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Japan America Society of Minnesota
The Tsūshin is a membership publication of the Japan America Society of Minnesota
June 2013 VOL. 22, No. 06
2nd Annual JASM Sake Tasting Event
Join us to savor one of the enduring and deep traditions of Japan – the elegance of
Sake. We invite you to sample a variety of Sake that come from family brewers
with age-old techniques from Northern Japan. You also will be able to see new
tasting sake brewed to be enjoyed by its aroma as well as its flavor.
The event will be held at Minnesota’s own Sake brewery and restaurant:
moto-i sake brewery and izakaya. Moto-i will also be serving Japanese appetizers
along with their sake. Enjoy Minnesota’s own Japanese sake along with brews from
Japan!
Price: $25 JASM members / $30 non-members
Date: June 4, 2013
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Venue: moto-i sake brewery and izakaya
*By registering for this event, you represent that you are 21 years of age or older
with a valid ID.
Mondale Scholarship Application Deadline
Approaching
The Japan America Society of Minnesota (JASM) will
award the Mondale Scholarship to Minnesota
undergraduate students enrolled in Minnesota colleges
and universities who want to broaden their knowledge of
Japan through a combination of study and travel. JASM
will offer up to $3,000 in scholarships for the 2013-2014
academic year. The selection committee has the discretion
to award up to three $1,000 scholarships or two $1,500
scholarships. The awards are specifically to be used for
travel to or within Japan before, during, or after the
student’s specified term(s) of study. To read the
guidelines for application and to download an application
form, please visit our website at mn-japan.org and click
on the “Programs” link.
Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by
Monday, June 10, 2014
Now Accepting Mondale Award 2013
Nominations
The Mondale Award is to be presented at the Mondale
Dinner Fundraising Gala on Saturday, November 2nd, at
the Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins. Nominees need
to have done one of the following:
 Made a lifetime contribution to the Japan-Minnesota
relationship through a variety of projects, activities,
and initiatives
 Provided leadership in a pivotal project which accelerated significant public awareness of Japan and/or
Minnesota in the reciprocal region
 Played a crucial role in developing a lasting partnership or relationship between Japan and Minnesota
 Served as an official representative in fostering closer ties between Japan and Minnesota
Applications for nominations can be found on our website at mn-japan.org. Click on the “Programs” link.
Applications are due Monday, July 1st, 2013.
2012 Winner Inkie Brons
2012-2013 Mondale
Scholarship Recipient
Jack Kessler, studying
abroad at Osaka Gakuin
University.
Last year’s sake tasting
event was a great time, we
hope to see you there!
2011 Winner: Takuzo Ishida
Letter From the President
Summer in Japan is a time of local festivals, and trips to the
mountains or seashore with families and co-workers. In
Minnesota, we also enjoy the great outdoors and the
opportunity during the summer to get together with family
and friends. JASM is planning several fun events this
summer to enjoy “natsu” traditions of Japan for friends and
family to experience.
On Saturday, June 8th JASM will join the Saint Paul –
Nagasaki Sister City Committee in the Japan – U.S. Cherry
Blossom Celebration at Como Park. We hope that this event
will become an annual gathering to celebrate the historic gift
of cherry trees from Japan and to follow the time-honored
and cherished Japanese tradition of Hanami (Cherry Tree
Viewing).
There are other events, such as the Sake Tasting Event on
June 4th, and the JASM Professional Group gathering that I
hope will appeal to others with an interest and a connection
with Japan.
I want to encourage you to serve as a volunteer for our
major event of the summer season, the Lantern Lighting
Festival at Como Park in August. Last year, nearly 6,000
people attended the event that brings together the Japan
related community from across the Twin Cities region. We
hope you will come to these JASM events with your family
and friends and enjoy the opportunity to learn more about
the Minnesota – Japan connection.
David Smith, President of JASM
JUNE JPG Event
The Japan America Society of Minnesota is pleased to
announce the return of an event for members and
friends: the JASM Professionals Group (JPG). The
second gathering of this premier JASM networking
event will be held at the Raku Sushi & Lounge in Saint
Louis Park on Monday, June 17th. The event is
designed to promote networking among JASM
members and fellow professionals with an interest and
connection to Japan. The event will be held every other
month, with the next event on Monday, June 17th.
There will be plenty of time to mingle, meet
new people, and share stories of your connection to
Japan at this wonderful event. There is no charge for
JASM members and a $5 fee for non-members to join
the event. If non-members decide to join on the night
of the event, the 5$ entrance fee will be waived.
Attendees are encouraged to purchase their own food
and drink at the restaurant.
JASM Professionals Group
When: Monday, J une 17th 6-8 pm
Where: Raku Sushi & Lounge Uptown (5371 W.
16th St. Saint Louis Park, MN, 55416)
Fee: Fr ee for J ASM member s, $5 for non-members
(free if they join as members)
New Member Social Gathering
JASM held its 2013 New Members' Social on
May 7th at the JASM office. The event was complete
with sushi from Origami Restaurant, fresh fruit,
delicious home-made desserts and wine to celebrate.
Board members Dan Gilbertson, Barbara Whittington,
Bill Paterson and his wife, Jocelyn, also attended to
meet the new members. The Board members discussed
their roles at JASM and told their own stories about
how they became interested in Japan. After mingling
and enjoying the refreshments, everyone had a chance
to sit down and introduce themselves and talk about
their interest in JASM and Japanese culture. The
diversity ranged from those who were born and raised
in Japan, to those who hadn’t yet had the opportunity to
go, but looked forward to it in the future. Some
members had roots and backgrounds in Japanese
culture, while some were looking
for effective ways to educate
themselves on things Japanese,
and engage in cultural
conversations with others who
shared their interests. New
members also had the chance and
were encouraged to sign up for
upcoming volunteer opportunities at JASM events,
such as the Lantern Lighting Festival in August, and
the Mondale Dinner in November. We hope that these
volunteer opportunities will give our new members a
chance to engage with the JASM community and
involve themselves with Japanese culture around the
Twin Cities.
Membership News
Thanks to the following New JASM Members:
Sharon Bigot, Toshiko McGredden,
Thanks to the following renewing JASM Members:
Ken & Paula Port, Karen & Ed Glynn, Richard Stahl, Shirley
Huskins, Lisa Shakerin and Christopher Mincs, Tadako Pratt, Dallas Wiethoff, Junko Ueda & Richard Telke, David and Jo-Anne
Kirkman, Hisako Wendt, Hiroshi & Ursula Nomura, Ben & Chris
van Lierop, Daniel Carballo, Shizuko Koizumi, Ayano Catherine
Nixon, Sandra Resnick and Shuzo Murakami.
Thanks to the following Renewal at the Contributing Level:
Matthew & Michelle Welch, Charles Breer & Holly Bracket,
John Reinartz and Satoko Suzuki.
Thanks to our renewing Corporate Members:
JETRO Chicago, Lion Precision, Hamre, Schumann,
Mueller & Larson, PC., 3M, Taiyo International Inc,
Satellite Industries Inc., Hubbard Broadcasting Inc.
Find us at www.mn-japan.org, Facebook (Japan
America Society of Minnesota), call the JASM office,
or follow us on Twitter (@MNJAPAN)
for latest JASM updates
Japanese Speaking Volunteers Needed！
日本語ボランティア募集！
Please thank our corporate
members with your support!
Corporate Benefactor Members
Daikin McQuay, Inc.
Delta Airlines, Inc.
The 29th Annual Schwan's USA Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament,
the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, will be held at the Na- Corporate Sustaining Members
tional Sports Center in Blaine, MN from July 12 to July 20, 2013. Two girls teams from 3M Company
Amano McGann, Inc
Tokiwagi Gakuen High School in Sendai and One U14 boys team from Ibaraki, Osaka, American Medical Systems, Inc.
a sister city of Minneapolis, will be competing in this year's tournament. Note: VolunAndersen Corporation
Boston Scientific Corporation
teers need to have accesses to cars to get to the tournament site. Please contact Seigo
Dorsey & Whitney, LLP
Masubuchi at 651-308-5489 or amujapan@bitstream.net for more details.
Design Ready Control, Inc.
第２９回シュワンズＵＳＡカップユースサッカー大会（西半球最大のユースサッカー大
会）がミネソタ州ブレイン市のナショナルスポーツセンター（ギネスブック公認の５０
以上のサッカーフィールドを持つ世界最大のサッカー施設場）で７月１２日から２０日
にかけて開催されます。今年の大会には仙台市、常盤木学園高校から女子２チームとミ
ネアポリスの姉妹都市、大阪府茨木市
からＵ１４男子チームが参加します。
（注：ブレイン市にある大会会場に行
くには、車が必要です。）日本語ボラ
ンティアの問い合わせはＵＳＡカップ
組織委員会日本担当増渕聖剛６５１－
３０８ー５４８９もしくは
amujapan@bitstream.netまで。
Corporate Sponsor
Spotlight: Deloitte
The Japan America Society of
Minnesota would like to greatly
thank Deloitte Tax LLP on their
renewal as a corporate sponsor.
Deloitte services include: audit,
consulting, financial advisory, risk
management and tax. We appreciate
their support in facilitating the
future growth of JASM! For
information on Deloitte services,
please visit their website at www.
Deliotte.com. JASM is also pleased
to welcome Mr. Shannon Meyer as
the new Treasurer for JASM.
JASM Welcomes Matsuura
Machinery to Minnesota
Fredrikson & Byron, PA
Gray Plant Mooty
Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson, PC
Hubbard Broadcasting
Lion Precision
Mall of America
St. Jude Medical
Taiyo International, Inc.
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.
Vital Images, Inc.
Proto Labs, Inc.
Leonard, Street and Deinard
Corporate Contributing Members
Bloomington Sister City Organization
Briggs and Morgan, P.A.
Compart Family Farms
Devicix, LLC
Deloitte Tax LLP
Fish & Richardson, P.C.
Japan Lifeline Co. Ltd.
Professional Instruments Company
Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner, P.A.
Sysco Asian Foods
Wilson Learning Worldwide
Satellite Industries
Partners in Service
Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc., a fully
Dave Steffens Automotive &
owned subsidiary of Japanese-based,
Conway Auto Clinic
Carpenter Electric Equipment LLC
Matsuura Machinery Corporation, hosted a
Fujiya Restaurant
grand opening celebration and press
Trading, LLC
conference with remarks by Saint Paul Mayor J&K
Kiku Enterprises
Chris Coleman, Saint Paul Port Authority
Origami Restaurant
St. Paul Saints
President Louis Jambois, third generation
Sakura Restaurant & Sushi Bar
owner Katsu Matsuura, Mirja P. Hanson,
Saint Paul Convention & Visitors Authority
Honorary Consul General of Japan at
Suishin Restaurant
Minneapolis and other notable officials.
Tiger Sushi
Tomodachi
Matsuura is a world-wide leader in the
manufacturing of precision machine tools
Nonprofit Members
used in a variety of industries. The company Aikido of Minnesota
will focus its U. S. efforts on product
Anime Twin Cities, Inc.
BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota
importation and distribution as well as on
Concordia Language Villages
training and technical support. Matsuura’s
JETAA Minnesota
Saint Paul location expects to bring in $30
JETRO Chicago
million in annual revenue and will be home to KCC–Japan Education Exchange
24 employees, 4 of whom are on a temporary Macalester College Asian Language &
Culture Department
training assignment
Minneapolis Japanese School
from Japan. In the next
Minnesota International Center
Minnesota Trade Office
18 months the company
Mu Performing Arts
plans to have 30
N-Dimensional Japan
employees on board.
US-China Business Connections
Worldwide, Matsuura
Winona State Univ. Global Studies Dept.
brings in $170 million
in annual revenue.
Tom Haeg Review: The Teahouse Fire
The neighborhood teahouse in 19th century Japan was more than a platform of Japanese culture. It was
a portal into the intricate relationships that forged a society in transition from feudalism into modernity. There
were rules, some broken and some obeyed. Oftentimes one’s fate in this milieu depended upon how one, well,
negotiated the rules.
Ellis Avery entered a teahouse early in her career in Kyoto and afterwards her life was never the same. The
impression upon her was immense. She became a quick study to teahouse culture. The experience summoned
her to study Japanese tea ceremony for over five years in Kyoto and New York. This scholarship eventually
led her to writing the Teahouse Fire. While her studies certainly provided her with the credentials to write
with authority, it was her “…self-assured lyricism…”, as one reviewer notes, that makes Teahouse Fire a
classical read. She deftly weaves character development and plot twists to enthrall the reader while explaining
the historical context.
Teahouse Fire is period, historical fiction written in a narrative format from the perspective of an outsider
after many years of mature reflection. The outside narrator allows the author to highlight inconsistencies and
display exoticism in transitional Japan while deftly commingling among the inhabitants in scenes reminiscent
of Greek theater.
But, caveat reader. This is not a fast read. It is deliberate. Avery insists on detail. She is a scholar of the tea
ceremony and will not sacrifice her learning on the pillars of expedience. For example, she makes effort to
describe a woodblock print of a bijin, a beautiful woman in a fashionable kimono, to distinguish barbarian
women and foreigners. This dialogue eventually reposes in the sentiment, “Tea is the language of diplomacy.”
In the West, we have a word: companion. The radical of companion is ‘eating with bread’. The Latin cum
means ‘with’ and pan is ‘bread’: loosely translated, eating with others. Assuredly, some of our best experiences are sharing a meal with others. Teahouse Fire evokes a period mode for sharing tea. “People don’t want to
learn Tea in order to buy cheap ugly things. They want to be surrounded by what’s finest in Japan before it’s
gone”. The sharing of tea is a subliminal way of focusing on what it means to be Japanese. I highly recommend Teahouse Fire for a summer read. It will go nice with a warm cup of nihon-no ocha.
The Teahouse Fire; Ellis
Avery, Penguin Group,
2006; 465 pages($11.20
on Amazon)
Tom Haeg is Executive
Secretary of JASM and sits
on the Board of Directors
JASM Book Club
06月27日
Avid readers should participate in JASM’s new monthly
book club. The club meets at Espresso Royal Café in
Minneapolis, MN on the last Thursday of every month at
7pm. The book for this month’s discussion will be
announced at a later date. If you have any questions
regarding this club or the book of the month, please contact
Tom Haeg by e-mail at tomhaeg@msn.com or phone at 612947-3351. Please bring any notes and ideas you wish to
share. Happy reading!
Cherry Blossom Celebration, June 8
JASM, in co-sponsorship with the Saint
Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Committee, will be
hosting the annual Cherry Blossom Celebration.
The event will take place on June 8th, at the
Mannheimer Memorial at Como Park, on the
corner of North Lexington Parkway and Estabrook
Drive. Enjoy free refreshments, live Japanese
cultural entertainment, and a short ceremony
planting two new cherry trees!
Event highlights will include:
 Planting two additional cherry trees in Como
Park
 Performance by the Sansei Yonsei Kai Dancers
 Performance by Leo Hansen on the shakuhachi
flute
 Telling the story of Japanese cherry viewing
 Japanese cherry blossom themed refreshments
 Children’s craft activities
 Kite flying
If you attended the 100th, Centennial Celebration
last year, this year will be just as magnificent!
Mondale Scholar Update: Sadie Cornforth at Hiroshima University
Etajima 江田島
The first island I went to was Etajima as part of group trip with the other students on my
Study Abroad program. It is home to the largest Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
School and Base in Japan and the biggest submarine construction site in the country.
Our group took a tour of the facilities, which also included a museum containing final
letters of kamikaze pilots. Afterwards, we headed to what was the most anticipated
event of the day – strawberry picking!! I was surprised to learn that in Japan, strawberry
picking really means strawberry 食べ放題 (all-you-can-eat). That meant for 30
minutes, at the cost of $12 a person, we could pick and eat as many strawberries as we could. By the end of the 30
minutes, I think everyone had eaten an average of 60-70 strawberries. Later in
the day, we went to a seaside onsen. The sea around Etajima is absolutely
beautiful and you can rent a house by the beach in the summertime. That’s
something my friends and I are definitely looking forward to!
Miyajima 宮島
The famous Itsukushima Otorii at low
tide. I’m standing at the base. Can you
find me?? (^_^)
Miyajima is perhaps the most famous island in my little neck of the woods here
in Japan. It is primarily famous for the Itsukushima Shinto shrine and gate that
exist there, which appear to “float mysteriously atop the water” at high tide.
When the tide is low, people can walk out to the bottom of the gate and stick 1
yen coins into the cracks of the wood for good fortune. Other attractions
include climbing the mountain, eating grilled oysters, petting the resident deer,
and buying the obligatory momoji manju (a maple leaf-shaped waffle filled with
something sweet) souvenir.
-Sadie Cornforth
はじめまして：
はじめまして。
アンディー・
ケーザマンで
す。マカレス
ター大学で日本
語を勉強してい
ます。来年の秋
には、京都に勉強をしに行く予定です。ど
うぞよろしくお願いします。
Hello, my name is Andy Kaesermann! My connection with Japan has developed with two opportunities to travel to my hometown’s
(Manitowoc, WI) sister city, Kamogawa City in
Chiba-ken. From these two exchanges I have become vested in pursuing a lasting relationship
with Japan. This has led me to Minnesota in pursuit of a Japanese degree from Macalester College, and ultimately, to become a JASM intern.
NIHONJIN-KAI Yard Sale
June 30th, 8:30AM-6:00PM
For the upcoming sale on Sunday, June 30th from
8:30am to 6:00pm, please clean out your attic,
basement, closet, and drawers. Find your outdated,
outgrown, and unused treasures and please donate
them to the Nihonjin-kai Yard Sale. We sell and
use the money to fund activities and fun events.
Come and join us; become a volunteer. You have
to work like a dog but, we will feed you like a hog.
Bring a friend to show you can read a Japanese
Manga book or a Bible, which ever you prefer.
We have over 25,000 Books; 2500 DVD & Videos. I am sure you will find a perfect one for you.
はじめまして：
はじめまして！アンド
リュー・マナロです。
ミネソタ大学でコミュニ
ケーション研究とリー
ダーシップと日本語を勉
強し、２０１１年に卒業
しました。よろしくお願
いします。
Hello, my name is
Andrew Manalo. Since I
was a freshman in
college I have been
fascinated with reading manga and watching
anime, something that I still do to this day. During
my last two years at the U of M, I took four
semesters of Japanese, and I am currently working
for a Japanese restaurant named Benihana as a
sushi chef. As a newly hired JASM intern, I am
very excited to meet the Japanese community,
learn more about the culture, and get to know all
of the wonderful volunteers for the upcoming
events.
Or, you can simply become a rich shopper! We
will have clothes, kitchen wares, second hand electronics, and of course Japanese treasures. All you
have to do is to bring your wallet. There will be
hand made Japanese greeting cards that the volunteers have been making year around. Please pick
up a pretty one for your loved ones, or your own
personalized bookmark. Donations? Participation?
Questions? Please give us a call. We can also pick
items up. Thank you.
Location: 4231 Bloomington Ave S., Minneapolis,
MN 55407
Toshie Metzger …….Cell 612-750-6750
Yoko Breckenridge….Cell 612-839-0008
Advertise in the Tsushin!
Advertisement Rates
Style
1/4 page
1/2 page
Full page
Classified
Size Cost/issue
5 x 3.5 in $50.00
5 x 7.5 in $90.00
10 x 7.5 in $150.00
80 character line $10/ line
(min. 2 lines)
Ad production and design available in both
Japanese and English for an additional
charge. Deadline for completed ads and
classifieds is the 20th of every month.
Questions? Contact
the JASM Office
Tel: 612-627-9357
jasm@us-japan.org
月例
日本人会
のお知らせ
毎月日本語図書館で日本人会の昼食会（Monthly Nihonjinkai ）を行っています。電話などでお誘い合わせの上、お
友達やお知り合いとご一緒においで下さい。可能の方は
どうぞ料理を1品ご持参願います。ミネソタ州在住の日本
人達で良い事を考え、ご馳走と日本語で楽しい時間を持
ちましょう。
日程：毎月第2月曜日正午より
場所：日本語図書館
(4231 Bloomington Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55407)
また、毎週土曜日午後2時からは、日本語図書館のお手伝
いしてくださる方の集まりがあります。是非ご参加くだ
さい。この図書館には、漫画や宗教誌約25000冊や約2500
本のビデオDVDがあり、希望者にはセルフサービスで日
本人会と同じく無料で貸出しています。お問い合わせは
下記までどうぞ。
Yoko Breckenridge
Cell phone: (612) 839-0008 E-mail: Yoko@yoko4home.com
Nihonjin-kai monthly meeting on 2nd Monday noon
at 4231 Bloomington Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55407
Become a JASM Member online!
Japan America Society Calendar
June
Sake Tasting - June 4th
Cherry Blossom Celebration - June 8th
Mondale Scholarship Application Due - June 10th
JASM Professional Group - June 17th
Nihonjin-Kai Yard Sale - June 30th
July
Mondale Award Nominations Due - July 1st
Japanese Speaking Club
The Japanese Speaking Club is an informal
meeting place for those wishing to practice Japanese. We encourage those just beginning the language as well as native speakers to gather at the
Espresso Royale Café in Downtown Minneapolis to meet new people, discuss experiences
in Japan, or simply to
speak Japanese. Come
when you can, leave
when you must.
Date/Time: Ever y Satur day,
any time after 3:00 p.m.
Place: Espr esso Royale Cafe
1229 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403
Support our mission and become a member!
1.
2.
3.
Go to mn-japan.org
Click on ‘Membership’ at the top
Select your membership type and
read the benefits and instructions.
Become a member
on your smart phone!
Japan America Society of Minnesota
O Membership Application O Change of Address
O Tax-deductible Donation
_____________________________________________________
Name
_____________________________________________________
Name (2nd adult of a household membership)
_____________________________________________________
Address
_____________________________________________________
City
State
ZIP
___________________________
E-mail
___________________________
Phone
I would like to make an additional taxdeductable donation of
Individual Membership
Patron……………………$1,000+
Sustaining……………… $500+
Contributing……………. $100+
Individual ………………. $30
Student/Senior ………… $20
Household ……………... $50
(2 adults plus children under 18)
Amount Enclosed:____________
(Please make checks payable to
JASM)
Japan America Society of Minnesota
43 Main Street SE Suite EH—131
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Japan America
Society of Minnesota
Riverplace EH-131
43 Main Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414-1031
Tel: 612-627-9357
Fax: 612-379-2393
jasm@us-japan.org
www.mn-japan.org
Tsūshin
June 2013
The Japan America Society of Minnesota is a non-profit, nonpolitical association engaged in bringing the peoples of Japan
and the United States closer together in mutual understanding,
respect, and cooperation. Through programs and interchange,
it endeavors to promote an appreciation of cultural,
educational, economic, public, and other affairs of interest to
both peoples. Membership in the society is open to individuals,
corporations, and other organizations interested in furthering
its programs.
The Japan America Society of Minnesota is a member of the
National Association of Japan-America Societies.
(Please report any inaccuracies you find in this publication to
jasm.interns@gmail.com)

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