21 years of Korean Pirates.

Pitching prospect Byung-il Kim, (김병일) via 중앙일보.

Long before the Pittsburgh Pirates first started signing Asian prospects like Jung-ho Kang, Ji-hwan Bae, and Jin-de Jhang a few years ago, there have been some interesting intersections between the Pirates and Asian baseball. In 1965, the Pirates were set to tour Japan but the trip was cancelled that June, ostensibly due to the Pirates' "inferior drawing power" but in reality due to stalled contract negotiations with a Japanese baseball player. In 1975, the Pirates played, and lost to, the reigning Central League champion out of Nagoya, the Chunichi Dragons, who joined Pittsburgh in spring training that year. And, in the 1990s, the Pirates had a working agreement with one of the top pro teams in South Korea.

Japanese Pitt alumni to speak on "Careers in International Trade and Development," "Entrepreneurship in Japan" on March 5.

The University of Pittsburgh's International Business Center will host two talks on March 5 with Japanese alumni on the topics of international trade and entrepreneurship in Japan.

Forgot about Sumi's.

Photographs via @SumisCakery

How's the Tribune-Review going to write up "5 bakeries you may not have heard of but need to try" without mentioning Squirrel Hill's Sumi's Cakery? The only conclusion is that everyone knows Sumi's by now.



Sumi's Cakery is a Korean bakery located at 2118 Murray Ave. (map).

"Japanese Action Comic Punk band" Peelander-Z back in Pittsburgh, April 25.

Japanese punk band Peelander-Z will play in Pittsburgh on April 25. Wikipedia provides an overview of their live shows:

They perform on stage and appear in color-coordinated costumes, which they state are not costumes, but their skin. The costumes range from sentai style suits, to kimono, to rubber Playmobil style wigs. There is also a tiger costume and a giant squid/guitar costume to coincide with the song "Mad Tiger". Another aspect of their routine is their on-stage antics such as human bowling (diving head-first into bowling pins), pretending to hit each other with chairs in imitation of pro-wrestlers, and mid-performance piggyback rides. They often allow audience members on stage to join in on the fun, and often dive into the audience or hang from a balcony as part of their act.

They return to Pittsburgh for the first time since 2015, following a brief hiatus. The show is at the Hard Rock Cafe in Station Square (map) and tickets are on sale as of noon today; those under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Noble Asian Grocery opens on Saw Mill Run Blvd.

via @LiteracyPittsburgh

Noble Asian Grocery is among the new food-related establishments permitted to open in February by the Allegheny County Health Department. It is run by Burmese immigrant Ja Doi and is located at 2830 Saw Mill Run Blvd. in Whitehall (map). Writes Literacy Pittsburgh of its former student:

Ja Doi has lived in Pittsburgh for five years, and opening a small grocery store has been her goal for four of those years! We are so proud of her for working so hard to achieve her dream while raising her two young children.

Chinese calligraphy workshop downtown, March 16.

"Chinese calligrapher," by David Boté Estrada (Creative Commons).

The downtown branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host a Chinese calligraphy workshop on March 16.

A Chinese calligraphy expert will show us pictures of her home in China, give background on the art of calligraphy, and lead a Chinese calligraphy workshop for all ages! No registration is necessary for these sessions. Seating for all workshops is available to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll want to come early to be sure you MAKE it on time.

The event runs from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. The Downtown & Business branch is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).

March premiere of new Fruits Basket (フルーツバスケット) anime to skip Pittsburgh.

The theaters for the March premiere of the 2019 Japanese anime Fruits Basket (フルーツバスケット) were announced this afternoon, but no Pittsburgh locations made the list (yet). It will play, however, in Philadelphia, Columbus, and Washington D.C. on March 26 and 27.

Tickets now available for "Yeonmi Park: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom," March 20 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater.

North Korean defector, author, and activist Yeonmi Park will speak at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty on March 20. Tickets are now available at $25 for students and military, $40 for general admission, and $85 for VIP.

"Where Goes The Neighborhood? Japan and the Rise of Asia" March 5 downtown.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and Japan America Society of Pennsylvania will present "Where Goes The Neighborhood? Japan and the Rise of Asia" on March 5.

Join us for a lively discussion with two well-known experts on the evolving Japan-US alliance and its impact on security and trade in Asia.

The US-Japan alliance has provided one of the foundations for decades of security and freedom in Asia. But, the neighborhood is changing: Japan is experiencing significant strategic and diplomatic challenges from China, faces increasingly aggressive North Korean weapons development and testing, and has an uncertain relationship with South Korea.

While the U.S. continues to be Japan’s main partner and ally, it has withdrawn from the major Pacific free trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), after completing negotiations with Japan. As uncertainty in the region abounds, Japan considers how to work effectively with the U.S. but also how to chart its course as a leader and a balancer in Asia.

The event is free but registration is required and can be done online; breakfast is required. It runs from 8:00 to 9:30 am at the Rivers Club on Grant Street (map).

Korean artist Hyesook Choi part of Material World exhibition at Pittsburgh Glass Center, March 1 through May 12.

From "The Power of Beauty."

Hyesook Choi is one of six artists participating in the Material World exhibition at Pittsburgh Glass Center from March 1 through May 12.

This multi-artist show will explore themes of consumerism, luxury, obsession, and materialism as they relate to popular culture and societal conventions.