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Please allow me to extend this heartfelt invitation to you for our upcoming Swiss Alumni Sakura event, a premiere at our brand-new Consulate.

As we celebrate the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Switzerland, and the 50th anniversary of Heidi animation in 2024, our goal is to bring together the extensive network of over 1000 Alumni from Swiss schools and universities. Join us in this memorable year as we relish Swiss delicious food & drinks, marvel at the enchanting Sakura, and strengthen connections within the Swiss Alumni network! A wonderful chance to reunite (see recap and impressions of last year’s event)!!

Event Details

Location: Consulate of Switzerland, Swissnex in Japan, Umeda Shinmichi Bldg. 1F, 1-1-5 Dojima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0003 (Access)

Date and time: Saturday, March 30, 2024 from 14:00 – 17:00

Cost: Free; registration required

Event page: www.swissnex.org/japan/event/swiss-alumni-sakura-2024

Registration: https://forms.gle/yefJpTTSM2fdjino9

Dress Code: smart casual

Kindly secure your spot early, as the number of guests is limited. 

Registered Alumni will receive further details prior to the event. For questions, please contact Minami, Head of Academic Relations at minami.kotani@swissnex.org

Background

The Consulate of Switzerland, Swissnex in Japan follows the tradition of Swiss Alumni gatherings of our Swissnex colleagues in the US (Boston and San Francisco), China (Shanghai), India (Bangalore), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). Swissnex is the global network connecting Switzerland and the world in education, research, and innovation. Our mission is to support the outreach and active engagement of our partners in the international exchange of knowledge, ideas and talent. We thereby contribute to strengthening Switzerland’s profile as a world-leading innovation hotspot.

While enjoying Swiss delicacies and beautiful Sakura during peak season in Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara, Alumni from Swiss schools and universities will get to bond with their chapters, to exchange ideas, build connections and share latest news. We look forward to your presence at this special Swiss Alumni Sakura gathering!

Please also kindly share this invitation in your Alumni peers.

With warm regards, 

   — Felix Moesner

See the flier for details, and contact the organizers for inquires.

About the organist:

Kazuki Tomita 

was born in Osaka and studied the organ at the Osaka College of Music under Kaoru Dobashi, as well as under Arvid Gast and Hans-Jürgen Schnoor at the Lübeck Academy of Music in Germany. 
Specializing in baroque music, he has appeared in many concerts in Japan and abroad, and also introduced pipe organs on YouTube.
He is a member of the Japan Organist Association, a part-time lecturer at Osaka College of Music and he belongs to Office Forte.
He was awarded the Sakuya Konohana Prize (by the city of Osaka for young artists) and the Music Critic Clubs Prize (Japanese Organisation of Musicians in Kansai). He became known to a wider audience through the TV documentary Jounetsu Tairiku about his studies in Germany (MBS 2016). 
He has also appeared in the documentary program “Jounetsu Tairiku” (Continent of Passion).
In 2016, he became the first Japanese to win first prize, as well as the audience award, at the 20th edition of the International Johann-Sebastian-Bach Competition in Leipzig.

We are very pleased to introduce the special entertainment presentation for our upcoming Swiss National Day Party. This year the presentation will be by Samurai Artist named KAMUI, who will be performing the THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI.

About Samurai Artist named KAMUI

The Samurai Artist named KAMUI was formed by Tetsuro Shimaguchi in 1998. KAMUI gives performances which mix beauty of form with acting, and martial arts.

In Japan, they perform their own live shows, as well as appearing in theatrical performances, movies and other events. They also teach and choreograph sword fighting scenes for both movies and the stage. Past performances include live stage appearances with Meijiza and CHIKYU GORGEOUS, films by Japanese director Masahiko Makino, and promotional videos of popular musicians.

KAMUI actively collaborate with different genres artists, from Japanese traditional arts such as Kabuki, Noh, Kyogen, Wadaiko, Shakuhachi, and Shamisen to foreign arts such as classical ballet dance, orchestra music, rock music, trance music and break dance.

In oversea activities, the leader of KAMUI, Tetsuro Shimaguchi choreographed the sword fighting scenes in the movie KILL BILL vol.1, and performed as CRAZY88-MIKI.

After the success of KILL BILL, KAMUI has seen highly regarded international performances: At the Kennedy Center (2005), at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (in 2006 and 2008), at the Teatro Della Pergola and Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy (2010), at the Japan Expo in Paris (2011), at the Blue Note Poznan Jazz Club in Poland (2013), and at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia (2015) among others.

The leader of KAMUI, Tetsuro Shimaguchi created THE WAY of SAMURAI named KENGIDO, and opened dojos to teach KENGIDO in Japan, America and Europe. This activity to introduce Japanese SAMURAI culture has attracted the attention of mass media all around the world.

About Tetsuro Shimaguchi

Tetsuro Shimaguchi was born in Saitama prefecture in Japan and graduated from Nihon University College of Arts. After getting his start in theater activities such as kabuki, he established “Kengishu KAMUI”. He is a “SAMURAI ARTIST” pursuing Kengido, which mixes beauty of form, with acting, and martial arts.

His major accomplishments as an actor include performing as Crazy 88’s “MIKI”, as well as directing the choreography in “KILL BILL Vol. 1” a film by Quentin Tarantino. Among other achievements, he led the KAMUI Tour in the US including a performance in the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; “CHANBARA”, “SAMURAI SPIRIT” performances in Edinburgh; European tours in places such as Teatre della Pergola in Italy, and at the Hermitage Museum in Russia, in addition to dinner shows around the world in Hyatt Hotels and Sheraton Hotels, and at the Armani Hotel in Dubai. He has also performed main roles in short movies.

He also choreographed performances in Meijiza, “CLAUDIA”, “HUMANITY”, and “HOSHINO DAICHI NI FURU NAMIDA” performed by Chikyu Gorgeous, and “JIROCHO-SANGOKUSHI” a film by Masahiko Makino.

Currently, media networks in the US and Europe feature his works, and he advocates for the promotion of SAMURAI culture.

He has a certification as a master of Nanaougi-ryu classical Japanese dance, and he excels in Shinkageryu-Kenjutsu and Karate. In 2012, he established the original samurai dojo “KENGIDO”.

About KENGIDO

KENGIDO integrates martial arts (sword play) and performing arts (Japanese traditional stage performances); it creates a unique and innovative discipline while learning from traditions.

The original method, KENGIDO, has the primary theme of “communication,” and the leader, Tetsuro Shimaguchi, teaches the techniques and mental attitudes of KENGIDO from the beginning in a careful manner.

Practitioners of KENGIDO may have the opportunity to join tours and theater performances by KAMUI, not only in Japan but overseas, and to perform in front of audiences in many countries.

There are no requirements or limitations to entry, including experience, age, gender, or nationality. All are welcome. 

Festival de la Francophonie dans le Kansai 2023 à Kobe

Our dear member, Mr. Daniel Aviolat, will be giving the welcome speech at this event which is also actively supported by the Swiss Embassy.

Please check the link above for the details of the program.

This is to inform you that the Committee has decided to go ahead as planned with the AGM/Dinner on Friday, March 6 at RValentino.

Some participants asked us if we will cancel the event because of the coronavirus. In our opinion there is no urgent need to do so, unless the situation changes for the worse in the next 2-3 days. As to our knowledge, there are as of today no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kobe and the Hyogo Prefecture. Furthermore we are a homogeneous group of people who know each other well. Also we have our own room on the 4th floor and do not need to mingle with the other guests at the restaurant on the 3rd floor. That said, the following precautions will be made:

• Hand sanitizer (gel or spray) will be available at the entrance on the 4th floor. Please wash your hands thoroughly before entering the partyroom.
• We suggest to avoid handshakes. Let’s do the greetings the Japanese way this time with a polite bow.
• Feel free to wear a face mask.
• We ask those who are not feeling well (fever, coughing, running nose) to be responsible and stay at home. Short time notice/cancellation will be accepted this time.
• If you have good ideas for additional precautionary measures, please let us know. 

If you have already signed up but would like to reconsider, let us know by latest Wednesday, March 4. If you have not yet signed up and would like to join, please also let us also know by latest March 4.

Let’s have a good time together this coming Friday!

Dear Members of the Swiss-Society of the Kansai!

The Liszt Society Switzerland Japan, which promotes international understanding through their exchange program Europe-Japan, will have its forthcoming event at the Members Club CLASSICA – 2 minutes walk from JR Ashiya station – on Monday afternoon November 4 (public holiday in Japan) at 2pm.

The concert will feature classical music for flutes and piano. The internationally acclaimed flutist, Mrs. Luisa Sello from Italy, will be joined by flutist Mr. Kazumi Endo, who is the founder and chairman of the Japan Flute Orchestra Society. At the piano will perform Mr. Satoshi Kakumoto, who won the gold medal for the best performance of Baroque Music at the BETEN Ongaku Competition in 2017 and also winner of the Czech Music Competition in 2018, organized by the Czech Embassy in Tokyo.

This special event is organized by me (member of the Swiss Society of the Kansai for 40 years) and I will also appear on the piano. As this concert will be at the Members Club CLASSICA, you have to make your reservations by phone only. The fee of Yen 4,000, which includes 1 free drink, will be collected at the reception of the Club. You may call the club anytime between 12am until 6pm (except Wednesday and Thursday) under the phone number:

0707-25-2556 Ashiya Members Club CLASSICA

Richard Frank

Doors Open 18:00 / Performance 18:30 / Dinner19:45

The event will constitute a unique opportunity to meet and listen to an outstanding artist who comes especially all the way from Switzerland for this concert at the Club.

Christian Chamorel has been studying at the Conservatoire of Lausanne, later in Munich and Zurich, where he graduated in both cities as a soloist. As one of the few Swiss pianists whose influence goes beyond the country’s borders, he has been playing apart from in Switzerland, all over Europe, as well as in North America, in China and in Tokyo (Musashino and Kioi Halls).

Christian Chamorel has been a guest in prestigious festivals and prizewinner of several international competitions in Italy, in Austria and in Switzerland. He also performs with well known orchestras, His recordings have been praised by international critics and two of his albums were nominated for Best Recording of the Year at the International Classical Music Awards.

The artist whose commitment to his art makes him a highly sought-after pianist, whose communication skills and generosity are celebrated by everyone, is being introduced to the Club by its honorary member, Mr. Daniel Aviolat, former Consul General of Switzerland.

A special table-served dinner prepared by the outstanding Chef Kamiki and his team, will add a gastronomic touch to the evening.

Program

• Mozart — Variations KV 455
• Chopin — Fantaisie op, 49; Nocturne op. 48, no 1
• Mendelssohn — Selection of Romances

 Menu

• Broiled Spanish Mackerel and Root Vegetable, Salad style served with Salmon Roe, Wasabi and Persimmon Sauce
• Poached Seasonal White Fish and Scallop and Shrimp in Bisque de Homard Sauce
• Grilled Lamb Chop with Mustard Herb Bread crumbs served with Vegetables and Pate de Campagne
• Special Dessert
• Bread and Butter
• Coffee or Tea

Kobe Club Members: ¥7,500 / Non-Members ¥8,500

Coming to us from Appenzell is the Fässler family.

Fässler Family

Erika Fässler

Born 1988 in Appenzell and living actually in Gossau (Canton of St.Gallen)

After compulsory local schools she made a bachelor degree in banking, marketing and tourism, followed by a master degree in marketing. She works actually as the head of marketing at the Appenzeller Bahnen.

Erika started to play the accordion at the age of seven and played a few years later with an uncle and an aunt as a family ensemble. At the age of 15 she joint the “Kapelle Edelstee” and won with them in 2004 the Swiss Young Musicians Folklore Competition. Since 2014 she is also regularly playing with the famous Hackbrett-Solist Nicolas Senn, as well as with her brothers in the Ensemble “Geschwister Fässler”.

Martin Fässler

Born 1993 in Appenzell and living with his parents in Jakobsbad.

After compulsory schools he made an apprenticeship as an electrician. Actually he is working as a service technician for household machinery and gets additional training as a sales engineer.

Martin started to play the Hackbrett at the age of nine and soon joint his sister for performing traditional Appenzell folkmusic. In 2007 he took also lesson on the double bass.

In 2009 he won with the Trio Fässler-Kölbener (two Hackbretts and Piano) the Swiss Young Musicians Folklore Competition.

In 2010 the “Kapelle Holdrioo” was launched, in which Martin plays the Hackbrett as well as the double bass. Often he plays the double bass also with the ensemble of Nicolas Senn.

However, the Hackbrett is definitely Martin’s main instrument for solo performances, not only playing Appenzell folkmusic, but also internationally known standard titles. He enjoys to play them together with his sister Erika and his brother Daniel.

Daniel Fässler

Born 1996 in Appenzell and living with his parents in Jakobsbad.

After compulsory schools he made an apprenticeship as a stove builder. Actually he is working with a local building company, mainly for masons and tile work.

Daniel became interested in music, because he heard his brother and sister practicing at home. In addition he participated in a junior folklore dancing group throughout his school years.

He studied the piano first as an autodidact and took lessons later, mainly to accompany traditional folk music. He was already the pianist when “Fässler-Kölbener” won the Swiss Young Musicians Folklore Competition in 2009 and again when the “Kapelle Weissbad” won it in 2013.

Recently he plays mainly with his sister and his brother as the ensemble “Geschwister Fässler”.

Joining them will be…

Keiko Ito

We last had the pleasure to hear Ms. Ito on September 27, 2017.

Ms. Ito’s interpretation of our traditional Swiss music rivals that of many musicians from Switzerland. Ms. Ito performs solo, as well as with various ensembles, including the AMSLE Quantett.

We look forward to their joint performance. Please come and join us on September 14, 2019.