Japan In The Schools

The Japan in the Schools (JIS) program brings information about Japan and Japanese culture into Western Pennsylvanian classrooms. Volunteers of the JIS program respond to outreach requests from elementary, middle, and high schools; libraries; and other community partners. This unique experience broadens the students’ view of the world and its cultures. Since the program’s launch in 1997, outreach requests have steadily increased.

High School Japanese Speech Contest

This day-long competition is designed for high school students studying Japanese language in the Greater Pittsburgh region. The contest is held each spring in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh. More advanced students are tested on  memorized, spoken Japanese speeches, while beginner students are judged on English poster presentations featuring aspects of Japanese culture.

Pittsburgh Taiko

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania is proud to present Pittsburgh Taiko. Pittsburgh Taiko is dedicated to bringing Japanese group taiko drumming (kumidaiko) to the city of Pittsburgh. Open to anyone interested in learning about the art form, Pittsburgh Taiko preforms and holds outreach activities to share their knowledge of taiko and Japanese culture with the community.

Educational Resources

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania is dedicated to helping teachers find high quality resources to support their teaching about Japan and Japanese culture. 

The JASP also helps to coordinate the Keizai Koho Center Teacher Fellowship each year.