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JASGA
Senior Advisor
Awarded
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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"The Government of Japan recognizes the outstanding achievements of Dr.Takeshi Udagawa in Japan-U.S. academic exchange, as well as his contributions to the welfare of Japanese people in the United States.
For these achievements, the Japanese Government proudly confers upon him the Order of Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon."
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--press release from the Consulate-General of Japan at Houston
CONGRATULATIONS,
UDAGAWA-SENSEI!
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The Japan-America Society of Greater Austin (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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グレーター・オースティン日米協会は日本と中部テキサスとの間の文化交流の懸け橋として協会会員ならびにオースティン市民にむけ様々な教育・文化プログラムを実施し、日米友好関係の発展に向け設立された非営利団体です。
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Questions? Comments? Compliments? |
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Email jasga-communication@jasga.org with your feedback! |
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The JASGA Newsletter is
edited by: |
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Audrey Wozniak |
Communications Co-Chair
Japan-America Society of
Greater Austin
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Dear Members,
Thanksgiving is this week, winter is in full swing, and volunteers from the Japan-America Society of Greater Austin are working hard to facilitate events for you during these cold months. Please take the time to enjoy these activities, which are only made possible through the generous support of our members and sponsors.
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UPCOMING EVENT
12/7 Japanese Pottery Presentation
The Japan-America Society of Greater Austin hosts a monthly Japanese Culture Salon on the first Monday of each month. December's event features pottery artist Hilaire Ridlon, who will talk about pottery in general, describe a history of Japanese pottery, talk about his trip to Japan in 2006, provide a wheel demo, and answer questions along the way.
The event will take place Monday, December 7th, at Casa De Luz from 7-8:30 pm. We hope you will join us for this wonderful opportunity to learn about Japanese pottery!
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UPCOMING EVENT:
12/13 Shiatsu Massage Workshop
Stressed? Tired? Sore?
Let Masako Wada, licensed acupuncturist and Shiatsu therapist, teach you about the benefits of Shiatsu, basic anatomy and meridians of the body. She will instruct how to give Shiatsu massages for relaxation, pain and stress relief, as well as techniques for applying acupressure without injuring yourself and self-care for lower back problems.
The workshop is on December 13th, from 1:30-3:30pm at the Triangle Square Club House. Please RSVP to jasga-events@jasga.org by December 11th. The workshop fee is $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Please bring a towel or a yoga mat and wear loose comfortable clothing.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
11/7 Japanese Manga Lecture by Konohana Sakuya
JASGA hosted award-winning Manga artists Kohei and Tsugimi Nishino's Japanese Manga lecture and slide presentation. The team of two artists,  who publish manga under the name "Konohana Sakuya," discussed their early days in the Japanese Manga business, describing how they create storylines. They also provided the audience with an inside look at both the manual and the electronic techniques they use to produce their unique Manga drawings.
Both Kohei Nishino and Tsugumi Nishino have had their individual works published both in Manga magazines and on the web, and the team has won both the Grand Prize of the World Manga Faithful Readership Award and the Cultural Agency's Jury's Choice Award.
This program was made possible by partnership with The Agency of Cultural Affairs and Consulate-General of Japan in Houston and sponsored by Japan Foundation.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
11/2 Japanese Cultural Salon: Shakuhachi
JASGA featured Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) expert David Duncavage in its November meeting of the Japanese Culture Salon featured a presentation on the Shakuhachi, the Japanese bamboo flute.
In addition to playing Shakuhachi music from different traditions, he explained how the flutes are made and their unique character-based musical notation. Audience members also had a chance to experiment with the flute. 
The Shakuhachi developed as a method of Zen mediation and is also used in Japanese classical ensemble music (Hogaku) with the Shamisen and Koto.
David Duncavage has many years of experience performing, teaching, and making Shakuhachi. In 1989, after several years of study in Kyoto Japan, he received the "Shihan" (Independent Master's license) in Hogaku and Zen meditation music from the world renowned Shakuhachi Master Kurahashi Yoshio.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
10/25 Sushi Workshop
 JASGA hosted an advanced sushi workshop taught by head sushi chef Jorge Garcia from downtown-restaurant Kenichi.
The class continued from a previous JASGA-sponsored beginner's sushi  workshop, offering students the essential techniques of perfect sushi-making at home. The class was very detail-oriented class; designed to fine-tune sushi-making skills, the class taught advanced rolling styles.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
10/20 Happy Hour at Opal Divine's
 JASGA hosted a networking event at Opal Divine's Marina. These events are wonderful opportunities to make connections with people with shared interests.
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
10/17 JASGA First Annual Friendship Golf Tournament
Beautiful weather, a  great course, and meeting new people made for an unforgettable day on the Spicewood Course at Balcones Country Club on October 17th. Participants in the JASGA Friendship Golf Tournament were treated to a marvelous day of golf, good food, tournament and door prizes including Japanese gifts.
The first winning team, who shot a 68 in the 4-persons scramble, was: J. Flaherty, S. Flaherty, N. Harada, H. Fujii. The second winning team, who shot a 70, was: H. Kohmoto, T. Morinari, S. Omrod, (S. Uelpenich). "Longest Drive" winner was Sean Flaherty and "Closest To The Hole" winner was Hiromi Kohmoto.
Thank you to all that participated. We look forward to another great event next year!
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JASGA EVENT FOLLOW-UP:
10/5 Japanese Culture Salon:
Anime Lecture
 JASGA monthly culture salon in October 2009 featured local otaku Keith Goode, who presented a slideshow and lecture on the Japanese "Anime" culture.
Keith discussed a brief history of anime, reviewing of some of the stylizations and niches, and showing how it fits into the grand design of Japanese popular culture.
A highly interwoven industry, Japanese pop culture shows a level of interdependence and cooperation of which Hollywood would be jealous.
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GUEST ESSAY:
The God of Marriage [縁結びの神] in Japan
Tomio Yamakoshi Petrosky
Center for Complex Quantum Systems, UT
It is still October in the old Japanese lunar calendar, even though it is already November in the solar calendar. This month has a special relation to the god of marriage. The most famous god of marriage in Japan is DAIKOKU-SAMA [大黒様] of the IZUMO-TAISYA [出雲大社] Shinto shrine. This shrine is one of the largest and the oldest shrine in Japan located on the Japan Sea side of HONSHU, the mainland of Japan. Every October in the lunar calendar all eight million gods in Japan are away from their own shrines and come together at IZUMO-TAISYA to discuss matchmaking for every man and woman. Thus the Japanese, except for people in IZUMO, call October KANNAZUKI [神無月] which means the month there is no god. There was a custom to avoid engagements during this month in certain Japanese regions,such as in the SADO and KYUSHU islands.
I am sure that there is always a god or God who handles marriage in every culture. However, I was very surprised that there is a god of breaking up in Japan. It is a god in the KIFUNE-JINJA [貴船神社] shrine located to the north of Kyoto. I learned this fact in Kyoto this summer when I enjoyed a NOH[能] play entitled KANAWA [鉄輪] which means iron ring (see the picture below). The story is more than one thousand years old and is as follows：There was a woman who was deserted by her husband. That husband got married again to a young girl. The woman was so sad and got so angry that she visited KIFUNE-JINJA to worship every midnight. In Japanese this behavior is called "USHI NO KOKU MAIRI"[丑の刻参り]. The shrine was located a few miles from her house. But the distance did not prevent her from visiting every night, because she burned with the desire for revenge. A few weeks later, she heard the voice of this god who told her that she should visit her ex-husband after putting an iron ring with torches on her head, then her wish for revenge would be fulfilled. She followed the oracle, and when she put on the iron ring she was transformed into a devil. Her deep-seated grudge was beautifully expressed in this play.
In spite of this famous story, KIFUNE-JINJA is also famous as a god of marriage. The name of the god is princess IWANAGA. There is the following story: When NINIGI-NO-MIKOTO, the father of the first emperor of Japan, descended to earth, King OHYAMATUMI on the earth offered his two daughters, princess KONOHANA-SAKUYA, the younger sister, and princess IWANAGA. But, NINIGI declined princess IWANAGA. She was disappointed, but she was such a merciful lady that she decided to be the god of marriage and protect women from unhappy marriages. This perhaps is the reason why the Japanese do not feel any contradiction of the above sad story, even though she is the god of marriage. Every season, you can see a lot of couples who visit and pray to the god of KIFUNE-JINJA. The god of marriage can be at the same time the god of breaking up. I like this human complexity.
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ONGOING JASGA EVENT:
Teen's Conversation Club
 JASGA hosts a conversation group aimed at introducing Japanese language and the culture of Japan to teenagers through teenage native speakers. Teens play games while talking with friends in Japanese! Two or more Japanese native mentors also attend.
The club is intended for teens between 12-18 years old, and is held at the UT-Austin Texas Union (click here) on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month from 1:30-2:45 pm.
Upcoming club meeting dates include December 6th and 20th.
Questions? Email jasga-education@jasga.org
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Sincerely,
Japan-America Society of Greater Austin |
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