Japanese films coming to Loft Cinema in May, 2023

Loft Cinema at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. is showing various Japanese films, very different genres in May, 2023. Go to www.loftcinema.org for showtimes.

“Perfect Blue” on May 5 to 11

“Shogun Assassin” on May 12 to 18

“Tokyo Story: 4K Restoration” on May 17

“Princess Mononoke” on May 26 to June 1

See you at the movies! On our SAJCC website, movies coming to Tucson are listed in a separate category as “Upcoming Movies”, not under Upcoming Events: http://www.southernazjapan.org/upcoming-movies/

And save the date for July 15 for “My Neighbor Totoro” for the Loft Kids Fest.

Koinobori flying at Yume Japanese Gardens for Boy’s Day/Children’s Day on May 5

If you grew up with Japanese culture and boys in your family, you might have flown these koinobori (carp wind socks) on bamboo poles, outside of your home, indicating how many boys you had in your family. Since I grew up with 2 brothers in rural Hawaii, of course we had to fly 2 koi every year. And I always flew one for my son on Boy’s Day, May 5.

Yume Japanese Gardens put up their koi socks on April 24, and will be flying them until May 6, 2023. So honor the boys and children in your family.

“The carp-shaped windsocks are traditionally flown in Japan for Children’s Day (子供の日, Kodomo no hi), a national holidays that falls the 5th day of the 5th month. In Japanese culture, the carp symbolizes courage and strength because of its ability to swim up a waterfall.”

Yume Gardens is open Thursday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sundays 12 to 5 p.m., at www.yumegardens.org. But they are closing for the summer as usual on May 7 through October 1, 2023.

Late Spring Haiku walk on April 30 at Yume Japanese Gardens

  • Sunday, April 30, 2023
  • 12:00 PM  to 1:30 PM
  • Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson (

This will be our last Haiku workshop before Yume Gardens closes for the summer. We’ll continue our time together and in the garden, watching the changes and observing the AWARE (essential charm) of life, and writing haiku.

The workshop talk will be on Buson, the second of the great Haiku poets, the aesthetic concept of Yugen and its relationship to Japanese Buddhism, and haiku practice for the summer season.

Led by award-winning haiku poet Yukihiro Ibuki and Yume Cultural Director, Paul Amiel.

Date/Time:

Sunday, April 30th at 12PM

Tickets:

$20 general/$10 Members 

Space is limited. Please reserve your spot!Purchase Tickets