Today, several members of the Maine-Aomori Sister-State Advisory Council and Friends of Aomori met at the University of Southern Maine Glickman Library in Portland, Maine. A multitude of topics were discussed and plans to tackle several ideas were delegated among members and are now being pursued. The meeting minutes are below. Expansion in detail of several topics, ideas, and events will be provided in near future updates on our website!
Updates 新着情報
Kittery-Tobu 20th Anniversary Exchange Celebration! April 26 – May 1st!
Hello Friends!
The town of Kittery, Maine and the Shapleigh school system will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary of exchange with Aomori by hosting a student exchange from the Rokunohe and Oirase regions in Aomori Prefecture, Japan from April 26 to May 1! The picture below provides a simplified itinerary of events that are planned to take place! If you would like to get involved with this upcoming celebration, with educational exchanges between Maine and Aomori, or with the Kittery-Tobu Exchange Program, please contact us at https://maine-aomori.org/contact/. You can find the Kittery-Tobu Exchange Program’s website here at http://kitterytobu.wordpress.com/.
Thank you!
Tsugaru-Jamisen!
Tsugaru-Jamisen is a style of Shamisen originating from Aomori-ken, Japan! Please watch, listen, and enjoy!
Donate to Friends of Aomori!
Hello Friends!
If you would like to support Friends of Aomori, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, please feel free to make a donation! You may fill out a secure, online form through JustGive.org by clicking on the image below!
You may also write and mail a check to “Friends of Aomori” at:
P. O. Box 10763
Portland, ME 04104-6163
ありがとうございます!
Thank you very much for your support!
If you have not already and would like to get involved with our organization, please contact us by filling out the contact form on our website here!
Ichiro Fujisaki Interview
The American Radio Show recently interviewed the former ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki! Spanning a variety of topics, Fujisaki-san discussed education, American politics, the US-Japan relationship, security issues for world leaders, March 11, 2011, and how to be a good diplomat.
Please go to the following two links to listen to the interview!
Part 1 and Part 2
Joint MASSAC and Friends of Aomori Meeting
Hello Friends!
There will be a joint MASSAC and Friends of Aomori meeting this Tuesday April 2nd from 4:00PM – 5:30PM at the Children’s Museum in Portland, ME.
Address:
142 Free St, Portland, ME 04101.
EDIT: The meeting should take no more than an hour and a half.
Everyone is welcome to attend! Hope to see you there!
Interested in Traveling to Japan this Summer?
The Bath-Tsugaru Sister City Program is sponsoring a travel exchange group to Tsugaru, Japan from July 26 – August 5, 2013!
There will be an informational meeting this Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30PM at Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Rd., Bath ME!
http://bath-tsugaru.org/2013/03/next-travellers-information-meeting-march-27/
Record High Snowfall in Aomori, Japan!
Well, it looks like Spring is finally on its way here in Maine as the snow melts away and the temperatures rise. We’ve had many snow storms this Winter , but not to the extent our friends over in Aomori have experienced! 16 feet of snow! がんばって！
Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Please watch the trailer to the Sundance Film Festival Award-winning and the 2012 Academy Award Nominated Documentary called “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom.”
“Survivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan’s recent tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins. A stunning visual poem about the ephemeral nature of life and the healing power of Japan’s most beloved flower.”
A word from the creator of the film, Lucy Walker.
“There is no celebration to be had when over 15,000 people died and so many more thousands are missing or displaced. The film is steeped in so much sorrow as it progresses through the stages of shock, loss, grieving through to perseverance and courage and hope, as human beings and nature alike – as expressed by the cherry trees – dig deep and find the way to continue. The film is a testament to the people who had the fortitude and courage to share their stories and their grace, and to our collaborators who worked so hard and so brilliantly to let the voices of these reserved, dignified, resilient people be heard around the world as the first anniversary of March 11th, 2011 approaches. I could not have been more impressed and inspired by the way the survivors in the Tōhoku region are moving forward. This film is dedicated to them.”
The next time the film is available for viewing, we will post a notification!
Please visit her website for more information!
http://www.lucywalkerfilm.com/TSUNAMI-THE-CHERRY-BLOSSOM
Skype Session with Aomori, Japan 1/28/13
On January 28, 2013, MASSAC had another Skype Meeting with our dear friends over in Aomori, Japan! In this meeting, we discussed the two upcoming delegations this year — the Education/Arts & Culture delegation scheduled for mid-July and the Energy/Fisheries delegation scheduled for the Fall. Our next Skype Meeting will be in late-March, where we will solidify the details for the upcoming July delegation.
More updates and details about this year’s trips are coming soon!
Friends of Aomori 
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