実施後のアンケートでは「当日はとても楽しかったです」「食べ物の種類が多く、わいわい和やか雰囲気でとてもいい時間が過ごせました」「時間配分もちょうど良かったと思います」「また来年も楽しみにしております」「初めましての方と少し会話することもでき楽しい時間を過ごすことができました」「ピッツバーグにお住まいの日本人と知り合う、良い会でした」「料理も種類が多く、ラッフルなど盛り上がりポイントも準備されており、満足度の高い会でした」「I can see that young people worked hard for this.」「全体的には大変楽しく有意義な時間を過ごさせて頂きまして感謝致します」等々、開催担当者にとって嬉しいご感想を頂きました。一方で、「マイクでのご案内がよく聞こえなかったのは残念です」「他の会場での開催は可能か？」などのご指摘もいただきました。また、今回の天候不良で遠方からお越しいただくことが困難でキャンセルされたご家族もいらっしゃり、今後の課題とさせていただきます。
The annual New Year’s party was held at Hokkaido Seafood Buffet on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Despite the severe cold and snowy weather, 99 people attended this New Year’s party enjoying a buffet-style meal, pleasant conversation, the opportunity to socialize with other guests.
The program began with a greeting from JAGP President, Dr. Mitamura, followed by introductions and greetings from sponsors, the Pittsburgh Japanese Non-Profit Organizations, and active JAGP-sponsored clubs. The raffle was held at the end of the event, with prizes including Penguins tickets, airline tickets, sake, rice, and a variety of restaurant meal vouchers and gift cards. For the kids, there was a Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart, Beyblades, Pokemon and Ghibli cards, and more. Thank you again to all of the organizations and individuals who sponsored the event. The winners were delighted with their prizes, and the event successfully concluded with the “Ippon-jime” led by Mr. Mizuno, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In the survey after the event, we received the following comments: “The day was a lot of fun,” “There were many kinds of food,” “We had a great time in a friendly atmosphere,” “I think the time allocation was just right.” “I am looking forward to next year’s event,” “I was able to have a nice time talking with some people I didn’t know before,” “It was a good meeting to get to know people living in Pittsburgh,” “There were many kinds of food, and the raffle was a great highlight,” “I can see that young people worked hard for this.” “Overall, I would like to thank you for a very enjoyable and meaningful time.” These were some of the positive comments we received.
On the other hand, we also received some comments such as “It is regrettable that we could not hear through the microphone well.” and “Is it possible to hold the event at another venue?” Additionally, some families canceled the event because they could not come from far away due to the bad weather. These will be some issues to be addressed in the future.
We would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who participated in this year’s New Year’s party, to the generous sponsors and individuals, to the Hokkaido Seafood Buffet for their hospitality and many extra menu items such as lobster and crab, and to all of the wonderful volunteers.
May 2025 be a happy and prosperous year for all of you.
Japan Association of GreaterPittsburgh will hold its New Year’s Party again in 2025. This year’s party will be a buffet-style meal, and we hope you will try your luck at the raffle and lucky draw, as well as interact with many people. Please come and join us! Advance registration is required (first-come-first-served basis).The deadline is 12/31 (Tue.), but we will close applications as soon as we reach capacity, so please register as soon as possible. We look forward to receiving your application!
January 19, 2025 (Sun) 17:30 – 20:00 (Registration from 17:00) Hokkaido Seafood Buffet https://maps.app.goo.gl/tfC3UaYDyobPiEMJ6 4612 Browns Hill Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Member: Adults/$20 Kids/$10 Non-Member:Adults/$30 Kids/$15 *Children = 36-55 inches (approx. 92-140 cm); children under 36 inches are free. *Soft drinks are included in the registration fee. *If you join our association at this time, you will also be able to attend at the member rate! Annual Dues: Family $40, Individual $30, Student $20 JAGP|Membership Procedures
After submitting the online form below, please pay the registration fee by PayPal or send a check by mail. ＜New Year’s party application form> https://forms.gle/A9DPXjtXAmf3a9vk8 Zelle: pittsburghjagp@gmail.com Please ensure the email address is entered correctly. When entered correctly, the name “JAPAN ASSOC OF GR PITTSBURGH” will be displayed. PayPal: https://paypal.me/jagp/ For PayPal payments, please add an additional fee of $1 per adult participant to cover the payment processing fee. Mail to: If you would like your check to be mailed, please contact the JAGP office. *We do not accept payment on the day of the event. Please pay in advance using the above methods. *Please note that cash is strictly not acceptable.
● Alcoholic beverages will not be served at the restaurant, but you are welcome to bring your own (no charge). ● We are looking for performers who sing or play musical instruments etc. at the party. How about an opportunity to show off your hobbies or your children’s lessons? Please contact us if you are interested. ● If you would like to donate a prize (new and unopened) for the lottery, please let us know and bring it with you on the day of the event. ● [Cancellation Policy] If you need to cancel your registration due to unavoidable circumstances, please contact the event office by Sunday, January 12th. We will issue a full refund of the participation fee. Please note that cancellations made after this date are non-refundable. ● JAGP assumes no legal or financial responsibility for any accidents or injuries (including Covid infection) during or after the event.
Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh(JAGP) has a system in place to support club activities where members gather to share hobbies. Currently, four clubs are active, and all are recruiting members! Non-members can also participate in these clubs, but those who join a club. If you are interested, please contact the representative of each club:
Click on the club name to view more details about each club.
If you would like to start your own club, we are also looking forward to hearing from you!
For more details on the club system, please click here . JAGP can also help with member recruitment, so if you’re interested, feel free to contact the office at pittsburghjagp@gmail.com
Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh: New Member Recruitment
Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh is now recruiting new members.Don’t miss the chance to connect with the Pittsburgh community and experience Japanese culture. We encourage you to join us!
Member Benefits:
Discounted event fees (New Year’s party, picnic, etc.)
Free Zoom account access (unlimited usage time)
Exclusive email distribution and community participation
New Service! Free manga and novel lending The Association has started a free lending service for popular Japanese manga and novels! (Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk, Ranma 1/2, and more)
Upcoming Events:
New Year’s Party: Saturday, January 19, 2025
Picnic: Around May 2025
Shohei Ohtani Game Viewing Event: September 2025, Pirates vs. Dodgers (@PNC Park)
For more details on the registration process, please check the link below:
This weekend, August 3rd (Sat) to 4th (Sun), the ‘ Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix International Car show‘ will be held at Schenley Park. The Japanese car enthusiasts group, Pittsburgh Kyusha, will have a booth!
They will be showcasing Japanese cars from the 1980s and 90s that were sold in the Japanese market, as well as “Itasha” cars. If you are interested, please visit their booth. For the location, please check the map at the bottom of the following page. It seems that Gate D is the closest: https://pittsburghkyusha.org/pvgp
Additionally, at the same booth, the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will be hosting a Japanese cultural experience corner featuring water balloons, among other activities. This will be held from 9:30 AM to around 3:00 PM on both days. They are looking for volunteers, so if you can help, please contact me at pittsburghjagp@gmail.com. *Please note that if you are coming by car, the parking fee of $30 will be at your own expense. Thank you.
individual admission Adults: $19 Children 2–18: $17 Seniors 60+: $17 Children under 2: Free* Members: Free* Member Guests: 20% off admission price; no other discounts apply
Please reserve free tickets for members and children under two in advance to help ensure a safe and comfortable visit for everyone.
Takuzo Kato’s Taiko Concerts on July 17 (Wed.) and 18 (Thu.)
This is an urgent notice to inform you that Mr. Takuya Kato, a taiko drummer, and his son will give lectures at two different venues tomorrow, July 17 (Wed.) and the day after tomorrow, July 18 (Thu.). The following information was provided by the people in charge of these events (Ichihara, Motoyama, Yasuzawa, Takano (honorifics omitted)).
Performer: Mr. Takuzo Kato (from Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, CA)
11:00-11:30 Drum performance (Church of the Ascension)
Venue ： Church of the Ascension Pittsburgh
4729 Ellsworth Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15213
All are welcome to attend the performance only or join in the middle of the performance.
Parking is available in the cathedral parking lot, but space is very limited due to current construction.
Takuzo Kato, who won the grand prize in the “Tokyo International Wadaiko Contest Odaiko Division,” the world’s most prestigious taiko competition in 2008, and has performed at the National Athletic Meet and at the Prime Minister’s Office, is currently on a performance tour with the goal of performing 1,000 concerts in all 50 states in the US, and he will be holding a concert in Pittsburgh He will be holding a concert in Pittsburgh as well.
The concert is free of charge, so please come and join us. There is no charge for tickets, but we will have a donation box at the venue, and we would appreciate your cooperation.
If you have any questions, please contact Ichihara (n.ichihara@tyk.jp)
if you have any questions about the details.
Date : July 18 (Thursday)
14:00-14:30 Drum performance (with Mr. Kato + his 3 sons and children)
Please note that admission fee to the museum is required.
individual admission
Adults: $19 Children 2-18: $17 Seniors 60+: $17 Children under 2: Free* Members: Free* Member Guests: 20% off admission price; no other discounts apply
Please reserve free tickets for members and children under two in advance to help ensure a safe and comfortable visit for everyone.
The performance on Thursday the 18th will be with Mr. Kato’s three sons and other children, and is expected to be a big hit. This will be a fun event for those with children.
If you have any questions, please contact Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
From June 4 (Tue.) to 6 (Thu.), we held a viewing event for the Pirates vs. Dodgers games at PNC Park. Since Shohei Ohtani, who is doing great in MLB, was coming to Pittsburgh for the first time, we received a flood of applications right after the event was announced, with a total of 195 participants!
To give everyone a closer view of Ohtani, we secured seats on the infield side this time, offering a spectacular view of the downtown buildings and bridges from the seats.
Fortunately, Ohtani played in all three games of the series! Every time Ohtani stepped up to bat, the participants watched with bated breath, experiencing the highs and lows of his performance. The biggest highlight was the massive home run he hit in his second at-bat on the second day, Wednesday, June 5th! Everyone stood up and cheered loudly.
Besides the participants of this viewing event, many Japanese fans seemed to have come to watch this three-game series. Not only Japanese fans but also several Americans were wearing “OHTANI” jerseys, indicating his high popularity. Some participants even brought handmade cheering boards, which were prominently featured in the TV broadcast!
Another Japanese player on the Dodgers, pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, was also expected to play, but unfortunately, he did not appear this time. We hope to see him in Pittsburgh next year!
The results of the games were two wins for the Pirates and one win for the Dodgers. The series was thrilling for Pittsburgh’s Japanese community members, as they could cheer for both Ohtani’s performance and the local Pirates’ victories.
Participants shared their excitement with comments like, “It was amazing to see Ohtani’s home run live!”, “I enjoyed the ballpark atmosphere for the first time in years,” and “We had great seats and enjoyed it with friends.”
We hope to plan another game-watching party next year when Otani and other Japanese players come to Pittsburgh. We look forward to seeing you again!
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