Storytelling with Motoko at Alphabet City in April.

via motoko.folktales.net.

The City of Asylum's Alphabet City will host Japanese storyteller Motoko on Saturday, April 7.

Ryoichi Kurokawa and Novi_sad at Wood Street Galleries, from January 26.

from unfold.alt, via ryoichikurokawa.com.

Three installations by Ryoichi Kurokawa—two solo and one collaboration with Novi_sad—will be at Wood Street Galleries downtown from January 26 through April 8. Opening night will be free and open to the public from 5:30 to 10:00 pm as part of January's Gallery Crawl.

Japanese artist, born in 1978, lives and works in Berlin, Germany. Kurokawa’s works take on multiple forms such as installation works, recordings, and concert pieces. He composes the time sculpture with the field recordings and the digital generated structures, and reconstructs architecturally the audiovisual phenomenon. In recent years, his works are shown at international festivals and museums including Tate Modern[UK], Venice Biennale[IT], Palais de Tokyo[FR], Transmediale[DE], EMPAC[US], YCAM[JP] and Sonar[ES]. In 2010, he was awarded the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica in the Digital Musics & Sound Art category.

The Wood Street Galleries website has lengthy introductions to the exhibitions. Wood Street Galleries is located at 601 Wood St. (map).

Mitski at Cattivo, March 16.

NYC-based Japanese-American singer-songwriter Mitski will play at Cattivo in Pittsburgh on March 16. A September 2017 Pitcfork podcast calls her "one of the sharpest young voices in indie rock" and continues:

her raw and evocative lyricism meeting meticulous and sprawling musical ambition.

She studied studio composition at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, where she recorded her first two albums, 2012’s Lush and 2013’s Sad, New Career in Business as student projects. With graduation came a move to Brooklyn, where her 2014 breakthrough, the blistering and relatable Bury Me at Makeout Creek, established her as a favorite of the DIY scene and beyond. With 2016’s Puberty 2, Mitski’s star power came into total focus, through her visuals, her outspokenness, and most of all, her brutally honest songs. She’s been traveling the world on tour ever since.

Tickets for the all-ages show will go on sale at 10:00 am on Wednesday, January 10.
Cattivo is located at 116 44th Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Korea Economic Institute's "The Future of Korea" in Pittsburgh, January 17.

The Korea Economic Institute of America [KEIA] and World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh will present "The Future of Korea" on January 17. A profile of this outreach program, from the KEIA:

KEI's Future of Korea is an outreach program that strengthens interest in U.S.-Korea relations with community members, scholars, and students outside of the DC metropolitan area. KEI hosts a series of six to ten programs annually with leading local World Affairs Councils throughout the United States.

The Future of Korea program features panel presentations by a team of up to three people, usually one member of KEI, a representative from the U.S. State Department Korea Desk, and a diplomat from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. The panel addresses all aspects of U.S.-Korea relations and the situation on the Korean peninsula, including political, economic, and security issues, followed by a question and answer session. In addition to the core event, the program often includes a similar panel discussion at a local university or high school and various media events. Other events are added depending on the wishes of the local host organization. These successful and popular programs have attracted as many as 2,000 participants in some cities.

The panel presentation will run from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the Founders Room of the Duquesne Club downtown (map). Tickets are $30 for World Affairs Council members and $45 for non-members.

Movie & Mumble with 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance (Shall we ダンス?), January 13 in Cranberry.

The 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance (Shall we ダンス?) will play in Cranberry as the year's first installment of the Movie & Mumble series hosted by the Cranberry Area Diversity Network.

He's an overworked accountant. She's an accomplished dancer. Passion is about to find two unlikely partners. The 1996 Japanese romantic comedy “Shall We Dance?” will launch the 2018 Movie & Mumble series. No reservations are necessary. The PG-rated feature, with English subtitles, will be followed by an open discussion led by Elena Geil, a former resident of Japan.

The event runs from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Cranberry Public Library (map), and is free and open to the public.

Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture at Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Thursday evenings.

A Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture group meets at Mt. Lebanon Public Library Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:45 pm.

Join us every Thursday to practice conversational Chinese and explore Chinese culture. All levels welcome.

Participants are asked to donate $30, prorated, to Mt. Lebanon Public Library for each ten-week session. Please check the Event Calendar for potential schedule changes.

Those interested may contact Charlene Zang at czang [at] cmu.edu for more information. The library is located at 16 Castle Shannon Blvd. (map).

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble film, performance by AppalAsia at Mattress Factory, January 23.

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, following the cellist Ma and a collective of musicians from across the world, will play at the Mattress Factory art museum on January 23. It will be followed by a performance by AppalAsia,"a Pittsburgh-based ensemble of dulcimer, erhu, banjo, and vocals that combines the influence of their folk-roots with original composition and inspired improvisation."

Sashiko Embroidery workshop at Carnegie Library - Squirrel Hill, January 31.

by littlelixie (2010, Creative Commons)

There are limited spaces available for a Sashiko Embroidery workshop at the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill on Wednesday, January 31.

Sashiko is an ancient form of Japanese embroidery that utilizes large, simple stitches to create intricate designs. In this class, students will learn how to control their stitches and will practice on two different designs of their choice. Each student will have two small sashiko samplers to finish at home. Beginners welcome!

The class is taught by local artist, designer, and instructor Rebekah Joy.

The event runs from 6:00 to 7:45 pm. The event is free but registration is required and can be completed on the library's website. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map).

"Journey to Japan," February 18 at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Main branch in Oakland will host "Journey to Japan" on Sunday, February 18.

Japanese Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) at Pitt for students turning 20, January 10.

Kasai does 成人の日 in 2010.

A large cohort of students from Yasuda Women's University is studying at Pitt's English Language Institute this fall and will miss the traditional Coming-of-Age Ceremony (成人の日) in Hiroshima next month, so the Asian Studies Center will hold its own ceremony on January 10. The Asian Studies Center introduces Pitt's ceremony:

A local government official will preside over the ceremony here in Pittsburgh and a Yasuda University student will give the student address. The ceremony is open not only to the ELI students, but also Pitt students, especially those studying Japanese, who are turning 20 (between April 2, 2017 and April 1, 2018).

And Japan Visitor introduces the day and its traditions:

Seijin Shiki or 成人式 could be translated as 'Coming of Age Day Ceremony' in English. Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day) is a Japanese public holiday that occurs on every second Monday of January.

Coming of Age Day or Adult's Day honors every person that has turned 20 years old over the past year. When young people reach twenty they officially become adults in Japanese society and they now have responsibilities as well as newfound liberties: such as being able to drink, smoke, go to hostess bars, gamble and to drive legally. The voting age was lowered from 20 to 18 in 2015.

The girls always wear gorgeous and very expensive kimono, although most admit to having rentals as the outfit is worth up to 1,000,000 yen. The boys usually wear a regular suit and tie but a few will wear traditional Japanese dress.

It runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in Ballroom B of the University Club (map), and those interested should email asia [at] pitt.edu.