Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition

Annual Tucson Japanese Festival on January 20, 2018

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Want to sample & eat Japanese food? Watch taiko & dance performances and kendo demonstrations? Learn to fold origami? Draw calligraphy? Learn about origins of manga and anime in Japan?

All this and much, much more at this 2018 New Year’s celebration, the fifth sponsored by our Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition and Odaiko Sonora.  Name change from Tucson Mochitsuki to Tucson Japanese Festival last year, so hence it is the 2nd Annual.  Performance schedule flyer (updated 1/17/18) below.

Mochi making and pounding from rice will be demonstrated.  Join us to learn about Japanese culture in Japan and in the U.S.

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Happy New Year 2018

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2018 has arrived and it is the Year of the Dog in our Asian zodiac calendar (of 12 animals).  In their order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig.  Here’s a preview of some upcoming events in Tucson:

Tucson Japanese Festival celebrating the New Year on Jan. 20, 2018 at PCC Downtown (1 to 5 p.m.).  Sponsored by our So. AZ Japanese Cultural Coalition:  www.southernazjapan.org, where I am the website Editor.

 

Chinese New Year of the Dog at Tucson Mall on Feb. 10, 2018 (11 to 8 p.m.).  Sponsored by Tucson Chinese Cultural Center (of which I am a member),  website:  www.tucsonchinese.org.

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Photo Gallery of 2017 Tucson Japanese Festival

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Tucson Japanese Festival (new name) was held on January 14, 2017 at PCC Downtown, 1255 N. Stone Ave. to celebrate the New Year.

For the 4th year, Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition (SAJCC) sponsored a New Year’s festival featuring numerous performances and once again, mochi pounding (from rice). Odaiko Sonora taiko drummers and Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson were festival co-sponsors.

Origami paper folding was taught and Go, fukuwarai and kendama games were played upstairs in the campus center building.  Also on display were ikebana flower arrangements, bonsai from the Tucson Bonsai Club, and calligraphy.   Photos below courtesy of freelance photographer James Tokishi, except for last 4 photos by M. Fumie Craig.

Odaiko Sonora doing the welcome at the New Year's festival
Odaiko Sonora doing the welcome at the Tucson Japanese New Year’s festival
Mochi (rice) pounding in stone usu and wooden kine
Mochi (rice) pounding in stone usu with wooden kine
Tucson Kendo Kai performing this skill
Tucson Kendo Kai ready to perform their skills

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Tucson Japanese Festival to celebrate the New Year 2017

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tjffinal2Our Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition (of which I have been the website Editor for 4 years) is sponsoring another New Year’s festival on January 14, 2017, at PCC Downtown campus, 1255 N. Stone Ave., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is our fourth Japanese New Year’s celebration in Tucson.

Once again we are offering Japanese martial arts & musical performances (on 2 stages this year), cultural activities and games, delicious Japanese snacks, tea, takoyaki (octopus) balls, and other cultural information.  Mochi rice pounding will be again performed with the kine (mallet) in the stone or wooden usu (bowl).  See photo below from last year’s popular event.  Event schedule also posted below.

Mochi pounding at 2016 Japanese New Year's Mochitsuki, photo courtesy of James Tokishi
Mochi pounding at 2016 Japanese New Year’s Mochitsuki, photo courtesy of James Tokishi

Updates will be on our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/tucsonmochi/, with event schedule, listing of numerous Japanese restaurant door prizes, performers.  Come watch co-sponsor Odaiko Sonora perform their lively taiko drumming.

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Loft Film Fest – Nov. 9 to 13, 2016

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Entire film schedule of 40 independent films listed at: https://loftfilmfest.org/films/ PASSES ON SALE NOW! General: $125 | Loft Members: $100 “Passholders will have priority seating and a guaranteed seat 20 minutes prior to all screenings in Screen 1.  Passholders who want to attend a screening in Screen 3 are asked to get a free ticket at the … Read more