Thursday, August 1, 2024

Asian Car Show with Pittsburgh Kyūsha and Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, August 3 and 4.


Pittsburgh Kyūsha and Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will present classic Japanese cars and cultural activities at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix's Asian Car Show, part of the annual International Car Show, on August 3 and 4. From the Japanese Association of Greater Pittsburgh's mailing list:
This weekend, August 3rd (Sat) to 4th (Sun), the ' Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix International Car show' will be held at Schenley Park. The Japanese car enthusiasts group, Pittsburgh Kyusha, will have a booth!

They will be showcasing Japanese cars from the 1980s and 90s that were sold in the Japanese market, as well as "Itasha" cars. If you are interested, please visit their booth. For the location, please check the map at the bottom of the following page. It seems that Gate D is the closest: https://pittsburghkyusha.org/pvgp

Additionally, at the same booth, the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will be hosting a Japanese cultural experience corner featuring water balloons, among other activities. This will be held from 9:30 AM to around 3:00 PM on both days.
The annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix takes place at Schenley Golf Course in Squirrel Hill (map). There is typically an entrance fee for visitors who wish to walk around the course.

"Creating with Context: East Asian Printing and Bookbinding," September 17 at Pitt.


The University of Pittsburgh's University Library System will present "Creating with Context: East Asian Printing and Bookbinding" on September 17.
Discover the fascinating world of East Asian print culture in this hands-on workshop! Participants will explore traditional printing techniques used in China and Japan, from ancient woodblock printing to various book binding formats, some of them dating back to the 14th century! We will start by traveling back in time to examine rare prints and books from Archives & Special Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System, curated by Runxiao Zhu, Head of the East Asian Library, and Hiroyuki Good, Japanese Studies Librarian. The workshop will conclude with a hands-on activity where you'll create your own block print or mini book in the Text & conText Lab.

Curious to learn more about this topic? Check out the East Asian Print Culture exhibit on display in the Archives & Special Collections Gallery on Hillman Library’s 3rd Floor on display Fall-Spring 2024!
It runs from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in room 320 on the third floor and is free and open to both the Pitt community and the public. Registration is required and can be completed online. Hillman Library is located at in Oakland (map).

2024 film Didi (弟弟) in Pittsburgh, from August 8.


The 2024 film Didi (弟弟) will play in Pittsburgh from August 8.
In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.
It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and select dates at the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill, and tickets are available online.

2008 Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) in Pittsburgh, from August 3.


The 2008 Hayao Miyazaki film Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ) will play in Pittsburgh from August 3 through 7, part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2024.
From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a heartwarming family adventure. When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.
It plays locally at most Pittsburgh-area theaters, and tickets are available online. Please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Korean-American singer-songwriter eaJ in Pittsburgh, November 7.


The Argentinia-born Korean-American singer-songwriter eaJ will perform in Pittsburgh on November 7, part of his When The Rain Stopped Following Me world tour. He will perform at the Crafthouse Stage and Grill in the South Hills (map). Tickets will be available to the public from 10:00 am EST on July 31.

Sunday, July 28, 2024

New Thai place Breakfast With Tiffany coming soon to Fox Chapel.


A banner has gone up at 1034 Freeport Road in Fox Chapel (map), where Breakfast With Tiffany will be coming soon. It is next in a long line of Thai places in this spot, and replaces The98 Contemporary Thai Cuisine, which occupied the location for a few months in 2023. It is from the same head chef as Squirrel Hill's Took Took 98, who also ran The98.

Friday, July 26, 2024

Kyo Matcha and Meetcha soft opening in Squirrel Hill today, holding Grand Opening on July 27 and 28.


Dessert spots Kyo Matcha and Meetcha are holding a soft opening in Squirrel Hill today followed by a Grand Opening this weekend. They'll be located at 5864 Forbes Ave. (map) in the former Footers Cleaners spot where signage first went up in October. Kyo Matcha, according to its official site,
is an international chain of Matcha desserts dedicated to creating top-quality raw materials. Due to the influence of the Japanese-style matcha culture, the Kyoto Matcha is based on the brand mission of “Let the Tea Return to the Forest”, rooted in the traditional Japanese tea culture and dedicated to the promotion of Matcha culture.
Meetcha is a bubble tea place. This is the latest in a recent batch of Asian dessert openings in Squirrel Hill, following Meccha Matcha, Mango Mango, and Tiger Sugar.

Concert film Blackpink World Tour (Born Pink) in Cinemas in Pittsburgh, from July 31.


The new Blackpink concert film Black Pink World Tour (Born Pink) in Theaters will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from July 31.
BLACKPINK’s BORN PINK tour that captivated the world comes to the big screen, celebrating the group’s 8th anniversary since their debut! Drawing an audience of 1.8 million and breaking global records for female group concert tours, experience the energy of the live performances in cinemas worldwide! Featuring the iconic ‘Hanok’ set that has mesmerized fans and press worldwide, the film shows unprecedented production scale, presenting exclusively arranged versions of BLACKPINK’s hit songs unique to this concert and encompassing performances from Seoul’s Gocheok Dome alongside footage from further cities across the global tour. Join us for all the exhilarating moments, premiering in over 110 countries, marking a first for a K-POP female group.
It will play locally in the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemarks in Monroeville, McCandless, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Thursday, July 25, 2024

University of Pittsburgh's Japanese Nationality Room turns 25 today.



The Japanese Nationality Room in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning was dedicated on July 25, 1999. Located in room 317 on the Cathedral's third floor, the room is modeled after a traditional 18th-century minka. Wikipedia provides a good overview of the room's interior---which was largely built in Japan, disassembled, and rebuilt in Pittsburgh---while the 24-page program from the dedication ceremony, scanned and preserved by the university's Documenting Pitt archive, covers the ceremony as well as information on the budget, donors, and other contributors. At the time, it says, the total expenditure was $507,047.64, roughly 80% being building and building-related expenses.

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Concert film Seventeen Tour "Follow" Again to Cinemas in Pittsburgh, from August 21.


The Korean concert film Seventeen Tour "Follow" Again to Cinemas will play in Pittsburgh from August 21.
“It feels like we’ve been working hard for this day.” Rewriting history every step of their way, SEVENTEEN’s first Seoul World Cup Stadium concert and encore tour [SEVENTEEN TOUR ‘FOLLOW’ AGAIN TO SEOUL] is coming to big screens worldwide this August! From the eagerly awaited full thirteen-member performances to the premiere of “MAESTRO” and unique unit performances of “Spell”, “LALALI”, “Cheers to youth”, the film captures these unforgettable moments with cinematic cameras from multiple angles, ensuring an immersive experience. This concert film begins with a powerful daylight performance that transitions into an event brimming with a diverse array of music. Culminating under a night sky illuminated by CARAT light sticks, it captures the essence of SEVENTEEN’s record-breaking nine-year legacy.
It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

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