The Art of Being Present: A Benefit Reception with Hekiun Oda Shihan

Join the Japanese Arts Foundation (JAF) and the Japanese Culture Center (JCC) for an intimate benefit reception in support of our mission to create accessible Japanese arts, heritage preservation, and cultural education across Chicago and beyond.

Held inside the historic International Museum of Surgical Science, this special evening serves as the official opening reception for Master Calligrapher and resident JCC instructor Hekiun Oda Shihan’s solo exhibition, The Art of Being Present: Calligraphy by Hekiun Oda, as well as the unveiling of the Museum’s renewed Japan Gallery, sponsored by the JCC.

• When: Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
• General Admission ($50): Includes full evening entry, private museum access, live performances, wellness activations, hands-on origami, Asahi craft beer, sake tastings, and lite Japanese bites.
• John Kelly Park Supporter Ticket ($75): Includes full General Admission entry, with $25 directly dedicated to funding Japanese signage and elements being placed in John Kelly Park in Lakeview.

Please note: This event features a curated tasting format with passed hors d'oeuvres, light bites, and beverage stations in lieu of a buffet or full liquor bar.

At the heart of the evening is the celebration of Master Calligrapher Hekiun Oda (Shihan). Rooted in the Japanese tradition of shodō (the way of writing), Oda Shihan's calligraphy explores the relationship between language, movement, and the human spirit.

Through expressive brushstrokes and words such as kokoro (心, heart or mind) and ima o ikiru (今を生きる, live in the present), his works invite reflection on mindfulness, emotional well-being, and the experience of being alive. Featuring original calligraphic works alongside the artist's traditional tools and materials, the exhibition reveals the physical discipline and artistic intention behind each stroke. At the International Museum of Surgical Science, Oda Shihan's practice offers a unique perspective on the connections between body, mind, and artistic expression.

Step through the museum galleries for an extraordinary evening connecting traditional Japanese fine arts with physical discipline, health, and presence:

• Live Giant-Brush Calligraphy: Experience a dynamic, full-body shodo performance by Master Hekiun Oda (Shihan) in the Museum’s iconic Hall of Immortals.
• Reiki: A Japanese Healing Art (7:30 PM – 8:30 PM): Join Reiki teacher Véronique Frede for a live demonstration of traditional hands-on Reiki, exploring its principles of presence, breath, and self-cultivation, along with optional 10-minute chair-based Reiki experiences for guests.
• Aikido & Mind-Body Micro-Talk: Join Tim Spies Sensei (Dojo Cho of Ryoshinkan Dojo, Rokudan 6th degree black belt), author of Peace, Medicine for a Sick World, for a presentation on how Aikido principles—posture, breath control (kokyu), and awareness—cultivate mind-body coordination and inner peace.
• Interactive Origami Station (8:30 PM – 9:30 PM): Join instructors for a guided hands-on paper folding station to craft your own traditional keepsake to take home or to donate to the Cranes for Peace Project.
• Explore the Renewed Japan Gallery & Museum Exhibits: Enjoy private evening access to the renewed Japan Gallery—featuring historic Nihonga paintings depicting physician Hanaoka Seishū (1760–1835) and his development of general anesthesia, historical surgical calligraphy, and medical artifacts.

Your ticket directly supports JAF’s cultural educational initiatives and the John Kelly Park Project. Located in Lakeview—the historic epicenter of Chicago’s Japanese and Japanese-American communities—this initiative integrates Japanese cultural elements into Kelly Park by planting Japanese trees and native greenery, alongside funding a commemorative sign and a plaque honoring the neighborhood's deep ties to Japanese and Japanese American history, as well as to the sacrifice made by Private First Class John H. Kelly.

Culinary & Beverage Partners:

Asahi Beer, Gaijin, Kamehachi, and regional Japanese sake selections.

Generously Sponsored & Supported By:

Byline Bank, Morgan Stanley, International Museum of Surgical Science, and Japanese Culture Center.

Event venue & nearby stays

International Museum of Surgical Science, 1524 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, United States

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