According to JASWDC Bylaws, all active trustees must be individual members of the Society. Therefore, active trustees who are not otherwise members through a corporate membership are requested to enroll/renew their individual membership by way of “registering” and rendering payment through this once-annual campaign, covering the July ’24-August ’25 fiscal year. We recommend that BOT members enroll/renew at the Tsutsuji ($250) or Kiku ($1500) levels. However, payments are welcome at all levels of individual membership, and the Society will be pleased to extend membership benefits upon request, at the membership level commensurate with the contribution.
Non-trustees (such as honorary and emeritus positions, advisers, and counselors) are invited to participate in this campaign, but participation is not otherwise required.
Please enroll by clicking the “Register” link on this page, then choose your level of membership.
Join the JASWDC Haiku Group!
led by haiku poet and author, Abigail Friedman
Experience the beauty of haiku and hone your haiku-writing skills at the Japan-America Society of Washington DC Haiku Group!
This haiku group, or kukai, provides a platform for writers of haiku to come together and develop their craft in a fun, friendly atmosphere. Following a format similar to that of Japanese haiku groups, participants will bring to the session three haiku poems in English that they have written beforehand. The group then shares each haiku anonymously around the room without critique. Following this, each participant will select their favorites among all they have read on that day. As for the rest, come to the group to find out!
Led by esteemed haiku poet and author Abigail Friedman, the group meets once every two months. More details on how a kukai functions will be explained at the group itself.
The group will meet at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, located at 901 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20001:
Date: Saturday, November 20th, 2025
Time: 2:30 – 4:30 pm (EST)
Location: 401-F Conference Room, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
REQUIREMENTS:
Haiku Theme (optional): games and toys
Number of Haiku: Bring three English-language haiku you have composed SCHEDULE:
2:30 pm -3:30 pm: Anonymous sharing of haiku
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm: break
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm: Presentation and discussion: Haiku on the subject matter of war and conflicts throughout history.
summer grasses
all that remain of
warriors’ dreams
夏草や兵どもが夢の跡 (natsukusa ya tsuwamonodomo ga yume no ato)
— Matsuo Basho
**It is important that participants arrive on time, as the meeting will begin promptly and involves participation from the entire group**
Leading US-Japan grassroots programs in DC since 1957. Japan lives here. あなたが日本を感じる場所。
Call or Email Us(202) 833-2210 info@jaswdc.org
Address
1819 L St NW, Suite 800Washington, D.C.20036