Hinamatsuri Japanese Girl’s Day Celebration at the Detroit Institute of Arts

JCD and the JBSD brought a wonderful day of Japanese children’s culture to the Detroit Institute of Arts on Sunday, March 3rd. The Japanese Girl’s Day celebration included koto performances of musical pieces from Totoro, ikebana demonstrations, a hina dolls display representing the historical Japanese court, paper making, tea ceremony, festival dancing, Japanese sweets making and more! An installation bursting with pink energy encouraged children to write their wishes and their fondness for Detroit on their own origami creation and dangle it from the pink rafters. The project was conceived and created by artists Sao Ohtake, Kyoko Fujii and Nobuko Yamasaki. The Society was pleased to join the Consulate General of Japan, Shiga Prefecture, and the JSD Women’s Club as a supporting sponsor.

Speech Contest 2024

Congratulations to the Japanese Language students from the local High Schools and Universities for preparing and delivering speeches in Japanese on Saturday, February 10. Thanks to the judges who spent the afternoon carefully listening and evaluating. Everyone was a winner! Here, the Contest Judge representing the Japan America Society, Michael Gillum Esq. from Dickinson Wright presents one of the awards. And our appreciation also goes to the Consulate General of Japan and the Japan Teachers’ Association of Michigan for organizing the Contest and to all of the generous sponsors, including the JBSD and the JSD Women’s Club.

JBSD Executive Director Harry Kawase

2024 will begin with arrival of Mr. Harry Kawase at the Japan Business Society of Detroit. Mr. Kawase is an experienced Japan-US automotive industry professional. After more than a decade at Toyoda Gosei in Japan, he came to Magna International in Troy in 2000, and after the last 10 years at Hutchinson in Auburn Hills, he is has left his position as Director of Business Development and Advisor to the CEO to be the Executive Director of the JBSD.

We look forward to working closely with him and always appreciate the support of the important Japan America Society member JBSD.

Mr. Shosaku Ueda’s service as the JBSD Executive Director and Japan America Society Board Member are greatly valued and we will miss him very much as he retires.

 

JAS Members' Holiday Dinner

The local Japan-US-Canadian business and cultural community celebrated the holiday season together at Meadow Brook Hall, the historic home of the famous Canadian Matilda Dodge, whose husband, John Dodge founded the Dodge auto manufacturer with his brother Horace Dodge. Consul General Yusuke Shindo and Mrs. Seiko Shindo are pictured with the Mayor of Novi, Justin Fischer and Melissa Fischer.

Sotatsu Talk at the DIA and Freer House 11.19.23

Click here to watch the Video on YouTube

“From the National Museum of Asian Art, Freer Gallery, Dr. Frank Feltens lectured at the DIA on the significance of Sotatsu's Waves of Matsushima. He retraced the footsteps of this celebrated masterpiece—from Kyoto, to Detroit, and finally landing in DC. In the very early 1900s, Charles Freer emerges as one of the first collectors of Japanese art beyond the shores of Japan, was one of the first to recognize Asian art as fine art. Later, with the support of President Teddy Roosevelt, Freer's collection became the foundation collection for the first art museum at the Smithsonian, that would later become the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art Freer Gallery in 1923. Who would have thought that a rail car manufacturing guy from Detroit would possess such foresight? A heartfelt shoutout to the trailblazers at DIA, Wayne State University Freer House, NMAA, and the Japan American Society for bringing renewed attention to this incredible odyssey with roots here in Detroit!”

- Japan America Society Chair Derrick Redding

Derrick Redding Elected Chair of the Japan America Society

The Japan America Society of Michigan and Southwest Ontario is excited to announce our new Chair, Derrick Redding, CEO of Betterfrost Technologies.  Derrick’s accomplishments at Toyota, Tier 1 suppliers, and technology start-ups in the US, Japan, and Canada position him to lead the Society into its fourth decade of fostering friendship, cultural understanding, and business associations between the three cultures.

 

The 5:01 CLUB returns, sponsored by PwC

PwC hosted a networking reception on Friday, October 13th, at their Detroit office high above Woodward Avenue, with views of both Detroit and Canada. The Society introduced Derrick Redding as its newly elected Chair. The Japanese Consulate presented a lively and informative sake-tasting master class.