Through October: Origami in the Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden

The Origami in the Garden exhibition is open now at the Missouri Botanical Garden, lasting until October. Created by Santa Fe artists, Jennifer and Kevin Box, these sculptures tell the story of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Making its St. Louis debut, the exhibition includes stunning large-scale metal sculptures created through collaboration with world-renowned origami artists.

In this video, the artists explain the fascinating and beautiful stories behind a few of the pieces. For an extra treat, St. Louis Osuwa Taiko will be performing at 1pm on Sat-Sun, April 24-25, during the Springtime Family Celebration at the garden. Don't wait to get your tickets!

May 9, 16, 23, and 30: Virtual Haiku Class offered by the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago

The Japanese Culture Center in Chicago hosts an online Haiku Workshop taught by Sensei Seiyo, Buddhist lay minister and resident Haiku Master. The upcoming haiku class will focus on bringing your “snapshots” alive – those moments that happen every day that go unnoticed due to the demands of life. Classes are 11:00 am - 12:30 pm. Click here for registration and more information.

May 11: Facing the Mountain virtual book launch offered by the Japan America Society of Hawaii

Facing the Mountain is a new book about WWII Japanese American incarceration and the 442nd RCT by Daniel James Brown, NY Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat. This virtual event will feature a conversation between Brown and Densho Executive Director Tom Ikeda, who has conducted oral histories with many of the men highlighted in the book. Facing the Mountain grew out of conversations Brown had with Ikeda in 2015 and is based on Brown’s extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists, as well as deep archival research. The book portrays the kaleidoscopic journey of four Japanese American families and their sons. Click here for more information and to register.

May 19: The Digital Transformation of Healthcare: Hospitals at Home and Patient Monitoring, Learnings for Japan and US offered by the Japan Society of Northern California

The Covid Pandemic is rapidly accelerating digital delivery of Healthcare services. The US-Japan Healthcare Connection will offer a ground breaking Program – “The Coming Revolution in Healthcare” – that presents the latest developments underlying this transformation, with particular focus on “Hospitals at Home” and remote “Patient Monitoring.” The US-Japan Healthcare Connection is a strategic alliance between the Japan Society of Northern California and US-Japan Medtech Frontiers.

More information and registration.

May 20: The State of U.S.-Japan Economic Relations: What’s Working and What’s Needed offered by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA

This event will feature three representatives of Japanese private sector firms with significant business activities in the United States: Mr. Kenichiro Mizoguchi, General Manager of Hitachi’s Washington, DC Office; Mr. Shinsuke Takahashi, Chairman of the Board and Head of Government Relations at the NEC Corporation of America; and Ms. Misato Kogure, Director of Business Development and Environmental Affairs at Daikin U.S. Corporation. This event will focus on the importance of economic strategy in the U.S.-Japan relationship, and our speakers will discuss not only their firms’ approaches to business operations in the United States but also the future of U.S.-Japan economic relations. Further event details, including registration information and speaker bios, are available here.