Happy New Year!

With the new year comes plenty of JETAA fun! Join us in celebrating the Year of the Dragon at our Shinnenkai, playing winter indoor volleyball, and enjoying modern Japanese art at a gallery opening!

All the best for the coming year from JETAA Chicago!

Annual Shinnenkai Culture Festival

JETAA Chicago is proud to present the 9th annual New Year's Shinnenkai Culture Festival! Joins us as we celebrate the year of the Dragon! This celebration of Japanese culture promises to be a great opportunity to meet others who are interested in Japan.

Enjoy Japanese appetizers and beer, wine, and soft drinks. All ages are welcome to join in traditional arts and crafts, including calligraphy, origami, gyotaku fish painting and a kimono dress-up photo booth. Challenge friends in a trivia contest, enter the Grand Prize raffle, or enter the $1 winner-takes-all Janken tournament and be crowned the rock-paper-scissors champion of Chicago!

This is an event for all ages!

When: Saturday, January 21st, 4-7pm
Where: The Japan Information Center (737 N. Michigan, Suite 1000, entrance on Chicago)

$15 for advanced tickets by PayPal until January 18th
Please register here (all advance tickets are non-refundable)
$20 at the door
$10 for children 13 & under

We're always looking for new faces, so even if you've never been to a JETAA event, please join in! If you would like more information or are interested in volunteering for the event, please join us contact Elizabeth Gordon at outreach@jetaachicago.com. We are having our final planning meeting this Wednesday, January 11th, 5:45pm at the Argo Tea in the Tribune Building on Michigan Ave.

New Indoor Volleyball Season!

Indoor Volleyball was such a success that we've decided to do it for another season! This fall, we made it to the semi-finals, so this time, let's win the league!

Winter Indoor Volleyball starts today, Tuesday, January 10th at St. Andrews Gym, 1697 West Addison, Chicago, IL from 7:15-10:15 pm. The game time varies and our upcoming game starts at 10:15pm. It only requires a one-time fee of $30 (payable on Jan. 10th). Those interested should email Dan Martin at social@jetaachicago.com.

Floating World Gallery Exhibit Opening

Floating World, one of Chicago's best Japanese art galleries specializing in modern art, is hosting a reception to mark the opening of its latest exhibit, Unfolding Space.

January 20th, 6:00-8:00pm
1925 N. Halsted
Chicago, IL 60614

For more information, visit www.floatingworld.com

JET Program Interviews

The Japan Information Center will need JET Alumni to help with the 2012 JET Program Interviews in February or March. We will provide a stipend for your help. Dates are TBD, but if you are interested in helping, please contact Austin Gilkeson at agilkeson@japancc.org. Thank you!

Bingo at Heiwa Terrace

January 19th is bingo at Heiwa Terrace!

Come volunteer your time to read bingo numbers and meet those staying at the community. It's really fun and everyone there is always so pleased to see us! It will be on Thursday, January 19th at 7pm.

Email Tom Osugi at tosugi@gmail.com with questions.

Heiwa Terrace
920 West Lawrence Avenue # 1
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 989-7333

*right next to the CTA Red Line Lawrence stop

February Exec Meeting

All JETAA members are welcome to attend our monthly Executive Board meetings. The next one will be held at the JETRO office (1 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL) on Wednesday, February 1st, 6:30 - 8:00. Dinner is provided to all who attend.

Stay Tuned!

Stay tuned for details about exciting upcoming events! We will be having our Annual Nabe Party in February, a White Day yakiniku and karaoke gathering in March, and an Earthquake Rememberance and Fundraiser in April.

Japan in Chicago Events

Our partner organizations are hosting a variety of fun events this month. Please check them out!

Kagami Biraki: In celebration of the New Year, the Japanese American Service Committee is hosting an Mochi-Tsuki (mochi pounding) event on Saturday, January 14th. Mochi pounding begins at 8am followed by Taiko at 12:40, Aikido at 1:10, and Judo at 1:30. There will be a potluck luncheon at 2pm, which includes complimentary mochi! More information can be found on their website.

New Year's Party featuring Jero: The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry is hosting a New Year's gathering on January 15th, 12pm-4pm, and will include a performance by the famous enka here. The program will be conducted in Japanese.

Osaka Garden Fundraising Event: On Monday, January 30th, 5:30-7pm, the Friends of the Japanese Garden will be hold a fundraising event to celebrate US-Japan relations in honor of the 100th anniversary of the cherry trees planted in Washington DC. For more details, you can view the flyer here.

Moving Forward: Life After the Great East Japan Earthquake: A new traveling exhibition documents the March 11, 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami will be at Rockefeller Chapel from January 15th thru February 20th. The UCLA Paul I. and Hisako Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies and The Kahoku Shimpo, a local newspaper in Sendai, have come together to organize the exhibition, which features a collection of images focusing on the stories of those who have survived the crisis and begun to move forward. Visit Rockeller Chapel's Visual Arts page for more information.

Ideas?

Do you have ideas for something new and fun you'd love to do with the JETAA community? We're always looking for new and fun activities to do together! Email our president, Robert Corder, at president@jetaachicago.com and share your ideas