Join Japan Society for a one-night-only screening of Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna featuring a special in-person introduction by Hiromi Seki, Toei Animation producer and the film’s supervisor.

The original Digimon Adventure TV series premiered in 1999 and introduced the world to a group of young, hopeful heroes who were brought together to save both the real and digital worlds. The series earned acclaim for its blending of deep narrative arcs and human drama against a backdrop of warring fantastical monsters. Twenty-five years later, the Digimon franchise is more popular than ever. Toei Animation and Japan Society are presenting this special anniversary event with original producer Hiromi Seki. Produced as a special 20th anniversary feature film, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna was originally slated for U.S. release in March 2020, but due to the pandemic, the movie never made it to North American theaters. Until now.

Ticket Giveaway!

Japan Society is generously giving away three pairs of tickets to the screening of Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna to JapanCulture•NYC followers! To enter for your chance to win, please follow @JapanCultureNYC on Instagram, like the post about the giveaway, and tag your +1! Three lucky winners will be drawn at random from the entries and notified on the morning of Tuesday, October 15. Good luck!

If you aren’t one of the lucky winners, you can still purchase tickets at Japan Society’s website. Tickets are limited, so don’t wait.

The Digimon 25th Anniversary Celebration

Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna Screening with honored guest Hiromi Seki
Special Giveaways:
Digimon Comic Volume #1 copy for all attendees
Digimon Card Game card for all attendees
Interactive Experiences:
Digimon Photo Op
Digimon Display from Bandai Tamashii Nations

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the Digimon Photo Op, Digimon Display, and Giveaways. Screening begins at 7:00 p.m.

About Hiromi Seki

Known as the “Mother of Sunday Morning Anime,” Hiromi Seki has been associated with Digimon since its very beginning, when she served in the planning and production of the original Digimon Adventure series. Over the last 25 years, Seki has been involved in 13 different Digimon films and series, including supervision of the franchise’s most recent movie, Digimon Adventure 02 The Beginning. In addition to Digimon, as a Toei Animation producer, Seki was the series producer who created Magical DoReMi and has worked on such productions as Marmalade Boy, Boys over Flowers, and Zatch Bell.

Support JapanCulture•NYC by becoming a member! For $5 a month, you’ll help maintain the high quality of our site while we continue to showcase and promote the activities of our vibrant community. Please click here to begin your membership today!

Susan McCormac 10/3/24 Susan McCormac 10/3/24

JAPANESE MANGA ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR ACKY BRIGHT FEATURED AT JAPAN SOCIETY

Acky Bright: Studio Infinity

Friday, October 4 through Sunday, January 19, 2025

Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Admission: $12 nonmembers | $10 students and seniors | Free First Fridays from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Japan Society presents Acky Bright: Studio Infinity, a showcase of the rising star’s unique kawakakkoii (cute and cool) style of illustration and product design. A distinguished Japanese manga artist and illustrator, Acky Bright is known for his unique worldbuilding.

Conceived as Acky Bright’s design studio, the exhibition offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to meet the artist, witness his freestyle “live drawing,” and participate in making a series of manga-style murals. Performative and interactive, the exhibition, which previewed during the weekend of Anime NYC in August, will evolve as Acky Bright makes intermittent appearances in the gallery.

The exhibition will feature two new painting series by Acky Bright, KBK-18, and Ah-Un, that each draw inspiration from traditional Japanese art and theater. Underscoring the impressive range of his contemporary art practice, the show will also highlight Acky Bright’s promotional campaigns designed for major companies, including his multimedia designs for the nationwide “WcDonald’s” campaign, YOASOBI x Vaundy’s FRIES BEAT 2024 music video, and Squid Game coloring book illustrated for Netflix.

Gallery Information

Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Closed on major holidays

Tickets include entry to both of Japan Society’s fall exhibitions, Acky Bright: Studio Infinity and Bunraku Backstage. To purchase tickets, please visit Japan Society’s website.

Susan McCormac 10/3/24 Susan McCormac 10/3/24

ALL-DAY JAPANESE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

FUN FEST JAPAN

Sunday, October 6 from noon until 4:00 p.m.

Corlears Hook Park – 479 Cherry Street

Admission: Free

Presented by The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York (JFDINY), FUN FEST JAPAN celebrates Japan and New York with an all-day Japanese cultural festival, featuring traditional performing arts and cultural activities for the entire family. Head to Corlears Hook Park in the Lower East Side to enjoy performances by JFDINY’s own Minbuza (Japanese Folk Dance), Samurai Sword Soul (Traditional Sword Fighting), and Taiko Masala (Taiko Drumming). In the activities area, experienced teachers will lead children in a variety of engaging Japanese arts and crafts such as origami, calligraphy, kendama, and kimono dressing. The finale of the day will be the Bon Odori, a traditional Japanese summer event where everyone joins in and dances together!

For more information about FUN FEST JAPAN and The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

FUN FEST JAPAN is made possible in part with funds from Creative Engagement, a regrant program supported by The New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Private support is provided by City Parks Foundation and Partnerships for Parks through the NYC Green Fund.

Susan McCormac 10/3/24 Susan McCormac 10/3/24

OMNY TAIKO TO CELEBRATE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

RISE: OMNY Taiko 10th Annual Concert

Saturday, October 5 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Brooklyn Music School – 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn

Admission: $25 | $20 seniors and students

Be a part of OMNY Taiko’s RISE to new heights as they reach more communities and contribute to the cultural diversity of New York City.

Their annual concert this Saturday, October 5 promises to be an unforgettable evening of drumming that blends traditional Japanese rhythms with their New York roots. This in-person event will start at 5:30 p.m.; doors open at 5:00 p.m. To purchase tickets, please visit OMNY Taiko’s Eventbrite page. Tickets may be available at the door, depending on availability.

About OMNY Taiko

OMNY Taiko is a vibrant, tight-knit community drumming group striving to share the art of taiko drumming with people and communities across the New York City area through inclusive, accessible performances, classes, and workshops.

As a form of rhythmic and artistic expression, taiko allows individuals to convey emotion and energy and to connect with others through music. OMNY Taiko emphasizes the communal aspect of ensemble drumming:

bringing people together to create music as a group
fostering a sense of community and belonging
providing opportunities for collaboration and teamwork

One of OMNY Taiko’s primary goals is to become emblematic of the energy of New York City, reflecting the story of a seed born on the concrete streets and blossoming into a vibrant community with the strength and tenacity of a city that never sleeps.

For more information about the organization, please visit their website.

Susan McCormac 9/23/24 Susan McCormac 9/23/24

BOOK TALK AT DONALD KEENE CENTER

Navigating Narratives: Tsurayuki's Tosa Diary as History and Fiction

Friday, September 27 at 6:00 p.m.

Columbia University – Kent Hall, Room 403

Admission: Free

The Donald Keene Center of Japanese Culture at Columbia University kicks off the 2024–2025 academic year with a book talk by Gustav Heldt, professor of Japanese literature at the University of Virginia.

This talk will outline several unique insights into Heian Japan provided by Ki no Tsurayuki's Tosa nikki (Tosa Diary), which is ostensibly the record of an ex-governor's voyage back to the capital kept by an anonymous woman in his entourage. The resulting split between fictional female narrator and historical male author has usually led Tosa nikki to be viewed as either the first Heian woman's memoir or the last aesthetic manifesto of one of the Japanese poetic tradition's foremost figures. In lieu of these narratives, it will be argued that the diary merits attention for the discursive practices, representational conventions, and non-elite social contexts it illuminates.

Preregistration is required by noon on Thursday, September 26. Click here for the Google Form.

About Gustav Heldt

Gustav Heldt specializes in the language, literature, and cultural history of Japan prior to contact with the West, with related interests in gender, poetics, narratology, ritual practices, comparative historiography, and myth. At the University of Virginia, he regularly teaches courses such as Survey of Japanese Literature and Introduction to Literary Japanese, as well as seminars on more specialized topics such as Japanese myth, the Tale of Genji, Japanese court women's literature, and medieval warrior tales.

Susan McCormac 9/20/24 Susan McCormac 9/20/24

SACHIYO ITO & COMPANY OFFERING FREE LESSON IN JAPANESE DANCE

Free Trial Japanese Dance Lesson with Sachiyo Ito and Company

Saturday, September 28 from Noon until 1:00 p.m.

Sachiyo Ito and Company Studio – 405 W. 23rd Street at 9th Avenue

Admission: Free

Sachiyo Ito and Company at the 2024 Japan Parade. Photo by Jon Jung.

Japanese traditional dancer, instructor, and choreographer Sachiyo Ito is opening her Chelsea studio for a free trial lesson on Saturday, September 28!

What You’ll Learn

Basic movements and gestures of Japanese dance
How to use the dance fan (fan will be provided)
Kabuki dance repertory

What To Bring

Cotton socks
Yukata and obi (if you have them)

To register, please send an email to sachiyoitoandcompany@gmail.com. The deadline to register is Thursday, September 26.

Come dressed in your yukata or allow yourself enough time to get dressed at the studio before the lesson is scheduled to begin. If you need a yukata and/or an obi, please inform Sachiyo Ito and Company when you register.

To those experienced in stage performances, you will have an opportunity to join Sachiyo Ito and Company for 2025 spring performances such as cherry blossom festivals. Learn more about Sachiyo Ito and Company at dancejapan.com.

Enjoy the beauty and grace of Japanese dance!

Sachiyo Ito is blogging her memoir on JapanCulture•NYC! Please click here to read each chapter.

Susan McCormac 9/13/24 Susan McCormac 9/13/24

JAPANESE JAZZ TRUMPETER TO PERFORM AT JOE’S PUB

Shunzo Ohno: EVOLUTION

Friday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)

Joe’s Pub – 425 Lafayette Street (at Astor Place)

Admission: $36

Celebrating 50 years in New York and his groundbreaking First Prize International Songwriting Competition Award for the iconic composition "Musashi," Shunzo Ohno brings Metamorphosis, the energetic ensemble and always riveting performance to Joe's Pub.

Making history as the first jazz composer to win this prestigious award and the first Japanese-born musician to achieve such recognition, Ohno’s celebration at Joe's Pub will be a multicultural experience, with his unique jazz and classical instrumentation. Hailing from Japan, Ohno made his mark in NYC over the last 50 years, touring with legendary masters Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans, and more. His life story of overcoming challenges and his thrilling live performances have attracted fans of all ages.

Don't miss Grammy Award-winning artist Shunzo Ohno's fearless performance, inspiring compositions, and the Lotus Chamber Music Collective, part of his dynamic Metamorphosis Ensemble, as they return to Joe's Pub with a sonic experience evoking hope and resilience. There is a two-drink or one-food minimum per person. To purchase tickets, please visit Joe’s Pub’s website.

Featuring

Shunzo Ohno — Trumpet
Jerome Jennings — Drums
Quintin Zoto — Guitar
Noah Rott — Piano / Keys
Jeremiah Edwards — Bass
Sasha Ono — Cello
Emily Garrison — Violin
Katherine Kyu Hyeon Lim — Violin
Molly Goldman — Viola

With cinematic rhythms and inspiring melodies, Ohno captivates audiences worldwide. In his pursuit of global harmony through music, Ohno declares, "We are all Dreamers, and together, we triumph."

Susan McCormac 9/7/24 Susan McCormac 9/7/24

BBG TO HOST GARDENS FOR PEACE

Gardens for Peace

Sunday, September 8 from noon until 1:00 p.m.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden – 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn

Admission: $22 Adults | $16 Seniors & Students | Free to members & children under 12

As part of the North American Japanese Garden Association’s annual Gardens for Peace project, which brings communities together in Japanese gardens to promote peace, Brooklyn Botanic Garden is presenting free public programming in and around its iconic Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.

Stop by for free tours of the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and a drop-in Japanese woodblock printing workshop with Sato Yamamoto.

The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Photo by Michael Stewart.

Japanese Garden Mini Tours

Tours run every five minutes between noon and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 8.

Meet at Duck Landing, next to Viewing Pavilion.

Enjoy a peaceful stroll through one of BBG’s best-known specialty gardens. These 20-minute tours highlight the Japanese garden elements in this historic garden designed by Takeo Shiota in 1914.

Drop-in Japanese Woodblock Printing

Stop by from noon until 2:00 p.m. at the Japanese Garden Viewing Pavilion

Try your hand at woodblock printing with Sato Yamamoto, a Japanese artist inspired by culture and diversity. Choose the Gardens for Peace pattern or other patterns by Sato and create your own print.

Gardens for Peace is free with admission to Brooklyn Botanic Garden. No registration is necessary to join the tour. To purchase tickets, please visit BBG’s website. Tours can be canceled due to inclement weather, so check BBG’s website for updates.

Susan McCormac 9/7/24 Susan McCormac 9/7/24

ENCORE SCREENINGS OF “PHOTOGRAPHIC JUSTICE”

Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story

Saturday September 7 at 1:00 p.m. with Jennifer Takaki, George Hirose, and Cindy Hsu
Sunday September 8 at 2:00 p.m. with Jennifer Takaki, George Hirose, and Linda Lew Woo
Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime

DCTV Firehouse Cinema – 87 Lafayette Street

Admission: $16 | $8 Members and Group Sales (10 or more)

In celebration of what would have been Chinese American photographer Corky Lee’s 77th birthday on September 5, DCTV is hosting encore screenings this weekend. The screening on Saturday, September 7 will have a special Q&A moderated by CBS News Anchor/Reporter Cindy Hsu with panelists Director Jennifer Takaki and Executive Producer George Hirose.

Click here to read JapanCulture•NYC’s interview with filmmaker Takaki.

For fifty years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee documented the celebrations, struggles, and daily lives of Asian American Pacific Islanders with epic focus. Determined to push mainstream media to include AAPI culture in the visual record of American history, Lee produced an astonishing archive of nearly a million compelling photographs. His work takes on new urgency with the alarming rise in anti-Asian attacks during the COVID pandemic. Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens.

To purchase tickets, please visit DCTV’s website. Fees apply.

Susan McCormac 8/29/24 Susan McCormac 8/29/24

TOMODACHI NIGHT AT CITI FIELD

Tomodachi Night – Boston Red Sox vs New York Mets

Tuesday, September 3
Pregame Events: 6:40 p.m. — Game: 7:10 p.m.

Citi Field — Flushing, Queens

Admission: $28 to $91.25

Enjoy a special Tomodachi Night as the New York Mets host Masataka Yoshida and the Boston Red Sox in an Interleague matchup. Extend your Labor Day Weekend with baseball!

Special pregame events include

Ceremonial First Pitch by Koji Sato, President of JAANY
Amazin’ Awards to be presented to leaders of Japanese American community organizations
Unforgettable opportunity for 500 members of our community to stand on the warning track at Citi Field to watch the national anthem.* Be sure to wear red and white!

Please purchase tickets through this link: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/tomodachi

A portion of ticket sales will be donated to The Japanese American Association of New York, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Nippon Club, Japan Society, U.S.-Japan Council, and the Japanese American National Museum.

*Please note that you MUST purchase tickets using the special online link that the Mets have created specifically for this game in order to be invited onto the field for the pregame festivities. Approximately one week before the game, you will receive an email with instructions about where and at what time to assemble. This privilege is first come, first served and limited to 500 fans, so please arrive early!

Warning Track Salute Timeline*

Meet up time: 6:00 p.m.
Meet up location: Left Field Ramp (right inside Left Field Gate)
Begin lining up at the ramp: 6:15 p.m.
Line closed: around 6:30 p.m. depending on the size
Arrive at the Warning Track: between approximately 6:45 to 7:00 p.m.
Exit by the staircase to Section 135 after the anthem

*weather permitting

Amazin’ Awards

JAA — Julie Azuma
JCCI — Maasaki Maeda
USJC — Susan McCormac (I’m honored to represent the New York region of the U.S.-Japan Council!)
JANM — Kathryn Bannai

Susan McCormac 8/14/24 Susan McCormac 8/14/24

10th Anniversary of Music from FINAL FANTASY at Town Hall

A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy

Saturday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m. (Doors open at 7:00 p.m.)

The Town Hall – 123 W. 43rd Street

Admission: $57-$90

A New World: Intimate Music from FINAL FANTASY celebrates its 10th anniversary in NYC! Join legendary composer Masashi Hamauzu, music director Eric Roth, and members of the Harlem Chamber Players for a program of exclusive and official arrangements, premieres, and favorites from throughout the FINAL FANTASY series! The video game concert anthology is marking ten years of spectacular concerts, recordings, and fellowship since its 2014 premiere and launching the next ten years of incredible live music experience.

Beloved musical selections from composers Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, Hitoshi Sakimoto, Yoko Shimomura, and Masayoshi Soken are performed in a transparent and engaging format, achieving an astounding variety of musical textures and moods. The experience is fresh every time, drawing audiences deeper into the musical worlds of FINAL FANTASY.

To purchase tickets, please visit the Town Hall’s website. The Town Hall is generously providing a 15% discount off tickets to members of New York’s Japanese and Japanese American community, including followers of JapanCulture•NYC. To take advantage of this offer, click the “Unlock” button on the right side of the screen when selecting seats and enter code ANWFF.

Susan McCormac 8/14/24 Susan McCormac 8/14/24

Akira Tana TO PERFORM AT DIZZY’S CLUB

Akira Tana’s Osaka Quartet with Atsuko Hashimoto

Thursday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Friday, August 16 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 17 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Dizzy’s Club at Frederick P. Rose Hall – Broadway at 60th Street

Admission: $25-$50

Jazz at Lincoln Center Japanese jazz drummer Akira Tana for six performances.

One of the most versatile drummers on the scene, West Coast legend Akira Tana has performed with Sonny Rollins, Hubert Laws, Lena Horne, Rufus Reid, The Manhattan Transfer, and countless other iconic artists and acts. His of-the-moment ability to summon what the music requires in any context drives his evolving expression.

For this performance, Tana brings his Osaka Quartet featuring Hammond B3 master Atsuko Hashimoto from Osaka, Japan. The quartet’s performance will include music from the classic jazz organ repertoire, originals, and adaptations of material from the Great American Songbook and Japanese pop and folk traditions.

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Akira Tana — drums
Atsuko Hashimoto — Hammond B3
Hideki Kawamura — tenor saxophone
Yutaka Hashimoto — guitar

To purchase tickets, please visit Jazz at Lincoln Center’s website. Dizzy's Club requires a minimum food and/or beverage purchase of $21 per person. Can’t make it to the venue? Watch both sets on August 15 live at JazzLive.com.

Susan McCormac 5/13/24 Susan McCormac 5/13/24

Filmmaker Discusses the “Corky Factor” Behind “Photographic Justice”

The late photojournalist Corky Lee. Photo Credit: Jennifer Takaki, All Is Well Pictures.

Lee Young Kwok, better known by his childhood nickname, Corky, was a self-taught photojournalist who documented the everyday lives and struggles of members of the Asian American community in New York and beyond. Lee roamed the streets of Chinatown and practically every neighborhood in Manhattan, photographing everything from celebrations and festivals to protests and rallies in equal measure. Those who saw Lee’s work received a lesson in culture, history, and politics. There was Lunar New Year in Chinatown, a Yuri Kochiyama speech at a Japanese American Day of Remembrance program, a protest against police brutality that actually resulted in police brutality.

His photographs graced the pages of various publications, including The Village Voice, Downtown Express, The New York Post, and The New York Times. He had gallery exhibitions at institutions from New York to LA and places in between. Lee did this at a relentless pace for fifty years, until his death from COVID-19 in January 2021.

For almost twenty of those years, filmmaker Jennifer Takaki followed Lee with a camera of her own, documenting the documentarian. The result is the 2022 film Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story, which made the film festival circuit for more than a year and recently had a successful theatrical run at the DCTV Firehouse Cinema in New York as well as at theaters in LA. An edited version of the film premieres on PBS on Monday, May 13, presented by the Center for Asian American Media as part of the network’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Takaki named her documentary after a phrase that Lee often used to describe his work. He would say, “I’m practicing photographic justice,” or declare that taking a certain picture was “an act of photographic justice.”

“It's the whole reason that Corky started his trajectory of his documentation of the AAPI community,” Takaki explains.

Takaki says that Lee coined the phrase in 2002, when he was interviewed by The New York Times after he recreated the historic 1869 Transcontinental Railroad photograph taken to commemorate the railroad’s completion in Utah. The original photographer excluded the Chinese laborers who helped build the railroad. In Lee’s recreation, he photographed the descendants of those Chinese men.

“I knew that that was a very pivotal moment. I knew it was a very pivotal photograph that, at that time, would have been the defining photograph,” Takaki says. “For me, [the phrase “photographic justice”] is a really important message because it's everything [about] why Corky does what he does. Which is why I started filming him anyway—to figure out why Corky does what he does.”

A chance encounter with Lee at an event led to Takaki’s curiosity about why the photographer spent all his free time photographing the community.

“He just showed me where the bathroom was and talked about the history of the building. I was like, ‘Who are you?’ And then he started to talk about everything he did,” Takaki says. “I started to follow him. I was going to do five-minute vignettes on people who had a singular focus. That's kind of what started me on my trajectory.”

With a background in television production, Takaki is no stranger to the camera and storytelling. She worked in news in Denver, Hong Kong, and New York, adding entertainment and corporate videos to her portfolio along the way. Lee introduced Takaki, a Japanese American, to fellow filmmaker and Japanese American Stann Nakazono. Together, the two formed an important community group known as ZAJA, where Japanese Americans network and support each other at monthly meetings held in the home of JA leader Julie Azuma. Lee was an honorary member from day one.

Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki. Photo Credit: All Is Well Pictures

During the nineteen years that Takaki followed Lee, she refined and distilled how she would present his story. Originally, the film’s ending was going to be one of the recreations of the Transcontinental Railroad photographs in Utah that Lee organized. Sadly, his death forced Takaki to add his funeral scene to the end instead.

But that is not the end of Corky Lee’s story. To Takaki, nearly two decades after starting the film, her work is just beginning. Photographic Justice has given her the opportunity to introduce Lee to audiences across the country, giving him a well-deserved moment in the spotlight, even in places where she believed Lee should have been popular already.

“What I was surprised about the most was that a lot of the AAPI communities did not know who Corky was,” Takaki says of the screenings she’s attended for the film. “We were just in Oregon, and . . . it was a sold-out show. I asked, ‘Who knew Corky?’ Only two people raised their hand. One of them happened to be from New York and literally knew Corky. I think that that's what surprises me. And that was an Asian American community; that was an Asian American event. I think that just shows that we have so much work to do. But I think it's also great that people are getting out to these events and seeing the film.”

Despite Lee’s relative anonymity outside of New York, Takaki has been pleased with the reaction to her film.

“I do think that it resonates with people and that they will forward it to people,” she says. “I also love the community—generally the filmmaking community—because I think everyone is so supportive of each other's films, and everyone wants to help each other get the word out. I always say it's the Corky Factor. You know there's that Corky Factor that makes people want to help. It's the reason that I have such a great group of people supporting me now. It's the reason that the film got finished. It's the reason the film's getting out. It's that Corky Factor that is undeniable. There is a Corky Factor to everything I do.”

The late-April theatrical release at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema was particularly gratifying to Takaki. Ahead of the week of sold-out screenings with Q&A sessions, Takaki shared her excitement.

“There are so many things about it that are special. First of all, I have so much respect for [DCTV founders] Keiko and John Alpert. I love them. Also, they were comrades of Corky. They were so kind and generous to me during the whole time I worked on this film, showing so much support for it. Keiko watched the film, and she let me go through their archives. That’s just who they are as people, so that makes it special right there. But the fact that it's in Chinatown and that we will be having panelists who are part of Chinatown and part of the community and part of Corky’s story is so special.”

She wanted packed houses at DCTV, and New Yorkers delivered. But Takaki won’t be satisfied until Corky reaches superstar status. She has put pressure on herself and the community at large to “make sure we do Corky justice.”

“I want people to talk about Corky,” she says. “I want Corky to kind of become like Bruce Lee, you know? To be so synonymous, so outside of his own realm, that people know who he is, and he becomes a cultural figure, an icon in his own right. Because of what he means to so many. Because that whole pride, confidence, and sense of belonging that he brings such joy to anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Just his photos alone. If you know Corky, then you care about his photos. And then through that, you can learn the history of so many different peoples and communities.”

With Lee gone, the community lost not only a friend, but a large piece of coverage and advocacy is missing as well. Takaki thinks that people are continuing Lee’s legacy of photographic justice “in a diffused way,” but she places the onus on all of us to take up the mantle.

“When Corky was around, all you had to do was tell him that this was something important, and then he would show up,” Takaki says. “I don't know [everything that’s] going on in the AAPI community, but I do know that if you go to events and you don't see anyone taking photographs, then it becomes your responsibility to cover it.”

Takaki explains that the best place to start is to highlight and document community organizers and people who are doing good in the community. While there is no replacement for someone like Corky Lee, learning about his legacy and emulating his dedication can only help.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Takaki, All Is Well Pictures

If Lee were still alive, Takaki believes he would be documenting the meetings about and protests against the building of a new jail in Chinatown, something he had already started to do before his death. Of course, we would still see him at yearly community events, especially during May, AAPI Heritage Month.

Of the thousands of photographs Lee took, Takaki says her favorite is of a Sikh man who had wrapped the American flag around him at a candlelight vigil in Central Park following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

“Obviously, it's just such a beautiful image,” Takaki says. “I like Corky's explanation of people back on 9/11 who used the flag as protection [from discrimination]. It's such a beautiful and yet kind of sad but poignant photo.”

Indeed, the image is just one example of the many acts of photographic justice by Corky Lee.

Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story is available to watch for FREE on PBS Passport until Monday, June 10. To learn how to host a screening, please visit the film’s website and follow @corkyleestory and @wherescorkylee on Instagram and Facebook for updates.

Susan McCormac 4/13/24 Susan McCormac 4/13/24

George Takei: My Lost Freedom

An Evening with George Takei

Tuesday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m.

Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space – 2537 Broadway at 95th Street

Admission: $32-$48

Embark on an extraordinary evening with esteemed actor, activist, and New York Times bestselling author George Takei! In this captivating Q&A session moderated by BD Wong (Awkwafina is Nora from Queens), Takei delves into his illustrious career, spanning from Star Trek to Broadway, and culminating with the unveiling of his debut picture book, My Lost Freedom.

Purchasing a ticket will ensure admission and an exclusive, autographed copy of My Lost Freedom, which is scheduled for release on the same day as this event, April 16, 2024.

There are a limited number of companion tickets that do not include a book. To purchase a companion ticket, add both a standard ticket and a companion ticket to your cart. The companion ticket will be discounted at checkout. Companion tickets are only available to purchase with a full-price ticket and do not include a copy of the book. All other in-person tickets come with a signed copy of My Lost Freedom. To purchase tickets, please visit Symphony Space’s website.

Please note: There will not be a book signing at this event.

Susan McCormac 4/2/24 Susan McCormac 4/2/24

Japanese German Pianist to Make NY Phil Debut

Alice Sara Ott Performs Ravel

Thursday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 5 at 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 6 at 8:00 p.m.

Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall – 10 Lincoln Center Plaza

Admission: $115 to $263 (plus fees)

In her New York Philharmonic debut, Japanese German pianist Alice Sara Ott performs Ravel’s lush, jazz-influenced G-major Piano Concerto. The program, led by Karina Canellakis, who is also making her NY Phil debut, begins with Webern’s remarkably spare, yet haunting Six Pieces. The concert’s two-tone poems look past earthly life: Richard Strauss’s meditation on the death of an artist and Scriabin’s mystical and rhapsodic Poem of Ecstasy.

Program

Webern – Six Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6 (1928 version)
R. Strauss – Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration)
Ravel – Piano Concerto in G major
Scriabin – Le Poème de l’extase (The Poem of Ecstasy)

To purchase tickets, please visit NY Phil’s website.

Star Pianists

This concert is part of NY Phil’s Star Pianists series. Experience breathtaking virtuosity, timeless melodies, and exciting premieres with this season’s star pianists. The series features captivating performances of classical and contemporary works all season long.

About Alice Sara Ott

Thirty-five-year-old Alice Sara Ott was born in Munich. Her father is a German engineer, and her mother is a Japanese pianist. In a 2022 article in music website Interlude, Ott says of her Japanese heritage, “My whole life was spent questioning: Am I German? Am I Japanese? What am I? I found my answer when I became a musician because in music, nationality doesn’t matter at all.” Learn more about Ott through her website and Instagram.

Susan McCormac 3/21/24 Susan McCormac 3/21/24

Asian Restaurant in NoMad Hortus NYC Introduces Jazz Nights

Under the direction of Executive Chef Geo Park, Hortus NYC in NoMad offers an Asian culinary journey with a European twist. Chef Park and Managing Partner Suhum Jang (Per Se, Daniel, Jungsik) have created a menu that seamlessly blends the flavors of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Hortus NYC’s Japanese offerings include Hamachi in yuzu kosho sauce with cucumber, pickled peppers, and blood orange; and Sea Urchin Donabe, which consists of ikura and cured egg yolk over a bed of nori rice served in a clay pot topped with uni. Chef Park uses Japanese seasonal ingredients such as miso, daikon, edamame in many of his dishes. Beverages include Japanese craft beer such as Stout Echigo and Pale Ale Kanazawa, Junmai ginjo and Junmai sakeby the glass, and unfiltered rice wine. The program menu also features the Hortus Pour, a red wine, white wine, or sake that Jang has personally chosen at an approachable price point.

Hortus NYC Jazz Nights

In addition to delectable food, the stylish restaurant has a vibrant ambiance. This week they introduced Jazz Nights, a blend of delicious cuisine and soulful live jazz music, every Wednesday and Thursday evening which started March 20.

Guests can experience the harmonious performances of Japanese husband-and-wife duo Chika & Tatsuya on Wednesdays and distinguished NYC-based Asian Jazz group Jinjoo Yoo Trio every Thursday. From 7:00 p.m. until 10 p.m., Hortus NYC’s 2nd-floor lounge area will be filled with swanky music, offering guests three hours of entertainment to accompany their meal.

Upgrade your viewing experience by dining on their menu of Asian fare

Wagyu Sotbap — A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, cured egg yolk, and micro greens
King Crab Noodle — fettuccine dressed with mala cream sauce, shallots, and scallion
Truffle Donabe with wild mushrooms and cured egg yolk topped with shaved black truffle

While listening, indulge in Hortus NYC’s low-ABV cocktails

Passion on the Beach — a blend of Jinro, plum sake and rosemary
Oolong High — oolong tea, soju, lemon, and cane sugar
5th Ave — a mix of Jinro 24, Hwayo 23, tonic, mint, and lime

About Hortus NYC

The name Hortus NYC, Latin for “garden,” reflects the emphasis on freshness, and the theme of the garden runs throughout the interior. Divided into four distinct areas, the first floor is dedicated to bar dining with an open kitchen and a Chef’s Table. The second floor contains an adjoining glass-enclosed hidden garden oasis complete with lights hanging above for a warm and intimate glow in the evening as well as the main dining room, which offers exquisite views of the illuminated stained-glass windows at the Marble Collegiate Church across the street.

Plan Your Visit

Hortus NYC

Address:
271 Fifth Avenue (between 29th and 30th Streets)

Phone:
646-858-3784

Hours:
Sunday through Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Thursday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.

Website:
hortusnyc.com

Instagram:
@hortusnyc

Susan McCormac 3/15/24 Susan McCormac 3/15/24

CELEBRATE ANIME AT JAPAN VILLAGE

Anime Matsuri

Saturday, March 16 from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.

The Loft at Japan Village (2nd Floor) – 934 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn

Admission: Free

A FESTIVAL FOR ANIME LOVERS AND COLLECTORS ALIKE!

Pokémon power couple Tenshi & Zilla teams up with Japan Village to present Anime Matsuri! Experience a full day with vendors selling anime merch; delicious food such as onigiri, ramen, and katsu; a cosplay event; a Pokémon Unite meetup group; networking; and much more!

Doors open at The Loft on the second floor of Japan Village. The cosplay contest runs from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

The event is free, but RSVP for exclusive giveaways. To register, please visit Anime Matsuri’s website.

Special Guest: Emily Cramer, voice actor/singer

Based in New York City, Emily Cramer is a voice actor and singer with an established performance background as a Broadway character actor. Her voiceover work can be heard internationally in commercials, animated television shows and movies, dark rides, audio dramas, and video games.

Her most notable animation credits come from across the Pokémon franchise in Sun & Moon, Journeys, Paldean Winds, and Cat's Kitchen, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise in Arc-V, VRAINS, Sevens, Duel Links, and Rush Duel, as well as other titles such as Genshin Impact, Battle Game In 5 Seconds, EDF World Brothers, Bread Barbershop, Snack World, Back to Back, and Dinocore Evolution, and Bloom on season 8 of The Winx Club. To learn more about Emily, please visit her website.

Anime Matsuri is sponsored by Japan Village, Book•Off, and Tenshi & Zilla.

Susan McCormac 2/13/24 Susan McCormac 2/13/24

Explore the Family Dynamic at Japan Society

Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux

Thursday, February 15 through Saturday, February 24

Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Admission: $16 General | $14 Seniors, Students, and Persons with Disabilities | $12 Japan Society Members (unless otherwise noted)

Presented by Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society, Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux examines the shifting dynamics and struggles of the Japanese household in contemporary cinema. Showcasing ten features, including premieres and revivals, Family Portrait confronts the complexities of familial bonds in the face of adversity—from intergenerational gaps to changing mores and traditions—bringing to question what truly defines a family and its values in a modern world.

Series highlights include the U.S. Premiere of Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s Yoko, starring Academy Award-nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi in a bravura performance as a woman hitchhiking more than 400 miles to her father’s funeral; the U.S. Premiere of Keiko Tsuruoka’s Tsugaru Lacquer Girl, the heart-tugging story of a family lacquerware business on the brink of collapse run by Kaoru Kobayashi of Midnight Diner fame and the daughter who strives to carry on its legacy despite deeply held traditional gender beliefs; and a Classics slate featuring a rare 35mm presentation of Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Twilight.

A special spotlight will shine on director Ryota Nakano, who has spent his career keenly capturing the complex feelings of families when faced with adversity. His latest film, The Asadas, centers on the power of family in the aftermath of the Fukushima tragedy and will be presented along with his two previous works, A Long Goodbye and Her Love Boils Bathwater. Nakano will appear in person at Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux to speak during select screenings and take part in a reception.

To purchase tickets, please visit Japan Society’s website, and visit IFC Center’s website to purchase tickets to the screening of Yoko on February 22.

© 2008 “Still Walking” Production Committee

Lineup and Schedule

Still Walking
Thursday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda | 2008 | 114 min. | Japanese with English subtitles. |. With Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, Kirin Kiki, Yoshio Harada

The Yokoyama family gathers for an annual commemoration of the eldest son, Junpei, who drowned 15 years ago while saving someone’s life. Over the course of the day, suppressed tensions and resentments are gradually revealed amidst forced pleasantries and shared meals as second son Ryo (Hiroshi Abe) endures feelings of inferiority in front of his curmudgeon father (Yoshio Harada) and passively judgmental mother (Kirin Kiki), both of whom disapprove of his recent marriage to a widow (Yui Natsukawa) with a ten-year-old son. Dedicated to his late mother, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s 2008 drama is among his most personal films—a masterfully directed, emotionally nuanced expression of the love, heartbreak, and comfort within family relationships—and a modern classic of Japanese cinema.

Tsugaru Lacquer Girl
Friday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Keiko Tsuruoka | 2023 | 118 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Mayu Hotta, Kaoru Kobayashi
U.S. Premiere

Traditional tsugaru-nuri lacquerwork is the Aoki family’s legacy, but their business is in decline and father Seishiro (Kaoru Kobayashi) doesn’t know if it will continue to the next generation. The family’s only hope is daughter Miyako (Mayu Hotta), but her desire to lead the family business upsets generations of customs, established gender roles, and Seishiro himself. Tsugaru Lacquer Girl vividly celebrates one of Japan’s most traditional arts and asks poignant questions about history, family, and if the past has a place in the future.

Muddy River
Saturday, February 17 at 4:00 p.m.
Dir. Kohei Oguri | 1981 | 105 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Takahiro Tamura, Yumiko Fujita, Mariko Kaga, Nobutaka Asahara

Taking place in working class Osaka eleven years after Japan’s defeat, Kohei Oguri’s naturalistic debut detailing an unforgettable summer friendship between two young boys is tinged with a poetic melancholy. Seen through the eyes of ten-year-old Nobuo, whose world is governed by the riverside traffic of sputtering barges, fishing boats, and a “monstrous carp,” Muddy River dwells on Nobuo’s last days of innocence as he befriends poor river dweller Kiichi, who lives nearby with his sister and mysterious mother (Mariko Kaga) on a ramshackle houseboat. Caught in the lives of its worn-down and impoverished residents—some still living the war, others dreaming of a new life—Oguri’s stunning black-and-white feature remains a heart-wrenching portrait of postwar Japan and its afflictions, the effects of which reverberate deep within the wordless exchanges and crestfallen faces of its downtrodden subjects.

Tokyo Twilight
Saturday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu | 1957 | 140 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Setsuko Hara, Ineko Arima, Chishu Ryu

In the thick of the industrial hums and billowing smokestacks of postwar Tokyo, Yasujiro Ozu’s crepuscular drama concerns the lives of elderly Shukichi’s (Chishu Ryu) two grown-up daughters, each taking lodgings at their father’s Tokyo home. Hemmed in by setbacks and personal troubles, Takako (Setsuko Hara) seeks refuge from her abusive husband while “delinquent” younger sister Akiko (Ineko Arima) faces the shock of an unplanned pregnancy. In delicate strokes, Ozu orchestrates Tokyo Twilight across waystations of contemporary Tokyo—from seedy mahjong parlors and Western-themed bars with Latin beats to desolate shipyards and train crossings. With quiet devastation and lingering regret, Ozu’s final black-and-white feature is one of his unequivocal masterpieces, a woeful melodrama illuminated against the fading light of day.

Hoyaman
Sunday, February 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Dir. Teruaki Shoji | 2023 | 106 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Afro, Kumi Kureshiro, Kodai Kurosaki
U.S. Premiere

A tearful comedy set on a beautiful island, Hoyaman follows the strange adventures of two fisherman brothers and a mysterious artist who drifts onto the island and into their lives. The three are at a crossroads in a deeply human story featuring ramen, superheroes, and tsunamis. Hoyaman tells the story of an unorthodox but modern family and the bonds that challenge us to grow. It’s director Teruaki Shoji’s feature film debut and filmed entirely on Ajishima, an island off the coast of his hometown of Ishinomaki. It features a cast of rising talent lead by Afro from the band MOROHA in his own movie debut.

Tokyo Sonata
Sunday, February 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa | 2008 | 119 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyoko Koizumi, Kai Inowaki., Yu Koyanagi

Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s appropriately terrifying take on the domestic drama looks beyond the platitudes of familial values and empty promises of a happy life into the recesses of the human condition. Laid off in a wave of company downsizing, salaryman Ryuhei hides his misfortune, opting instead to deceive his family into thinking he still remains employed. Equally adrift are wife, Megumi (Kyoko Koizumi), yearning for someone to pull her out of her banal routines; teen Takashi, who sees no future living in Japan; and younger son Kenji, who simply desires to play the piano. Searching for catharsis, the family members begin to live out clandestine lives rather than confront their creeping divide. Winner of the Jury Prize of the Un Certain Regard section at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, Kurosawa’s cynical look at the subsurface decay and inadequacies of the traditional family points to its inherent breakdown.

Yoko
Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m.
Offsite Screening: IFC Center – 323 6th Avenue
Admission: $18 General | $15 Seniors and Children
To purchase tickets, please visit IFC Center’s website.
Dir. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri | 2023 | 113 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Rinko Kikuchi, Pistol Takehara, Asuka Kurosawa
U.S. Premiere

International star Rinko Kikuchi plays the titular Yoko in an unorthodox road movie that follows an isolated woman’s journey to hitchhike more than 400 miles to her estranged father’s funeral. As she encounters a sweeping range of travelers across her trek, what will Yoko learn from each of them, and what will they learn from her? And in crossing this physical distance, can Yoko mend the emotional distance between her father and herself?

Her Love Boils Bathwater
Friday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Admission: $18 General | $16 Seniors, Students, and Persons with Disabilities | $14 Japan
New York Premiere with Director Q&A and Reception
Dir. Ryota Nakano | 2016 | 125 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Rie Miyazawa, Hana Sugisaki, Joe Odagiri

Rie Miyazawa stars as Futaba, a single mother diagnosed with terminal cancer. With little time left, she sets out on a mission to reconnect her family, reuniting with her husband, reassuring her daughter, and bringing both together to save the family business. A popular and critical hit, Her Love Boils Bathwater won Miyazawa Best Actress and Hana Sugisaki Best Supporting Actress at the Japan Academy Awards, and the film was Japan’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.

A Long Goodbye
Saturday, February 24 at 4:00 p.m.
Dir. Ryota Nakano | 2019 | 127 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Yu Aoi, Yuko Takeuchi, Tsutomu Yamazaki
New York Premiere

Based on the book by Naoki Prize-winning writer Kyoko Nakajima, A Long Goodbye traces the gradual memory loss of the aging Shohei (Tsutomu Yamazaki) due to Alzheimer’s and the painful challenges and unexpected joys his two daughters experience as they return home to care for him. While Alzheimer’s robs Shohei of his past, his long goodbye brings new memories and a new closeness to his loved ones.

The Asadas
Saturday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Introduction by director Ryota Nakano and Followed by a Talk Session
Dir. Ryota Nakano | 2020 | 127 min. | Japanese with English subtitles | With Kazunari Ninomiya, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Masaki Suda

Inspired by real-life photographer Masashi Asada, director Ryota Nakano’s latest film balances humor and heart in an unexpectedly true story. As an energetic dreamer in a traditional family, Masashi (Kazunari Ninomiya)’s initial artistic endeavors are met with skepticism and little support, but in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, Masashi’s photographic skills are given new purpose, and he embarks on a mission that brings his family—and families across Japan—together.

About the ACA Cinema Project

The ACA Cinema Project is a new initiative organized as part of the “Japan Film Overseas Expansion Enhancement Project,” an ongoing project founded by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan (ACA) to create opportunities for the increased exposure, development, and appreciation of Japanese cinema overseas through screenings, symposiums, and other events held throughout the year. The ACA Cinema Project introduces a wide range of Japanese films in the United States, a major center of international film culture, together with local partners, such as Japan Society, IFC Center, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Linwood Dunn Theater.

Susan McCormac 2/9/24 Susan McCormac 2/9/24

Find Handmade Crafts at Katagiri This Weekend

Valentine’s Day Craft Fair

Saturday, February 10 from Noon until 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 11 from Noon until 4:00 p.m.

Katagiri – 224 E. 59th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)

Admission: Free

Niji Japanese Artist Pop Up Shop is having its first craft fair at Japanese grocery store Katagiri. At this two-day event, artists will be offering dried flowers, handmade accessories, and kimono bags. Find the perfect gift for your Valentine while shopping for Japanese groceries!

Participating Artists

fancy pop
Cute handmade jewelry and accessories made of resin and air-dry clay including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, hair pins, and more!

Bead Factory Ever Green/ビーズ工房 Ever Green
Origami accessories (earrings and hair ornaments) that can be used for both casual and formal occasions.

水引装飾Twilight
Mizuhiki accessories made from a traditional Japanese paper string used for celebrations and as a decoration to wish for happiness.

ryuroru
ryuroru creates accessories with 925 silver for all ages and all genders. The main concepts behind the brand are sea, space, and simple.

MEINFINITY
Handbags made from Japanese fabrics that let you carry a piece of Japanese culture with you.

Heartfish
Heartfish Press is a creative studio located in Brooklyn, specializing in letterpress printing and floral design. The studio offers a variety of letterpress prints, cards, and custom design services that involve creating floral designs using dried flowers.

About Niji

NYK Marketing, based in New York, is a marketplace that serves as a bridge connecting Japanese artists with people from around the world. It was born from the desire to expand the reach of Japanese artists globally.

Their main platform is the e-commerce site niji, where you can purchase artworks by various artists from around the world. They also organize the Japanese Artist Pop Up Shop events, where customers can meet the artists in person.

About Katagiri

The oldest Asian grocery store in New York, Katagiri has been selling Japanese fish, meats, produce, and snacks since 1907. They have two Manhattan locations: the original store on E. 59th Street and one near Grand Central.

Katagiri 59th Street
224 E. 59th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)
Phone: 212-755-3566
Hours: Every day from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Katagiri Grand Central
370 Lexington Avenue, Suite #107
Phone: 917-472-7025
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

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Duo YUMENO to Pay Tribute to Late Japanese Composer

Music of Changes: Tribute to Toshi Ichiyanagi

Saturday, January 27 from 7:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Tenri Cultural Institute – 43A W. 13th Street (between5th and 6th Avenues)

Admission: $30

Duo YUMENO—Yoko Reikano Kimura on koto and shamisen and Hikaru Tamaki on cello—and special guest pianist Vicky Chow will pay homage to the legendary composer Toshi Ichiyanagi. Ichiyanagi, who passed away in 2022, was a protégé of John Cage during the 1960s and had a profound influence on the post-war Japanese music landscape.

Presented by Duo YUMENO, the program will explore Ichiyanagi’s music, written for both traditional Japanese and Western instruments, and will celebrate his six-decade-long career. Highlights include Paraphrase for shamisen and cello (2019), which was commissioned by the duo; Time Sequence (1976), a dazzling piano solo in the minimalist style; and Linked Poems of Autumn (1990), Ichiyanagi’s tribute to the Japanese koto-song tradition that features texts by the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō. It’s sure to be an evening of provocative and brilliant contemporary music at Tenri Cultural Institute.

To purchase tickets, please visit Eventbrite.com.

Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna

Ticket Giveaway!

The Digimon 25th Anniversary Celebration

About Hiromi Seki

Acky Bright: Studio Infinity

Gallery Information

FUN FEST JAPAN

RISE: OMNY Taiko 10th Annual Concert

About OMNY Taiko

Navigating Narratives: Tsurayuki's Tosa Diary as History and Fiction

About Gustav Heldt

Free Trial Japanese Dance Lesson with Sachiyo Ito and Company

What You’ll Learn

What To Bring

Shunzo Ohno: EVOLUTION

Featuring

Gardens for Peace

Japanese Garden Mini Tours

Drop-in Japanese Woodblock Printing

Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story

Tomodachi Night – Boston Red Sox vs New York Mets

Special pregame events include

Warning Track Salute Timeline*

Amazin’ Awards

A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy

Akira Tana’s Osaka Quartet with Atsuko Hashimoto

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

An Evening with George Takei

Alice Sara Ott Performs Ravel

Program

Star Pianists

About Alice Sara Ott

Hortus NYC Jazz Nights

About Hortus NYC

Plan Your Visit

Anime Matsuri

A FESTIVAL FOR ANIME LOVERS AND COLLECTORS ALIKE!

Special Guest: Emily Cramer, voice actor/singer

Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux

Lineup and Schedule

About the ACA Cinema Project

Valentine’s Day Craft Fair

Participating Artists

About Niji

About Katagiri

Music of Changes: Tribute to Toshi Ichiyanagi

LEARN MORE