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2012March-AprilVol. 51, No. 2

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President’s CornerWhat a wonderful year it’s been already! It was great seeing so many of you at our Shinnenkai celebration January 21—and we had a wonderful time hosting the Consul General of Japan at Chicago, the Honorable Yoshifumi Okamura and his wife, Mrs. Kaoriko Okamura, and celebrating the lifetime membership of Jim and Lydia Kanki. We also had great fun celebrating Girls’ Day, Hinamatsuri, with JAS members and guests at our February 27 general meeting. Lastly, we’ve named this year’s Student Ambassadors to Kurashiki, our sister city. All that in just two short months!As March arrived, though, I’ve found it hard to imagine that almost one year ago, the Great East Japan earthquake and resulting tsunami occurred. Mickey, Olivia and I were fortunate. We learned right away that our family in Tokyo was safe. And only one month later, we were able to keep our plans to visit them during cherry blossom time. How grateful we are to have been with loved ones during this beautiful, poignant season. But we grieve for those who weren’t as fortunate, those whose lives were lost or changed forever.The next few months bring opportunities for JAS members to commemorate the event and to remember how important community is. Our society provided a great deal of support last year. Under Jim

Kanki’s leadership, we fielded questions from concerned citizens and the press; we stayed in touch with the Consulate of Japan at Chicago (which provided—and continues to provide—excellent resources); and we collected over $75,000 in contributions to send to Japan to aid in disaster relief. The many fundraisers from JAS, JETAA (Japan Exchange Teaching Alumni Association), the Japan Club and other Greater Kansas City organizations brought needed support, but they also gave us a place to be together—and to be appreciative of each other.This sense of community is so strong that the character “kizuna” (bonds between people) was selected as the kanji that best reflects the events of 2011 by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. Our bonds with JAS friends in Kansas City and in Japan helped us through the past year and gave us strength to help a country we care about so much.In this issue of the Nichibei News, you’ll find information on this weekend’s Japanese film festival (March 10 and 11), an upcoming screening of the documentary, Pray for Japan (March 14), our programs at Loose Park (ikebana demonstration March 27 and report from Fukushima April 24), and our annual cherry blossom picnic (April 14). So many chances to be together —looking forward to seeing all of you at these events! Patty Woods, JAS President

Don’t Miss These Upcoming Events!Tuesday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. in the Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Wornall, KCMO – Sue Looney, Sogetsu School of Ikebana instructor, will provide an ikebana demonstration. Sue, a favorite among JAS members, has shared her expertise with us at previous meetings and festivals.Saturday, April 14, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Hanami Picnic (Cherry Blossom Viewing) at Loose Park. Note: We’ll meet on the lawn at the southwest corner of the park near the big cannon. Bring a picnic blanket and lunch (including something to share, if you’d like).Tuesday, April 24, 7:00 p.m. in the Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Wornall, KCMO – Hear Ms. Taeko Fukuchi discuss her recent travels to the Fukushima area, the events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the impact on area residents, and relief efforts.

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Heart of America Japan-America SocietyP.O. Box 22487 KCMO, 64113

Board of Directors

PresidentPatty Woods

1st Vice President(Membership)Ryan Grass

2nd Vice President (Programs)Natsuko Nishimune

SecretaryJun Shrout

TreasurerMickey Coalwell

DirectorsJane DruryMari ObaJohn Schollenberger

The mission of the Heart of America Japan-America Society is to further understanding between the peoples of Japan and the Greater Kansas City area by promoting social, cultural and educational exchanges.

The Heart of America Japan-America Society is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

Nichibei NotesJAS Members Mourn the Loss of Mary Grace Morgan Mary Grace Morgan, Japan-America Society life member, passed away February 20, 2012 at the age of 88. Mary Grace and her husband, Ray, (deceased on the same date in 2011) were long-time members who will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. A full obituary about Mary Grace can be found at http://www.amosfamily.com/2012/02/mary-grace-morgan/

New Studio Ghibli Movie Now Showing The newest film from animation masters Studio Ghibli is now showing in the Kansas City area. The Secret World of Arrietty, based on the English-language novel The Borrowers, by Mary Norton, was scripted by the famed Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro), and tells the story of a tiny, young “Borrower” who lives under the floorboards of a house. Check fandango.com for listings in your area.

Food blogger Louisa Chu Selected to Report from Japan Ms. Chu, a Chicago food blogger who writes for several platforms—most notably the Chicago NPR station, WBEZ—was selected as part of a media outreach program sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This program is designed to find new ways of connecting Americans with Japanese culture and Japanese life. Read more about Ms. Chu’s mouth-watering adventures at http://www.wbez.org/blogs/louisa-chu

Japan-America Society Looking for Host Families! It’s not too early to be thinking about providing a “home away from home” for a Japanese student this July & August, when this year’s youth delegation from our sister city in Kurashiki comes to Kansas City. To learn more, or for questions, contact Jun Shrout at jhshrout@comcast.net

2012 Garden Clean-up Dates AnnouncedJoin us in Loose Park from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the Saturdays listed below to keep our Japanese garden healthy and beautiful. No experience required; bring garden tools if you have them (gloves are highly recommended!).Clean-up Saturdays: March 17, April 14, June 2, July 7, August 11, September 8, November 10

2012 Student Ambassadors SelectedOn February 26, four local high school students were selected to visit our sister city, Kurashiki, Japan, this July and August. Congratulations to Kelsey Hendricks, Madeleine (Maddie) Hoyt, Jordan Whitmore, and Sarah Willingham! Kelsey and Jordan are students of Kumiko Horiuchi DeRigne at Shawnee Mission High School. Maddie attends Olathe East High School; her teacher is Mindy Looney. Sarah goes to Olathe Northwest; her teacher is Carolyn Goodrick. We look forward to getting to meet the students and their families, and to hearing about their adventures during our general meeting this September. Special thanks go to Lydia Kanki, chair of the Student Ambassador Committee; interviewers Hiroko Bray, Dustin Dye, Mayumi Wagner, and Patty Woods; and materials designer and“student ambassador consultant extraordinaire” Jamie Kanki.

left to right: Maddie Hoyt, Jordan Whitmore Kelsey Hendricks, Sarah Willmington

http://www.amosfamily.com/2012/02/mary-grace-morgan/http://fandango.comhttp://www.wbez.org/blogs/louisa-chumailto:jhshrout@comcast.net

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JAS Members Celebrate the New YearIt was great to see around 85 JAS members and guests at the January 21 Shinnenkai celebration as we kicked off the 50th anniversary of the Heart of America Japan-America Society. What a wonderful time we had getting to meet the Consul General of Japan at Chicago, the Honorable Yoshifumi Okamura and his wife, Mrs. Kaoriko Okamura. We were also fortunate to have Ms. Natsuko Ito, Vice Consul, join us again this year. Several awards were presented in appreciation of significant contributions to the Heart of America Japan-America Society. The Consulate General of Japan at Chicago and Fran & Charlene Lemery accepted awards acknowledging major donations to the 2011 Greater Kansas City Japan Festival. And congratulations are in order to Jim and Lydia Kanki, who were named life members! Their leadership on numerous committees and the board of directors is indeed impressive and very much appreciated.Entertainment was provided by Jo Yamanaka, Yoshiko Yamanaka and Dianne Daugherty—all were fabulous, as always! The silent auction raised almost $1,000. Special thanks to the Shinnenkai committee, Darlene Jones (chair), Jun Shrout and Charlene Lemery, for planning such an enjoyable event!

Yoshifimi Okamura, Consul General of Japan at Chicago

Lydia Kanki, Jim Kanki

Shari Wilson, Kansas State Senator Chris Steineger, Patty Woods, Consul General Yoshifumi Okamura, Mrs. Kaoriko Okamura

Ceremonial first sake of the year

JAS Planning to Send a Delegation to Kurashiki This FallThe Heart of America Japan-America Society will sponsor a package tour to Kurashiki, Japan to participate in the 40th anniversary celebration of our Sister City relationship.

Cost negotiations for airfare, hotels, meals, sightseeing, rail pass, etc. should be completed in a few weeks. But we want to get an estimate of how many people would like to take advantage of this great opportunity.

The itinerary is very flexible. You may choose to leave the tour and do your own thing by traveling elsewhere in Japan. You may want to leave early or stay later. Our travel agency will work with you on accommodations, tour guides, and transportation. Costs for airfare in these situations will require adjustments and, possibly, extra charges.

A form will be posted on the kcjas.org website. Please contact Fran Lemery with questions or comments at flemery@aol.com or 913-568-9084.

http://kcjas.orgmailto:flemery@aol.com

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Hinamatsuri Program Enjoyed by All!JAS members were treated to a celebration of Girls’ Day, or Hinamatsuri, on Tuesday, February 27. Sachie Stroder brought her beautiful display of dolls and told us about the traditions surrounding the day. Natsuko Nishimune, this year’s Second Vice-President, Programs, led a group in singing a Hinamatsuri song and in helping us make origami boxes for our osembe crackers. Thanks to the JET Alumni Association who joined in the fun and provided treats for the evening, along with the Hospitality Committee, led by Lydia Kanki, who also brought treats. Natsuko Nishimune & Sachie StroderRyan Grass with origami box

Film Festival and Documentary Commemorate the First Anniversary of Last Year’s Earthquake and TsunamiGreater Kansas City Japanese Film Festival - Saturday, March 10 (10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) and Sunday, March 11 (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) at the Kansas City Art Institute and Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. A number of films will be shown, including Norwegian Wood and The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom (nominated for a 2011 Academy Award). Contributions accepted in lieu of admission. More information at http://www.heartlandjetaa.org/wp-content/japanfilmfest/Pray for Japan - This feature-length documentary will be shown in cinemas across the U.S. Wednesday, March 14. The film takes place in the devastated area around Ishinomaki, Miyagi—the largest coastal city in Tohoku with a population of over 160,000 people. Filmmaker Stu Levy, an American living in Japan, filmed the tsunami aftermath during his trips to Tohoku as a volunteer and captured more than 50 hours of footage over a period of 6 weeks.. Kansas City was one of two Midwest cities selected to show the film. AMC Mainstreet 6, 1400 Main St., KCMO. Advance tickets available through fandango.com. For more information, call 1-888-AMC-4FUN or go to http://prayforjapan-film.org/

Recipe: Curry with riceIngredients:14 oz. beef1 onion2/3 carrot1 potatoOil or butter1 block of curry stock (available at Oriental Super Market)21 oz. hot, cooked Japanese rice

Directions:1. Cut the beef, onion, carrot and potato into bite-size pieces.2. Put the vegetable oil or butter into a deep pan and add the beef, onion,

carrot, potatoes. Stir-fry them for 5 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and reduce the heat to low; simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

3. Turn off the heat; crumble the curry stock cube, add it to the stew and stir until it is dissolved. Then cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

4. Put the cooked rice on a plate, and pour the stew over the rice.

http://www.heartlandjetaa.org/wp-content/japanfilmfest/http://www.heartlandjetaa.org/wp-content/japanfilmfest/http://fandango.comhttp://prayforjapan-film.org/

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14th Annual Japanese Language Contest Highlights Student ExcellenceWho knew that watching two students translating kanji could be so exciting? Well, if you’ve ever been to the annual Japanese Language Contest, it would be easy to understand (even if you don’t read kanji!). Students from area high schools—four from Olathe, Shawnee Mission North, The Barstow School—and two colleges, JCCC and Wichita State University, participated in the contest on March 3rd at Olathe North High School. Events included calligraphy, haiku, poetry recitation, kana and kanji bees, and a talent show. (We were especially excited to cheer on three of our former student ambassadors, Lauren Caldwell, Danni Campbell, and Anna Bradley, who all placed in competitive events!)Sponsoring organizations included the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago, JAS, the JET Alumni Association, the University of Kansas Center for East Asian Studies and the Olathe District schools. Special thanks to Lydia Kanki, Pat Knott, Natsuko Nishimune, Mari Oba, Carole Owsley, and Jun Shrout for volunteering at the JAS sales table, “curry kitchen,” and judging. Congratulations to the students, teachers and parents for their hard work! And an extra-big thank-you to Dianne Daugherty and Mindy Looney, longtime JAS members, Olathe teachers of Japanese and contest organizers. You make a big difference in our community!!!

Japanese Language Contest winners

Vice Consul Ayako Yamada and friend

Vice Consul Ayako Yamada, Carolyn Goodrick, Dianne Daugherty

Ki Daiko and Three Trails Taiko

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Events: March–April 2012

In This Issue Greater Kansas City Japanese Film Festival Saturday, March 10, 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 11, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Kansas City Art Institute and Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Documentary Film Pray for JapanWednesday, March 14 at 7:00 p.m., AMC Mainstreet 6, 1400 Main St., KCMO

Ikebana DemonstrationTuesday, March 27, 7:00 p.m.Loose Park Garden Center, Sogetsu School of Ikebana instructor Sue Looney

Ethnic Enrichment Commission’s Diplomatic BallSaturday, March 31, 6:00 p.m. Kansas City Marriott Downtown

Hanami Picnic (Cherry Blossom Viewing)Saturday, April 14, 1:00-3:00 p.m.Loose Park (southwest corner, near the big cannon)

Fukushima PresentationTuesday, April 24, 7:00 p.m.Loose Park Garden Center, Ms. Taeko Fukuchi

Membership Renewal DueIf you haven’t already renewed your JAS membership, please do so. Contact Ryan Grass at ryan.grass@gmail.com or 913-219-1536 with questions.

Heart of America JApAn-AmericA SocietyP.O. Box 22487Kansas City, MO 64113

LabeL Here

• President’s Corner• Kurashiki Student Ambassadors• Shinnenkai Photos• Delegation to Kurashiki• Film Festival• Japanese Language Contest

If you have ideas or would like to write an article for the Nichibei News, email us at hoa.japanamericasociety@gmail.com.

Websites:kcjas.org kcjapanfestival.org japancouncil.org

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mailto:ryan.grass@gmail.commailto:hoa.japanamericasociety@gmail.comhttp://kcjas.orghttp://kcjapanfestival.orghttp://japancouncil.org