by Ryan Jones | Nov 20, 2020 | Music
Ms. Nanae Fijiwara is a spectacular performer celebrated for her impressive technique and expressive performance of the Spanish Classical Guitar repertoire. Once a student of guitar legends Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, the Assad Brothers, and David Russell, Nanae...
by Ryan Jones | Oct 17, 2020 | Cultural, Entertainment
Ms. Miyuki Sugimori is a Japanese candy artist and is the only female professional who can skillfully shape candy material into flowers and animals by blowing air into it. Ms. Sugimori then finishes the candy by shaping it with her fingers and scissors and colors her...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Music
The 2020 Virtual GKC Japan Festival is proud to feature Ms. Aya Uchida, a Japanese professional pop singer from Kyoto, Japan, to perform on a video virtually this year. Ms. Uchida was born in Kyoto, Japan. In 2009, she met with guitarist, Jo Yamanaka and they started...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Martial Arts
Ryoichi Kinoshita Sensei demonstrates his aikido and calligraphy skills in this unique video. (This video was produced by Kinoshita Sensei in Kansas City at the 2018 Greater Kansas City Japan Festival where he was the main performer at the Greater Kansas City Japan...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Cultural, Entertainment
In this presentation, Joshua Murphy will take a look at Japanese Game shows and their effect on the American television landscape. Joshua Murphy is a historian who has interviewed two dozen television personalities, producers, and distributors. He has been a Japanese...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Martial Arts
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Cultural, Language
Our presenter will explain the basics of the Japanese language in this video. Viewers will learn basic words, everyday greetings, and writing...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Music
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Cultural, Calligraphy
A very special opportunity for virtual festival attendees this year is the appearance of Ryoichi Kinoshita Sensei (Aikido 7th Dan Shihan; Shodo Shihan) from Osaka, Japan. Kinoshita Sensei is a renowned Aikido martial master and a calligraphy master. His amazing skills...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 29, 2020 | Cultural, Visual Arts
by Ryan Jones | Sep 21, 2020 | Visual Arts, Cultural
Sachie and Miyako will teach viewers all about traditional Japanese Kimono and Yukata. They will demonstrate how to put on a Kimono or Yukata. Both Sachie and Miyako have been HAJAS members for over 40 years and make many presentations on the Japanese culture and...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Music
Three Trails Taiko is a Kansas City community group, currently consisting of approximately twelve volunteers. They have performed for local festivals, relief events, libraries, organizations and business events in the Greater Kansas City area. Their goal is to become...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Cultural, Calligraphy
Mrs. Kazuko Ishii was born in Tokyo in 1928 and graduated from Hohseh University (with a major in Japanese Literature). She started teaching in Tokyo and became a Principal of the Shimo Elementary School. After her retirement, she started teaching Japanese penmanship...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Calligraphy, Cultural
Japanese calligraphy is the writing of the Japanese language. Our presenter will teach viewers how to write Japanese characters with a brush and ink. Our presenter has taught calligraphy at our Greater Kansas City Japan Festival for a number of years. ...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Visual Arts, Cultural
This video will allow viewers to enjoy the world of Kamishibai (Japanese Paper Theaters). Danial Roy will provide information on Kamishibai and its history as well as its connection to Anime and Manga. Starting in the 1920s each Saturday morning would find the...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Martial Arts
Iaijutsu is a combative quick-draw sword technique. This art of drawing the Japanese sword, katana, is one of the Japanese koryu martial art disciplines in the education of the classical warrior (bushi). It is a combative sword-drawing art but not necessarily an...
by Ryan Jones | Sep 20, 2020 | Martial Arts
Dr. Neil Segal owns the Aikijuku Dojo where he teaches students of all ages Aikido. His studio is also used by other local martial arts groups and Three Trails Taiko. Dr. Segal used his young Aikido students and then used his adult Aikido students in his video. The...
