IACE TRAVEL

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from IACE TRAVEL.

"IACE Travel was established on February 1 1970, in New York. Even before deregulation became the norm in the Unites States, we had provided services such as arranging charter flights or offering discount air tickets, especially for Japanese customers living in the United States. Currently, we have twenty-seven offices in Japan and nineteen offices in North America, including Vancouver, Canada. Our service mainly consists of the sales of discount air tickets and travel packages and the arrangement of a variety of travels, including business trips and group tours related to cultural exchange programs.

One of our most important principles which we have cherished from the beginning is that what our customers expect us to provide is our service, taking the form of air tickets or travel packages. IACE Travel aims at contributing to the society by offering various memorable trips, utilizing our strong networks and the experienced employees."
(https://www.iace-usa.com/us/aboutus02.htm)

Performances Program

Performances of 2008 Bunkasai Japanese Culture Festival is scheduled:

-outside-
1:00 Taiko Drum
1:10 Omikoshi
1:15 Koinobori Song
1:20 Soran Bushi Dance

-inside-
1:30 Music Band (Multi Purpose Room)
2:00 Kamishibai Story Telling (Multi Purpose Room)
2:15 Aikido (Multi Purpose Room)
2:30 Japanese Cuisine Recipe (Cafeteria)
2:45 Kendo (Multi Purpose Room)
3:00 Japanese Cuisine Recipe (Cafeteria)

-outside-
3:00 Japanese Cooking Lesson
3:15 Taiko Drum
3:30 Soran Bushi Dance

Food Court

Foods for the 2008 Japanese Culture Festival are sold at Cafeteria. The Foods are prepared by:

Japanese Food from MIZUHO Japanese Restaurant
8320 Pineville-Matthew Road, Charlotte
Phone: 704-543-4081

Japanese Food from RUSAN’S Japanese Restaurant
2440 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: (704) 374-000

Snacks and Drinks from Lotte
4211 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
Phone: (704) 527-8949

Japanese Bread from Mariko’s Bakery

Sushi and Drinks by the Smith Academy of International Language

McIntosh's Steaks & Seafood

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from McIntosh's Steaks & Seafood.

"Welcome to McIntosh's Steaks and Seafood, Charlotte's #1 rated steakhouse according to Zagat's Restaurant Guide. We are the only locally owned prime steakhouse in Charlotte, and strive to always bring a first class dining experience to our patrons. In addition to our casually elegant dining room, we also offer a downstairs environment with separate bar facilities that guarantees a truly private, yet comfortable experience for groups of 8-50 people. We look forward to seeing you at McIntosh's."
(http://www.mcintoshs1.com/aboutus.html)

ASMO North Carolina, Inc

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from ASMO North Carolina, Inc.

Company Outline
Established: March 29, 1988
Main Products: DC Motors for the Automotive Industry
Quality Policy: "WE ARE COMMITTED TO QUALITY THAT EXCEEDS CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS THROUGH CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT AND TOTAL INVOLVEMENT."
(http://www.asmo-na.com/anc/compout.htm)
(http://www.asmo-na.com/anc/qtlpol.htm)

Japanese Culture Booths (Taiken Gakushuu/Experience and Learning) of this year

Taiken Gakushu Booths (booths for experience and learning of Japanese culture) at 2008 Bunkasai are the following. Have fun at the booths!

1. Kazaguruma (Pinwheel) & Yo-Yo (by Smith Academy of International Language)



(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinwheel_%28toy%29)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-yo)


2. Kendama (by West Mecklenburg High School):

A kendama (けん玉 or 剣玉 or 拳玉) is a Japanese toy that consists of a hammer-like object with a ball connected to it by a string. The ball (called the tama) has a hole in it, and it rests on a spike (the ken) on the top of the kendama. The two sides of the "hammer" are concave dishes; one is smaller than the other. The larger side is called the oozara (large dish,大皿) and the other is the kozara (small dish,小皿).There is also a middle position dish at the bottom of the handle called the chuzara (smallest [1], middle position dish,中皿) and toughest to play with than other two dishes.
The basic object is to throw the ball upwards and land it on one of the concave dish parts of the "hammer", as well as landing the ball on the spike. More advanced techniques involve combination moves, different landing positions and even freestyle combinations.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilboquet)


3. Koma (by West Mecklenburg High School):

A koma, top, or spinning top, is a toy that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top)





4. Acchi Muite Hoi (by West Mecklenburg High School):
Acchi Muite Hoi is a Japanese game that is similar to freeze tag.

5. Omikuji (by Ashbrook High School)
*Omikuji (御御籤, 御神籤, or おみくじ) are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines in Japan. Literally "sacred lottery."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omikuji)

6. Shuji/Calligraphy (by Japanese Language School　補習校)

7. Origami/Paper-Folding (by Japanese Language School　補習校)

8. Haiku (by University of North Carolina at Charlotte)
Haiku (俳句) is a kind of Japanese poetry. In English, haiku are written in three lines to equate to the three parts of a haiku in Japanese that traditionally consist of five, seven, and then five on (the Japanese count sounds, not syllables; for example, the word "haiku" itself counts as three sounds in Japanese (ha-i-ku), but two syllables in English (hai-ku), and writing seventeen syllables in English produces a poem that is actually quite a bit longer, with more content, than a haiku in Japanese). A haiku traditionally contains a kigo (season word) which symbolizes or intimates the season in which the poem is set with some reference to the natural world.
Possibly the most well-known of Japanese haiku is Bashō's "old pond" haiku:

古池や蛙飛込む水の音
This separates into on as:

furuike ya
(古池-------や)
(fu/ru/i/ke ya): 5
kawazu tobikomu
(蛙-------飛込む)
(ka/wa/zu to/bi/ko/mu): 7
mizu no oto
(水----の--音)
(mi/zu no o/to): 5

Roughly translated:

old pond
a frog jumps
the sound of water

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku)

Okuma America Corporation

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from Okuma America Corporation.

"Okuma is a world leader in the development of computer numeric controls (CNC) and machining technology. Okuma vertical and horizontal machining centers, lathes, double column machining centers, grinders, and wheel machines offer users high throughout, high accuracy, reliable solutions to production machining operations.
Okuma machines are designed using Mechatronics, our full circle approach to equipment design that allows us to build machines that have the exact balance of power, speed and size to meet most any application.
We control every aspect of the design and production of the six core components on every machine: Automatic Tool Changer (ATC), motor/drive/encoder, base casting, OSP Control, turret, and spindle. That control blends mechanical and electrical development to assure that each piece performs exactly as expected, enabling you to achieve better results faster and with unrivaled reliability. Should your machine require service, our strong distributor network (the seventh exclusive component) offers fast access to expert technicians.
Okuma’s unique methodology regarding machine tool manufacturing delivers products, service and experience that push industry standards."
(http://www.okuma.com/products)

NAKATO Japanese Restaurant

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from NAKATO Japanese Restaurant.


"Nakato offers a variety of dining experiences to suit any tastes. Our Teppan “Hibachi” dining room features large teppan grills at which a personal chef cooks for the entire table. The chef’s skills in preparation are on display almost as much as the food. We also offer guests a seat in our garden dining room, where the atmosphere is a little more elegant and the cuisine is more like what you would find in Japan. The portions and the menu are arranged “tapas-style”, and we encourage sharing and tasting a variety of Japanese delicacies. We also offer private tatami rooms, which captures the elegance and harmony of Japanese aesthetic. You may order a chef “Omakase” which literally translates to, “I leave it up to you.” With an “Omakase” course menu, the chef gathers the best available seasonal items to show his skill and talent. We look forward to your visit."
(http://nakatorestaurant.com/)

Oiles America Corporation

Japanese Teachers' Association and its Bunkasai committee appreciate the donation from Oiles America Corporation.


"OILES America Corporation is the North American subsidiary of Oiles Corporation of Japan, an internationally recognized leader in maintenance free bearing products.
OILES America Corporation is a major supplier of bearing products to the auto industry, both as a first tier supplier and in support of other first tier manufacturers.
In the industrial equipment market, OILES America Corporation’s maintenance free bearing products offer cost effective alternatives to automatic lubrication systems, while freeing machine operators from day to day lubrication requirements."
(http://www.oiles.com/about-us.cfm)