Join us and learn how to make your own andon, a traditional Japanese lantern. Celebrate fall by decorating it with momiji, maple leaves, and ichou no ha, ginkgo leaves, both of which are common sights in Japan during the fall season.
The tradition of handmade soft brushes has been a unique tool used for calligraphy and sumi-e painting through many dynasties unit the present day. The origins of brush making can be traced back to five thousand years ago in China. The brush is one of the most inspiring tools and still has the power to peak our imaginations. Using any type of hair, palm tree fibers, bamboo, and driftwood, you can make your own brushes by learning simple construction techniques in this workshop. Students will make a basic size brush with bristles approximately 1”in length.
Japan is justifiably famous for its many festivals; each one is reflective of a time and a spirit of community. They serve many functions, but most have a religious or spiritual origin and purpose. Purification. Protection. Gratitude. Commemoration. However, even these sacred rituals and celebrations are not immune to shifts in times, politics and, optics. Today, the 5th month of the 5th day is celebrated as Kodomo-no-hi, or Children’s Day. It is a time for parents to gather with their children, make excursions, and celebrate family, particularly the children. But in times past, it had a very different character. As part of the Go-Sekku or Five Festivals, it was celebrated as Tango-no-sekku–a time for the ritual driving away of evil spirits and malevolent forces that affected the health of the family, community, and nation.
Join us for a live virtual lecture in our theater! Explore how recent developments in Japanese gardens across North America realign them with some of the core values of gardens in Japan. As social spaces, gardens bring people into profound contact with idealized natural places which allow us to connect more harmoniously with others. The talk highlights a variety of new practices in gardens as well as new designs and even locations for Japanese-style gardens.
Delve into the underground scene of LA and Tokyo through three documentary short films – Atomic Cafe: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town, Our Man in Tokyo: The Ballad of Shin Miyata, and Giant Robot: Kind of Like Home by award-winning filmmaker Akira Boch. How did a family-owned restaurant in LA’s Japan Town come to be the popular hang-out for the punk rock scene in the late 1970s?