Japan America Society Ltd

Programs: The organization has several recurring social, cultural and educational programs that further understanding between the peoples of japan and the greater kansas city area, including the greater kansas city japan festival, the japanese language contest for area high school students, the student ambassador and kurashiki friendship delegation exchange programs with our sister city, the shinnenkai new year's celebration banquet, the cherry blossom (sakura) picnic, and the kansas city ethnic enrichment commission's diplomatic ball. General meetings are held at the loose park garden center in kansas city, missouri, on the fourth tuesday of each month. These meetings features speakers and programs on a variety of topics having to do with japanese life, history, politics, culture and language, and are free and open to all members of the public. The 17th annual greater kansas city japan festival was held on october 11, 2014 at johnson county community college with music and theatrical performances, workshops, lectures, demonstrations, crafts and exhibits. Approximately 4,500 people attended the festival this year.

the heart of america japan-america society sponsor many activities throughout the year connecting the culture and peoples of japan and the greater kansas city area. Each year we send a cohort of high school students to kurashiki, japan, the official sister city of kansas city, missouri. For three weeks during the summer, these student ambassadors represent america, kansas city and our organization to the officials and people of kurashiki, staying in the homes of host families and experiencing the life of japanese people at work, play and school. Hajas pays around $10,000 each year to subsidize the travel and activities for the student ambassador program. In turn, the city of kurashiki sends between seven and ten students and an adult leader to kansas city for two weeks. Educational, cultural, civic and social activities are organized for the delegation, who stay in the homes of hajas members and friends. Hajas spends about $5,000 each year to allow the delegation to appreciate the many aspects of life and culture in our city. Many lifelong friendships have resulted from this remarkable sister city relationship, begun in 1974. The loose park japanese tea room and garden, dedicated in july 2006, was conceived as a cultural exchange between the sister cities of kurashiki, japan and kansas city, missouri. The tea room is set in a traditional japanese garden featuring a bamboo entryway, small ornamental fountain, large boulders, japanese maples, many shrubs and ornamental ground covers with a pathway leading to the tea room. The small garden is a place for quiet meditation. The heart of america japan-america society's garden committee of volunteers hosts monthly saturday morning work sessions from march through november in the cleanup and maintenance of the garden for everyone's use and enjoyment. Hajas has established a special fund for improvement, maintenance and upkeep of the garden.

hajas supports the teaching of japanese in area high schools with an annual japanese language contest. The organization and management of the contest is shared in alternate years between hajas and the olathe school district. Hajas donates cash and many dozens of hours of volunteer time to promote and support the program. The contest features students' skills in japanese language, poetry, kanji, and calligraphy. In support of higher education, hajas offers two $1,000 scholarships to qualified students at johnson county community college. Hajas is an active member of the city of kansas city's ethnic enrichment commission, and participates each year with a booth at the three-day ethnic enrichment festival in august, which features food, crafts, stage presentations with dance, costume and music along with educational information about opportunities to study and teach in japan. Attendance at the ethnic enrichment festival is typically 6,000 to 10,000 people.