Japan-America Association of South Carolina events
Ordinarily, JAASC schedules activities throughout the year, presenting members the opportunity to participate in casual social and cultural events, language exchange, golf tournaments, and sports outings. The Cultural Committee organizes two large annual Japanese events, the Shinnenkai New Year’s gala celebration, and our Bon Dance Japanese Festival each August.
Note: events in bold are JAASC-hosted or partnered events. We often list additional regional events that might interest our members. Do you have ideas for events? Want to help organize, host, promote or volunteer? Let us know! Contact us on Facebook!
2023 Events
February 4, 2022 – Shinnenkai (invitation only)
March TBD – Conversation Meetup
April TBD – Greer International Festival
September 17-18, 2022 – JapanFest Atlanta
Greenville’s Midorino-kai will be leading the Tanko Bushi and the Tokyo Ondo bon dances at this year’s JapanFest in Atlanta. Please check them out on Sunday, September 18th as they end the festival with the dances.
August 27, 2022 – SC Nihongo Club Summer Festival
The SCNC is hosting a small summer festival for those families that are missing the Bon Festival this year.
$3 for 10 tickets that can be used towards activities.
More information available here!
— past events —
2022 December 3 – Kadomatsu Workshop
October 25 – Conversation table meetup at Warehouse at VaughnsOctober 7 – Spartanburg International FestivalSeptember 17-18 – JapanFest AtlantaAugust 27 – SCNC Summer FestivalAugust 6 – Bon Dance Practice at Falls Park GreenvilleJune 21 – Conversation table meetup at GatherGVL
April 23 – 6th Annual Greer International Festival
March 26 – Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival
February 22 – “Precarious Japan: Lonely Death and Abandoned Family Graves” JASNC webinar
2020
February 29 – JAASC Ladies’ Club Series after Hina Dolls exhibit
February 29 – Hinamatsuri Dolls exhibit & activities at TMCU, Greenville
February 20 – JAASC Language Table at Fox and Hound, Greenwood
February 19 – GKIDS presents Ride Your Wave in theaters
February 7 – Deadline for Japan Studies MEXT Scholarship application
Jan 31-Feb 2 – Animazing Anime Con, Savannah GA
January 25 – JAASC Shinnenkai Annual Party 2020, Greenville
January 15, 16, 21-23 – GKIDS presents Weathering with You in theaters
January 9-12, 2020 – Ichibancon, Concord NC (near Charlotte)
2020/2019
Dec 16 & 18, 2019 – GKIDS Ghiblifest 2020: The Tale of Princess Kaguya
December 10 – JAASC Language Table (register), O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
December 9 – Registration ends for High School Diplomats 2020December 1 – JLPT Japanese Language Proficiency Test, Atlanta
November 22 – JAASC Ladies’ Club Lunch – Fruit CarvingNov 17, 18, 20 – GKIDS presents Ghiblifest 2020: Princess Mononoke
November 15 – Applications close for JET Teaching in Japan 2020November 10- JAASC Language Table, TBAOct 27, 28, 30 – GKIDS presents Ghiblifest 2020: Spirited Away
October 11 – Shuko Watanabe Piano Lecture and Performance, Greenville
Registration CLOSED for JLPT Japanese Language Proficiency Test 2019
October 5 – International Festival Spartanburg, Barnet Park
Sept 20 & 30 – GKIDS presents Ghiblifest 2020: The Secret World of Arietty
September 20-21 – Japanfest Atlanta, Atlanta (Duluth)
September 19 – JAASC Business Speaker Series (postponed)
September 15 – Applications open for High School Diplomats 2020
September 10 – Japanese Beginner II class begins, Upstate International
September 5 – Columbia Japanese Conversation Group Meetup, Columbia
Aug 25, 26, 28 – GKIDS presents Ghiblifest 2020: My Neighbor Totoro
August 26 – Registration opens JLPT Japanese Language Proficiency Test
August 26 – Japan-America Bi-Lingual Children’s Ed Meeting, Greenville
Through Sept 8 – Mimi Kato photography art exhibit, Columbia
August 24 – Bon Dance Japanese Cultural Festival 2019, Greenville
August 20 – JAASC Language Table, Coffee Underground, Greenville
August 17 – Columbia Polyglot Meetup – World Of Beer at Vista, Columbia
August 15 – Japan on Screen: Okuribito (Departures), Columbia
August 15 – Columbia Japanese Conversation Group, Pelican Snowball
August 9-11 – Charlotte NC Queen City Anime Convention, Charlotte NC
August 3 – Charlotte Bon Odori Japanese Festival, Charlotte NC
August 3 – North Carolina Japan Summer Festival, Raleigh, NC
July 21 – Bon Odori Dance Open Instruction & Practice – Falls Park
July 18 – JAASC Language Table, P3 Inc, Greenville
June 24-27 – International Kyudo Federation Seminar and Shinsa, Upstate SC
June 6 – Business Speaker Event: Site Selection, Greenville
June 4 – JAASC Language Table, Inn on the Square, Greenwood
May 5 – JAASC Members Baseball Night – Greenville Drive Baseball Game
April 27 – Greer Goes Global International Festival – Greer
April 15 – Tea Tasting at O-CHA Tea Bar, TO BE RESCHEDULED
April 9 – Movie Night, Clemson University Japanese Club joint event
April 6~7 – Columbia International Festival 2019, State Fairgrounds
April 1~14 – Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival, Irmo SC
March 17-23 – SC Kyudo Renmei Invitational 7-Day Seminar
March 23 – Japanese Game Night, Visions International, Greenville
March 19 – JAASC Language Table, Coffee Underground, Greenville
Feb 26-March 2 – Japanese Hinamatsuri Dolls Exhibit at TCMI Greenville
March 1 – Business Speaker Series, JASNC joint event, Charlotte NC
Feb 19 – JAASC Language Table, Coffee Underground, Greenville
Feb 13 – JAASC Columbia Meetup & Interest Meeting, Columbia
January 26 – Shinnenkai New Year’s Gala 2019, Greenville
2019/2018
Through Dec 20, 2018 – Japanese Art of the Edo and Meiji Eras Exhibit, Wofford
December 12 – JAASC Language Table, O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
December 2 – JLPT Japanese Language Proficiency Test, Atlanta GA
November 15 – Smart Glasses Demonstration for Manufacturing, Greenville
November 1 – Japanese Tea Ceremony Demonstration, Spartanburg
October 23 – JAASC Language Table, Fountain Inn
October 18~20 – SEUS-Japan Annual Joint Meeting, Tokyo JAPAN
October 6 – International Festival, Barnet Park, Spartanburg
October 4 – Japanese Printmaking Lecture, Wofford College, Spartanburg
October 3-5 – JETRO at Southern Automotive Conference in Atlanta
September 19 – JAASC Language Table, Coffee Underground, Greenville
September 15~16 – JapanFest Atlanta, Duluth GA
September 5~11 – SC Dept of Commerce Trade Mission S. KOREA/JAPAN
August 25 – Annual BON DANCE Japanese Culture Festival, Greenville
August 22 – Your Carolina TV Appearance and Bon Dance Demo
August 18 – Odori Dance practice in the Park, Falls Park Greenville
July 17 – JAASC Language Table, Mauldin
July 15 – Registration Deadline for SC Dept of Commerce S. Korea/Japan Trade Mission
June 14 – Baseball Night with JAASC, Greenville Drive at Fluor Field, Greenville
June 5 – JAASC Language Table, Inn on the Square, Greenwood
May 29 – Baseball Night with JAASCRESCHEDULED for June 14
Now through May 26 – Artist Yuri Tsuzuki exhibit, Greenville
May 23 – JAASC Language Table, Coffee Underground, Greenville
April 22 – Free Ikebana Demonstration at Flora + Art Exhibit, Greenville
April 21~22 – Flora + Art Exhibit, Greenville
April 14 – Greer International Festival, Greer City Park, Greer
April 11 – Japanese Craft Night with CUJCA, Clemson University
March 26~April 8 – Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival, Irmo SC
March 2018 – March is UPSTATE INTERNATIONAL MONTH
March 22 – Sushi Rolling Class at the Cook’s Station, Greenville
March 21: Teen Japanese Culture Club at Cyrill-Westside Library, Spartanburg
March 20 – JAASC Language Table at Kazoku Express, Mauldin SC
March 17 – Greenville Japanese Saturday School Graduation, Parents’ Meeting
March 17 – Japanese Game Night, Visions International, Greenville
March 3 – Documentary Screening & Lecture by director Kyoko Gasha, TCMU
February 22-March 3 – Hinamatsuri Dolls Exhibit, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
February 20 – JAASC Language Table, Growler Haus, Fountain Inn
January 30 – JAASC Language Table, Inn on the Square, Greenwood
January 27, 2018 – Shinnenkai New Year’s Gala, Poinsett Club
2018/2017
December 14, 2017 – JAASC Language Table – O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
December 3 – JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) – Atlanta, GANovember 28 – JAASC Language Table – Growler Haus, Fountain InnNovember 15 – World Affairs Council Lecture “Pivots and Turns in US-Asia Relations“
November 7 – JAASC Language Table – Inn on the Square, Greenwood
October 25 – Peelander Z (Japanese Action Comic Punk),Radio Room
October 22-24 – SEUS-Japan Joint Conference – Hyatt, Greenville
October 26 – JAASC Language Table – Growler Haus, Spartanburg
October 10 – JAASC Language Table – Greenwood
October 7 – International Festival, Spartanburg
September 27 – JAASC Social: Movie Night – Falls Park, Greenville
September 16-17 – Japanfest, Atlanta, GA
September 1 – Pinky Doodle Poodle (Tokyo punk band), Radio Room
August 30 – JAASC Language Table – Addy’s Dutch Cafe, Greenville
**August 19 – Bon Dance Japanese Festival, Greenville**
August 1 – JAASC Language Table – Montague’s, Greenwood
July 22 – Odori practice!
July 26 – JAASC Social: Concert on the Reedy – Peace Center Amphitheatre, Greenville
June 22 – JAASC Language Table – Growler Haus, Fountain Inn
May 31 – JAASC Member Social: “Drive” Baseball Game, Greenville
April – JAASC Language Table – O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
April 1-2 – Hachioji Kuruma Japanese Puppetry, Atlanta, GA
April 1 – Hanami at Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival, Irmo, SC
March 26-April 8 – Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival, Irmo SC
March 19-25 – Kyudo Alliance 7-Day Archery Seminar, Simpsonville
(Archery seminar not open to the public; beginner classes available.)
March 18 – Japanese School Graduation & Entrance Ceremony, Greenville
March 17 – Japanese Tea Ceremony – Greenville
March 15 – JAASC Social: Game Night – Local Cue, Greenville
March 14 – Sushi-Making Class at The Cook’s Station, Greenville
March 9 – Japanese Calligraphy Workshop with Yoshiko Moon, O-CHA
March – Upstate International Month – see all events
February 24 – Cocktails & a Twist! Upstate International Month’s Kickoff Gala Event
February 16 – JAASC Language Table, O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
January 23-March 13 – Beginner Japanese classes, Upstate International, Greenville
January 21, 2017 – Shinnenkai JAASC Annual New Year’s Dinner, Greenville
2017/2016
December 15, 2016 – JAASC Language Table, O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
December 13, 2016 – Allegiance, a New Musical playing 1 night only in SC movie theaters
December 2 – First Annual JA North Carolina Dinner Meeting, Raleigh, NC
November 20 – JAASC Social: Thanksgiving Potluck!
November 9 – Why South Carolina? Cross-cultural panel discussion, Columbia
October 19 – JAASC Language Table, O-CHA Tea Bar, Greenville
October – Japanese Associates Golf Tournament
October 1 – International Festival, Spartanburg
September 17~18 – Japanfest, Atlanta, GA
September 13 – JAASC Social: Happy Hour Meetup at The Playwright
September 8 – Charlotte Speaker Series Breakfast: US and Japan as Global Partners
August 20 – Bon Dance Festival, Greenville
June 15 – JAASC Social – Summer Concert on the Reedy, GreenvilleApril 16~17 – All-Carolina Kendo Tournament, Columbia
April – Japanese Associates Golf Tournament
March 30 – JAASC Social at Local Cue, GreenvilleMarch – GSS Graduation & Entrance Ceremony, GreenvilleMarch 23 – 1pm Netsuke: Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature presentation, USC Upstate
March 22~27 – 7pm Tonda Joruri Ningyo Puppet Theater performances
March 22 – 3~5pm Mini Festival of Traditional Japanese Arts, GreenvilleMarch 13~19 – Kyudo Alliance 7-Day Archery Seminar, Simpsonville
March – Through a Gap in the Shoji: month-long photo exhibit at USC UpstateMarch – Upstate International Month
March 5 – Shinnenkai New Year’s Party, Greenville
February 26 – MEXT Scholarship Applications Due
January 2016 – Kendo Seminar and Dan Shinsa, Atlanta, GA
2016
For more details about upcoming events, become a JAASC member today.