Have you taken a taiko class with us in the past? Want to get back in practice, or just get some drum time in in December?
Pittsburgh Taiko is offering a few Sunday Drop-in Classes for folks with taiko experience.
This class is for people who have taken a class or workshop previously. Like our classes, these are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older).
Each class is from 10:30 to 11:30 AM at our studio in Bellevue.
Note that our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.
Please read the FAQ information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes for more tips.
Artificial intelligence, robotics, and innovations for aging societies are reshaping healthcare systems around the world. Nowhere is this more evident than in Japan. Japan is a global leader in designing technology and policy to meet the realities of an aging population. From care-support robotics to AI-driven genomic medicine, Japan’s advancements offer powerful lessons for regions like Pittsburgh, where healthcare, aging, and technology intersect every day.
Healthcare Innovations from Japan to Pittsburgh brings together leaders in medicine, policy, technology, and international collaboration for a timely conversation on how U.S.–Japan collaboration can improve care, strengthen communities, and support the workforce of the future.
What to expect:
Learn how Japan’s “Healthcare New Frontier” and Society 5.0 initiatives are transforming care delivery
Explore emerging connections between Pittsburgh’s innovation ecosystem and Japan’s health sector
Hear frontline perspectives from Pittsburgh leaders who traveled to Japan to study these systems
Understand how designing for aging societies ultimately benefits people of all ages
Engage directly with experts shaping the future of healthcare technology and policy
Arrive at 6:00 PM for networking, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and a cultural tasting experience. The speaking program begins at 7:00 PM.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Kunihiro Nishimura is the CEO and Founder of Xcoo, Inc. (“tenku”). Xcoo uses Dr. Nishimura’s integrated, end-to-end software platform called Chrovis, providing AI-powered interpretation for genomic medicine. Until founding Xcoo in 2011, Dr. Nishimura was an assistant professor at Graduate School of Information Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo, where he also received his Ph.D. and prior degrees in engineering. He was recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2018 and 2019. He specializes in healthcare and information utilization, including AI, and works on the application of genomic medicine to cancer and rare diseases.
Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and its three operating arms. Widely regarded as a thought leader on patient safety, healthcare quality improvement, the healthcare workforce, and healthcare innovation, Dr. Feinstein has guided the instrumental work of the Foundation for over three decades. In 2024, she led a transformative study tour of Japan to experience and learn from the country’s ambitious efforts of Society 5.0: Human-Centered Smart Society.
Dr. Kay Shimizu is a Research Professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and a Visiting Scholar at Hosei University in Japan. Her research addresses institutional design and their effects on economic governance with a special interest in central local relations, property rights, and the digital transformation. She is the author of Betting on the Farm: Institutional Change in Japanese Agriculture with Patricia Maclachlan, and The Digital Transformation and Japan's Political Economy with Ulrike Schaede. Shimizu received her Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University. She contributes regularly to the public discourse on international relations and the political economy of Asia and has been a fellow at the Mike and Maureen Mansfield Foundation, the National Committee on U.S. China Relations, and the U.S.-Japan Foundation.
This competition is designed for high school students from Western Pennsylvania and the tristate area studying Japanese language. Japanese language students of all levels and students who are involved in Japan-related cultural activities, are able to compete against other area students in speech or poster activities. Non-language students are eligible to compete in the poster contest. Each year over 80 students participate. There will be lots of fun Japan-related activities for participating students and parents.
Students who compete in speech levels are required to write and memorize a speech on the chosen topic for the contest. Winners receive prizes and trophies! Please visit the contest page for more information.
2026 Themes:
Beginner Level: Self-Introduction All Other Levels: 祭り (Festivals)
Japanese language teachers or students studying Japanese in high school should contact the JASP office at 412-856-8608 or email Katsuko Shellhammer to learn more about the competition. The contest is held in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Museum of Art.
Copyright © 2025
The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
PHONE: 412-856-8608
EMAIL: jasp@japansocietypa.org
