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Sep/Oct 2024 | Vol. 81 No. 5
DKG AROUND THE WEB

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UPDATE: JAPAN we deemed the Rikiya Asai Kochi Exhibition 2024

apan State started 2024 by participating in a local “Ikiru” a success for DKG Japan State. Visitors happily
Jnon-profit bazaar at the women’s center “SORE” received postcards of Rikiya’s paintings, pineapple
(“so-ray”) in Kochi City. Our Alpha Chapter, led by gummies, and chocolates.
Atsuko Oka, donated the proceeds to the Red Cross for Our Japan State Peace Education project kept

disaster relief in Ishikawa prefecture. “Reach out, stay us busy promoting international peace in July. DKG
flexible, and have fun” is our motto for action. members visited elementary schools presenting “The
In June, we held our Japan State Convention, Blue-eyed Doll” picture-story show (kamishibai), in
where we promoted our ongoing theme of Diversity, remembrance of the firebombing of Kochi City that
Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI). We kicked it off with the took place on July 4, 1945.
9-day Rikiya Asai Kochi Exhibition 2024 “Ikiru” (Living) Also in July, DKG members once again taught
at the Kochi Liberty and Civil Rights Museum. Kochi flower arrangement (ikebana) to international Kochi
City mayor, Ryugo Kuwana, participated in the ribbon University students in both Japanese and English. I
cutting ceremony for the exhibit, which was open to the am still working with the International High School and

public, and Rainbow Connection high school exchange Kochi University students to promote the importance
students from Hawai’i welcomed visitors with a hula of volunteerism.
dance. Yasuko Kita, our Beta Chapter president, and Yasuko Kita has been working with Kochi University
Rikiya’s mother, Miwako Asai, completed the day with to promote Project Based Learning (PBL) events. DKG
a gallery talk explaining Rikiya’s paintings. sponsored the July event, “A Missionary of Japanese
The following day, Miwako Asai spoke about the Culture in a Digital Society” at the Kochi Otepia Library.
pleasures and challenges of being a mother to a child Riko Takemoto from the Fukuda Art Museum talked

with cerebral palsy. Rikiya was born in Tokyo but has about the importance of teaching and learning with the
been raised in Hawai’i, enjoying nature and painting. use of artificial intelligence (AI). Ms. Takemoto gave
With movement and independence severely limited, examples of how ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini would
Rikiya now requires 24-hour nursing care. Miwako describe famous works of Japanese art in words. We
reminded us to enjoy nature and our freedom and to learned that DKG members need to stay creative and
live life to the fullest every day. flexible as future educators.
With about 700 visitors from the community, Paula D. Fabian, Japan State President (2023-2025)

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