On February 28, 2018 Mrs. Nobuko Sasae, wife of the Ambassador of Japan, hosted the 12th and final Nobuko Forum (PDF link) with special guest speaker Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. The theme of the event was “Being Natural and True to Yourself.” The Nobuko Forum was a series of panel presentations that invited strong female leaders in Washington, DC to share their experiences and insights with young professionals. Ambassador Kennedy was the final speaker in the series, which has featured some of the most influential women in DC.
During the forum Ambassador Kennedy spoke with Mrs. Sasae about many topics important to her, and remarked that “Growing up in a political family and serving as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I have had the opportunity to both serve as a leader and meet with many powerful female role models. It was exciting to be able to share my experiences with the group of young women that Nobuko had gathered.”
Mrs. Sasae’s friends and collaborators celebrated the success of the Nobuko Forum series at a farewell party for her that was covered by Hollywood on the Potomac.
After voting by over 200,000 elementary school classrooms in Japan, Tokyo 2020’s super-powered Olympic and Paralympic mascots are here! The mascots will be named this summer when they are officially launched, but they already have distinct personalities. The Olympic mascot has a strong sense of justice, is very athletic and has the power to move anywhere instantaneously. The Paralympic mascot has a dignified inner strength, a kind heart that loves nature, and the power to move things just by looking at them.
The winning pair were chosen from among three shortlisted designs out of a total of 2,042 entries. Regardless of which pair was your favorite, we hope you are all as excited as we are for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games!
Offering attendees a chance to dive deeper into the heart of Japan’s culture of natural connection, Japan Information & Culture Center Acting Director Mitsue Morita joined thousands of Japanese pop culture fans at this year’s Katsucon. At the “Wa no Kokoro” panel discussion, Ms. Morita, the Chanoyu Tea Society of Washington and Lee University’s Dr. Janet Ikeda explored the philosophy at the root of Japanese etiquette and culture, including the “voices” often ascribed to animals and objects, and the unique spiritual approaches that emerge from Shinto and Buddhist beliefs.
“I really enjoy exploring what makes Japan unique with a knowledgeable audience, because it involves very subtle ideas about coexistence and harmony being expressed through language, craftsmanship, and personal relationships,” remarked Ms. Morita. “Many of the attendees have come across versions of these ideas through anime and manga, so I appreciate Katsucon giving us the opportunity to tie their knowledge to a greater appreciation of parallels in other art forms like Ikebana or the Tea Ceremony!”
