Consul General Kishimori presented the Minister’s Award to Liseann Gouin, President of the Japan America Society, for ‘her outstanding contributions to friendly relations between countries’. The Minister refers to her as a ‘key figure in promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United States’.
JAS Festive Holiday Gathering 2025
Society members celebrated a year of Japan-US-Canada friendship with good cheer, warm greetings from the Consul General of Japan and of Canada, friendly bidding rivalry at an auction of generous corporate contributions, and a choir performance from the White Pine Glee Club with Trillium and Otomodachi.
Michigan-Japan HR Conference
On November 21, 2025 Ikigai Connections invited Consul General Kishimori, and Society experts from: Dickinson Wright, Plante Moran, and Hirotec America to present the most up-to-date information to HR professionals. The City of Novi was the Conference host and Paris Baguette supplied a delectable lunch and snacks from Sakura Novi. Thanks to our partners JBSD & JETRO.
Michigan Governor Whitmer with the Consulate, JBSD, and the JAS November 12th
Inviting investigation of the theme of Discover What You Love about Japan, the Consulate General of Japan offered the Governor and Michigan legislators the opportunity to participate in the traditional Japanese arts in downtown Lansing.
Sakura NOVI Dedication Ceremony October 23rd!
Downtown NOVI has a new Public Garden with a peaceful pond, a playground, and residences for lease, all anchored to Asian inspired restaurants and shops.
Summit on Japan-US Cultural and Educational Exchange
Thursday, October 23, in Novi, Society leaders and members joined the United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON) a binational advisory panel that serves to elevate and strengthen the vital cultural and educational foundations of the U.S.-Japan relationship, and to strengthen connections between U.S. and Japan leadership in those fields.
Cranbrook Japanese Garden's New Entrance Designed by Sadafumi Uchiyama
Japanese landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama cuts the ribbon accompanied by the great great grandson of Cranbrook’s founders George and Ellen Booth, Greg Wittkopp, Director of Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, and Consul General of Japan, Hajime “Jimmy” Kishimori, on Monday, October 20th, 2025, 110 years after the Garden’s original creation.
Japan-Michigan Innovation Seminar at Newlab Detroit
Japanese start up TriOrb Inc. was invited by the Consulate General of Japan to participate in a panel titled: JAPANESE STARTUPS and CRAFTSMANSHIP moderated by JETRO's Exe. Dir. SHIONO Tatsuhiko.
Michael Magdich from Industry 4.0 Accelerator led the show with a Panel on COLLABORATION BETWEEN JAPANESE COMPANIES and STARTUPS.
A winning collaboration between the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, JETRO - Japan External Trade Organization, Japan Business Society of Detroit, Japan America Society of Michigan and Southwest Ontario, MEDC and Newlab
Japan Festival 2025 with JBSD in NOVI
September 28th was a great day of celebrating Japanese Culture with the community including: a musical Shodo performance from ‘Kyoko Calligraphy’, the White Pine Glee Club and Trillium, Japanese Tea Ceremonies from three traditions and many matsuri activities and snacks for children and adults alike.
We bid the fondest of farewells to our dear Tomoyo Koehler, tea ceremony master, as she travels back to Japan.
Cranbrook MiBon Festival 2025
An enthusiastic crowd of Taiko musicians and Bon Odori dancers braved the summer heat on Sunday, August 10th to uphold the Japanese tradition of Obon in honor of our ancestors. The 3rd Annual Japanese Bon Festival with the Great Lakes TAIKO Center hosted by Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research also celebrated the renovations of the Cranbrook Japanese Garden announcing the scheduled reopening on October 19th!
JAS Young Professionals led by Stephanie Knitter hosted a Japanese crafts table for children that featured a Yayoi Kusama theme.
Generous community support came from Tokyo Rope Mfg, Japan Business Society of Detroit, the Consulate General of Japan, JCMU, Michigan-Shiga Sister State Program, JACL, Novi Public Library, and Ikebana International.
35th Anniversary Celebration of Japan-American Relations in Michigan and Ontario
Society members, City and State officials, and national representatives filled the ballroom of the Detroit Athletic Club on June 3rd 2025 to celebrate 35 years of Japan-US friendship and auto industry collaboration.
The occasion centered on the significant Detroit and Michigan links to Japan, some that date back to the previous century.
Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard acknowledged the 65th Anniversary of the Detroit-Toyota Sister City Agreement. Consul General ‘Jimmy’ Kishimori said that a succession of 14 Consuls General of Japan had been supporting Japan-US relations in Detroit over 32 years and that Michigan and Shiga have been sister states for 57 years. Canadian Consul General Colin Bird, emphasized the importance of the solidity of Canada-US-Japan relations for the world.
Three institutions at the very founding of local relations with Japan were inducted into the Society’s newly formed ‘Affiliates’ level of membership: The University of Michigan, The Charles Lang Freer House, Wayne State University, and Cranbrook Educational Community.
Cranbrook’s Greg Wittkopp and Kevin Adkisson delivered fascinating illustrated presentations linking Detroit architect Albert Kahn to the Detroit Athletic Club, Henry Ford’s automotive plants, Eiji Toyoda, and to the Cranbrook House where landscape architect Sadafumi Uchiyama is revitalizing a 120 year-old Japanese Pond-Style Strolling Garden.
Thanks to AISIN and the Detroit Regional Chamber and MichAuto for the generous sponsorships!
Henry Ford Museum Japan Day
A new tradition began on Sunday, May 4th
To celebrate Children’s Day in Japan, along with Consul General ‘Jimmy’ Kishimori and JBSD’s President Shin Sasaki and Executive Director ‘Harry’ Kawase, Society leaders and members visited the Henry Ford Museum to discover how Japan's spirit of technological progress is woven into the history of American innovation. Eiji Toyoda gained insights into mass production techniques at the Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant and Thomas Edison's early light bulbs used bamboo filaments from Kyoto Prefecture. We saw HONDA Job 1, the 1st car produced outside of Japan along with the 1966 Toyota Corona Sedan. We also investigated Isamu Noguchi's important role in modern design.
The day offered several attractions for children including the iconic artifacts of the train that inspired Thomas the Tank Engine and the Wright brothers’ airplane, a train ride powered by a huge steam locomotive, an antique carousel and the famous Greenfield Village frozen custard.