"Mascots, Cryptids, and UFOs: Civic Monsters in Contemporary Japan," April 10 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. William Tsutsui and his talk "Mascots, Cryptids, and UFOs: Civic Monsters in Contemporary Japan" on April 10.

Why are cute and creepy mascots so ubiquitous among Japan’s cities and regions? Is there a Japanese Bigfoot? Have extraterrestrials ever landed in Japan? This lecture traces the history of Japanese mascots, cryptids, and UFOs, exploring how invented, imagined, and unexplained creatures have been deployed in tourism campaigns, the creation of regional identity, and local commercial boosterism. These “civic monsters” grew from Japan’s rich and distinctive monster culture of folkloric yōkai and cinematic kaijū but are also deeply woven into global circuitries of politics, capitalism, media, and play.

Why are cute and creepy mascots so ubiquitous among Japan’s cities and regions? Is there a Japanese Bigfoot? Have extraterrestrials ever landed in Japan? This lecture traces the history of Japanese mascots, cryptids, and UFOs, exploring how invented, imagined, and unexplained creatures have been deployed in tourism campaigns, the creation of regional identity, and local commercial boosterism. These “civic monsters” grew from Japan’s rich and distinctive monster culture of folkloric yōkai and cinematic kaijū but are also deeply woven into global circuitries of politics, capitalism, media, and play.

It runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Barco Law Building's Alcoa Room (map).

Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim and "When God Became White," April 10 at Pitt.

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pittsburgh will present Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim and her talk "When God Became White" on April 10.

Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim is Professor of Theology at Earlham College. She has written or edited two dozen books, many of which converge on the themes of race, gender, and religion. Some of her most recent books include When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity; Intersectional Theology: An Introductory Guide (with Susan Shaw); and Invisible: Theology and the Experience of Asian American Women.

Free "We Learn: Basic Japanese Language and Culture," Fridays at downtown Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, from May 2.

"Osaka, Japan" by Pedro Szekely (Creative Commons).

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's downtown branch will host "We Learn: Basic Japanese Language and Culture" on Fridays from May 2 through June 6, marking the return of free Japanese ourses at one of the local libraries after a several-year pause.

Enjoy learning the basics of the Japanese language and culture from a certified, native Japanese instructor.

1. Greetings
2. Etiquette, manners
3. Survival phrases for traveling to Japan
4. Interesting tourist locations
5. Ordering food and shopping
6. Reading and writing - Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, Emoji
7. Anime, Manga

Each session is designed to be interactive and fun. The agenda can vary based on the interests of the students. 

Registration is required and can be completed online. The classes run from 11:00 am, and the library is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

Korean film Fanatic (성덕) and Zoom Q&A with director, April 9 at Carnegie Mellon.

The Carnegie Mellon University Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics will host a screening of the 2021 Korean film Fanatic (성덕) followed by a Zoom Q&A session with director Oh Seyeon on April 9.

Organized as part of LCAL's 82-253 Korean Society through Film and Literature course, this event offers a unique opportunity for the CMU community and beyond to experience this acclaimed documentary with English subtitles.

Don't miss out on Korean snacks and insights into a film celebrated at prestigious festivals like Busan International Film Festival and Udine Far East Festival, not yet available in U.S. theaters or on English-language streaming platforms!

A synopsis from the Far East Film Festival:

In Oh Se-yeo’'s Fanatic, the filmmaker follows former fans of Korean stars accused of crimes who are “suffering more because they loved them.” A former fan herself, Oh started the project out of spite, which eventually became therapeutic, revealing conversations with friends and other friends that are ultimately heartfelt, contemplative and, at times, hilarious.

The event runs from 6:30 t0 9:00 pm in Posner Hall Room 153 (map) and is open to the public.

New photos from Hong Kong Dim Sum, set to open in Oakland in the next two weeks.

The development team shares new photos from inside Hong Kong Dim Sum, aiming to open in the next two weeks in Oakland.


It will be located at 4520 Centre Ave. in North Oakland's One on Centre complex (map). The space features a large dining room plus three private rooms for events. Announced back in September 2023, Hong Kong Dim Sum was to help fill in one of the remaining gaps in Pittsburgh's Asian food scene, though dim sum offerings have expanded around town since then.

HK Dim Sum is hiring ahead of its planned opening, and is recruiting server/waitstaff, host, dishwasher, busser, and line/prep cook positions. Those interested may text 917-618-7307 or 718-415-0546 to apply.

Work continues on Pittsburgh's Fresh International Market past latest target opening date.

Photo taken the morning of April 2.

Work continues on the eagerly-awaited Fresh International Market coming soon to Pittsburgh in Point Breeze's Rockwell Park development. The US-based chain of Asian grocery stores was first announced for Pittsburgh in March 2023, and the 23,000 square foot store would be among the largest Asian groceries in the region. It was initially aiming for a Summer 2024 opening, then announced a February 2025 opening, then April 1. From a February 2025 Pittsburgh Magazine article:

Known for its unique selection of international ingredients and authentic Asian cuisine, Fresh International Market imports products from more than 28 countries. This will be the 10th location, with stores located in Illinois, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida. The first store was founded in Lansing, Michigan in 2011 by Bowen Kou; the company is now headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Also opening at Rockwell is the second location of Ineffable CaPhe, a Lawrenceville coffee shop offering a variety of Asian items such as bubble tea, banh mi sandwiches and rice bowls, Al Lardo, Rockwell Park’s principal, said in an interview. It will operate out of the grocery store rather than being a separate tenant at Rockwell.

He noted his family’s roots are in Wilkinsburg, where his wife’s family had a business for 80 years and his father owned rental properties. He told the Business Times that he looks forward to the new opportunity that the store will bring to residents in Wilkinsburg as well as Homewood to be able to buy healthy and fresh foods that are affordably priced.

“The location [of the Fresh International Market] is especially good because of the busway,” Lardo said in an interview. which is just a half-mile walk from Rockwell Park. “There’s a lot of people who don’t have cars in Wilkinsburg.”

The store will open at 7511 Thomas Blvd. (map), located roughly a block from the East End Food Co-op and Construction Junction. While this will be the region's first Fresh International Market, though the chain was loosely linked to Pittsburgh in 2021 as a finalist for the former Hill District Shop n' Save location that was later occupied, and vacated, by Salem's Market. Its proposal was admittedly the weakest of the four for the site, and was reportedly submitted after the deadline, which were among two of the reasons it was not selected to move into Uptown.

Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective: The Space in Between free guided tour, April 12 at Contemporary Craft.

Contemporary Craft will host a free guided tour for the Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective: The Space in Between exhibition on April 12. The tour runs from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and registration is required. The exhibition runs through May 16, two weeks longer than originally announced.

Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective: The Space in Between features a comprehensive survey of California-based artist, Keiko Fukazawa’s more than forty-year career, featuring new works alongside selected archival materials. Fukazawa is deeply influenced by her Japanese heritage and American environment, addressing themes of Asian pop culture and social issues through conceptual exploration. Her functional yet impractical interpretations of traditional forms serve as personal expressions that bridge cultural boundaries.

This exhibition is organized into three themes: “Culture Clash,” “ARTivism,” and “In Betweenness,” each one representing different stages of Fukazawa’s creative evolution. As an immigrant artist, Fukazawa draws on her experiences of navigating the space between cultures and identities, infusing her work with depth and resonance. Through her use of porcelain, Fukazawa highlights ceramic artistry, process, and history advocating for the medium’s importance in the contemporary world. Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective offers a compelling narrative of artistic journey and cultural dialogue, showcasing Fukazawa’s enduring commitment to pushing boundaries and redefining the intersection of tradition, innovation and materiality with her practice.

Contemporary Craft is located at 5645 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

1997 animated film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) continues in Pittsburgh through April 9 with 4K IMAX screenings.

The 1997 animated film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), which opened in Pittsburgh on March 26, will continue here through (at least) April 9 in a series of 4K IMAX screenings.

While defending his village from a demonic boar-god, young warrior Ashitaka becomes afflicted with a deadly curse that grants him super-human power in battle but eventually will take his life. Traveling west to find a cure and meet his destiny, he journeys deep into sacred depths of the Great Forest where he meets San (aka Princess Mononoke), a girl raised by wolf-gods. Mononoke is a force of nature, riding bareback on a great white wolf and terrorizing the human outpost of Iron Town on the edge of the forest.

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront on March 26 and March 28 through April 1, and tickets are available online.

Annual Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh picnic, May 24.

The Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (ピッツバーグ日本協会) will hold its annual picnic on May 24 in Fox Chapel. Registration is required by April 30.

ピッツバーグ日本協会では、2025年5月24日（土）にピクニックを開催します！

バーベキューを楽しみながら、ギフト券が当たる抽選会も予定しています。
ご家族・ご友人をお誘いあわせのうえ、ぜひご参加ください！
 日時：5/24（土）午後1時～4時頃（雨天決行・荒天中止）
 場所：O'Hara Township Community Park Shelter
 参加費：
会員：無料
非会員＝Donation（12歳以上＝$10, 4～11歳＝$5, 3歳以下＝なし）
 ※当日までにご入会いただければ、参加費は無料になります
 （年会費：家族$40、個人$30、学生$20）


 申込締切：4月30日（水）
 ▼申込フォーム：https://forms.gle/eNEMjcmGc8c9g8RZ6
 　詳細は添付PDFをご覧ください。

 ご質問は pittsburghjagp@gmail.com までお気軽にどうぞ！

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The Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh will host a picnic on Saturday, May 24.
There will be barbecue and a gift card raffle. Friends and family are welcome.
Time: 1:00–4:00 PM (rain or shine)
 Location: O'Hara Township Community Park Shelter
 Fee: Members free /Non-members: Donation appreciated$10 (12+), $5 (ages 4–11), Free (under 3)
Join as a member and your donation will be waived.
RSVP by April 30:
 https://forms.gle/eNEMjcmGc8c9g8RZ6

 O'Hara Township Community Park is located on Fox Chapel Rd., a short distance from Exit 8 of Route 28 and accessible by city bus 91 (map).

Dang Poke & Boba Tea soft opens in Cranberry.

Dang Poke & Boba Tea soft opened yesterday, March 31, in Cranberry. Signage went up for the new spot a few weeks ago at 20018 US-19 Suite 500, in the Oak Tree Plaza next to Jimmy John's (map).

"Proudly family owned and operated since 2025," it has eight varieties of poke bowls, a build-your-own-bowl menu, a selection of Asian appetizers---spring rolls, tempura, edamame, among others---and an assortment of drinks and bubble teas: options generally missing from the food scene north of the city.

Dang Poke & Boba Tea is open 11:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday.