Former head of Presbyterian Church in Korea, and University of Pittsburgh graduate, Dr. Hyung Tae Kim passes away at 87.

Dr. Hyung Tae Kim (김형태), who was the 72nd head of the Presbyterian Church of Korea and who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, passed away last week at the age of 87. Kim's 1966 dissertation, Relationships Between Personal Characteristics of Korean Students in Pennsylvania and Their Attitudes Toward the Christian Churches in America, has been cited in subsequent works on the Korean Christian diaspora in the United States, and is available online via Proquest.

Sand artist Katsuhiko Chaen at Sand City Spectacular, July 2 - 10 in Oakland.

Via Sand City Spectacular.

From July 2 through July 10, Schenley Plaza will host the Sand City Spectacular in honor of Pittsburgh's bicentennial. Ten sand sculptors will be there, including Katsuhiko Chaen of Kagoshima.

Considered a “star” of this art form, Chaen, a graduate of Musashino Academy of Art in Tokyo, has been sculpting for 29 years and is widely respected worldwide. In Japan, he’s recognized as a visionary organizer producing national and international level competitions in his native land. In 2006, he originated the acclaimed Sand Museum in Tottori, Japan—staged at the majestic Tottori Sand Dunes. The museum is the country’s only open-air museum exhibiting sculptures made entirely of sand. From Japan, Singapore and China to Germany, Italy and Canada, Chaen has sculptured around the world most recently finishing second at the 2015 International Sand Sculpture Competition, Ruse Bulgaria.

More information about the events and the competition is found on the Sand City Spectacular website. Schenley Plaza is located at 4100 Forbes Ave., across from the Cathedral of Learning and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main Branch in Oakland (map).

Japanese film Our Little Sister (海街diary) in Pittsburgh, August 19 - 25.

The 2015 Japanese film Our Little Sister (海街diary) will play at the Harris Theater from August 19 through 25, it was recently announced. Variety writes in a 2015 review:

Marking the subtle transitions in the lives of three sisters after they take under their wing a teenage half-sibling they never knew, “Our Little Sister” is so meticulously shot and gracefully orchestrated that it can be considered a worthy contempo successor to Kon Ichikawa’s masterpiece “The Makioka Sisters.” Yet, in attempting to evoke an overwhelmingly femme-centric universe for the first time, Hirokazu Kore-eda adopts an approach so serene that his protagonists’ pain as well as their personalities remain largely muffled as they drift soulfully through the seasons. While gently engaging throughout, the pic nonetheless doesn’t reverberate as deeply as the helmer’s 2013 Cannes jury prizewinner, “Like Father, Like Son,” but Kore-eda’s standing among the worldwide culturati will ensure a warm response at festivals and arthouse cinemas.

The movie stars Haruka Ayase (Hotaru no Hikari, Cyborg She, Masami Nagasawa (The Crossing), Kaho and Suzu Hirose.

Showtimes have not yet been released. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in the downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District (map).

Bubblepop for Girls Rock, July 22.

The next Bubblepop event is scheduled for July 22 at Brillobox in Lawrenceville. Bubblepop, explains its Facebook page,

is a dance party for K-Pop, J-Pop, Mando-pop and everything else fun and cute.

. . .

$5 donation gets you a sick dance party and helps girls attend Girls Rock camp in August

It starts at 10:00 pm, and the venue is at 4104 Penn Ave. (map).

Dragon Inn (龍門客棧), A Touch of Zen (俠女) at Row House Cinema in September.

The Row House Cinema recently announced two King Hu movies, 1967's Dragon Inn (龍門客棧) and 1971's A Touch of Zen (俠女) as part of its Kung Fu Cinema series from September 23 to 29.

Ki Ramen coming to Lawrenceville.

Ki Ramen is coming to 4401 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map), the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes today. The liquor license belongs to Fumanchew, LLC.

It is one of several places serving ramen that have opened recently or will open in the near future: Umami in Lawrenceville, Tan Izakaya in Shadyside, Love Yogurt in Oakland, and Yuzu Kitchen downtown.

The Secret World of Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ) at Row House Cinema, July 1 - 7.

The Row House Cinema will show the 2010 Studio Ghibli film The Secret World of Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ) from July 1 through July 7 as part of its Fantastical Adventures series.

Nakama again voted best Japanese/sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh by readers who don't know Japanese/sushi restaurants in Pittsburgh.

Nakama Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar was again voted the best Japanese/sushi restaurant by readers of Pittsburgh Magazine. Nakama has been voted #1 each year by readers since 2009, and is also perennial winner of the Pittsburgh City-Paper readers' poll.

Also of relevance to this site: Sesame Inn was voted Best Chinese, Nicky's Thai Kitchen was voted Best Thai, and Pusadee's Garden was voted best Al Fresco (open air).

DJ Bamboo mixtape release party at Umami, June 25.

Pittsburgh-based DJ Bamboo is throwing a release party at Umami on June 25 for his Bento Boombox mixtape. The event runs from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am. Umami is located at 202 38th Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Pittsburgh native in the news for aiding Japan's refugees.

The Japan Times profiles Alex Easley---a Pittsburgher who moved to Japan 40 years ago to pursue a singing and modeling career---and his work with Japan's refugees.