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.

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.

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.

Mongolian folk metal band The Hu returns to Pittsburgh, November 8, opening for Iron Maiden.

Mongolian folk metal band The Hu will return to Pittsburgh on November 8. The Hu opens for Iron Maiden, and tickets for the 7:30 pm show at PPG Paints Arena (map) are available online. A self-description, from their official site:

In 2019, an NPR story put a spotlight on “a band from Mongolia that blends the screaming guitars of heavy metal and traditional Mongolian guttural singing,” accurately highlighting the cultural importance and unique musical identity of THE HU. Founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, THE HU, Gala, Jaya, Temka, and Enkush, are a modern rock group rooted in the tradition of their homeland. The band’s two most popular videos, “Yuve Yuve” and “Wolf Totem,” were produced by the band’s producer Dashka. The band’s name translates to the Mongolian root word for human being, and their unique approach blends instruments like the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), Tumur Khuur (jaw harp) and throat singing withcontemporary sounds, creating a unique sonic profile that they call “Hunnu Rock.”

The Hu were last in Pittsburgh in September 2021.

Interactive "Summer in Japan, with Guest Speakers from the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania" informational event for kids and families, July 23 at Monroeville Public Library.

The Monroeville Public Library will host "Summer in Japan" on July 23.

Join us for an evening where Setsuko Hayes, the Operation Manager of the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania, will share information and hands-on activities about Kimonos, Yukata, and Happi and other experiences during the summer months in Japan! Children will have the opportunity to take turns to be dressed, and will be allowed to take photographs! Registration Required.

The event runs from 5:30 to 6:30, and registration can be completed online. The library is located at 4000 Gateway Campus in Monroeville (map).

Hana Vu with special guest Babebee in Pittsburgh, July 27.

Singer-songwriters Hana Vu and Babebee will perform in Pittsburgh on July 27. Doors open for the 21+ show at Club Cafe in the South Side (map) at 7:00 pm, show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available online.

Japanese films Paprika (パプリカ), Dreams (夢) at Row House Lawrenceville from August 9.

Two Japanese films, 2006's Paprika (パプリカ) and the 1990 Akira Kurosawa movie Dreams (夢), will help comprise the Row House Dream Journal film series from August 9. The animated film Paprika runs from August 9 through 15:

Satoshi Kon’s anime thriller stars a young dream detective named Paprika, who must stop terrorists from using a stolen machine that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams. The reality and dreams blur, and chaos breaks out in a not-so-far-off future.

Dreams plays the 10th and the 12th through the 15th:

Enter the dreams of Japan’s greatest directors in this deeply personal work. He explores the cost of war, the perils of nuclear power, and humankind’s need to harmonize with nature over the course of eight episodes rich in imagery and insight.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Work progresses on KYURAMEN, TBaar, both coming soon to Pittsburgh.

Work is progressing on national ramen chain KYURAMEN and national bubble tea chain TBaar, both coming soon to East Liberty. KYURAMEN was announced last July for Eastside Bond in East Liberty. TBaar was not announced, though signage went up recently in the spot next door and on the signposts. In response to an inquiry, KYURAMEN ownership indicated a potential September opening.


The Eastside Bond building welcomed Tous Les Jour, the international Korean bakery, in March, the first of the huge Korean chains to open in Pittsburgh.

Kpop group Loossemble (루셈블) in Pittsburgh, October 14.

The Korean girl group Loossemble will perform in Pittsburgh on October 14, part of a nine-city US tour this fall. Tickets for the show at Roxian Theatre go on sale July 18 at 12:00 pm. The five-member group debuted in September 2023 but missed Pittsburgh on their inaugural eight-city tour last year.

Screening of 1959 film Floating Weeds (浮草) in Pittsburgh, July 19.

Grapow Asian Street Food opening July 17.

Grapow Asian Street Food will be opening in Oakland on July 17. Signage first went up in early June at 411 S. Craig St. (map) in what was briefly and most recently the neighborhood's second Chick'n. It will be open 11 am to 9 pm. Grapow is the name of a Thai street food dish, and sneak peeks at the menu are available on the restaurant's Instagram.

Annual "Ihaw-Ihaw at Halo-Halo and Fundraiser" with Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh, August 11.

The Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh will hold its annual "Ihaw-Ihaw at Halo-Halo and Fundraiser" on August 11 in North Park.

Sample Filipino homemade meal for only $10 each! Come and eat with your family and friends (and grab sweet desserts from our bake sale)!

It runs 12:00 to 8:00 pm at the Rose Barn in North Park (map).

Three-day "Crash Course in Chinese Medicine," July 19-21 in Oakland.

Source Pittsburgh will hold a three-day "Crash Course in Chinese Medicine" from July 19 through 21.

Learn Chinese Medicine in three days! Spend the weekend learning the theory and practice of Chinese medicine with this interactive course. If you're a novice with no prior knowledge or a veteran who want to brush up on your knowledge, this course will expand your insights and understanding of a traditional healing art.

The Introduction session on the 19th runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, while Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies on the 20th and 21st, respectively, run 2:00 to 6:00 pm. Registration can be completed online. Source Pittsburgh is located at 460 Melwood Avenue, Suite 211 in Oakland (map).

Itamae Thai & Sushi Bar now open in Mt. Lebanon.

Itamae Thai & Sushi Bar has recently opened in Mt. Lebanon, holding its Grand Opening on July 5. Mt. Lebanon Magazine profiled the restaurant on May 10 when it was still in the works:

Hungry for sushi? A new restaurant called Itamae is coming soon to 193 Castle Shannon Boulevard, replacing Yum Yum Asian Cuisine, which closed in February.

Itamae is Japanese for chef, or someone who works behind a cutting board. The new concept will be Thai and sushi. The decor will be Asian/Japanese.

Indonesian-born Vick Oktavian and his wife, Katie Kaewwangworn, are self-proclaimed foodies with years of culinary experience. “We love checking out different restaurants and trying different cuisine. We are firm believers that in order to make good food, we must train our taste buds by eating good food,” said Oktavian.

It is located at 193 Castle Shannon Blvd. (map).

Oakland's KBox, the area's first Asian karaoke spot, closes permanently.

Signage has gone up on the door of KBox, the area's first Asian karoke spot, announcing its permanent closure. Ownership posted on social media on May 3 that it would close soon after plans to redevelop the S. Craig St. spot had moved forward.


KBox opened September 16, 2012 in Oakland, hoping to appeal to the Asian students and KTV enthusiasts at Pitt and Carnegie Mellon. It was the first dedicated Asian singing room business in the area, where previously the only option was to rent a private room in a restaurant. The buliding was long in disrepair, though, and not only did it always appear closed from the outside, but the developer stated during the June Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting that it had been vacant for several years; that is not quite true, but the state of the landscaping, steps, windows, and exteriors would give that impression. As PennsylvAsia detailed in a June 2024 post, the site has been the topic of redevelopment plans for nearly as long as KBox was open: first as the home of a new, larger Pink Box Bakery; then, as the site of a five-story apartment building; finally, as the future home of a two-story restaurant once demolition and reconstruction is complete.

Seven Samurai (七人の侍) w. Sake Tasting, July 14 at Row House Lawrenceville.

The 1954 Akira Kurosawa film Seven Samurai (七人の侍) plays at Row House Lawrenceville from July 12 as part of the Samurai Remix Series, and the theater will host a sake tasting to accompany it on July 14.

Taste several different rice wines from Bierport’s premium sake collection before a screening of Akira Kurosawa’s epic film in a brilliant 4k restoration. Must be 21+

Special sake samples with a screening of the new restoration of Seven Samurai.

MUST BE 21 YEARS OLD OR OLDER

Tickets for the 5:00 pm event are availabble online, as are tickets for the other screenings of the film. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Japanese metal band HANABIE。returns to Pittsburgh, September 22.

Japanese metal band HANABIE。will return to Pittsburgh on September 22, opening for Ukrainian metalcore band Jinjer. Their Reddit fanpage provides an introduction:

Loud rock band HANABIE。formed at their school light music club in June 2015. Centering in Kichijōji, Tokyo, they started performing live around areas such as Shinjuku and Tachikawa.

The sound of Hanabie features the sound mixture of metalcore, hardcore, Hip-Hop, and J-POP. Their 1st album, "Girls Manifest" was released in 2020. With this album, they have established their own genre "HARAJUKUCORE"

Their live performances have a speed and power that exceeds expectations and captivates their audience. Yukina's powerful screaming/growling vocals never leave anyone without being amazed, along with this excellent melodic lines given by the clean voice of Matsuri, this is a complete basis for an amazing metalcore band but as for them it isn't enough they add different layers of voices between rap lines. If vocally they are great, in the instrumental part they're not left behind, aggressive, heavy, and dynamic. Certainly to define this band you need at least two words: dynamic and powerful.

The band played Preserving Underground in New Kensington in September 2023. Tickets for the all ages show at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map), 7:30 pm, are available online.

Korean rock band The Volunteers (더 발룬티어스) in Pittsburgh, July 17, with a venue change.

Korean rock band The Volunteers (더 발룬티어스) will play in Pittsburgh on July 17. Tickets for the show, which has been moved to Spirit Lounge, are available online.

PennsylvAsia has teamed with the promoter for a ticket giveaway via social media; detials are available on our Instagram and Facebook.

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 tickets are available online.