Cincinnati JACL Presents: An Introduction to Mount Koya and Japanese Buddhism [Nov. 7]

Sunday, November 7 at 2 -4 pm
Lecture & Discussion with DVD of Koya-san* by

The Venerable Daiun Iba,

Most Venerable Chief Monk, Ohio Buddhist Vihara

1831 Miles Rd., Cincinnati 45231 (Mt. Healthy)**

Koyasan is the general name for the Buddhist monastic complex of the Shingon sect on Mt. Koya in Wakayama Pref.  It is associated with Kukai ( aka Kobo Daishi, 774-835), the founder of the Shingon sect in Japan.  It has been designated as a UN Cultural Heritage site.

PLEASE RSVP TO:  kbsato@yahoo.com or 859-384-1226   by Nov. 5 so we know how many chairs to bring.

**for directions and map go to www.ohiovihara.org then click on location

From Cincinnati City Hall - Get Free Financial Advice this Saturday

I want to let you know about a great opportunity to get free financial advice this Saturday.  I’m hosting Cincinnati Financial Planning Day and it is being held at the Downtown branch of the public library from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, October 23.  
 
Attendees will be able to have free one-on-one meetings with a certified financial planner.  You will be able to get financial advice on all types of subjects from personal budgeting to saving for retirement  Whether you are having financial challenges and need help or you want to further maximize your investments, this will be a great opportunity to get free advice from professionals.
 
The event will also feature educational workshops throughout the day on different personal finance topics.  You do not have to register to attend, but you can schedule an appointment at www.mayormallory.com.  
 
Having a financial plan is more important than ever.  It helps you focus your efforts and realize your financial goals.  This type of advice can be expensive, but on Saturday you can get it for free.  
 
I hope to see you there.
 
Mark Mallory
Mayor
 

Arts Asia Festival 2010 - Nov. 7 to 13 at University of Kentucky, Lexington

ArtsAsia Festival 2010 - “Living Traditions” -
November 7 – 13, 2010
University of Kentucky, Lexington

SYMPOSIUM
The Continuing Influence of Japan on American Studio Ceramics
November 11, 2010
U.K. Student Center Room 230
University of Kentucky

Organizer:
Andrew L. Maske, Department of Art (Art History), University of Kentucky
With
Robert Scroggins, Department of Art (Ceramics)
Hunter Stamps, Department of Art (Ceramics)

Symposium Participants:
Elizabeth Fowler, assistant professor of art/design history, Syracuse University
Yukari Fukata, ceramics instructor, Kentucky School of Craft
Randy Johnston, professor of art, University of Wisconsin at River Falls
Andrew Maske, assistant professor of art history, University of Kentucky

Discussants:
Joe Molinaro, professor of art, Eastern Kentucky University
Shoji Satake, assistant professor of art, University of West Virginia at Morgantown

Venues:
University of Kentucky Student Center Room 2:30 (Symposium)
President’s Room, Singletary Center for the Performing Arts (Reception)

Contact for this event:
Andrew L. Maske, DPhil
Department of Art
University of Kentucky

andrew.maske@uky.edu

---

Symposium Schedule
University of Kentucky Student Center Room 230

9:00        Welcome, Benjamin Withers, Chair, University of Kentucky Department of Art
9:10        Greeting and introduction of first two speakers, Robert Scroggins, University of Kentucky
9:15        Andrew Maske – “The Japanese Stoneware Tradition”
9:45        Elizabeth Fowler (Syracuse University) – “The Japanese Porcelain Decorator Kitaro Shirayamadani”
10:15        10 minute break
10:25        Hunter Stamps (University of Kentucky) – Introduction of next two speakers
10:30        Randy Johnston (University of Wisconsin, River Falls) – “An American Potter Learning from the Mingei Tradition”        
11:00        Yukari Fukata (Kentucky School of Craft) – “Teaching and Making Ceramics in America from a Japanese Perspective”
11:30        Introduction of discussants, Andrew Maske, University of Kentucky
11:35        Discussants’ comments – Joseph Molinaro, Eastern Kentucky University, and Shoji Satake, University of West Virginia
12:30        Symposium ends

*2 – 5 PM        Workshop/demonstrations featuring Randy Johnston and Shoji Satake, Reynolds Building, University of Kentucky

Nominations for Board Members Requested

Hello All,

Greetings from Cincinnati-Gifu Sister City.  I hope you are enjoying the fall weather.

The Nominating Committee would request your interest in seeking board membership.  We have attached the
job description for each position below.  These are volunteer positions and the time commitment is not
onerous.  There are 4 board meetings throughout the year and various activities.  All of these positions are
open and available even if you have limited experience so do not be shy.  If you have any interest or
questions, please contact one of us:

Justin Kluemper
(513) 502-5035
vice-chair@cincinnati-gifu.org

Shoko Konuma
secretary@cincinnati-gifu.org. 

Nominations Deadline:  October 31st

You can find updates on our blog:
http://cincinnati-gifu.blogspot.com/

Here are the job duties:

President

1.     The President presides as the chairperson at all Meetings. S/he is also an ex-officio member of all
committees except the Governance & Nominating Committee.

2.     The President can call a Special Meeting for a specific purpose.

3.     The President has the power to sign contracts on behalf of the Committee, but cannot bind a Member
absent specific, written consent by that Member.

Vice President

The Vice President assists the President in the discharge of his/her duties and officiates in the absence of the
President at all Committee Meetings. The Vice President chairs the Governance & Nominating Committee.

Secretary

4.     The Secretary shall maintain a list of Members and representatives, an attendance record of Members.
The Secretary shall take care of all official correspondence.

5.     The Secretary shall keep the Minutes of each Meeting and provide a copy for each Member.

6.     Native level of writing and reading in Japanese and English is preferred.

7.     Maintain an on-going record of the Minutes and provide such record for the year at each meeting for
references.

8.     Create and issue eNewsletter four times a year.

9.     Arrange Regular Meetings as prescribed

10.    As a board member, perform other clerical duties as needed

Treasurer

11.    The Treasurer shall keep records of all income and expenses and give a complete financial report to the
 Board annually. This fiscal year shall be January 1st through December 31st.  The Treasurer is responsible
for preparing all checks and signs them with the President or another officer of the Committee. He/she
maintains all monies of the Committee and deposits them in a bank account in the name of the Committee.
There shall be an annual audit or review of the Treasurer's records.

12.    The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee.

Term of Office: All Trustees shall serve a two (2) year term. Method of Filling Vacancy: Any resignation of an
officer will be filled by the Member that he or she represents. If the Member has no representative to fill the
position, a new election will be held by the Members to fill the position for the remainder of the term.

Bonenkai

In Japan, it's traditional for work groups and friends to hold a Bonenkai party at the end of every year.
Bonenkai is a way to leave the year's cares and problems behind and enjoy looking forward to the coming
year in the company of friends and associates.
A little food and sake help the mood.
GSCC will be holding its first (and we hope) annual Bonenkai this December. Stay tuned for announcements.
If you're on our email list, we'll send you an invitation. If you'd like to join the membership list so you can get
email too, visit
http://www.tobuta.com/gscc/FAQ00005.htm
and sign up.
See you at BONENKAI !!

September 23 Quartely meeting minutes

Sep.23, 2010 Minutes
Gifu Sister City Committee Member Meeting at Campbell County Public Library, Ft Thomas, KY
Attendance:
Justin Kluemper, Steve Rindsberg, Shoko Konuma, Helen Rindsberg, Bob Stevie, Kaz Sato, Betsy Sato, Dick
Duval, Tomio Fukumura, Sean Dunn, Kaz Konuma (Mai Kinman was unable to attend but phoned in).

1. Report from Board Members
Steve: Budget reported.
Justin: Reviewed Peace Ceremony
2. Report from Cincinnati USA Sister City Association by Bob
a) 2012 World Choir game
b) ByLaw issues explained
3. Board of Trustees Election
Nomination Committee: Justin, Sean and Shoko
4. Past activities of Gifu-Cincinnati Committee from Dick Duval
5. Next meeting
Quarterly meetings: Mar., Jun., Sep., Dec., of 1st Wednesdays
Next meeting: Dec 1(Wed) 6PM same location
- Election for new board members.
6. Event Information
Dec.: BONENKAI - informal gathering of members

Shinji Turner-Yamamoto Global Tree Project

From CityBeat's review of artist Shinji Turner-Yamamoto's Global Tree Project:

See the entire review, with photo, here:
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-21654-art-hanging-garden-at-holy-cross-church.html

"Besides being the best public-art project I've seen in Cincinnati since my return here three years ago, Shinji
Turner-Yamamoto's Global Tree Project: Hanging Garden at Mount Adams´ old (and otherwise empty) Holy Cross
Church is so contemplatively beautiful it should be permanent."

"But that would create a problem - one of the two trees suspended by wires in the middle of the former sanctuary
is alive and needs care and watering. (It's the one on top.)"

"The Japanese-born artist, who lives in Cincinnati and also has a concurrent exhibition, Disappearances, at
Contemporary Arts Center, has devised a watering system, a jewel of technical invention."

"But he could still use your prayers. To that end, Sri Lankan monks from the Ohio Buddhist Vihara will chant on its
behalf from 3-6 p.m. Saturday and Japanese monks will chant at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is
free; parking is available. "

"The church is at 1055 St. Paul Place. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could find worthy art projects for our other
empty inner-city churches and sanctuaries?"

More information about the Global Tree Project and Turner-Yamato's concurrent exhibit at the Contemporary Arts
Center:

http://www.globaltreeproject.org/

http://contemporaryartscenter.org/shinji

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB_Fz8UwBNU

GSCC Membership Meeting September 23, 2010

GSCC Membership Meeting

GSCC holds quarterly membership meetings to report on past progress and plan upcoming events and programs.

All members and prospective members are welcome (membership is free).

Our next meeting will be:

When: Thursday September 23, 2010 starting at 5:30 PM

Where: Fort Thomas Library, 10000 Highland Avenue

Peace Day Celebration

On Friday July 9, 2010, GSCC members enjoyed a Peace Day celebration at Taylor Park in Newport (please see
our earlier blog post to learn more about the history of this celebration).

The Reverend Daiun Iba (photo above) of Cincinnati Buddhist Vihara led the celebration with a chant and prayer
for peace, after which he taught us about the basics of Buddhism.

In the group photo above are (L to R) Karen and Justin Kluemper and their two sons, Shoko Konuma, Setsuko
LeCroix, Kaz Konuma, Rev. Iba, Mai Kinman, Betsy Sato, Helen Rindsberg and Kazuya Sato. Steve Rindsberg is
hiding on the other side of the camera.

Following the celebration, we reconvened at Aoi Japanese Restaurant at Newport on the Levee for a delicious
dinner and conversation.

Would you like to join us next time? Put the date on your calendar now: July 9, 2011. We'll have details on our
web site, http://www.cincinnati-gifu.org

See you there!

2012 World Choir Games

The 2012 World Choir Games will be held in Cincinnati from July 4 - 14, 2012.
Organizers are expecting 20,000 participants and as many as 200,000 visitors over the course of the event.
Learn more about the Games here: http://www.cincyusa.com/worldchoirgames/
If you'd like to participate by assisting visitors, providing hospitality or transportation, please
get in touch. Visit http://www.cincinnati-gifu.org/ and click the Get Involved link at the left of the page.
To get some idea of the sheer impact of the World Choir Games, you can read a economic study by the
Economics Center at University of Cincinnati:
http://www.economicscenter.org/pressroom/releases/economic-impact-2012-world-choir-games-announced

Cincinnati - Gifu Peace Day, July 9, 2010

The Sister Cities programs in America were founded with the goal of achieving international understanding and
peace through citizen diplomacy.

The city of Gifu, Japan has been a valued Sister City of Cincinnati, Ohio since May 11, 1988.
Cincinnati and Gifu have a rich history of cooperation, exchange, respect and friendship.

We commemorate those who fell in the bombing of Gifu City on July 9, 1945 by reaffirming our commitment to
world peace.

We recognize that peace is a difficult process, but the first step is to work together and build strong relationships.

We offer our Peace Ceremony as a sign of hope in the future and as a sign of our support of the efforts of all
those working towards world peace.

Gifu Sister City Committee, the City of Cincinnati and the City of Gifu welcome everyone in Greater Cincinnati and
surrounding areas to share your support by attending:

The Peace Ceremony will be on Friday, July 9, 4:30 PM

General James Taylor Park
307 Isabella Street
Newport, KY

The park is off 4th Street (Route 8) between Isabella and Central).
There is a shelter with picnic tables. We'll gather there.

Reverend Iba of the Cincinnati Buddhist Vihara will offer a chant for peace.

In case of bad weather, we'll announce alternate plans on our web site by noon on Friday (and by email if you're on
our mailing list).

Afterwards, join us at AOI Japanese Cuisine at Newport On The Levee (walking distance from World Peace Bell).
Enjoy fine food and friendship with us.

If you plan to attend, please let us know many will be joining us for dinner.
Email secretary@cincinnati-gifu.org

Sister Cities loses a friend

We're saddened to report that Mr. Rowe Hoffman, husband of Beth Tu Hoffman, has passed away. The
Hoffmans have been devoted and generous friends of the Sister Cities program for many years.

Our sympathy and condolences go out to Beth.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Cincinnati Zoo's CREW (Center for
Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife) program.

http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/earth/crew.html

Japanese High School Students: Weekend Homestay Hosting Opportunity

Japanese High School Students: Weekend Homestay Hosting Opportunity

As part of the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE) at Ohio University, a three-week summer study program
for high school students, participants from Inagakuen High School in Saitama, Japan will be visiting Cincinnati for
a homestay weekend.

The Greater Cincinnati World Affairs Council in Cincinnati is arranging homestays and needs your help.

The students are all either 16 or 17 years old, and there are 2 males and 25 females.  If you would like to welcome
1-3 of these students in your home for the weekend of July 30 - August 1, please contact:

Emily Wullenweber
513.621.5222
ewullenweber@cincyworldaffairs.org

Invitation to 2010 EACC Auto Rally

Our friends at the Munich Sister City Association invite you to their 2010 EACC Auto Rally.

The 2010 Smart Car Auto Rally is an afternoon of discovery as we venture through the heart of

Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to uncover some of the unique landmarks and European

influences with the surrounding Seven Hills of Cincinnati.

All are welcome for this family-friendly event of teams competing in a treasure hunt.
Teams will follow a designated course answering trivia questions at each stop.

Teams will start and end at the International Friendship Park for prizes and refreshment.

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

1:30 p.m. Registration

2:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Auto Rally

5:15 p.m. Awards & Refreshments

Friendship Pavilion at the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park

1001 Riverside Drive

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Admission

$25 / Team - 1 Team = 1 Car

Register Online today at: www.europe-cincinnati.com

For further information please contact:

European-American Chamber of Commerce

201 East Fifth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tel: 513-852-6510 Fax: 513-852-6511

eacc@europe-cincinnati.com

www.europe-cincinnati.com

Liu Zhou Sister City Office Opening Party

We were invited to the grand opening of the office of the Cincinnati-Liu Zhou Sister City Committee. One of our board members attended the opening party with a potted flower for them.

Their new office is bright and huge with a library, a meeting room and class room spaces.

Liu Zhou is located in the southern part of China and is one of 7 Cincinnati Sister Cities. 

 

Cincinnati Delicacies

Keitaro Tanaka (Senior Chief, International Affairs Division of the City of Gifu) and Masashi Sekine (Chief
Interpreter, Adachi Park of Living Things, Adachi Ward, Tokyo) were among the recent visitors to the Butterfly
Show at Krohn Conservatory.

Even though they sampled the superb food at the fundraising Gala on Friday, April 30, they were a bit hungry. We
asked Tanaka-san if he wanted to go out afterward for a bite to eat. He immediately asked if there was a nearby
Skyline Chili.

It seems that he'd tried Skyline during previous visits to Cincinnati and was more than just fond of it. Sekine-san
apparently knew of Skyline's reputation too; he asked to join the expedition.

We all had a great Skyline dinner, and then Sekine-san bought eight cans of Skyline chili to take back to Japan.
We're waiting to hear when the new Adachi branch of Skyline Chili will open.

Tanaka-san Visits Butterfly Show

Recently, Keitaro Tanaka, Senior Chief, International Affairs Division of the City of Gifu, visited Cincinnati to take
part in the Gala for the 15th Annual Butterfly Show at Krohn Conservatory.

Mr. Tanaka, shown above with GSCC Chairwoman Mai Kinman, was here for only a short while but was able to
meet with City Manager Milton Dohoney, tour the Butterfly Show, meet with representatives from Tokyo and
Adachi City who also came for the Gala. AND sample Skyline Chili. Mr. Tanaka has visited Cincinnati several
times before and is Gifu's biggest Skyline fan.