Shiga Fair 2009 in Novi

Sunday, October 4. Contact this year's Shiga Official Representative,
Ms. Miyamura at shigaken ATmsu.edu

vast photo collection - Shiga prefecture

http://shiga-ken.com/ has comprehensive coverage, in fact you may ask what more is left to record visually? And there is a similar approach to other parts of Japan, as well.

annual citizen exchange moves to Fall slot

The Michigan-Shiga Sister State Board welcomes applications for the Goodwill Mission to Shiga, including five days of home-stay experiences with a Shiga host family as well as day trips to Kyoto and other neighboring areas. http://www.isp.msu.edu/jcmu/alumni/goodwill/

annual art exchange through Feb. 28

http://www.briggspubliclibrary.org/ is exhibiting over 200 pictures in the 13th annual display

of art from Konan-shi, the sister city to St. Johns, Michigan, through the month of February.

View a sample of pictures (others from 2008), or see this year's work with commentary by Shiga Official, Ms. Miyamura:

some of the songs performed at the opening reception Feb. 5,

or hear Alyson G, one of the young artist who describes her work.

visit by master potter, Mr. Tamura

*About the pottery style of Shigaraki-yaki
The pottery comes from Shigaraki region of Koka City ( also famous in early modern times for its ninja clan) in Shiga prefecture (twinned with the state of Michigan).The special quality of its clay sets it apart. Its rusticity has communicated the traditional Japanese spirit and the aesthetics of wabi and sabi to the present day.

A word of history
Pottery production seems to have begun more than 1200 years ago in 742, when the Emperor Shomu built a palace in Shigaraki from roof tiles and vessels fired from this local clay.Thanks to its central location on the main Japanese island, Shigaraki-yaki took on an important role in people’s daily lives (jars, vats, braziers) as well as in traditional arts such as the Japanese tea ceremony.

At the December 2008 visit to Michigan by Master Potter, Mr. Tamura
Master Tamura demonstrated his craft on stage, using his potter’s wheel to make the clay dance and bend into beautiful shapes. He offered advices in throwing pots. A brief outline of Shigaraki-yaki's history allowed the audience to experience all aspects of the unique role played by Shigaraki-yaki in Japanese history and culture.

Biographical sketch of the Pottery Master
Mr. Shizuo Tamura is President and board member of multiple pottery associations in Shigaraki and throughout Japan. His works have won numerous art awards and have been featured in exhibitions around Japan. Mr.Tamura’s unique artistic vision seeks to remain true to the traditional aesthetics of Shigaraki-yaki while also introducing modern, creative elements that will resonate with audiences internationally.

*courtesy photos by Shiga representative to Michigan, Ms. Miyamura, shigaken ATmsu.edu

audio recordings - 40th Anniversary ceremony

Commemorating 40 years of sister-state relations between the state of Michigan and Shiga prefecture, several honored guests spoke.


[hotlink to audio recording; unlinked names are awaiting permission to put online]



State Superintendent of Education, Mr. Michael Flanagan.
Superintendent of Education for Shiga-ken, Mr. SUEMATSU Kyoiku-cho.
Alumnist of the JCMU program (Japan Center for Michigan Universities), Mr. Brian Forest.
Alumnist of the Michigan-Shiga High School Exchange, Mr. Mario James.
Student representative of the Science High School exchange, Mr. TAKAHASHI Wataru.

40th anniversary of Michigan-Shiga sister statehood

August 20 welcome ceremony AND the August 25 banquet are open to the public.
Details online at http://japanlore.googlepages.com/mi-sisterstate

Related Japan links in Michigan

Midwest Japan Seminar, http://www.asianstudies.msu.edu/MJS/
sometimes hosting the monthly event in Michigan

Japan Festival in Saginaw (September), http://www.japaneseculturalcenter.org/

Michigan-Japan Professionals Association, http://www.michiganjapan.org/
telephone at 517-507-5420 or email info@michiganjapan DOTorg

Sister cities, JapanKits for loan, Japanese Quizbowl

Annual Michigan Japanese Quiz Bowl for young people, www.umich.edu/~iinet/cjs/mjqb

Lending kits of artifacts for teachers, www.umich.edu/~iinet/cjs/japankit

Michigan sister cities in Shiga-ken, http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/cjs/sisterstate/

woodblock print Michigan artist

http://www.marybrodbeck.com/ is based in Kalamazoo and is working fall 2007 as Visiting Artist at the JCMU, Japan Center for Michigan Universities in Hikone (east coast of the country's biggest freshwater body of water, Lake Biwa).