PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES
2024
The City of Oita hosted an Austin area high school Ambassador exchange program in July 2024. AOSCC took six high schoolers to Oita and had an amazing experience. They were immersed in Japanese culture, stayed with homestays and visited schools.
AOSCC hosted six Oita middle school students in February 2024 and it was a great success. They studied English at the Texas International Education Consortium. Mayor Watson welcomed them at City Hall. They visited the new Travis County Courthouse hosted by Judge Martinez-Jones.
2023
AOSCC supported Austin Sister Cities International’s Passport to the World Festival with over 400 attendees with a table about Oita, a kid’s craft table and a performance by Austin Taiko in December.
WE Naoto Skorick traveled to Oita in November for the Annual Young Business Professional Internship Program. Naoto is a Sake Specialist at UROKO.
#OitaATX Festival at the AARC with over 900 attendees with special guest lead drummer from Tesshin Daiko, Hideo Yamanouchi
The City of Oita has a city staff member living in Austin to study English. Her name is Saki Sakurai. She is interning at the Greater Asian Chamber of Commerce.
AOSCC hosted a business intern, Mr. Niwa, from Oita in the spring of 2023. With the combined efforts of AOSCC and St. Edward’s MBA Capstone Program, Asahi Imports, an Austin company, now imports tea from Oita’s 5th generation tea company, Niwachaho.
AOSCC hosted six Oita middle school students in March 2023 and it was a great success. They studied English at the Texas International Education Consortium. Mayor Pro Tem Ellis welcomed them at City Hall. They visited the new Travis County Courthouse hosted by Judge Martinez-Jones.
2022
AOSCC supported Austin Sister Cities International’s Passport to the World Festival with over 400 attendees with a table about Oita, a kid’s craft table and a performance by Austin Taiko in December.
For the Annual Young Business Professional Internship Program, AOSCC sent a business intern, Marie Romano, to Oita in November, studying businesses in the Japanese tea industry in Kyushu, with the majority of studies conducted at Wakatakeen in Oita.
The Bamboo Boys from Oita performed with a collaboration between AOSCC, ASCI and AARC "Sounds of Our Sister Cities".
#OitaATX Festival at the AARC with almost 900 attendees which included a virtual town hall showcasing Oita, Japan.
AOSCC and the Writer's League of Texas hosted a haiku collaboration in August: WLT Off the Beaten Craft: "Minimalism and Maximalism in English-Language Haiku" with Allyson Whipple.
Golden Week celebration at Texas Sake with music and community art by Peelander Yellow with a special Golden Yellow cocktail demonstration.
Virtual Town Hall in March with the citizens of Oita, sharing all about Austin, TX.
2021
Virtual Austin Marathon Cheer Session in February with AJC and Honorable Consul General Fukushima.
Virtual #OitaATX Festival in August with AOSCC mascot Sumo-San and his adventures. A traditional tea ceremony using tea bowls created by an Austin ceramicist and a master ceramicist from Oita. A demonstration of shabu-shabu, meat and vegetables cooked in broth and served with dipping sauces AOSCC sumo mascot, Sumo-San, visiting Japanese-themed Austin businesses: Asahi Imports, Komé Sushi Kitchen, Sa-Tén Coffee & Eats, and Texas Saké. Sumo-San taking on Dark Circle Sumo in a match Sumo-San teaming with Yellow of Japanese action comic punk band Peelander-Z for a duet and painting.
Austin Sister Cities International World Passport Virtual Festival highlighting the Oita Fire Brigade Annual Ceremony and Oita Tea Ceremony in November.
Bonenkai Virtual Party with Oita Friends in November.
2020
Thirty-seven runners competed in the Austin Marathon as Team Japan in February.
AOSCC co-hosted a luncheon for Team Japan with the Honorable Consul General Fukushima and AJC.
AOSCC and SprATX co-hosted an Austin Marathon Water Station with 50+ volunteers.
AOSCC celebrated the 30th anniversary with Oita with 30 days of online programming in the month of April
ASOCC hosted a virtual summer festival in August with a sake tasting, cooking demonstration and mystery box cooking challenge
AOSCC participated in Austin Sister Cities International Virtual Passport to the World festival in November
2019
Austin Marathoners David Fuentes and Cate Barrett competed in the Oita Beppu Mainichi Marathon supported by coaches Jake Barrett and Erik Stanley in February
AOSCC supported 40 runners and walkers who competed as Team Japan in the Austin Marathon in February
AOSCC co-hosted a luncheon with the Honorable Consul General Fukushima supporting Team Japan in February
AOSCC hosted an Austin Marathon Water Station with 50+ volunteers sponsored by TEL in February
AOSCC hosted a Japanese experience table at the Nimitz National Museum of the Pacific War's Day of Remembrance in Fredericksburg along with Consul General Fukushima in February
Japan-Texas Leadership Symposium in San Antonio in March
AOSCC hosted an American style dinner for 38 Asia Pacific University students studying at St. Ed's in March
Austin school children participated in Oita’s environmental poster contest organized by the Dougherty in March
AOSCC supported discussions between Meat Crest Company, Texas Restaurant Association, World Affairs Council and Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce in March about importing Oita Wagyu beef into Texas
Takahiro Yoshikawa from Oita City Hall studying English at UT Austin January 2019 - August 2019
Oita Japan Festival #OitaATX with 1000+ attendees in July
Oita High School Shodo Troupe performed at the Oita Japan Festival #OitaATX
Ryutaro Shimizu from Oita City Hall studying English at UT Austin August 2019 - July 2021
Hosted Oita Business Intern Ishinai-San, Chef and Children’s Food Educator in October & November
Happy Hour for Asia Pacific University students studying at UT Austin October
AOSCC participated in Austin Sister Cities International Passport to the World festival with Austin Taiko in October
2018
Oita Marathoners Daichi Tanaka, Junko Sakamoto, and Oita Council Member Miura competed in the Austin Marathon in February - AOSCC provided homestays and hosted a community BBQ dinner
Visit with Mayor Adler with Oita Marathoners Daichi Tanaka and Junko Sakamoto
AOSCC hosted an Austin Marathon Water Station sponsored by TEL in February
Texas-Japan Economic Summit in Houston in May
Oita Japan Festival #OitaATX with 1000+ attendees in August
Takahiro Yoshikawa from Oita City Hall studying English at TIEP August - December 2018
Satomi Kuwatsuka from Oita City Hall studied English at TIEP August 2017 - July 2018
Japan Texas BizMatch - Hosted by World Affairs Council in September
Luncheon for Asia Pacific University students studying at UT Austin September
AOSCC Social Mixer in October
Three Austin musicians, Ethan Azarian, Lindsey Verrill and Jeff Johnston, performed in Oita’s Yumeiro Music Festival in October
Citizen delegation to Oita in October
AOSCC hosted Hosted Japanese National Tea Ceremony Exam in November
Austin Sister Cities International World Passport Festival with Austin Taiko in November
St. Edward’s Global Marketplace in November
2017
Master Ceramicist Kuniyuki Sashihara’s artist residency at the Dougherty Arts Center in Austin in February
Austin Marathoners Erik Stanley and Hannah Steffan competed in the Oita Beppu Mainichi Marathon in February
Austin school children participated in Oita’s environmental poster contest in March
Luncheon for Asia Pacific University students studying at UT Austin in July
Oita Japan Festival #OitaATX with 1500+ attendees in August
Satomi Kuwatsuka from Oita City Hall studied English at TIEP August 2017 - July 2018
Yuji Ono from Oita City Hall studied English at TIEP August 2016 - August 2017
Austin Musicians ATX6 (Mobley, Little Mazarn, Otis Wilkins, Sisi Berry, Corey Baum, and Acey Monaro) performed in Oita’s Yumeiro Music Festival in October
Austin Sister Cities International World Passport Festival in November
St. Edward’s Global Marketplace in November