Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians an opportunity to make a wish and learn more about Tanabata on Sunday, July 21 at the Children’s Museum Houston (CMH).

Join us in helping run the Tanabata activity stations that will be available!  All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Shifts will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up to volunteer below by Thursday, July 18.

TANABATA 2024

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians an opportunity to make a wish and learn more about Tanabata on Friday, July 7 at the Children’s Museum Houston (CMH).

Join us in helping run the Tanabata activity stations that will be available!  All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Shifts will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up to volunteer below. 

Note: Volunteers will need to complete the JASH volunteer waiver. See the button below to download the form. The signed form will need to be submitted to JASH by Wednesday, July 5.

TANABATA 2023

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

This form is now closed.

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

After a two year hiatus, the Tababata celebration returns to the Children’s Museum of Houston!

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians an opportunity to make a wish for Tanabata on Saturday, July 9 at the Children’s Museum of Houston (CMH).

Storytelling, and craft making experiences have been planned to help us celebrate this auspicious day. 

• Kamishibai: Hear the legend of Tanabata 七夕 with traditional storytelling in Kids’ Hall.

• Tanzaku: Make a wish, write it down on a wish card, and hang it on a bamboo tree in Kids’ Hall.

• Origami: Make Tanabata 七夕 themed pieces of art with traditional Japanese paper folding in Kids’ Hall.

JASH and the CGJ need your help making sure the event goes off without a hitch!  Shifts will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up to volunteer below. 

Note: Volunteers will need to complete (i) the JASH volunteer waiver and (ii) the Children’s Museum of Houston’s Vaccination Policy. See buttons below to download forms. The signed forms will be need to be submitted to JASH by Friday, July 8.

TANABATA 2022

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING AT TANABATA 2022. THIS FORM IS NOW CLOSED.

Out of an interest for public health and safety in light of the the elevated COVID-19 threat level in Harris County, the Tanabata Star Festival Events on Friday, August 6 at the Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center and the Saturday, August 7 at the Children’s Museum of Houston have been CANCELLED.

Kogei, often translated as “craft,” refers to objects of the highest technical sophistication, and it is one of the finest Japanese artistic traditions.

Encompassing metalwork, enamels, wood and ivory carving, lacquer, ceramics, and many other materials, kogei sometimes take the form of small, even functional objects, such as incense burners and tea caddies. As is the tradition, they are meant to be admired and prized as masterpieces and works of art.

Presented by Bradley Bailey, the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Curator of Asian Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), this talk explores both the history and contemporary practice of kogei.

Lecture is FREE with admission to the museum.

Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet in the American General Conference Room on the Mezzanine Level of the Beck Building.

Click the button below to visit MFAH’s webpage for more information and parking.

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians the opportunity to make a wish Tanabata-style at the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Activities ranging from traditional dancing, storytelling, and craft making have been planned. 

• Kamishibai: Experience Tanabata 七夕 with traditional storytelling in Kids’ Hall.

• Tanzaku: Make a wish, write it down on a wish card, and hang it on a bamboo tree in Kids’ Hall.

• Origami: Master the art of Japanese paper folding by making stars in Kids’ Hall.

JASH and the CGJ need your help making sure the event goes off without a hitch!  Sign up to volunteer below.  One (1) volunteer shift, from 11AM-4PM, with a 30-min break is available.

TANABATA 2019

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

Please register by July 1.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with Project Row Houses, presents a lively and thought-provoking selection of short films that includes the Houston premiere of BORN WITH IT.

The award-winning film by JASH Member Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Jr. tells the story of young Keisuke, a half-Japanese, half-black boy intends to prove to his new Japanese classmates that dark skin is not a disease.

Watch the trailer.

• Director - Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Jr.
• Released -  2015
• Language  -  English & Japanese with English subtitles
• Running Time  -  15 minutes

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Born and raised in Houston, Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, Jr. received his bachelor’s degree in film studies from Stanford University and his MFA in film at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He started his career in Japan, where he developed a passion for telling human-centered stories. His films have won awards at more than 50 film festivals, including Cannes, Palm Springs, and Toronto.

BORN WITH IT AWARDS & FILM FESTIVAL HISTORY

2015 NBCUniversal Short Film Festival - Best Film
2015 NBCUniversal Short Film Festival - Greatest Social Impact Award
2015 Toronto Int'l Film Festival (Kids Section) - Honorable Mention Best Live Action Short
2016 Pan African Film Festival - Best Short Film
2016 CAAM Fest (aka SF Asian American Int'l Film Fest) - Best Student Short Film
2015 Bar Harbor Int'l Film Festival - Best Short Film
2014 Short Shorts Int’l Short Film Festival (Tokyo, Japan) - Ibaraki Short Film Award Finalist
2015 Clermont-Ferrand Int’l Short Film Festival (Clermont-Ferrand, France)
2016 Japan Cuts Film Festival
2016 Bentonville Film Festival
2015 Seoul Int'l Youth Film Festival (Seoul, Korea)
2015 Nancy-Lorraine Int'l Film Festival (Nancy-Lorraine, France)
2014 Sapporo Int’l Short Film Festival (Sapporo, Japan)
2014 Kyoto Int’l Student Short Film Festival (Kyoto, Japan)
2014 SKIP CITY Int’l D-Cinema Festival (Saitama, Japan)

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians the opportunity to make a wish Tanabata-style at the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Activities ranging from traditional dancing, storytelling, and craft making have been planned. 

• Kamishibai: Experience Tanabata 七夕 with traditional storytelling in Kids’ Hall.

• Bon Odori: Embrace Japanese culture through an ancient traditional dance in Kids’ Hall.

• Tanzaku: Make a wish, write it down on a wish card, and hang it on a bamboo tree in Kids’ Hall.

• Origami: Master the art of Japanese paper folding by making stars in Kids’ Hall.

JASH and the CGJ need your help making sure the event goes off without a hitch!  Sign up to volunteer below.  Two (2) volunteers shifts are available.

TANABATA 2018

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION

Volunteer registration has closed.  Please come by the Children's Museum from 10AM-3PM on July 7 to take part in all the fun activities.

Part Three in The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's film series highlighting prolific Japanese filmmaker Umetsugu Inoue - Japan's Music Man.

In The Eagle and the Hawk, actor Yujiro Ishihara plays Senkichi, a seaman seeking out his father's enemy.  Senkichi's bad attitude immediately gets him into trouble with the crew, but he attracts the attention of the two women on board - a sultry stowaway and the captain's high-spirited daughter.

• Director  -  Umetsugu Inoue
• Released -  1957
• Language  -  Japanese with English subtitles
• Running Time  -  115 minutes

UMETSUGU INOUE - JAPAN'S MUSIC MAN FILM SERIES

PART ONE:  The Stormy Man | Saturday, June 23, 2018 | 7PM

PART TWO:  The Winner | Friday, June 29, 2018 | 7PM

PART THREE:  The Eagle and the Hawk | Saturday, June 30, 2018 | 7PM

Part Two in The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's film series highlighting prolific Japanese filmmaker Umetsugu Inoue - Japan's Music Man.

In The Winner, punk kid Yujiro Ishihara tries boxing, gets the tar punched out of him, then starts training for real.  His manager is a former contender who sees the boy as a way to realize his own lost championship dreams.

• Director  -  Umetsugu Inoue
• Released -  1957
• Language  -  Japanese with English subtitles
• Running Time  -  98 minutes

UMETSUGU INOUE - JAPAN'S MUSIC MAN FILM SERIES

PART ONE:  The Stormy Man | Saturday, June 23, 2018 | 7PM

PART TWO:  The Winner | Friday, June 29, 2018 | 7PM

PART THREE:  The Eagle and the Hawk | Saturday, June 30, 2018 | 7PM

Prolific Japanese filmmaker Umetsugu Inoue (1923-2010) made movies in a variety of genres, but his musicals set him apart. ... As a contract director at Nikkatsu in the '50s, he was expected to be proficient in several genres and to mix them up when necessary.  Unlike  traditional Hollywood musicals, in which song-and-dance numbers occur as fantasy sequences triggered by overflowing emotions, the music in Inoue's films almost always arises logically from the action.  --Tom Vick, Freer|Sackler Curator of Film

JASH is pleased to support The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston as they bring Inoue's musicals to Houston in the three part series Umetsugu Inoue - Japan's Music Man.

Part One is a screening of The Stormy Man stars Yujiro Ishihara as a young ruffian aspiring to be a drummer in Tokyo's Ginza jazz world.  One of Japan's biggest hits of the last 1950s, young audiences cheered to Ishihara's lyrics "Ore wa doram, yakuza na dorama" ("I'm a drummer, a no-good drummer!").

• Director  -  Umetsugu Inoue
• Released -  1957
• Language  -  Japanese with English subtitles
• Running Time  -  101 minutes

UMETSUGU INOUE - JAPAN'S MUSIC MAN FILM SERIES

PART ONE:  The Stormy Man | Saturday, June 23, 2018 | 7PM

PART TWO:  The Winner | Friday, June 29, 2018 | 7PM

PART THREE:  The Eagle and the Hawk | Saturday, June 30, 2018 | 7PM

The annual Sister Cities of Houston, Inc. international variety show features local & international performers from Houston and its 18 Sister Cities.

2018 PERFORMERS

• Mixteco Ballet Folklorico
• HSPVA Chamber Singers (Julia Hall, Director)
• Nao Kusuzaki (Ballerina from Japan) Accompanied by Adrian Ciobanu
• Newman Liu, Master Chinese viola player, formally with Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by Lawrence L. Xie
• Wawel Polish Folk Dancers

Click here for more information.

Join the The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) for a concert in the Museum’s European art galleries featuring celebrated Japanese violinist Ryu Goto.

Goto, who is in Houston for the 50th Anniversary of the Japan Business Association of Houston, presents this musical afternoon at the MFAH as a gift to Houston to show JAPAN STANDS WITH HOUSTON and to convey his wishes for Houston's speedy recovery from Hurricane Harvey.

The concert is free with Museum admission!  Drop in to participate.  Seating on campstools is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For additional details, please click here.

JASH is pleased to support Sasakawa USA’s inaugural event in The Alliance Working in America (TAWA) series, which focuses on engaging regional leaders across America with the U.S.-Japan alliance. 

The event, co-hosted by the Sasakawa USA, World Affairs Council of Houston, and the East-West Center in Washington, will feature a panel discussion on “The U.S.-Japan Partnership on Energy, Business, and the Challenges of China and North Korea.”

Expert analyses and data will provide a comprehensive view of how strong U.S.-Japan relations serve U.S. interests and values, and how various sectors contribute to strengthening the U.S.-Japan relationship.  In particular, the event will explore key areas such as energy where U.S.-Japan ties make significant contributions to national security as well as state and local communities.

Click here for a full agenda and information about the speakers.

REGISTER

To register, please click through to the WACH website here.

AGENDA

6:30-7:00pm | Registration
7:00-7:05pm | Welcome Remarks
7:05-8:00pm | Panel Presentations: Security Environment in the Asia-Pacific & the Role of the U.S.-Japan Alliance; Japan Matters for America and Texas; and, Case study: U.S.-Japan Energy Cooperation in Houston and Texas
8:00-8:15pm | Discussion and Audience Q&A

PARTICIPANTS

• Ambassador James Zumwalt, CEO, Sasakawa USA
• Ambassador David Shear, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia-Pacific Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense and Chairman, National Association of Japan-America Societies (NAJAS)
• Dr. Satu Limaye, Director, East-West Center in Washington
• Clara Gillipsie, Senior Director of Trade, Economic, and Energy Affairs, The National Bureau of Asian Research

This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled in the near future.

After an unprecedented cinematic premiere and a single encore presentation on the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, known as the Day of Remembrance marking the beginning of the forced relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII, Broadway musical Allegiance returns to Houston for special screenings at the Queensbury Theatre!

Inspired by true events, Allegiance is the story of the Kimura family, whose lives were upended when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 forcing them and 120,000 other Japanese-Americans to leave their homes following the events of Pearl Harbor.

Watch the Allegiance Original Broadway Cast on the big screen, including legendary performer George Takei — (“Star Trek,” “Heroes”), who was himself an internee as a child, and Tony® winner Lea Salonga – (“Miss Saigon,” “Mulan”).

VIP Screening

Take a trip back stage as Allegiance lead producer and show writer, Lorenzo Thione, shares insights into the making of the production.

• Thursday, July 13th  – 7PM – VIP Screening (includes refreshments and a talk back with Lorenzo Thione, lead producer and show writer of Allegiance) -  Price $62 + $3 box office processing fee

General Screenings

This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled in the near future.

• Friday, July 14th – 7:30PM – Price $32 + $3 box office processing fee
• Saturday, July 15th – 7:30PM – Price $32 + $3 box office processing fee
• Sunday, July 16th – 2PM – Price $32 + $3 box office processing fee

For tickets go to http://queensburytheatre.org/tickets-2/ or call 713-467-4497

FAQ

Q: Is Allegiance okay for children to see?

A: Allegiance is a family friendly drama, and most children above the age of eight should be fine. There are some adult themes, as well as use of weapons, during the show, but there is no strong language or sexual content.

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ star festival) honors the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi. 

According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true.  Therefore, on this day, Japanese write their own wishes on colorful paper (tanzaku) and hang them from bamboo branches. 

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians the opportunity to make a wish Tanabata-style at the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Activities ranging from traditional dancing, storytelling, and craft making have been planned.  Join us for:

• Kamishibai:  Experience Tanabata 七夕 with traditional storytelling in Kids’ Hall.
• Bon Odori:  Embrace Japanese culture through an ancient traditional dance in Kids’ Hall.
• Tanzaku:  Make a wish, write it down on a wish card, and hang it on a bamboo tree in Kids’ Hall.
• Origami:  Master the art of Japanese paper folding by making stars in Kids’ Hall. 

**Note: All volunteer shifts have been filled.  Thank you for your enthusiasum and support.

Unlike simple flower arranging, ikebana is a disciplined Japanese art form in which nature and humanity are brought together and represented with the use of living branches, leaves, grasses, and blossoms. An asymmetrical form and the use of empty space are essential features of the composition, and a sense of harmony among the materials, the container, and the setting is crucial.

YuMei Montalvo, First Jonin Somu (professor) of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, will provide a short history of ikebana, the Japanese art and philosophy of flower arranging. As she demonstrates the creation and composition of several arrangements, she will explain the relationship of the materials being used and the importance of their placement within the arrangements.

Contact event host City of Sugar Land Cultural Arts Manager, Lindsay Davis to reserve a seat.

YuMei Montalvo

Mrs. Montalvo, born in Taiwan and married to an Ecuadorean, has been practicing the Sogetsu style of flower arrangement for over 20 years.  A member of the Teachers of Ikebana Association, Tokyo, Japan, Mrs. Montalvo has taught ikebana in Singapore and Ecuador.  In addition to serving as President of the Quito Chapter of Ikebana International, she also served as director of floral decorations for Quito's J.W. Marriot International Hotel.

Mrs. Montalvo established the Houston Sogetsu Group in 2014 after moving to Houston.  While Houston is now home, she travels regularly to Ecuador and across the U.S. conducting workshops and exhibitions.

Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota (Hiroshi Abe) wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his mother (Kirin Kiki) and beautiful ex-wife (Yoko Make) move on with their lives. Renewing contact with his family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence and to find a lasting place in the life of his young son (Taiyo Yoshizawa)—until a stormy summer night offers them a chance to truly bond again. 

After The Storm (Umi yori mo mada fukaku)

• Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda
• 2016, in Japanese with English subtitles
• Japan, 117 minutes

Tickets: Visit www.mfah.org

See a roundup of up critics’ reviews.

“It’s hard to think of another filmmaker who maps the emotional landscape of divorce-torn families as precisely as Kore-eda. Predicated on the revelatory power of shared meals and small talk, After the Storm builds to a scene of three people running around in a heavy downpour—a wistful, funny, and indelible vision of a family coming together to chase an impossibly happy dream.” —Los Angeles Times

“After the Storm benefits from a lead character with some gratifyingly sharp edges, lending the film real dramatic stakes even as it retains a surface serenity.” —Movie Mezzanine

“Warmly funny . . . beautifully acted by a great cast, it’s a film that sticks with you.” —New York Times

“Wonderful! Has special warmth and grace.” —Wall Street Journal

“Kore-eda isn’t just one of the world’s best filmmakers, but one of its most indispensable artists.” —Village Voice

“Kore-eda may only make good movies, but After the Storm is one of his best.” —IndieWire

“One of the year’s most affecting, humanistic films.” —The Film Stage

“A rich, thoughtful character study that stands with its author’s finest work.” —Now Magazine

Dwelling on his past glory as a prize-winning author, Ryota (Hiroshi Abe) wastes the money he makes as a private detective on gambling and can barely pay child support. After the death of his father, his mother (Kirin Kiki) and beautiful ex-wife (Yoko Make) move on with their lives. Renewing contact with his family, Ryota struggles to take back control of his existence and to find a lasting place in the life of his young son (Taiyo Yoshizawa)—until a stormy summer night offers them a chance to truly bond again. 

After The Storm (Umi yori mo mada fukaku)

• Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda
• 2016, in Japanese with English subtitles
• Japan, 117 minutes

Tickets: Visit www.mfah.org

See a roundup of up critics’ reviews.

“It’s hard to think of another filmmaker who maps the emotional landscape of divorce-torn families as precisely as Kore-eda. Predicated on the revelatory power of shared meals and small talk, After the Storm builds to a scene of three people running around in a heavy downpour—a wistful, funny, and indelible vision of a family coming together to chase an impossibly happy dream.” —Los Angeles Times

“After the Storm benefits from a lead character with some gratifyingly sharp edges, lending the film real dramatic stakes even as it retains a surface serenity.” —Movie Mezzanine

“Warmly funny . . . beautifully acted by a great cast, it’s a film that sticks with you.” —New York Times

“Wonderful! Has special warmth and grace.” —Wall Street Journal

“Kore-eda isn’t just one of the world’s best filmmakers, but one of its most indispensable artists.” —Village Voice

“Kore-eda may only make good movies, but After the Storm is one of his best.” —IndieWire

“One of the year’s most affecting, humanistic films.” —The Film Stage

“A rich, thoughtful character study that stands with its author’s finest work.” —Now Magazine

Join JASH is supporting the annual Ikebana International Houston Chapter #12 Ikebana Exhibition.

See on display the creative talents of Ikebana International Members from all the local schools - Ikenobo, Ohara, Ichiyo, and Sogetsu.

Nature is always changing.  Plants grow and put forth leaves, flowers bloom, and berries are borne regularly and repeatedly throughout the seasons.  Nature has its own rhythm and order.  The awareness of this is the first step in involving oneself in ikebana.

Presented by:

Join JASH at Brazos Bookstore for a reading from Kelly Luce's debut novel PULL ME UNDER.

PULL ME UNDER is a psychological thriller set in Tokushima that tells the story of Rio Silvestri, who, when she was twelve years old, fatally stabbed a school bully. Rio, born Chizuru Akitani, is the Japanese American daughter of the revered violinist Hiro Akitani—a Living National Treasure in Japan and a man Rio hasn’t spoken to since she left her home country for the United States (and a new identity) after her violent crime. Her father’s death, along with a mysterious package that arrives on her doorstep in Boulder, Colorado, spurs her to return to Japan for the first time in twenty years. There she is forced to confront her past in ways she never imagined, pushing herself, her relationships with her husband and daughter, and her own sense of who she is to the brink.

The novel’s illuminating and palpably atmospheric descriptions of Japan and its culture, as well its elegantly dynamic structure, call to mind both Ruth Ozeki’s A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING and David Guterson’s SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. PULL ME UNDER is gripping, psychologically complex fiction—at the heart of which is an affecting exploration of home, self-acceptance, and the limits of forgiveness.

The Japan Times has praised both PULL ME UNDER and Luce's collection of stories, THREE SCENARIOS IN WHICH HANA SASAKI GROWS A TAIL, saying "Luce manages to effortlessly capture both what it’s like to be a foreigner in Japan and to write in a believable way from the perspective of a native."  Read Suzanne Kamata's review of PULL ME UNDER here.

Click here to reserve your book online through Brazos Bookstore at least 24 hours in advance. Call 713-523-0701 to reserve books on the day of the signing.

Within the 2016 Houston Turkish Film Festival, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is presenting a very unique docu-drama that is known to the Japanese community as KAINAN 1890 (known as Ertuğrul 1890 in Turkish and 125 Years Memory in English).

This moving and dramatic historical epic is based on two occasions of humanitarian cooperation between Japanese and Turkish people that happened a century apart.

In 1890 the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul, on its way home after paying a courtesy visit to the emperor of Japan, was driven aground in a typhoon and wrecked in the Pacific Ocean. Hearing the alarm bell that warned of a vessel in distress, local villagers provided assistance, saving 69 from a crew of 600.

The film flashes forward to 1985, during the Iran–Iraq War, when the evacuation of Japanese citizens in Tehran was aided by officials at the Turkish Embassy who arranged for a safe departure during the dangerous bombing raids.

These two humanitarian initiatives have indelibly linked Turkey and Japan.

For tickets, click here.

 KAINAN 1890 | Erugrul 1890 | 125 Years Memory 

2015; Mitsutoshi Tanaka
2 hrs 2 mins
in Japanese and Turkish with English subtitles, Turkey/Japan
Color

Website

http://125yearsmemory.com/

To learn more about the film, click here.

JASH is proud to be collaborating with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) as it presents the New Films from Asia film series and brings to Houston the Japanese film Sweet Bean (An).

Sweet Bean (An)

• Directed by Naomi Kawase
• 2015, in Japanese with English subtitles
• Japan/France/Germany, 113 minutes

Tickets: Coming Soon

Sweet red bean paste is the central ingredient in the dorayaki pancakes that Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase) sells from his little bakery to a small but loyal clientele. Absorbed in sad memories, Sentaro cooks without enthusiasm until the elderly Tokue (Kirin Kiki) responds to his ad for an assistant and offers to work for him. Tokue, cheerful yet mysterious, shares her special recipe for the paste and Sentaro's business thrives, although each character faces personal challenges.

Read The New York Times review here.

JASH is proud to be collaborating with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) as it presents the New Films from Asia film series and brings to Houston the Japanese film Sweet Bean (An).

Sweet Bean (An)

• Directed by Naomi Kawase
• 2015, in Japanese with English subtitles
• Japan/France/Germany, 113 minutes

Tickets: Coming Soon

Sweet red bean paste is the central ingredient in the dorayaki pancakes that Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase) sells from his little bakery to a small but loyal clientele. Absorbed in sad memories, Sentaro cooks without enthusiasm until the elderly Tokue (Kirin Kiki) responds to his ad for an assistant and offers to work for him. Tokue, cheerful yet mysterious, shares her special recipe for the paste and Sentaro's business thrives, although each character faces personal challenges.

Read The New York Times review here.

Steeped in legend, Tanabata (七夕/ the star festival) commemorates the annual reuniting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. According to folklore, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.  

With the stars aligning for this reunion, wishes are destined to come true, which is why this Japanese holiday is celebrated by writing wishes on small pieces of paper and hanging them on bamboo trees.

JASH, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of Japan (CGJ) in Houston, will be giving young Houstonians the opportunity to make a wish Tanabata-style at the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Activities ranging from traditional dancing, storytelling, and craft making have been planned, and JASH and the CGJ need your help making sure the event goes off without a hitch!

Two volunteer shifts are available. 

Sign up below.

Japan Cinefest is coming to Houston courtesy of Asia Society Texas Center.

Enjoy short films from emerging Japanese and Japanese American filmmakers who shed light on love and relationships, ethnic-based discrimination, concepts of social acceptance, and a sense of duty to one’s family.

To learn more about Japan Cinefest, visit asiasociety.org/texas

Featured short films:

• Confession Ranking of Girlfriend
  Director Shinichiro Ueda, 2014, 19 minutes
  Japanese with English subtitles
• Tadaima
  Director Robin Takao D’Oench, 2014, 15 minutes
  Japanese with English subtitles
• Reflection
  Director Hazuki Aikawa, 2014, 23 minutes
  English
• Tsuyako
  Director Mitsuyo Miyazaki, 2011, 25 minutes
  Japanese with English subtitles
• Monk by Blood
  Director Ema Ryan Yamazaki, 2013, 25 minutes
  English and Japanese with English subtitles