorothea Dix Campus)
705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603
919-515-3450

Dates: September 18 through October 16, 2010

Presented by NC Japan Center and Gallery C

Special thanks to
Toyo Shokuhin & Gifts
JTA -- Japan Travel Advisor
Realty Triangle Inc.
US Remac

PEELER: QB of the Rising Sun

2010-09-04T15:30:00.007-04:00

1898 graduate Teisaku Sugishita

Japanese-born Teisaku Sugishita, starting quarterback on the football team from 1895-97, was the first Asian graduate of the North Carolina School for Agricultural and Mechanic Arts (later NC State).

Sept. 1, 2010

BY TIM PEELER

RALEIGH, N.C. - In the long history of NC State football, which dates back to 1892, who is the most interesting quarterback to ever take a snap from center?

Is it current starter Russell Wilson, the two-sport star who wants to be an ESPN broadcaster one day?

Is it NFL star Philip Rivers, the Alabama native who wanted so badly to come to NC State that he waited out the school's 44-day coaching search and became Chuck Amato's first recruit when the coach was hired shortly after New Year's Day in 2000?

Is it Erik Kramer, who never started a game in his two years at junior college, yet came to NC State, earned the starting job, was named ACC Player of the Year in 1986 and had a long NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers?

Is it Jim Donnan, offensive leader of the 1967 Wolfpack, who was an ACC champion tennis player who went on to have a Hall of Fame college football coaching career?

Is it Roman Gabriel, the Wilmington, N.C., native who was recruited here to play football, basketball and baseball? On his recruiting trip, the football coaches deliberately refrained from taking him to crumbling Riddick Stadium. Instead they wowed him at Reynolds Coliseum with three consecutive days of the Dixie Classic.

Is it Artie Rooney, the nephew of NFL founder and Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, who played for Doc Newton's Wolfpack in the late 1930s?

Don't cast your ballots until you know a little bit about one of the first quarterbacks in school history: Japanese-born Teisaku Sugishita, the first international student to graduate from the North Carolina school for the Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and one of the first Asians to ever play college football.

Just how this native of Kofuku, Japan - a tiny town in the central Gifu Prefecture, about 100 miles from Tokyo - made his way to Raleigh, N.C., in the late 19th century is a mystery that is lost to the vestiges of time. Perhaps he fled the region following the devastating Mino-Owari earthquake of 1891, the largest earthquake to ever hit central Japan.

Or perhaps he was part of the Japanese government's attempt to modernize during the Meiji period of industrialization on the island nation.

"One of the ways Western technology was imported was by sending Japanese students abroad and supporting their study in American and European universities," said John Baugh, director of the North Carolina Japan Center and an NC State professor of civil engineering. "While British railroad engineers, Dutch civil engineers and other foreign advisors were hired by the Japanese government, providing scholarships for Japanese engineers to study abroad was seen as a more cost-effective way to gain access to the best ideas and technology.

"Between the 1860s and `80s, about 20 Japanese had been sent to the United States to study in various fields of engineering, with most of them returning to work in government positions, as did Mr. Sugishita, who worked for the Imperial Railway of Japan immediately upon returning."

The sparse school records of the time show that Sugishita enrolled in the civil engineering program in the fall of 1894, as part of the fourth freshman class in school history.

Shortly thereafter, he joined the football team. He clearly wasn't scared away by the less-than-virile school colors of pink and blue that the football team wore at the time, or the brown and white it switched to for the 1895 football season. Sugishita surely liked it, though, when students voted in the fall of 1895 to change the colors yet again, this time to the same red and white that adorned the famous flag of his native "Land of the Rising Sun."

How he learned the game of American football - which didn't become popular in Japan until about 40 years after Sugishita migrated to Raleigh - is a bigger mystery still. Likely, he learned the game like all the other farmers and engineers enrolled at the North Carolina School for Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, on the plowed agricultural fields surrounding the campus.

Like all students at the time, he was proficient enough in English, mathematics and North Carolina history to gain admittance into the land-grant university on the west edge of the state capital. He probably complained, like most of the other students of the day, about the three hours of military training and marching he had to do every single day and the 12 hours of manual labor he was required to do every week (probably in the blacksmith shop). But he paid his $38 a year for tuition, room and board, and in four years earned his degree.

Not much is known about Sugishita's playing career, though the Atlanta Constitution referred to him as "the young Japanese, who played such a good quarter back and made a number of beautiful tackles throughout the game" in its story about NC State's 42-6 loss to Virginia Military Academy on the grounds of the Cotton States and International Exposition on Oct. 25, 1895.

Two years later, he was teammates with Edwin Bentley Owen and George Frederick Syme, two future NC State leaders who have on-campus dormitories named in their honor. That team lost to Guilford, 18-0, and North Carolina's scrub team, 40-0, but beat Davidson, 19-0, in its third and final game of the year.

At most, Sugishita played in 12 collegiate games while at NC State, two fewer than Rivers played in his junior season of 2002 alone.

Of course, the quarterback was hardly the same kind of leader of the offense he is today. It was one of four backfield positions in the earliest days of football. The fullback - the deepest back behind the line of scrimmage - was the most important player on offense. The halfbacks lined up halfway between the fullback and the line of scrimmage and the quarterback lined up a quarter of the way between the fullback and the line of scrimmage.

Football at the time was a violent sport, and Sugishita would have been a ball carrier in the offensive schemes of the day. Using brutally effective military tactics like the flying wedge was hard on unpadded and unhelmeted players of the day. Four players were crippled for life in the 1894 game between Yale and Harvard, leading to the suspension of several popular rivalries. But NC State has never missed a season since it began sponsoring a varsity team in 1892.

Sugishita earned his degree in civil engineering as part of the 16-member class of 1898. His senior thesis detailed the design of a steel highway bridge.

Soon afterwards, he returned to Japan and began working in the lucrative silk trading industry. After he was drafted into the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), his life took many twisting and tragic turns, and he stopped communicating with his friends back in North Carolina.

In 1923, former teammate Sydeham Brevard Alexander Jr. of Charlotte began a quest to find his long-lost friend, after a full two decades without hearing from him. Through Alumni director Tal Stafford, Alexander contacted the American Embassy in Tokyo and received the following letter, dated May 19, 1923, from Charge d'Affaires Hugh Wilson:

With reference to your letter of April 13, 1923, regarding Teisaku Sugishita, a Japanese who was graduated from the North Carolina State College in the Class of 1898 and has not been heard from by the College since the Russo-Japanese War, I beg to state that the Embassy has been informed that Mr. Sugishita's present address is No. 11, Kawata-cho Ushigome-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

After his graduation from the North Carolina State College, Mr. Sugishita became a member of the Survey Department of Tokyo, then a director of the Hida Industrial and Products Bank, and later president of the Silk Yarn Company of Gifu Prefecture. At present time Mr. Sugishita is suffering from paralysis, but according to Mrs. Sugishita is gradually improving.

A letter that followed from Sugishita's nephew, S. Hara, on August 24 told a much sadder story.

I am very sorry to say that he is now in bed, being suddenly stricken by `cerebral-hyperaemia' - congestion of the brain - last December. He had been at one time very critical, fortunately got narrow escape of his life, but can't speak nor write a letter to you.

Since he had graduated from the state university of North Carolina and then returned to Japan about 15 years ago, he engaged in agriculture and raw silk trade. He recently came up to Capital and located at No. 11 Kawadacho, Ushigome-Ku, Tokio. He like the liquor very much and this is really the cause of his present disease. In Japan where there is no legal prohibition of alcoholic drinking, there is a great many liquor intoxicating people. I earnestly hope that Japan will soon be a `dry country,' following the example of your country.

Sadder still was what happened next: Before Alexander had a chance to respond, shortly before noon on Sept. 1, 1923, Tokyo was rocked by the deadliest earthquake in Japanese history. The Great Kanto quake, as it was known, registered more than 8.0 on Richter scale and lasted nearly 10 minutes. The devastating disaster hit right around lunchtime, when residents and street vendors were cooking over open flames, and deadly fires swept through a good part of central Japan.

In all, an estimated 140,000 people died in the natural disaster, a number greater than the single-day death tolls at either Hiroshima or Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

In the November issue of the NC State Alumni News, a short update was included about Alexander's successful quest to find his old friend, followed by this editor's note: "It is very probable that both Sugishita and his nephew perished in the Japanese fire and earthquake."

Wednesday is Earthquake Prevention Day in Japan, established as a memorial to the Great Kanto Earthquake 83 years ago in which one of NC State's most interesting football players perished.

You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.

[Original article on gopack.com: http://www.gopack.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090110aad.html]

Summer Festival 2010

2010-06-03T18:19:00.004-04:00

Come to the Japan Center for Natsu-matsuri on Saturday, July 10. All are welcome to this Japanese-style summer festival. There will be various contemporary and traditional summer events, like the Bon-Odori (a traditional summer dance), Suika-wari (like pinata, but with watermelon), decorations, and cultural demonstrations. Japanese food will also be available for purchase: yakisoba, yakitori, beef bowl, grilled corn, omusubi, snow-cone, green tea, and more.

Date & Time: 7/10 (Sat), 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Place: NC Japan Center: 705 Barbour Dr., Raleigh
Admission is Free

Prior registration is requested by July 4 (email triangle_nippon_club@yahoo.com).

Children's Day Mochi-Tsuki

2010-03-20T20:58:00.004-04:00

We will have a mochi-tsuki event for Children's Day on April 24th.

We will make mochi (Japanese rice-paste) together using traditional techniques, and also craft origami samurai helmets. All are invited to participate, eat, and have fun!

Date & Time: 4/24 (Saturday), 12:00 - 3:00pm (rain or shine)
Place: NC Japan Center, 705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh
Fee: Free

Japanese Tea Gathering (Durham, NC)

2010-02-11T22:54:00.002-05:00

March 27
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Friends of the Gardens $15; General Public $20
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Enjoy a traditional Japanese tea gathering and tea tasting to celebrate the early bloom of the cherry blossom or sakura. Stroll (weather permitting) through the serene Culberson Asiatic Arboretum to view traditional Japanese lanterns and to visit the new Durham–Toyama Sister Cities Pavilion on the hillside above the Teien–oike lake. Join us at the Doris Duke Center to see a display of Ikebana and Bonsai exhibits.
For details: 919-668-1707; http://web.duke.edu/apsi/events/outreach/eastasiainthecommunity.html

Ikebana Exhibition of Japanese Flower Arrangements

2010-02-10T23:03:00.001-05:00

Friday, March 12
1:00pm to 5:00pm
at New Hanover County Arboretum Auditorium, Wilmington, NC
Visit the arboretum and enjoy Ikebana, the art of Japanese floral arrangements. Special guest exhibition by The Cape Fear Bonsai Society.

Zen Calligraphy Workshop in Chapel Hill

2010-02-08T22:33:00.003-05:00

Kazuaki Tanahashi, a master calligrapher and artist, peace activist and Buddhist translator, will offer a weekend program on Zen Calligraphy, February 12-14 at the Zen Center of Chapel Hill. Kaz was born and trained in Japan and has been active in the United States since 1977, and he is a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science. He has had solo exhibitions of his calligraphic paintings internationally and taught East Asian calligraphy at eight international conferences of calligraphy and lettering arts. Highlights of the weekend will include a calligraphy demonstration and art auction on Friday evening, hands-on calligraphy workshops on Saturday, and a Dharma talk on Sunday, February 14 that is free and open to the public.

Complete information on all of the weekend's activities can be found on the Chapel Hill Zen Center's Events page. To learn more about Kaz and view his art, see www.brushmind.net.

Japanese Film: Rashômon (1950) at NCMA

2010-02-01T12:47:00.000-05:00

February 11
7:30 pm. $3.50 museum members/$5 all others
North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road
In a medieval Japanese forest, there is a rape and a murder. Four witnesses tell four divergent tales. What really happened? Rashômon stormed world cinema as the first widely seen Japanese film, winning the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and becoming endlessly influential. "The genius of Rashômon is that all of the flashbacks are both true and false."—Roger Ebert.
(1950) Written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Takashi Shimura. (88 min.) Japanese with English subtitles
For details: 919-839-6262; http://ncartmuseum.org/interim/events.php

Japanese/English Language Table

2009-11-13T13:40:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-12T12:29:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-03T21:41:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-27T21:29:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-07T22:55:00.004-04:00

"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

2009-09-09T23:47:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-31T16:04:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-16T23:03:00.004-04:00

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

2009-05-13T14:14:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-11T07:28:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-21T08:53:00.006-04:00

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

2009-03-31T10:40:00.004-04:00

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

2009-03-10T07:21:00.005-04:00

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

2009-02-20T13:40:00.006-05:00

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

2009-01-31T10:03:00.002-05:00

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

2009-01-23T13:08:00.004-05:00

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

2009-01-19T02:42:00.004-05:00

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

Spring 2009 Japanese Language Classes

2008-12-15T15:08:00.003-05:00

The NC Japan Center is accepting registrations for non-credit spring 2009 Japanese language classes. Youth (middle and high school students) and adult courses are offered. These classes will be held at the Japan Center located at 705 Barbour Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina. They will begin in January 2009. All classes require pre-registration before December 31, 2008.

Please call the NC Japan Center at 919-515-3450 for more information and registration forms.