Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth

Fall Japanese classes (online) are open for registration!
• Japanese Fundamentals 1, 2 & 3 (8-week sessions)
• Kanji Fundamentals (3-part series workshop)
• Japanese for Travelers (3-part series workshop)

Learn more and register here: https://jasdfw.org/japanese-language-class/

Getting ready for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)? Looking for self-study resources? Unsure which level to take? Look no further! This three-part series workshop will provide you with everything you need to know about JLPT and how to prepare! Learn more and register here: https://jasdfw.org/event/intro_to_jlpt/

Team DALLAS spent a great day of sightseeing and meetings with Sendai officials leading up to the big International Half Marathon!

Macs, Albert, Jennifer and Scott at the AER Building Panorama Terrace-- Getting ready for race day!! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Our Dallas Delegation includes: Runners Jennifer Pope and Albert Marban, accompanied by Macs Reynolds City Of Dallas, Elaine Browning and Scott Sanders

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana Dallas Branch was such a wonderful event! Kosa Nishiyama, Riji Master, provided a spectacular demonstration last Saturday!

The 2024 Sun & Star Auction is open for bidding! Check it out by downloading the Handbid app or clicking here: https://events.handbid.com/auctions/2024-sun-and-star-legacy-award-dinner-silent-auction/items

Congratulations to Dusty Kimura, one of our VP board members representing Japan Airlines! He finished the Boston Marathon today! 👏

Planning to visit Japan? Our popular Japanese for Travelers Workshop is starting this week! Join us to learn useful travel tips and expressions. Learn more and register here: https://jasdfw.org/event/online-japanese-language-workshop-japanese-for-travelers-spring24/

Mikio is ready to go!! Please join us for today's Gateway to the Globe Celebration!!

Today kicks off the inaugural Dallas Sake Week! Early birds earn a free flight of sake! Check it out: https://worldfoodchampionships.com/dallas-sake-week

Nichibei Flip is our weekly conversation group! Join us on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. for casual discussions in both Japanese and English (45 minutes for each language).

Spring B Japanese classes (online) are open for registration!

We are offering some daytime and evening Fundamentals (beginning level) classes, and a 3-part series Japanese for Travelers Workshop!
Learn more and register here: https://jasdfw.org/japanese-language-class/

The Dallas Japanese Speech Contest showcased many talented high school students from haiku to free speech. Our staff, including Mikio-san, Hiromi-san and Beckie enjoyed watching the students perform. We had an interactive dance session and awards! 🏆

Join us at Summit!!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PocIbdUjHAXXZQGL2VNSQfTnb-0pNBrzhHUMw1gEow0/edit

MOCHITSUKI NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION CANCELLED For the safety of our attendees, staff, and volunteers, we will be cancelling Mochitsuki New Year’s Celebration. For anyone who pre-registered online, we will be refunding your ticket sales. We sincerely apologize for this cancellation. Stay safe and warm!

JASDFW is kicking off 2024 with our Mochitsuki New Year's Celebration on Sunday, January 14, at the Central Five Hundred building in Plano!🐲 To make this returning festival a hit, we would like to invite you to sign up as a volunteer! Volunteers receive free admission and work during the first half or second half, allowing for time to enjoy the festival✨ Here are some of the positions we have open:

Mochi Kitchen Staff
Mochi Server
Greeter and Guide
Kakizome/Calligraphy
Omikuji/Fortunes
Nengajyou/New Year's Cards
Children's New Years Games Assistant

Mochitsuki webpage:
https://jasdfw.org/event/2024-mochitsuki-new-years-celebration/

If you are interested in volunteering, sign up below!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4DADAC2CA3FD0-46884845-mochitsuki #/

Mochitsuki 2024 Need More informtion about Mochitsuki? Visit the website below JASDFW WEBPAGE: Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth 2024 Mochitsuki New Year’s Celebration (jasdfw.org) Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

Mochitsuki is returning in January to kick off the New Year! This event will feature a variety of activities including Mochitsuki (rice pounding), Kakizome (first calligraphy of the year), Omikuji (Fortunes), New Year children’s games, and more. Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with delicious mochi, musical performances, and Japanese cultural activities. This is a great opportunity to learn about Japan’s rich New Year’s traditions and connect with the local Japanese community!

The Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth is looking for two outstanding runners (1 male and 1 female) to represent the City of Dallas in the Sendai International Half Marathon on May 12, 2024! Applications are now open and will be closed on January 5, 2024. Share with your marathon friends, family, and running groups!

For more information and application: https://buff.ly/47XriNT

🍥CALLING ALL ANIME FANS✨
JASDFW is teaming up with Anime Frontier to bring you Anime Trivia Night Volume 3, held at Martin House Brewing Company in Fort Worth! We need your help to make it a Texas Smash💥Whether you are playing one for all or all for one, you can complete solo or gather in teams of up to 5 and go plus ultra for a chance to win your favorite anime, figures, plushies, or even a full day pass to Anime Frontier this December!

This event is a FREE TO ATTEND! Registration not necessary. For more information visit our webpage here: https://buff.ly/3R7Gfri

It’s Boots Fact Friday (BFF), a series where Boots shares fun facts about all things Japan, every Friday! 🗾🐶

Komainu (狛犬), often called lion-dogs or foo dogs in English, refer to the pair of statues often seen at the gates of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan 🦁🐶🗿

Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues are typically almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed. It’s no coincidence, but rather Buddhist symbolism. The open mouth is meant to be forming the sound “a” あ, while the closed mouth is forming the sound “un” うん.

Do you think komainu look more like lions or dogs?

❄️DECEMBER EVENT!✨ Close out 2023 with food, drinks, and good company at this year's Bonenkai - Forget the Year Party!
Bonenkai ( 忘年会 ) is celebrated in Japan by company staff, professional peers, and friends alike to reflect on the good and bad of the past 12 months over a few drinks. Bid the year farewell with your friends, coworkers, and fellow JASDFW members as we welcome new friendships and opportunities on the horizon! Festivities include karaoke, delicious food catered by EBESU, bingo games and winners' prizes, and plenty of drinks to go around. This will be the third Bonenkai hosted in our Plano office, which is a beautiful and spacious setting to celebrate our traditional end-of-year party. All tickets include access to the festivities listed above and your fill of traditional foods, desserts, and drinks!

Grab a few coworkers, classmates, friends, or family members and reserve your spot today! Registration is LIVE on our website NOW: https://buff.ly/3R16DmA

*dress code is festive business professional or business casual*

Japanese Language Workshop Incoming! 🧧🐇

Join us to celebrate and learn about New Year in Japan through a popular Netflix show, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (深夜食堂, Shinya Shokudō). Traditions and customs for celebrating the New Year in Japan begin around mid-December, when people become anxious in preparation for the ending of the old year and ushering in the new. In this special two-part series holiday workshop, we will explore some of the New Year traditions reflected in an episode of Midnight Diner titled “Crab and Toshikoshisoba.” Our hope is for you to leave this workshop with a rich understanding of Japanese culture and language related to New Year. Prior knowledge of hiragana/katakana/kanji is not required to take this workshop.

Learn More and Register here:
https://buff.ly/49zafmU

This past Saturday was the first ever North Texas Japan Bowl! We had such a blast with the participating teams from all over Texas. Thank you to the passionate students, dedicated teachers, encouraging judges, and supportive volunteers.

Congratulations to our top three finalists:
🥇R.L. Paschal HS from Fort Worth ISD
🥈The Colony HS from Lewisville ISD
🥉Berkner HS from Richardson ISD

More photos to come soon!

It’s Boots Fact Friday (BFF), a series where Boots shares fun facts about all things Japan, every Friday! 🗾🐶

We will be hosting the first ever North Texas Japan Bowl tomorrow! So today, Boots would like to tell you about the National Japan Bowl.

The National Japan Bowl is America’s premier Japanese-language competition, now in its 32nd year! Each spring the Japan-America Society of Washington DC welcomes 200 of the country’s top high school Japanese language students to the nation’s capital for the competition.

The National Japan Bowl’s top winners travel to Japan for a week of cultural experiences with host families and Japanese students, and an audience with dignitaries including Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, the National Japan Bowl’s honorary patron!

The Japan-America Society of Washington DC has supported the creation of twenty regional Japan Bowl competitions across America and around the world, giving the program a global impact.

What do you think about the Japan Bowl? Share with your classmates or teachers if you're a high school student who is interested in participating!



For more information on the National Japan Bowl, visit their website here: [https://buff.ly/3FUHpjq](https://buff.ly/3FVotBa)

Lookback on Otsukimi 2023! Did you get to see the moon at Kidd Springs Park during the festival? 🌕

Here's what's happening this month with JASDFW!✨
NOV 9 - Ikebana in Honor of Veterans: In celebration of Veterans, their sacrifice, and the friends and families who support them, Motoko Ishihara is bringing Ikebana to the community in order to share an aspect of Japanese culture that fosters creativity and artistic expression while reducing stress and promoting overall well-being. Join us for this event as we bridge Japanese and American cultures, share stories from veterans and their connection to Ikebana, and even learn how to create your own flower arrangement to take home and enjoy!

NOV 11 - North Texas Japan Bowl: Teams from High Schools across the great state of Texas will compete head-to-head in their knowledge of all things Japan. With Questions covering Language, Politics, History, Geography, Economics, Arts, Literature, and Popular Culture, the team placing first will travel to compete in the National Japan Bowl held in Washington DC!

NOV 30 - Japanese Language Workshop - Exploring Japanese New Year Through Midnight Diner: Join us to celebrate and learn about New Year in Japan through a popular Netflix show, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories! In this special two-part series holiday workshop, we will explore some of the New Year traditions, customs, beliefs, and food. Prior knowledge of Japanese is not required.

See links, info, and registration here: https://buff.ly/2J7tKXI