Japan Society of Fairfield County
Ohanami 2008 and 20th Anniversary
Harry Sakamaki, president of the
JSFC, began the 20th Anniversary celebration with the traditional
“Kagamibiraki,” sake cask-breaking ceremony
followed by a toast. Peter Tesei, First Selectman of Greenwich, and
Jiro Okuyama,
Director, Japan Information Center, Consulate General of Japan in New
York, were present and briefly addressed us. We then retreated to the
GJS auditorium to escape the cold wind after a brief look at the cherry
trees which were in full bloom. We enjoyed a delicious bento,
picnic box lunch prepared by Kujaku Japanese Restaurant of Stamford. We
were
entertained by an Okinawa Sanshin performance by Zen monk Kossan:
Azatoya
Yunt (Proposing to a beautiful woman)
Hatoma-bushi (Hatoma Island
Melody)
Shimauta (Island Song-Okinawa)
a
Japanese dance performance by Kyoko Ohnishi and two of her pupils, Rie
Ogasawara and Yuika Abe:
Kotobuki
(Congratulatory Dance) by Fujima Konishiki (Kyoko Ohnishi)
Itako Dejima (The Peninsula of Itako)
by Yuika Abe
Sakura Sakura (Cherry Blossom)
led by Yuika Abe and Rie Ogasawara with audience participation
and 
a demonstration of Atarashi Naginata and
Tendo Ryu Naginata-jutsu by Sachiko Yamauchi, Kiyoshi, Greater New York
Naginata Foundation.
This year we had a bake sale for the first time led by Reiko Kawashima
with contributions by Reiko Achiwa, Nancy Beck, Susan Littlefield,
Hiroko Sakamaki, and Joyce Shinomiya.
Bill Jarvis led our raffle. This year we had three
exceptionally valuable prizes:
from JAL: a roundtrip ticket to Tokyo
from Sharp: Sharp LC-26DV22U Television
from JVC America: TH-D60 Digital Theater System
Our members again donated a wonderful collection of prizes.
Historical presentations of past presidents
of JSFC
Return to Recent Programs
Return to Main Menu