Japan Festival 2024

Society Chair Derrick Redding and Yoshiko Redding attended the Tea Ceremony with Deputy Consul General Kentaro Yamane, Novi Mayor Justin Fischer, and Ko Moriya, Vice President of the JBSD. The tea ceremony was presented by Tea Master Tomoyo Koehler of the Omotesenke School as the guest and narrated by Anita Savio.

Festival goers enjoyed many other traditional Japanese arts including calligraphy, ikebana and taiko. They could also learn origami, try traditional Japanese festival games, taste tea from Shiga Prefecture, and try Japanese festival food.

Thanks to the Japan Business Society of Detroit and the JSD Women’s Club for a wonderful day!

JAS at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada with Flavio Volpe from APMA

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada extended the warmest welcome to the Society's members and program partners, The Japan Society Toronto and the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit for a magisterial presentation from APMA's Flavio Volpe, C.M., on September 24th.

The Project Arrow concept vehicle and Toyota Tsusho's Betterfrost Technologies Toyota were given pride of place. An extensive tour of the manufacturing plants rounded out a grand slam day at the TMMC Experience Center.

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.