Japantown San Francisco: plaque

JAPANTOWN, SAN FRANCISCO: The Gateway to Japanese Culture, Cuisine, and Shopping

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Kathleen Kimura
Kanrin Maru 150 Committee
415.602.1660

150TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST SHIP FROM JAPAN TO U.S.
Plaque Dedication at Pier 9 in San Francisco March 17, 2010 at 4 p.m.

Photo Op: 3 Men in Japanese Historical Costumes to Unveil Plaque

San Francisco, CA (March 10, 2010) – A dedication ceremony will take place Wednesday March 17th outside Pier 9 at the Embarcadero to install a plaque that commemorates the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Japanese naval ship Kanrin Maru which arrived in San Francisco on March 17, 1860.

The plaque is a gift from the Japanese American community to the San Francisco Port as a permanent symbol of the formal establishment of relations between the United States and Japan. Twelve days after the arrival of the Kanrin Maru, the USS Powhatan arrived bringing the first Japanese embassy to the United States to ratify the new treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the US and Japan.

The arrival of the Kanrin Maru 150 years ago signifies the beginning of U.S.-Japan relations and paved the way for the influx of Japanese immigration, resulting in today’s multi-generational Japanese American community.

The plaque dedication ceremony begins with a performance by the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, led by Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka and continues with remarks from dignitaries from the Port, the City of San F-rancisco, Consul General Yasumasa Nagamine from Japan, and the Japanese American community.

The visual highlight will be the unveiling of the plaque, conducted by three men wearing Japanese period costumes of the 1800s. This ceremony is one in a series of year-long events commemorating the 150-year relationship between the United States and Japan.

For a photo link to members of the Kanrin Maru, the link is http://www.kanrinmaru150.
com/modules/xoopsgallery/view_photo.php?xoops_imageid=43&set_albumName=album03&id=pf000113_001. Photo links to the Kanrin Maru ship itself can be found at http://www.kanrinmaru150.com/modules/xoopsgallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album01.

For more information, visit the official Kanrin Maru website at www.kanrinmaru150.com or call Kathleen Kimura at (415) 602-1660.
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KANRIN MARU 150th ANNIVERSARY CALENDAR (partial)

March 13 – Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in Japantown at the Peace Plaza Kanrin Maru 150 Committee Cherry Tree Planting and Cherry Blossom Festival Preview For more info: http://www.nccbf.org

March 15 – Monday at 6:00 p.m. in the Kabuki Hotel at Post Street in San Francisco Professor Agawa of Keio University will give a lecture entitled "150th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Kanrin Maru to San Francisco: A Historic Milestone in U.S.- Japan Relations.” For more info: http://www.kanrinmaru150.com/modules/eguide/event.php?eid=27&sub=40.

March 17 – Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Pier 9 on the Embarcadero in San Francisco Plaque dedication and installation. 150 year anniversary commemoration of the arrival of the Kanrin Maru ship to the U.S. Plaque Dedication ceremony featuring Japanese taiko and men dressed in Japanese historical costumes. For
more info: http://www.kanrin-maru150.com/modules/eguide/event.php?eid=5.

April 9 – Friday at 8 p.m. at Herbst Theater, San Francisco U.S.- Japan Nichibei Choral Festival . For more info:http://www.jcfnc.org/Home/choralfestival2010.

April 10-11 and April 17-18—Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival at Japantown This year’s theme is “Honoring Our Past and Future.” For more info: http://www.nccbf.org/

April 27 to November 11 – Exhibit of Friendship Dolls at the Asian Art Museum "San Francisco's Ambassador's from Japan: Diplomats, Artists, and Friendship Dolls, 1860-1927.” Organizer: Asian Art Museum

May 5 – Wednesday – Arrival of Kaiwo Maru, a tall-masted training ship at Pier 27 More info: http://www.kohkun.go.jp/kaiwomaru_e/outline.html.

May 10 –Monday -- The Japan Society presents ”The Future of U.S.-Japan Relationships” Summit. More info: http://www.usajapan.org

August 24 – Tuesday – Beginning of American Japan Grassroots Summit The 20th anniversary of a program that promotes home stay visits between Americans and Japanese. More info at: http://www.manjiro.or.jp/eng/index.html.

October 16 – Saturday at 3 p.m. at Buchanan and Post Sts., Japantown 1000 Drummers and Kitaro—to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Kanrin Maru arrival and the relationship between U.S. and Japan, San Francisco Taiko Dojo’s Seiichi Tanaka and international musician Kitaro arrange a performance with 1,000 drummers.