Karen Falkenstrom

Photo Gallery of 2019 Tucson Japanese Festival

by

Our Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition sponsored our 6th annual New Year’s Tucson Japanese Festival on Jan. 20, 2019 at the a new location, the lovely Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River  Rd. We seemed to have outgrown PCC Downtown where we hosted the 3rd, 4th and 5th festivals.

The highlight again was the mochi pounding (from rice), making and sampling.

This festival was a huge success with about 2000 people attending, and several dance/music performances, martial arts group demos, exhibitors (including Southern Arizona Koi Assn.), tea ceremonies, the art of kimono, children’s games (Go, kendama, fukuwarai), and of course, delicious Japanese food for sale and sample. As publicity chair, I was astounded at the # of attendees, considering that most information went out via FB or online, and not in print.

Photos below taken by M. Fumie Craig, founder of Tucson Origami Club and MC Louis Rivera, except for one by volunteer Teena Werley, which are all captioned.

Mochi display for New Year’s, courtesy M Fumie Craig
Volunteers serving mochi samples with kinako, courtesy M Fumie Craig
SAJCC Director Yuki Ibuki welcoming the audience, courtesy of Louis Rivera
koi on display by Southern Arizona Koi Association, courtesy of M  Fumie Craig
Tucson Japanese Language School display, courtesy M  Fumie Craig

Read more

Photo gallery of 2nd Annual Japanese New Year’s Mochitsuki celebration

by
Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers welcoming in the New Year of the Sheep
Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers welcomed in the New Year of the Sheep

On January 10, 2015 the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition (SAJCC) sponsored their 2nd Annual mochi pounding celebration for the new Year of the Sheep.  Here are photos of that lively event, held at the Rhythm Industry Performance Factory, home of Odaiko Sonora (taiko drummers), 1013 S. Tyndall Ave. All photos except for the last one taken by freelance photographer James Tokishi.

Tracy, Nicole and Karen from Odaiko Sonora pounding mochi
Tracy, Karen and Nicole from Odaiko Sonora pounding mochi

 

Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers performing
Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers performing as mochi is being pounded

Read more

Full Moon Tales at Yume Japanese Gardens

by

Full Moon Tale Flyer

The full moon will set the scene on the evening of Saturday, December 6 for an original theatrical performance of the beloved Japanese folktale Kaguya Hime — The Bamboo Princess. Children and adults alike will be enchanted as performers in masks engage in storytelling, dance, and shadow play to the sound of traditional bamboo flute music and taiko drums.

Read more

Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers at 2nd Saturday Downtown

by
Odaiko Sonora performers at Arizona Matsuri 2014 in Phoenix
Odaiko Sonora performers at Arizona Matsuri 2014 in Phoenix

For 12 years Odaiko Sonora has been performing their lively taiko Japanese drumming in Arizona (and elsewhere). I personally know founders Karen Falkenstrom (half Korean) and Rome Hamner (lived in Japan as a teacher for a year), and they have created a wonderful troupe of enthusiastic and talented drummers.

If you haven’t heard them before, this is your big chance to hear them for free  at 2nd Saturdays Downtown on May 10, on the popular Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd.) at 6:30 p.m. It will be over an hour’s show till 7:45 p.m. so stop by, pick up some delicious food from the ubiquitous food trucks and enjoy some Japanese music/culture.

Read more