SIG groups reflect the personal interests of the CWAJ members.
Presently we have five groups that have remained active over a long period of time: Friends of Music, Friendly Crafters, Hiking Group, Reading Group, Friends of France and Kogei Arts.
Members are free to contact and join any of these groups at any time. If you are considering joining one of the following groups, please get in touch with the Co-Leaders of that group. It is also possible to start a new group.
For more information, please contact the SIG Co-Chair and/or the Director of Member Activities.
Here is a video about the CWAJ SIG groups:
Friends of Music
Rehearsal Dates: Once a month – normally the second Thursday of each month but subject to change
Place: Rokko Club, near Yurakucho Station (Imperial Theater Building B2.
Access information is home.kobe-u.com/tokyo. (Apologies but the map is only in Japanese. Please contact the Co-leaders if you wish to join and we will arrange to meet you at a convenient place.)
Time: 10:00
Fee: 800 yen (room rental)
Contact: friendsofmusic@cwaj.org
Friends of Music (FoM) consists of a group of warm, friendly members who gather once a month to sing, as singing together is an ideal way to alleviate stress and to create strong friendships with one another. To join FoM, no previous musical background is necessary! If you wish to belt out songs to your heart’s content, this is the perfect place to do so! If you love music, we encourage you to join our group and we will all welcome you with open arms.
Latest posts from Friends of Music SIG can be found on the Members Only home page.
Friendly Crafters
Date: Monthly, usually on the second Monday of the month.
Place: CWAJ Center
Time: 13:30
Contact: friendlycrafters@cwaj.org
No experience is necessary to participate! Most of our projects are easily done in one day. Group members share their knowledge and skills, but some more involved projects do have a materials charge. You are always welcome to bring your projects and work on them with the company of other Friendly Crafters. We also welcome new craft ideas!
Latest posts from Friends of Music SIG can be found on the Members Only home page.
Hiking Group
Date: Several hikes are held each spring and autumn.
Place: Meet at a pre-determined station
Time: Most hikes take a full day – 7:30 to 18:00
Fee: No fee, but transportation cost varies according to train fares.
Contact: hiking@cwaj.org
Join us and experience the splendid and refreshing scenery from the top of a mountain. Our walks are not too hard to be enjoyable!
Latest posts from the Hiking Group SIG can be found on the Members Only home page.
Reading Group
The Reading Group has nine regular book discussion meetings a year with a different discussion leader each month. A translator or author occasionally attends as a guest. Meetings are generally held on fourth Wednesdays, from January to June and September to November. Depending on interest, a second evening discussion might follow a scheduled daytime meeting.
Latest posts from the Reading SIG can be found on the Members Only home page.
Regular meetings will continue on Zoom at least through 2023 in order to include Overseas members and others who might not be able to come in person. However, we love being together and hold occasional outings such as cherry blossom viewing, museum visits, and book exchanges.
All booklovers of CWAJ are welcome! Please contact the Co-Leaders at reading@cwaj.org .
The 2024 BOOK CALENDAR :
| January 24 | The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner |
| February 28 |
The Promise by Damon Galgut |
| March 27 |
How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino (translator Bruno Navask |
| April 24 | Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng |
| May 22 |
Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda (translator Alison Watts |
| June 26 | I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai |
| September 18 |
The Gossamer Years [anonymous] |
| October 23 | Women Talking by Miriam Toews |
| November 27 | Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai |
Friends of France
The Frends of France gathers in the morning of the second Friday of each month with the goal of learning about the French culture. We have animated discussions about France. We have also had the honor of having a guest speaker from France who gave a presentation about her research regarding the usage of bicycles in France and Japan. Our very own members Imen Jebri and Hodalo Mariki also gave presentations of their respective countries Tunisia and Togo. Another member demonstrated the art of crépe making at another members’ home which was not only delicious, but a very delightful afternoon.
At the moment we are basically meeting via Zoom – but in addition to special events, we do meet in person twice a year to enjoy a delicious French meal together!
All you need is an interest in France to join us.
Contact: friendsoffrance@cwaj.org
Latest posts from the French Conversation SIG can be found on the Members Only home page.ends
Kogei Arts
There is news on the Members Only News page about the new group, Kogei Arts!
