The Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition is once again sponsoring a New Year’s festival (for the 7th time) on January 18, 2020 at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd. Co-sponsored by Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers and the TCCC.

Our first Tucson Mochitsuki (mochi pounding) festival was in 2014 at Yume Japanese Gardens, the 2nd was at Rhythm Industry Performance Center (home of Odaiko Sonora), then 3 times at PCC Downtown. Last year the festival moved to the lovely Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.

Ticket price is still the same $5 adults, free for children 5 years and younger. Door prizes will be given out as usual.Parking is limited, so please car pool. Accessible by Sun Shuttle 412.

To volunteer or for more info contact K at communications@southernazjapan.org.

Updates will be on our FB page. www.facebook.com/southernazjapan/

Join us in celebrating Japanese culture in the Year of the Rat, 2020.

A new book by Dr. Min Yanagihashi  (retired from UA East Asian Studies Dept.) wrote in collaboration with Leiola Galla, Kumu Hula: Challenging Journey of a Hula Master has come out in early December.  It also deals with Japan—”There is a section on the globalization of hula, where Min discuss the development of hula in Japan, where there are today about 500,000 hula dancers, more than in Hawai’i, and there are two hula magazines.  It has caught on with the Japanese women!”

” We will demonstrate how to make a large, traditional Japanese New Year’s arrangement, made with pine and bamboo, called a kadomatsu. In Japan, these arrangements flank the entrances of homes and shops in pairs to welcome ancestral spirits and to assure prosperity in the New Year. The demo is free with regular Gardens admission. After the demonstration, a hands-on workshop at 1:00 pm gives you the opportunity to make your own small kadomatsu to take home. Workshop cost: $30. Reservations required.”

Sat. Dec. 14, from 11 to 2 p.m. at Yume Japanese Gardens, 2130 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson

https://www.facebook.com/events/2173748189599851/