November 1 - Keiko Matsui Live in Cerritos Award-winning pianist and innovative composer Keiko Matsui will perform at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, November 1 at 8:00 pm. Renowned for her smooth jazz grooves, the Tokyo-born artist creates a deeply passionate sound combining Asian and Western styles, which has earned her legions of fans in both the New Age and Smooth Jazz genres. Matsui blends jazz rhythms, dreamlike tones, and poetic imagery in delicate, yet powerful compositions. With six chart-topping albums to her credit since her 1987 debut, the Tokyo-born Matsui has been called the “#1 Female Contemporary Jazz Artist” by Billboard Magazine. The Center is at 12700 Center Court Drive in Cerritos. Tickets: $51, $36 and $26. For more information, please call (800) 300-4345. www.keikomatsui.com.
November 3-4 - Descanso Gardens Japanese Garden Festival The annual Japanese Garden Festival will bring the sights and sounds of traditional dance, music and horticulture to Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4. Activities will range from the thundering sounds of taiko drums to the tranquil, meditative quality of suiseki stone art and the grace of traditional dance. All will evoke the culture of Japan. The weekend will also feature one of the area’s most renowned shows of chrysanthemums, Japan’s national flower, as well as an Urasenke Tea Demonstration, an Origami Workshop, an Ikebana Demonstration, and a Japanese Sword Demonstration. Log on to descansogardens.org for more info. All events are free, unless noted, with Garden admission. Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive in La Cañada Flintridge.
November 7 - Dawn’s Light Opens in Little Tokyo
Dawn’s Light: The Journey of Gordon Hirabayashi will be performed by the East-West Players from Wednesday, November 7 through Sunday, December 2 at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo. Written by Jeanne Sakata and directed by Jessica Kubzanksy, the play takes place during WWII in Seattle, where University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi agonizes over U.S. government orders to forcibly remove and imprison all people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. As he fights to reconcile his country’s betrayal with his Constitutional beliefs, Gordon journeys toward a greater understanding of America’s triumphs and failures. Previews Thursday 11/1, Friday 11/2 and Saturday 11/3 at 8pm; Sunday 11/4 at 2pm. Admission: Previews; $20, $10 w/ student ID Opening Night; $60 Regular; $35 Orchestra, $30 Balcony. Tickets available by visiting www.EastWestPlayers.org or by calling (213) 625-7000 x 20. David Henry Hwang Theater is at 120 Judge John Aiso St. Los Angeles.
November 9 - San Jose Taiko Live in Concert San Jose Taiko will beat their way to the Aratani/America Theater in Little Tokyo for a special performance on Friday, November 9. The For the past 34 years San Jose Taiko has mesmerized audiences and critics with the spellbinding power and propulsive sounds of the taiko drums. Considered one of the three original pioneering North American Taiko groups, San Jose Taiko continues to strive to expand their artistic and cultural expression. The heartpounding beat of the taiko showcases the energy and grace of the Japanese American taiko drum, an instrument that embodies the spiritual essence and heartbeat of this group. This year’s concert pays special tribute to the troupe’s home in San Jose’s Japantown. Feel the spirit of this unique place through the artistry of San Jose Taiko. The concert begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $35 orchestra, $30 balcony, $28 Groups (10+), and $20 Seniors & Students. The theater is at 244 South San Pedro Street. For more information call the Aratani Theatre Box Office at (213) 680-3700 or visit jacc.org. To learn more about San Jose Taiko visit www.taiko.org.
November 18 - "Fudeko & The Angel's Piano" to Be Screened in Little Tokyo The U.S. premiere of “Fudeko & The Angel’s Piano” will be screened on Sunday, November 18 at the Aratani/Japan Theater in Little Tokyo. Screenings will be at 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm, and Producer/Director Hisako Yamada will make a special appearance. The film tells the inspiring true story of a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to establish care and education for children with developmental disabilities in Japan in the Meiji era. Fudeko was born as a daughter of a baron, studied in France, and she spoke three languages. Her life changed when she found out that her daughter had intellectual disabilities. Many children with developmental disabilities were cast in this movie, which adds to the interest and creates a charming authenticity. Presented by the Little Tokyo Service Center in association with the JACCC, with proceeds benefiting the social programs of the LTSC. For more information, call the Aratani Theatre Box Office at (213) 680-3700. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets: $15 General Admission, $10 Children and Student discount. Aratani/Japan America Theatre is at 244 South San Pedro Street.
November 18 - Koi Auction @ CSULB A live auction of koi will take place on Sunday, November 18 from 11:00 am–3:00 pm on the campus of Cal State Long Beach. Purchase healthy, beautiful koi fish of every size and color at affordable prices from a professional auctioneer. Meet ZNA Koi Club members and learn why so many koi aficionados of Southern California never miss this annual auction. Auction preview at 11:30 am; auction begins at noon. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard. $5 Adults, $4 Seniors, Children 12 and under free. For more information, please call (562) 985-5930, or visit csulb.edu/~jgarden.
November 1 - Keiko Matsui Live in Cerritos
Award-winning pianist and innovative composer Keiko Matsui will perform at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, November 1 at 8:00 pm. Renowned for her smooth jazz grooves, the Tokyo-born artist creates a deeply passionate sound combining Asian and Western styles, which has earned her legions of fans in both the New Age and Smooth Jazz genres. Matsui blends jazz rhythms, dreamlike tones, and poetic imagery in delicate, yet powerful compositions. With six chart-topping albums to her credit since her 1987 debut, the Tokyo-born Matsui has been called the “#1 Female Contemporary Jazz Artist” by Billboard Magazine. The Center is at 12700 Center Court Drive in Cerritos. Tickets: $51, $36 and $26. For more information, please call (800) 300-4345. www.keikomatsui.com.
The annual Japanese Garden Festival will bring the sights and sounds of traditional dance, music and horticulture to Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4. Activities will range from the thundering sounds of taiko drums to the tranquil, meditative quality of suiseki stone art and the grace of traditional dance. All will evoke the culture of Japan. The weekend will also feature one of the area’s most renowned shows of chrysanthemums, Japan’s national flower, as well as an Urasenke Tea Demonstration, an Origami Workshop, an Ikebana Demonstration, and a Japanese Sword Demonstration. Log on to descansogardens.org for more info. All events are free, unless noted, with Garden admission. Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive in La Cañada Flintridge.
San Jose Taiko will beat their way to the Aratani/America Theater in Little Tokyo for a special performance on Friday, November 9. The For the past 34 years San Jose Taiko has mesmerized audiences and critics with the spellbinding power and propulsive sounds of the taiko drums. Considered one of the three original pioneering North American Taiko groups, San Jose Taiko continues to strive to expand their artistic and cultural expression. The heartpounding beat of the taiko showcases the energy and grace of the Japanese American taiko drum, an instrument that embodies the spiritual essence and heartbeat of this group. This year’s concert pays special tribute to the troupe’s home in San Jose’s Japantown. Feel the spirit of this unique place through the artistry of San Jose Taiko. The concert begins at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $35 orchestra, $30 balcony, $28 Groups (10+), and $20 Seniors & Students. The theater is at 244 South San Pedro Street. For more information call the Aratani Theatre Box Office at (213) 680-3700 or visit jacc.org. To learn more about San Jose Taiko visit www.taiko.org.
The U.S. premiere of “Fudeko & The Angel’s Piano” will be screened on Sunday, November 18 at the Aratani/Japan Theater in Little Tokyo. Screenings will be at 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm, and Producer/Director Hisako Yamada will make a special appearance. The film tells the inspiring true story of a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to establish care and education for children with developmental disabilities in Japan in the Meiji era. Fudeko was born as a daughter of a baron, studied in France, and she spoke three languages. Her life changed when she found out that her daughter had intellectual disabilities. Many children with developmental disabilities were cast in this movie, which adds to the interest and creates a charming authenticity. Presented by the Little Tokyo Service Center in association with the JACCC, with proceeds benefiting the social programs of the LTSC. For more information, call the Aratani Theatre Box Office at (213) 680-3700. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets: $15 General Admission, $10 Children and Student discount. Aratani/Japan America Theatre is at 244 South San Pedro Street.
A live auction of koi will take place on Sunday, November 18 from 11:00 am–3:00 pm on the campus of Cal State Long Beach. Purchase healthy, beautiful koi fish of every size and color at affordable prices from a professional auctioneer. Meet ZNA Koi Club members and learn why so many koi aficionados of Southern California never miss this annual auction. Auction preview at 11:30 am; auction begins at noon. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard. $5 Adults, $4 Seniors, Children 12 and under free. For more information, please call (562) 985-5930, or visit csulb.edu/~jgarden.