Photo gallery of 2018 Tucson Japanese Festival

Yesterday Jan. 20, 2018 our Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition  (SAJCC) sponsored another New Year celebration, for the 5th year, now calling it Tucson Japanese Festival (instead of Tucson Mochitsuki — named for the mochi (rice) pounding, which is demonstrated every year).

The festival was held once again for 3rd year at Pima Community College downtown (1125 N. Stone Ave.), with musical & dance performances on the stage in the Amethyst Room and activities outside on the patio, and Japanese games/origami upstairs in the Campus Center.  Japanese food was for sale, and samples of green tea and mochi were provided to the 1000 plus attendees.

Here’s some photos of the festival, courtesy of various photographers.

Traditional Japanese New Year’s display of mochi (white rice cakes) with an orange fruit on top, photo courtesy M Craig
Mochi pounding demonstration outside of PCC Downtown campus center, photo courtesy Teena Werley
More mochi pounding, photo courtesy James Tokishi
PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert giving welcome remarks, courtesy of James Tokishi
Soulful Sumi Calligraphy by Akiko Victorson, with Master of Ceremonies Louis Rivera, photo courtesy of Louis

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Celebrate 5th Anniversary of Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson

On January 15, 2013 Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson formally opened its doors to showcase a beautiful, tranquil Japanese Garden in the Southwest desert of Tucson, Arizona.  Celebrate it’s 5th anniversary on Sat. January 13, 2018.  “Yume” means dream in Japanese, which it was as the creation by Owner/E.D. Patricia Deridder, who lived in Japan for 15 years.

Odaiko Sonora, Tucson’s taiko drumming group (pictured below), will be performing at 1:30 and 3 p.m.  UPDATE: Schedule below.

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