San Jose Japantown

Getting Ready for the Grand Welcoming

Tea Ceremony

Photos from the Tea Ceremony.

Many thanks to the tea teacher, Mrs. Yasuko Matsui, our hostess, Hideko Russell, and the assistant, Susan Schatz.  We had a wonderful, peaceful, time.  It was quite the experience.

July 29 Meeting Notes

Here are the notes from the July 29 meeting:

• Only 11 days (now 10) until your partner arrives!
  
• It is time to purchase our tickets to Japan.  I have paid the deposit to hold our reservation at $1,575.  This price is a group price, thus we cannot split up our group with some of us disembarking at SFO and some of us continuing on to Monterey.  Sorry.
  
  We must pay for our tickets by check or cash on or before Tuesday, August 5.  To make thing easier for the agent, and to gain ourselves a little time, rather than each of us mailing a check to the agent in San Jose, I will collect fare payments beforehand and then deliver them all together on Tuesday.  So, please do the following:
  
  1.  Make a check out to IACE Travel for $1,575 (you might put your child's name in the memo line and Junior Wings).  Cash is OK, too.
  2.  Bring your check to the Friday or Saturday events or to my home by 9:45 AM, Tuesday, August 5.  I will leave for San Jose right after our event at MPC (see below for event details). I will give you your receipt from the travel agent at our general meeting that evening.
  
  Our itinerary is:
  
  Thursday, Oct 2  05:40AM-06:24AM  MRY > SFO  Flight UA 6346
  Thursday, Oct 2  11:10AM-15:00PM (next day) SFO > KIX (Kansai International Airport near Osaka) Flight UA 35
  Sunday, Oct 12  16:45PM-10:40AM  KIX > SFO Flight UA 34

• For general reference, the current yen/dollar exchange rate is 101 yen/dollar.
  
• Tea Ceremony on Friday, August 1.  Meet at the Russells at 1:00PM.  We will leave by 1:15, returning about 2:45-3:00.  After we return, we will walk to Monterey High School to Room 28 where we will create a masterpiece of a Welcome Banner.  We will end at 5:30.  Students should be picked up from Room 28.  If you cannot make it by 5:30, please call me at 831-601-1592.  I will take any students remaining after 5:30 home with me where they can be picked up there.
  
• San Jose Field Trip on Saturday, August 2.  Meet at the Russells at 10:00AM.  Return about 4:30.  We will visit the following locations:

• 11:15-12:30 Japantown: 193 Jackson Street, San Jose
• 12:45-1:45  Mitsuwa Marketplace (Strawberry Plaza): : 675 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose
• 2:00-3:00   Ringer Hut Restaurant: 1072 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose

• Meet and Greet Osaka Students at MPC.  Tuesday, August 5, tentatively 10:00-11:00 (precise time and location to be confirmed).
  
• Welcome Party (as previously discussed)
  
• Speeches
• Welcome Party: Angelo
• Colton: Umberto
• Farewell Party: Kelsey

• Kayaking, Sunday, August 10.  Meet at 9:15AM at Monterey Bay Kayaks.  Bring waivers to Welcome Party.  Come dressed in your swimsuit under your clothes.  Also bring a towel.  We will be done by 12:00.
  
• Carmel Beach Picnic, Sunday, August 10, 5:00 to beach close (10:00PM).
  
• Homework is to brainstorm ideas of what to do with your partner and how to make them as comfortable as possible during their stay.  Remember, your activities don't have to be complex or extravagant.  Simple things like playing games, taking a walk, or baking cookies, pizza or even popcorn can be a lot of fun.  See the presentation for ideas or talk with your friends.  The important thing is to be together!

July 22 General Meeting Notes

Here are the highlights from last night's meeting.  You will find the presentation on the Documents & Links page.

• Did you know there are only 18 (now 17) days left before your partner's arrival?  Time to panic?  You bet!  No, just kidding.  We will all be ready before they arrive.
• Homework: see Japanese History - Jomon, Yayoi.  We will be traveling by train near the cradle of Japanese civilization and culture, so a little knowledge of the area should be fun.
• Take a look at the various eras of Japanese history at: www.japan-guide.com/e/e2126.html
• Read up on the Heian Period, as this period is all about Kyoto, the ancient Imperial City where we will spend a full day sightseeing by bus and on foot.
• Important dates:
• Tue, July 29: General Meeting.  Location: The Russells (the MYC is closed all week for annual maintenance)
• Fri, Aug 1: Tea Ceremony.  12:45 at the Russells.  Return 2:45-3:00.  Need carpool drivers and RSVPs.
• Sat, Aug 2: San Jose Japantown Fieldtrip.  10:00AM at Russells.  Carpool drivers please RSVP.  Return 3:45-4:30.  See History of San Jose Japantown document.
• Tue, Aug 5: General Meeting.  Monterey Youth Center, 6:30-8:00PM.
• Thu, Aug 7: short PANIC meeting, if needed.  7:00-8:00PM at Russells.
• Sat, Aug 9: Welcome Day!
• 8:45AM: meet at JACL Hall to decorate
• 9:30AM: drive to Monterey airport
• 10:11AM: greet flight/partners
• 10:40AM: return to JACL Hall
• 11:00AM-1:00PM: Welcome Party

• Sun, Aug 10: Kayaking at Monterey Bay Kayaks.  9:15AM-12:00PM.  Bring signed waivers for you and your partner to Welcome Party.
• Sun, Aug 10: Beach Picnic at Carmel Beach (near 13th Avenue stairs).  Potluck beach supper and desserts.
• Sun, Aug 17: Farewell Party, 6:00-9:00PM, Monterey Youth Center
•  Obon Tanko-bushi Dancing!
• We all learned an Obon Dance called Tanko-bushi (Coal Miner Song).  We will present this as a surprise to the Nanao group at the Farewell Party. Here are some links for learning/practicing:
• Tanko-bushi 1 (this video includes a number of dances, Tanko-bushi is the first one)
• Tanko-bushi 2 

•  Here are links to some YouTube videos of other large festivals in Japan

• Nebuta Festival in Aomori
• Kanto Matsuri in Akita
• Chagu Chagu Horse Festival in Iwate
• Awa Odori
• Gion Festival in Kyoto
• Kiriko Festival in Nanao

Homework: become familiar with Tanko-bushi dance above.  Don't worry, we will practice it at our next meeting!

July 15 Meeting and Homework for July 22 Meeting

Attendance at the meeting was low as expected because most of you are off traveling somewhere (have fun!).  The highlights of the meeting are listed below.  For the presentation itself, please see the Documents & Links page.  Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the homework for next Tuesday's meeting.  Please try to keep up with the homework as best you can, even if you are not able to come to the meetings, and, most importantly, keep corresponding with your partner!

• Salinas Obon Festival is scheduled for Sunday, July 27 at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas (fairly near the Salinas Sports Complex).  Among other things, you can see taiko drumming by San Jose Taiko, and you can learn/participate in obon dancing.  For more information about the Obon Festival, schedule of events, and location, see http://btsalinas.org/obon-festival-2014/.
• Welcome Party Banner Party at MHS: Tentatively Thursday, July 31, time to be determined.  Mr. Tibbitts has offered his classroom for us to make a big Welcome banner to be used at the airport and welcome party.  The actual date/time of this event will be determined in the coming days.
• Tea Ceremony at Pebble Beach Tea House: Friday, August 1.  Meet at the Russells home at 12:45PM to car-pool.  Tea ceremony starts at 1:30 and lasts roughly an hour.  Will return to Russells' home by 2:45 or so.  Dress nicely (khakis, collared shirt (short-sleeves OK), below-knee skirts OK, but not above, no jewelry (floppy necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc.).  Clean, hole-free, white socks please!
• We would like to schedule a date for a fieldtrip to San Jose Japantown.  While a weekday would make driving/parking/shopping easier, a weekend date may enable more of you to participate.  A date of Saturday, August 2 has been proposed.  Please let me know if you cannot make it on this date.
• Money stuff: 
• Airplane tickets for our trip in October are currently around $1,500 from Monterey.  This price will most likely change going forward, hopefully in the downward direction.
• The balance of the Activity Fee is due.  To the next meeting you can attend, please bring cash or a check made out to EFMPUSD with "Junior Wings" in the memo line.
• More money stuff
• Dagmar Keehan, Orion's mom, applied for a grant on JW's behalf from the Elks Club.  It was accepted and they are to be awarding us $300.  Thank you very much to both Dagmar and to the Elks Club!!  Also, two anonymous members have offered to treat the Nanao group to lunch at Ichi Riki in Seaside while they are here.  We will need to schedule a time and date for this.
• Welcome Party: Saturday, August 9, 11:00AM-1:00PM.  I received confirmation this morning from Jeff Uchida, president of the Japanese-American Citizen's League, that we can use the JACL Hall for the party.  He will meet us at the hall earlier that morning to let us in to put up a few decorations (balloon bunches, streamers, etc.).  The Nanao Group's flight from LA arrives at 10:11AM, so figure 8:45 to 9:30 to decorate, meet the flight, then come back by 11:00 for a lunch party.  Please plan to bring something for a potluck lunch (cold items preferred to keep things simple for the JACL.  We will decide these details later, though.  Jeff says he will open the museum in the basement for us all to see.
• Nanao itinerary.  See Nanao Group in Monterey - Daily Itinerary on Documents & Links page.
• Reviewed Japanese words and phrases
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  Next meeting: Tuesday, July 22, 6:30-8:00PM at the Monterey Youth Center.  See you then!

Junior Wings Meetings Resume!

It is time to add to your summer fun by restarting our regular Junior Wings meetings.  We will be meeting weekly now until our Nanao partners arrive on August 9th.  Here is our basic schedule for the next several weeks:

• Tuesday, July 15, General Meeting. Monterey Youth Center
• Tuesday, July 22, General Meeting. Monterey Youth Center
• Tuesday, July 29, General Meeting. Location to be determined
• Tuesday, August 5, General Meeting. Monterey Youth Center

Do not worry if you cannot make some of these meetings because of travels with your family or other summer commitments. Come to the ones that you can.  All presentation materials and any handouts will be posted.

Other important dates:

• Friday, August 1, 12:45-2:30PM, Tea Ceremony at Pebble Beach Tea House.  Meet at Russells' home at 12:45 for car pooling.
• Saturday, August 9, 11:00AM-1:00PM, Welcome Party.  Location still pending confirmation - JACL Hall or First Presbyterian Church.

Dates to determine:

• Field trip to San Jose Japantown (best do go during summer vacation)
• Student-only meal at Ichi Riki Restaurant in Seaside, courtesy of members of the Elks Club!! (Many thanks to them!)

See you this evening!