Stall holders and performers...WE NEED YOU!

JAFA's Kodomo No Hi is the biggest Japan festival in Adelaide with an 17-year history. Last year the event was attended by approximately 5000 people. The day is filled with Japan-related performances, exhibitions, activties, stalls and plenty of Japanese food. In order to make the festival a success, we need participation from the community in the way of Japan-related stalls, displays and performances. Read on for more information.

JAFA's Kodomo No Hi Japan Festival is the biggest Japan festival in Adelaide with a 17-year history. Last year the event was attended by up to 5000 people. The day is filled with Japan-related performances, exhibitions, activities, stalls and plenty of Japanese food.

In order to make the festival a success, we need the help of volunteers. Tasks we need help with include…

cooking, helping at the stalls, selling raffle tickets, welcoming visitors, information running, etc.

We need some volunteers to work on Friday afternoon and Saturday to assist with preparation. We also need a large number of volunteers to work on Sunday (the day of the festival) and a few volunteers to help pack up on Monday morning.

If you would like to be a volunteer, please click here.

Join us for the first J-KAI of the year in the front bar of the Metro.

• What: J-KAI
• When: Thursday 23rd February
• Where: Metropolitan Hotel (46 Grote St.)
• When: 6-9pm
• How much: FREE!

What is J-Kai?

J-Kai is JAFA's monthly social event that has been running since 1998. It provides an opportunity for Japanese and Australians with an interest in Japan to meet in a relaxed atmosphere. You don't have to be a JAFA member or speak any Japanese, just come along! Anyone can join and it's free.

Join us for a picnic in the park on a Sunday. There are BBQs on site or you can pack a BYO picnic lunch. Tennis courts on site plus some cricket, soccer and tennis gear available.

Click here and add your email address to our list to receive notification if the event has been cancelled due to bad weather.

What: JAFA Family Day Picnic

When: Sunday, 11th March 2012, 12 noon onwards

BYO food, drinks and chairs

On-site BBQ facilities available

Where: Kensington Gardens Reserve (in Kensington Gardens) Adventure Playground Picnic Area

How do I get there? Read on...

NEXT ROUND STARTS IN MAY

The next round of Origami and Calligraphy Classes start on the 26th of May. Each round of classes will run for four consecutive weeks and cover origami, chigiri-e (torn washi paper painting), furoshiki cloth wrapping and calligraphy.

What: Origami and Calligraphy Classes

When: May 26th to June 16th (four Saturdays) 1:30-3pm

Where: Cowandilla Primary School (1 Jenkins St. Cowandilla)

How much: $30 for JAFA members, $70 for non-members (Paid before the course begins)

Beginners are welcome as well as those with various levels of experience.

If you would like to register, please fill in your details HERE.

Read on for payment details.

My report each year has taken on a familiar format and if I read last year’s report it would be a fair summation of what we have achieved over the last twelve months.  But it would omit the most important event in Japan since the end of World War 2.

I mention the War with good reason because the devastation that was wreaked upon the Tohoku region of Japan by the earthquake and tsunami that struck in March and the ongoing nuclear disaster is of a magnitude that is only surpassed by the destruction that Japan suffered during the war.  The images that streamed across TV screens on March 11th were so shocking it was hard to comprehend the enormity of what was happening.

JAFA is putting together a team of volunteers to go to some of the most harshly affected areas to help with ongoing clean-up and relief efforts. We are working towards sending the first team of volunteers to Japan in early January.

We will send the teams of volunteers to assist with an established relief organisation named Peace Boat.  Since March 16th 2011 (5 days after the earthquake and tsunami hit) Peace Boat has been active in the city of Ishinomaki, one of the hardest hit cities on the coast of north-eastern Japan.

If you are interested in donating money to help send volunteers, click here. If you're interested in volunteering yourself, read on...

Thanks to everyone who entered! The winners of the competition are...

First Prize - Annabel Kueh

Second Prize - Jemma from West Lakes Shore School

Third Prize- Charlotte Elliott from Glossop High School

Special Mentions

- Curtis Sumak (from Keithcot Farm Primary School)

- Jasmine Alldritt (from Keithcot Farm Primary School)

- Thiago Bernegossi (from Brazil)

- Tayla Thiele (from Keithcot Farm Primary School)

- Paige Goodwin (from Keithcot Farm Primary School)

Click here to see a slideshow of all of the designs. Artwork may be subject to copyright.