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JASGA members and sponsors have funded this station from the beginning; no one person does it alone. It's the combined contributions of members and sponsors that have financed the organization over the past year.
More help is needed.Won't you ensure continued promotion of friendly US-Japan relations for our community through cultural performances, workshops and educational programs by becoming a member today?
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Take the initiative and
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ABOUT US |
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The Japan-America Society of Greater Austin, Inc. (JASGA) is a nonprofit organization bridging the cultures of Japan and central Texas by promoting friendly US-Japan relations through educational and cultural programs for its members and the Greater Austin community.
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Questions? Comments?
Compliments?
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Send us an email on our website or at info@jasga.org |
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The JASGA Newsletter is edited by |
Audrey Wozniak
Communications Co-Chair
Japan-America Society of
Greater Austin |
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Dear Members,
Summer vacation is drawing to a close and Japan-America Society of Greater Austin (JASGA) volunteers have already been working hard to coordinate and facilitate events like the recent Tokyo Electron Art Show and the Japanese Classical Dance Workshop. Please take the time to enjoy these activities, which are only made possible through the generous support of our members and donors.
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UPCOMING EVENT:
9/16 Tsugaru Shamisen Concert by
Toshie Suzuki
 Powerful Shamisen player Toshie Suzuki will perform at the Casa de Luz Auditorium on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 7:00 pm. This is a rare opportunity to listen to the unique sound of the traditional Japanese Shamisen.
Ms. Suzuki was born in Nagoya, Japan, but hails from Oita, Austin's sister city in Japan. She be gan practicing Shamisen at 10 years old and moved to Tsugaru District (Aomori Prefecture) to study Tsugaru Shamisen. She traveled around Asia and learned the sitar in India. In 2003, she won the National Tsugaru Shamisen contest in Japan and was the youngest person in the competition's history to do so. In 2008, Ms. Suzuki was the first winner of the women's Tsugaru Shamisen in Kobe and Osaka. JASGA is honored to present this fabulous performer to its members and the public.
Click here to watch a previous performance by Ms. Suzuki.
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Thank you for attending
8/12 Tokyo Electron Presents East Asian Art Show's Opening Reception
Tokyo Electron recently opened an exhibit titled "A Close-up View: East Asian Art & Antiquities" to JASGA members, sponsors, and the community. During the show's opening reception, JASGA presented Japanese songs and traditional dance. To watch a slideshow of images from the opening ceremony, click here.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
8/3 Japanese Classical Dance Workshop
日本舞踊ワークショップ
 Ms. Chizuko Matsumoto, known on the stage as Master "Rokumizu" Hanayagi, and her teaching assistant
Ms. Rie Taneya recently instructed the participants in the art of Japanese classical dance. The participants learned postures, gestures and steps as well as how to use a Japanese fan. Master Hanayagi also demonstrated and taught the steps for the famous song "Sakura, Sakura" (Cherry Blossoms.)
Japanese classical dance, or Nihon Buyo, is an art form the Japanese both use in Kabuki theatre and learn as a hobby. The style participants learned dates back to the Edo period (16th Century) and was specifically created for providing entertainment on the stage. The style is very different from Western dance forms in that, while Western dancers usually move in vigorous movements and leaping, Nihon Buyo dancers move quietly in shuffling motions.
 Ms. Matsumoto is the director of Hayagai dance Academy and the master of a classical Japanese Dance. She has long been active performing classical dance numbers at various stages. She has been teaching classical and folk dance in Austin and held recitals for many years. JASGA is very grateful for her contribution to this event.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
7/31 JASGA Members Meeting & Social Mixer
 JASGA would like to thank all of its members, sponsors and presenters who got together at the Society's 2009 Members Social Mixer.
The Mixer was an opportunity for members of the Society to convene, recognize the  newly reorganized Committees and Boards, discuss future plans for the organization, and hear Senior Advisor Dr. Takeshi Udagawa's presentation "Thoughts on Japan-America Relationship."
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
7/26 Sushi Workshop
 JASGA hosted a beginner's sushi workshop taught by head Sushi chef Jorge Garcia from downtown restaurant Kenichi.
The class covered the basic method of rolled Sushi called Makizushi. Participants learned about various aspects of Sushi and prepared Sushi rice, California rolls and spicy tuna rolls.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
7/6 Tanabata Star Festival
七夕（たなばた)
 The Japan-America Society of Greater Austin (JASGA) hosted a Tanabata ornament-making workshop during their monthly cultural series to celebrate the festival of Tanabata.
Japan celebrates Tanabata, the Star Festival, annually on July 7th. in Japan. This event is based on a Chinese legend separated lovers Kengyu (the star Altair) and his lover Orihime (the star Vega) are allowed to meet this one day of the year. People celebrate this day by decorating their homes with large branches of bamboo to which they hang decorations and wishes on strips of paper.
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JASGA Happy Hour Coming up!
Tuesday, 8/18 at 6:00pm
Networking Happy Hour
JASGA's mission is to  provide cross-cultural networking and social opportunities for the Austin community to meet other internationally minded people with an interest in Japan and the United States. Our members and guests recently enjoyed socializing during Happy Hour at Opal Divine's.
COMING UP:
JASGA invites you to our next networking event at the Central Market Cafe. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet other people interested in Japanese culture and language. There is no need to RSVP; just show up!
Date: Tuesday, August 18
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Location: Central Market Cafe 2nd Floor Mezzanine
4001 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78759
Cost: Free for members; $4 for non-members.
Please direct questions about this event to:
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
6/1 Ikebana Workshop
 JASGA hosted the hands-on beginner's Japanese flower-arranging workshop during their monthly Japonica Salon. Participants learned a basic and artful way of displaying flowers all summer long. Japanese flower arranging, ikebana, is more than simply putting flowers in a vase - it is an art form which attempts to bridge nature and humanity.
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GUEST ESSAY:
"Cicadas, Robots and the Prime Number"
Tomio Yamakoshi Petrosky
Center for Complex Quantum Systems, UT Austin
August 2009
We are in the middle of summer. The typical summer insect is the noisy cicada. In this essay I will explain an unexpected relationship between cicadas and Japanese robots. The keyword is "prime number." A prime number is a natural number that has exactly two distinct natural number divisors: 1 and itself. The first ten prime numbers are: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29. In the United States there are interesting cicadas called the 13-year periodical cicadas and the 17-year periodical cicadas. These periods are prime numbers and the cicadas emerge at the same time within these periods. Hence, we periodically have very noisy summers. The last time this happened was two or three years ago. Even Tiger Woods had trouble that summer because he could not concentrate on his golf with that extreme noise. Now suppose two different events happen within two different periods. For this case, the chance that the two events will happen at the same time is minimal if one of the periods is a prime number. For example, an insect that is a predator of the cicada is born every 3 years. The 13-year periodical cicada encounters the predator in every 3 x 13 = 39 years. But if the period of the cicada had not been a prime number, and for example it had been every 12 years, then the cicada would encounter the predator every 12 years. Therefore, the 13-year periodical cicada has more chance for surviving. I think this is an amazing wisdom of nature.
 Now, what is the relation of these cicadas to the Japanese robot? The answer is our keyword, i.e., the prime number. A few years ago, I visited a "Karakuri Ningyo" Museum in Gifu, Japan. Karakuri Ningyo（からくり人形） means a mechanical doll that was made in the Edo period (1603 ~ 1867) in Japan. Karakuri Ningyo is a kind of robot. The picture is an example of Karakuri Ningyo who brings tea for you. This doll is made by gears and cams. The amazing fact is that the number of cogs in a gear is a prime number. For this reason, the Karakuri Ningyo does not repeat the same motion for a long period, just as in the case of the cicadas. As a result, the doll behaves just like a real person. You know that the robot industry in Japan is one of the best in the world. For example, the ASIMO made by Honda is very famous. One can see a demonstration of this robot on the internet (here). Now you know the reason why the Japanese is so skilled in robotic technology. Indeed, the Japanese started to make robots more than 150 years ago.
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 August 14-16: Bon Festival in Japan
Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that each year during Obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.
Traditionally, lanterns are hang in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirits, Obon dances (Bon Odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.
Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still celebrated in mid August in many regions of Japan.
At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary from region to region.
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We look forward to seeing you at future JASGA events!
Sincerely,
Japan-America Society of Greater Austin
"Building bridges of culture and understanding...
...deep in the heart of Texas."
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