Tucson Meet Yourself Reconnect folklife festival will be held this October 8 to 10, 2021 at Jacome Plaza in downtown Tucson. This plaza is outside of the Joel D. Valdez main library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Please check their website for COVID-19 guidelines.
On Saturday October 9, Mari Kaneta & her Suzuyuki-kai traditional dancers will perform at 3 p.m. on the Lawn Stage, and Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers will perform on the Church Stage at 5 p.m.
Also the popular takoyaki octopus balls food booth will be serving Japanese dishes at booth F31, all 3 days.
Suzuyuki Kai dancers
Odaiko Sonora performing onstage
Hours of the festival are 11 to 6 daily, with performances going on till 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Chieko “Chi” Nakano will again be teaching origami folding, and Akiko Victorson her shodo/calligraphy at the Folk Arts area. Chi will be in the Talking Tent of the Folks Arts area on Friday Oct. 8, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Chi Nakano teaching origami, photo by Steven Meckler
Hiro Tashima CLAY October 6, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. “Originally born in Hiroshima, Japan, Hiro Tashima has made a name for himself in both the world of dirt-bike racing and art, thanks to his commitment to pushing the limit and not being afraid to fail. His sculptures are often humorous self-reflections that tie together multiple cultures, showing how art can truly speak through any barrier. Join us as we sit down with Hiro to learn about his work with David Bowie, his Hiroshima 75th Anniversary pieces and how he has adapted his teaching methods during the pandemic.”
Hiro is the Head of the Ceramic Dept. at Pima Community College West and a clay artist.
“AN OASIS OF TRANQUILITY: YUME JAPANESE GARDENS REOPENS FOR THE FALL SEASON TUCSON, ARIZONA – After our summer hiatus, Yume Japanese Gardens and Museum of Tucson is reopening on Friday, October 1, for a refreshing refuge for Tucsonans seeking harmony, hope and healing in cooler temperatures. The serene gardens at Yume delight the eye, nurture the spirit, and restore hearts frayed by day-to-day distress. They interpret and compress the natural world into beautiful and masterfully cultivated landscapes that heighten a visitor’s awareness of life’s deeper qualities and impart the feeling of walking through a tranquil vision. Safe, calm, and inspiring, Yume’s gardens are back for a much-needed sanctuary. Also this season, Yume will resume its innovative ‘Path to Emotional Healing Program’, based on numerous health studies showing that journaling and regular therapeutic walks in Japanese garden settings lower stress and anxiety and boost hope and emotional resilience. Facilitated by health professionals in Yume’s secure and tranquil environment, the program teaches enrollees to reflect on and interpret their personal stories in a transformative way that leads them from simply surviving life to thriving in it. The program runs all year. “
“Yume sets capacity limits to safeguard visitors and staff and observes Arizona Department of Health Services guidelines for COVID-19 management. Timed admission tickets purchased online are required for entry; physical distancing and facial coverings are also required, in all indoor and outdoor spaces. # # # Yume Japanese Gardens and Museum of Tucson (www.yumegardens.org) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, located at 2130 N. Alvernon Way. It features eight examples of classical Japanese landscape design, a replica traditional Japanese cottage, a museum of Japanese art and handicrafts, an art gallery, and gift shop. It also holds seasonal Japanese festivals and classes in Japanese popular arts.”
“We look forward to sharing the new season, new exhibition, new artists, and new the looks at the gallery/gardens.
The gallery will start its 2021-22 season on September 24th with the exhibition, Stage(s)(ing), featuring works by Aurore Chabot, Colleen Quigley, and Lynne Yamaguchi. Opening reception 6 to 9 p.m.
Concentric by Lynne Yamaguchi
The exhibition has a dual objective of incorporating elements of ikebana representing varying states of life cycle into the contemporary functional pieces the artists have created, while also exploring the idea of staging and living with art in one’s personal environment.”
Yun Gee Park Gallery is located at 4226 E. 2nd St. (west of Columbus Ave.). Gallery hours are Tues. to Thurs. by appointment, Fri. & Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After the COVID-19 pandemic came to Tucson in March 2020, the Tucson Origami Club briefly stopped meeting for a few months. They resumed folding origami at Dao’s Tai Pan restaurant, 446 N. Wilmot Rd. in June 2020 and have been meeting ever since, but with reduced attendance due to the pandemic.
Their monthly folding sessions for all ages is on the first Saturday of the month, at 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Some participants stay for Vietnamese lunch (at their own expense) after the folding instructions and activity. The group was founded several years ago by M. Fumie Craig, a founding member of the SAJCC Council.
Next folding sessions are Saturdays July 3, August 7, September 4, 2021.
