Unique and specutacular presentation of the New Tales of Heike with piano performance by Tomona Miyazaki, narration by Mari Komaki, and screen illustratrations by Nobuo Kiuchi was held on April 11th at University of San Francisco Presentation Theater. Despite the rain, it was well attended with more than 200 people participating in the event, thoroughly enjoying the beautiful piano performance, Heike Story narration and accompanying illustrations.
April 7th - KAIWO MARU sails off Japan to follow the route to San Francisco KANRIN MARU took 150 years ago
On board is Mr. Yoshiharu Masai, a descendant of Engineering Officer Masanoshin Kosugi who arrived San Francisco in 1860 on board Kanrin Maru.
See photos of KAIWO MARU as it sails off Tokyo Bay from the Kanrin Maru Crew Society's website:
http://www.kanrin-maru.org/activity/2010activity/100407kaio_for_sf/kaio_maru_frame.html
Reported on April 7th evening edition of Nikkei as follows:
March 17, 2010 - Commemorative Plaque unveiled at Pier 9
A dedication ceremony took place outside Pier 9 at the Embarcadero with more than 100 people attending, and a plaque commemorating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Japanese naval ship Kanrin Maru which arrived in San Francisco on March 17, 1860, was unveiled.
The plaque is a gift from the Japanese American community to the San Francisco Port as a permanent symbol of the formal establishment of relations between the United States and Japan. Twelve days after the arrival of the Kanrin Maru, the USS Powhatan arrived bringing the first Japanese embassy to the United States to ratify the new Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the U.S. and Japan.
The arrival of the Kanrin Maru 150 years ago signifies the beginning of U.S.-Japan relations and paved the way for the influx of Japanese immigration, resulting in today’s multi-generational Japanese American community.
Here is the link to an article in Japan Times: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100319a7.html
Here are some photos from the ceremony:
Courtesy of Shigeru Kimura
