Chinese film Shower (洗澡) at Maridon Museum, October 9.

The Maridon Museum will show the 1999 Chinese film Shower (洗澡) on October 9. A 2000 Robert Ebert review summarizes:

The customers of the bathhouse in "Shower" hardly seem to spend any time anywhere else. The old men are there from morning to night, bathing, soaking, being rubbed, playing cards and staging fights to the death with their pet crickets (one feeds ant eggs to his champion; his opponent accuses him of using "steroids"). Master Liu has run this bathhouse since time immemorial and brushes off his son's suggestions that he retire: "I've done this all of my life and I like doing it!" The son is Da Ming, a successful businessman who lives in a distant city, but has returned because of an alarming postcard he received from his retarded brother Er Ming. The postcards seem to indicate that old Liu is dead or dying, but in fact Liu is presiding, as he has for decades, over the closed world of the bathhouse, where steam and ancient customs wall out the changing ways of modern Beijing.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is presented by Dr. Armand Policicchio, an Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Slippery Rock University. The Maridon, an Asian art museum that periodically shows Asian movies, is located at 322 North McKean St in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Fukuda closing on September 28.

Fukuda announced Thursday that it will be closing its doors on Sunday, September 28.

I’ll keep this fairly short: We opened almost exactly two years ago, heart and soul full of promise and excitement with a singular mission – To bring the most authentic sushi experience to Pittsburgh.

I’m proud to admit that we’ve achieved that, and more.

I can’t thank everyone enough who came into our doors over the past two years, supporting our mission and philosophy. I’m grateful to our staff, our team of dedicated chefs and front of house, and to all who’ve contributed in a meaningful way.

However, Fukuda will close its doors this Sunday, 9/28/14. So join us this weekend! On Sunday, we’ll have free beer, and will remain open until we sell out of fish.

Fukuda may re-open in the coming months ahead in another location, so we’ll keep everyone updated on a potential new location as it develops.

Fukuda is one of the best, most authentic Japanese and sushi restaurants in Pittsburgh; the closing is a big loss.

Pittsburgh Taiko at Carnegie Library in Oakland, September 28.

As part of the World Kaleidoscope series, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Main branch in Oakland will host Pittsburgh Taiko on Sunday, September 28.

Pittsburgh Taiko is dedicated to bringing Japanese group taiko drumming (kumidaiko) to the city of Pittsburgh. Open to anyone interested in learning about the art form, we seek to educate members of the community about taiko and about Japanese culture through performances and outreach activities.

The presentation will take place from 2 to 3 pm in the First Floor Quiet Reading Room.

Mochi Making at CMU, September 26.

Carnegie Mellon University's Japanese Student Association presents Mochi Making on Friday, September 26.

"Mochi" is a type of traditional Japanese rice cake, made from the traditional short-grain rice "Mochigome", and typically prepared in a ceremony called "Mochitsuki". This year, the JSA will be teaching students how to make their own Mochi, and holding a competition to see who can make the best batch.

Please note that this event is open to all people, whether or not you are in the JSA, or even a member of the Carnegie Mellon Community, so if you are interested, make sure to be there!

It'll be held in 5409 Wean Hall (campus map) and will start at 4:30 pm.

Pitt lecturer named Resident Director of Year-in-Japan program at Konan University from 2015.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures writes that lecturer Stephen Luft will head the Year-in-Japan program at Konan University in Kobe, Japan, from next year.

Lecturer Stephen Luft has been named resident director of the Konan-Illinois Year-in-Japan program. His appointment will begin in July 2015. Known as the Konan Program at Pitt, it is a full-year residential program in Kobe for students from consortium universities in the U.S. As resident director, he will teach one course per semester and oversee all aspects of this study abroad program.

The University of Pittsburgh has been a charter member of the Year-in-Japan program at Konan University for decades; the May 1983 Pitt magazine profiled several Pitt students who participated.

Korean film Poetry (시) at Maridon Museum, September 26.

The Maridon Museum will show the 2010 Korean film Poetry (시) on September 26. A Korea Times review gives a plot summary:

Yun [Jeong-hie] plays the role of a grandmother who lives in the suburbs with her teenage grandson. Though in her 60s, she is still naïve, curious and charming like a little girl, and one day becomes immersed in the world of poetry. She begins to explore the beauty of the small things in everyday life as she builds her craft, but when a terrible, unexpected incident occurs she discovers the dark side to things.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is presented by Dr. Bill Covey of Slippery Rock University's Department of English. The Asian art museum is located at 322 North McKean St in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Lecture "Design Thinking: Japanese Style" at Pitt, September 25.

The University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center and International Business Center will present "Design Thinking: Japanese Style", a lecture and book-launch tour stop by Dr. Robert Tobin, on September 25. An overview, from the University Center for International Studies:

What are the elements of Japanese aesthetics and design?
How is the Japanese approach to creativity different from the American approach? How can you apply these principles to your daily life?

Dr. Robert "Bob" Tobin, emeritus professor from the Faculty of Business and Commerce at Keio University in Japan, and former director of the Program on Creativity and Change will be speaking on the Japanese approach to creativity and design. Dr. Tobin has over 20 years of experience in organizational consulting and training with global business leaders. His presentation style is strongly focused on audience participation and designed to help participants change their world view and spark their creativity.

The talk is from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (campus map).

NAAAP September Dinner Club at Fukuda, September 25.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals [NAAAP] is holding a dinner club meeting on Thursday, September 25, at Fukuda.

Come and join NAAAP PGH on September 25, at 6:00pm for a night of great food and conversation at Fukuda on Liberty ave. in Bloomfield!

More information available at the event's Facebook page.

Another Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant Event at Sonny's Tavern, September 20.

Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant will host another event on September 20 at Sonny's Tavern. The person slash group exists to "strive to bring Northwestern Chinese culture to Pittsburgh through its authentic food, arts, music and crafts." This fall's first event was last weekend.

The event runs from 6:00 pm to 11:30 pm at Sonny's Tavern in Bloomfield (map), and registration can be done online.

New home for Chinatown bus station.

As of September 1, the Pittsburgh Chinatown bus station moved to 1613 Penn Ave. (map) in the Strip District from its former location on Meyran Ave. in Oakland. Not to be confused with Pittsburgh's Chinatown, which used to be downtown off Grant Street. The surviving buildings are along Court Place (map).


Former home of the local Hop Sing Association (協勝公會) branch.