Michigan Japan Professionals Association » wmu

WMU Japanese Oral Tradition (09/27/10)

MJPA Admin — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:54:27 +0000

Stop by Western Michigan University’s Brown Hall on Monday, September 27th from 5:30PM to 7:30PM to see performances of rakugo (Japanese comic storytelling) and katsuben (Japanese silent-movie narration). The performance will include traditional rakugo, humorous one-person story telling, and katsuben, narration with a Japanese and American silent movie.

Flyer available here. Contact Michiko Yoshimoto of the Soga Japan Center at or call (269) 387-5874 for more information.

Tokyo String Quartet at WMU (09/24/10)

MJPA Admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:26:01 +0000

The Tenth Season of WMU Fontana Chambers of the Arts performances kicks off in grand style with the celebrated Tokyo String Quartet. Captivating audiences and critics alike since it was founded close to 40 years ago and regarded one of the supreme chamber ensembles in the world, the Tokyo Quartet performs over a hundred concerts each season and has a devoted international following that extends to all four corners of the globe, from the Americas to Europe to Australia and the Far East. They are joined by Fontana artistic director Abhijit Sengupta for a very special Opening Night concert featuring an Age of Enlightenment program of Viennese masters.

Join us for a special free event at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts on Friday, September 24, 2010 at 6pm, when the Tokyo String Quartet will participate in a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Jeffrey Angles, Assistant Professor and Advisor in Japanese studies at WMU. For more information, visit the Fontana Chamber homepage.

WMU Sunday-Funday (09/19/10)

MJPA Admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:50:40 +0000

On Sunday, September 19th from 2:00PM to 4:00PM visit the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts to explore the traditional arts of origami and calligraphy with Ms. Michiko Yoshimoto and students from the WMU Soga Japan Center. See a Kendo demonstration with Mr. Yutaro Matsuura and the Battle Creek Kendo-kai, taste some Japanese treats, and try on Japanese clothing. Guests can also hear Japanese stories in the KIA library, make Gyotaku (Japanese fish prints) and visit the exhibition, “Strong Women, Beautiful Men“.

Sunday Funday is free and open to the public. Just drop in, no registration is required.

WMU Japanese Film Festival (1/21-3/10/10)

MJPA Admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:53:21 +0000

The Michitoshi Soga Japan Center at WMU will hold a film festival, screening four new Japanese films. All screenings are planned for 7PM at Western Michigan University’s Little Theater (northwest corner Oliver Lane and Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo) and are open to the public free of charge.

Michitoshi Soga Japan Center