The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania upcoming events

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginner Workshop – Sunday, August 30 (Sunday, August 30, 2026)

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Try taiko drumming with Pittsburgh Taiko!

Pittsburgh Taiko's beginner workshops give you a taste of taiko in a one-day, 2-hour format. These workshops are designed for people who just want to give taiko a try, or folks who might be interested in joining our performing group.

No experience is necessary!

Taiko combines energetic hits with calm focus, balances group unity with individual expression, and requires both power and subtlety.

Each workshop is a 2-hour introduction to taiko, including some taiko history and culture and focusing on hands-on basics. You’ll learn how to stand, how to hit, and some simple patterns that come together to make a percussion melody.

Workshops are from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at our studio in Bellevue. The workshops are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older).

Note that our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.

Please read the information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes before registering.

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginner Workshop – Sunday, September 6 (Sunday, September 06, 2026)

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Try taiko drumming with Pittsburgh Taiko!

No experience is necessary!

Taiko combines energetic hits with calm focus, balances group unity with individual expression, and requires both power and subtlety.

Workshops are from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at our studio in Bellevue. The workshops are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older).

Note that our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.

Please read the information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes before registering.

Change the Language, Change the Business (Friday, September 11, 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

STRATEGIC LANGUAGE, AI AND THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS

A conversation with Professor Yasuhiro Eguchi

The central idea of Useware Strategy is that companies do not win simply because they offer better products, lower prices, or more advanced technology. They win when their products fit naturally into customers' lives and require less effort, time, thought, waiting, and uncertainty.

At the University of Pittsburgh School of Business with support from the Asian Studies Center, Professor Yasuhiro Eguchi will give a talk on marketing and strategy from a Japan perspective. Drawing on his extensive work as a marketing consultant and educator, Professor Eguchi will offer an invitation to rethink how we see business, how we create value, and what it means to lead in the age of AI.

Yasuhiro Eguchi is Professor Emeritus at Gakushuin Women's College. Today, he lectures, trains, and advises executives and business leaders on marketing strategy, corporate transformation, management and organizations in the age of AI, and Useware—the design of value that people continue to use.

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginner Workshop – Sunday, September 20 (Sunday, September 20, 2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Try taiko drumming with Pittsburgh Taiko!

No experience is necessary!

Taiko combines energetic hits with calm focus, balances group unity with individual expression, and requires both power and subtlety.

Workshops are from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at our studio in Bellevue. The workshops are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older).

Note that our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.

Please read the information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes before registering.

40th Anniversary Annual Dinner (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Please join us to celebrate the JASP's 40th Anniversary on November 10! The keynote speaker will be Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Shigeo Yamada.

Ambassador Yamada is a long-time veteran of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His very first posting was as a Second Secretary in Washington D.C. in 1989. In 2012, he returned to Washington as Political Minister. Prior to assuming his current post, Ambassador Yamada served as Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. In that capacity, he was Political Director for Japan's 2023 G7 Presidency, supporting the G7 Summit in Hiroshima and the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nagano-Karuizawa.

Ambassador Yamada's previous positions in Tokyo include Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for Foreign Policy, Deputy Director General for North American Affairs, Director for Northeast Asia, Director for Southeast Asia, and Director for the Status of U.S. Forces Agreement. He also served as a Cabinet Councillor in the National Security Secretariat in the Prime Minister's Office.

2026 Sponsorship Information [PDF]

Unable to attend the event and want to make a donation?

Consider sponsoring a half or full table of students. The JASP will match the seats with student members. Please contact us for more information.