Japan America Society of Minnesota

I recently became a member of the Japan America Society of Minnesota. One perk of membership is that you can participate in events like The 4th Annual JASM Bonenkai and Kanna Club which took place on Thursday, Dec 15 from at Kikugawa Restaurant in Minneapolis. The Bonenkai is an end-of-the-year celebration with friends over food and drink. Kanna Club is a monthly event that is designed to help people who are interested in Japan network and meet people with the same interests.  

The Bonenkai was a wonderful event with delicious food! I was able to meet others applying to the JET Program, the Vice President of the JET Alumni Association of Minnesota, and a third generation Japanese who encouraged me to find out about my Japanese ancestry, which sparked my interest and some research that I will blog about in the future. 

While in the United States we celebrate both the end of a year and the beginning of a new one in our New Year's celebration, the Japanese have two distinct holidays. Shinnenkai is the celebration of the New Year, and I will be volunteering and attending this event on January 15, 2012. I will also be attending the next Kanna Club which will be held on January 24th.