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January 1
New Year’s in Little Tokyo
New Year’s Day festivities to kick off The Year of the Ox will take place from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Weller Court in Little Tokyo. Vendors will be on hand selling Japanese festival foods, as well as New Year’s delights such as amazake (sweet sake) and zenzai (soup made from azuki beans); mochi will also be pounded, baked and distributed courtesy of Mikawa-ya and Fugetsu-do confectioners. A range of entertainment will take place in Weller Court, including martial arts demonstrations, taiko drummers, and geta tap dancers. Meanwhile, at the adjacent Kyoto Grand Hotel & Gardens, try dishes such as abekawa mochi (sweet mochi dish) and zoni (soup with mochi) as you sip your sake. Tea ceremony, flower arrangement, origami, and other cultural demonstrations will also take place on the Hotel’s second floor. In recent years, New Year’s in Little Tokyo has attracted over 10,000 visitors.
January 4
11th Annual Shikishi Exhibition
Express your hopes and dreams for 2009 on Sunday, January 4th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm when participants of all ages, professions, and interests, are invited to design a Japanese Shikishi (New Year’s greeting card). Admission is free and all submitted works are exhibited. Past participants include the former Prime Minister of Japan, Toshiki Kaifu and Judo Olympic Gold Medalist, Ryoko Tani. This year’s exhibit will feature art work based on this year’s theme Hatsu Shibai (“First Performance”) as well as references to the Year of the Ox, the second animal in the 12-year Lunar Calendar cycle. The event will be held at the George J. Doizaki Gallery on the first floor of the Japanese American Community and Cultural Center in Little Tokyo. Free Admission. The?George J. Doizaki Gallery hours are: Tuesday – Friday 12noon to 5pm; Saturday & Sunday 11am to 4pm. Closed Mondays and holidays.
January 6
Mingei East and West Opens at Pacific Asia Museum
The exhibition, Mingei East and West, at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena will close on January 6th. Mingei literally means “folk art” in Japanese. The term was coined in the 1920s to refer to the kind of anonymous, handcrafted objects that had begun to disappear as Japan entered the age of mass production and western-oriented modernization. The tradition of handicraft was revitalized by re-evaluating the beauty of utilitarian objects and spurring a new artistic movement dedicated to maintaining essential Japanese values. Mingei East and West is drawn largely from the museum’s collection and includes pre-modern Japanese objects; modern Japanese works in the mingei style; 20th century Japanese inspired Arts and Crafts objects from Southern California; as well as new works by local American artists inspired by mingei. This exhibition is co-sponsored by the Paul I. and Hisako Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies and the Consulate of Japan in Los Angeles. Curated by Yeonsoo Chee. Pacific Asia Museum is at 46 North Los Robles Avenue. (626) 449-2742. PacificAsiaMuseum.org.
January 24
Tomihiro Hoshino Art Exhibition Closes in Pasadena
A Watercolor Exhibition of deeply moving poems and superbly wrought flower paintings from Tomihiro Hoshino will close at the Shumei Hall Gallery in Pasadena on Saturday, January 24. It is hard to believe Hoshino created his paintings by wielding a brush in his mouth, but his poems help us to understand the depth and compassion of his thoughts as he faced life after a near-fatal accident in 1970 when he was 24 years old. His paintings and verses are magical and display unique harmony on paper. His simple, understandable poems inspired by natural beauty create a world of their own to which we are transported by the touch of his watercolor brush. Through viewing his paintings, we receive messages of the joy of life and the courage to live. Free Admission. Hours: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm (Monday – Saturday). Sunday by appointment, call (626) 584 8841. Shumei Hall is at 2430 Colorado Boulevard.
February 6
Noh: Pathos Behind the Mask
Noh: Pathos Behind the Mask, a performance and lecture/demonstration
by Noh Principal Actor Shizuka Mikata, will be held on Friday, February 6 at 7:00 pm at the Aratani Japan America Theater in Little Tokyo. Noh is one of the oldest forms of performing arts in the world today, and is a classic form of Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th Century. Veiled in a fog of intrigue and mystery, Noh features rhythmic musicians, choral chanters and masked actors, as they tell the stories handed down over generations. Through the Japan Foundation’s international program, Mikata, of the Kanze School of Kyoto will demonstrate with inspiring precision, the true movements, sounds and stories of this elusive Japanese art form. Accompanying this program will be a classically designed Noh stage, wardrobe, musical instruments and images of Noh performances in Japan. Mikate will be joined by four fellow outstanding members of the Kanze School. The theater is at 244 South San Pedro Street. Tickets are $25 orchestra and $20 balcony. For more information call the Aratani Theatre Box Office at (213) 680-3700 or visit jacc.org.
February 14
Valentine’s Day Dinner at Thousand Cranes
Why not treat your special someone to a fabulous romantic dinner? Bordered by the serenity of a Japanese garden, Thousand Cranes, located in Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens will serve a gourmet multi-course Valentine’s Day Dinner on Saturday, February 14. Reminiscent of Tokyo’s fine dining establishments, the restaurant features a quiet, elegant ambience and kimono-clad waitresses providing polite and gracious service. Valentine’s Day Dinner at Thousand Cranes is a splendid opportunity to express your devotion to that special someone. Reservations are recommended. The Kyoto Grand Hotel and Garden is at 120 South Los Angeles Street. Phone: (213) 253-9255.
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