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!
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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."
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OKINAWA GOVERNOR DENNY TAMAKI TO SPEAK AT COLUMBIA
Interactive Talk with Governor Denny Tamaki of Okinawa
Thursday, September 12 from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Faculty House, Columbia University – 64 Morningside Drive, Garden Room 2
Admission: Free
Engaging with contemporary Okinawa requires an understanding of fundamental themes such as human rights, democracy, diplomacy, and peace—issues that hold significance worldwide.
Governor Denny Tamaki of Okinawa will speak on regional security in East Asia amid a shifting international landscape. He will address critical issues such as rising tensions over the Taiwan Strait, Japan's pursuit of enhanced defense capabilities through its alliance with the United States, and ongoing debates over Japan's pacifist constitution. Governor Tamaki will share his perspective on what security means for the people of Okinawa, a region hosting the majority of the U.S. military presence in Japan, and he will discuss his efforts in sub-national diplomacy. He will also outline the role Okinawa is prepared to play in promoting peace and stability regionally and globally. Kenneth McElwain, Visiting Professor of Political Science, will moderate the discussion.
Registration is required, so to attend, please visit the Weatherhead East Asian Institute’s website.
This event is hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and by the Okinawa Prefectural Government Washington D.C. Office and co-sponsored by the Columbia-Harvard China and the World program.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
Akira Tana
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.
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JETAANY TO HOLD “FOLDRAISER” FOR SEATTLE’S PEACE PARK
JETAANY Craft Night: Origami Crane “Foldraiser”
Thursday, August 15 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Bryant Park
Admission: Free
You may know Sadako Sasaki as the young victim of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima whose story was immortalized in the children's novel Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Recently, a statue of Sadako was stolen from Seattle's Peace Park. Several groups have launched a campaign to raise funds to replace the statue and are also encouraging others to host "foldraisers" to supply strings of paper cranes to decorate the park until a new statue can be installed.
Fold these beautiful symbols of peace with the JET Alumni Association of New York and reflect on Sadako's moving story.
This event is FREE, and registration is not required. Origami paper will be supplied, but you are welcome to bring your own (approximately 6x6 in).
Follow JETAANY’s Facebook event page for exact location and updates.
To learn more about Sadako’s story, purchase Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes from Bookshop.org and support your local bookstore.
Disclosure: The author serves on the board of the Japanese American Association of New York.
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JAA’s Sakura Matsuri in Queens
JAA 19th Sakura Matsuri
Saturday, April 20 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Admission: Free
The Japanese American Association will hold its 19th Sakura Matsuri at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, April 20. The program begins at 11:00 a.m. rain or shine and features performances by taiko drumming group Soh Daiko, the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York, the JAA Chorus with Japan Choral Harmony “TOMO,” and the New York Okinawa Club & Jimpu-Kai New York. In addition, there will be a tea ceremony on the lawn by the Urasenke Tea Ceremony Society. Yours truly is honored to serve as emcee.
Bring a blanket and a bento and enjoy the cherry blossoms!
For more information, please visit JAA’s website.
Cherry trees planted by the Parks Department for JAA in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
JAA’s Honorees
This year a cherry tree will be planted in honor of the late Dr. George and Mrs. Kazuko Nagamatsu for their years of generous support of JAA. Dr. Nagamatsu was a pioneering urologist and engineer who was the first Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) to be named Chairman of Urology at a major U.S. medical school when he took the position at New York Medical College in 1957. As a recipient of JAA’s Project Bento initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Nagamatsu felt a closeness with the organization and named JAA one of the beneficiaries in her will when she passed away in 2021.
The History of JAA’s Sakura Trees
Symbolizing the friendship between Japan and the U.S., in 1912 Japan gave a gift of sakura trees the Washington, D.C., as well as 2,000 sakura trees to New York City, thirteen of which were planted in Claremont Park, now Sakura Park. JAA’s “21st Century New York Cherry Blossom Project” began on Arbor Day, April 24, 1992, at City Hall Park. Sakura seeds donated by The Cherry Association of Japan were presented by then JAA President Shigeru Inagaki to Betsy Gotbaum, then Commissioner of New York Parks. The seeds were nursed in the greenhouses of Van Cortlandt Park, and JAA volunteers planted 168 trees in a design created by the noted landscape artist Kan Domoto with George Yuzawa in 2001. Working in close cooperation with the Flushing Meadows Corona Park staff, JAA has donated and planted hundreds of sakura trees.
Disclosure: The author is a Vice President of The Japanese American Association of New York, Inc. and the chair of JAA’s Sakura Matsuri committee.
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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.
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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.
Alice Sara Ott from NY Phil’s website
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.
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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.
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Explore the Family Dynamic at Japan Society
© 2008 “Still Walking” Production Committee
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.
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!
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.
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!
Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
Monday, February 12 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura – 34 34th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn
Admission: $108.55
The American Sake Association and Brooklyn Kura have teamed up to host New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries.
On New Year's Day 2024, Japan was hit with a major earthquake. While several prefectures were affected, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture was the epicenter. In total, eleven sake breweries were completely destroyed, and several others have lost their entire stock of sake.
To support the Ishikawa sake industry, ASA and Brooklyn Kura are organizing a sake tasting fundraiser to send donations to the Ishikawa Sake Brewer's Association. Assistance from these funds will go directly to the impacted sake brewers.
Event Highlights
Premium Sake Tasting:
Taste sake from dozens of breweries from all over Japan. The sake will be flowing, and the featured brands and varieties being poured will change every hour.
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: JOTO SAKE | SAKEMAN | SKURNIK | NIIGATA SAKE SELECTIONS | WISMETTEC
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: DASSAI BLUE | MUTUAL TRADING CO | JFC | HEAVEN SAKE | KATO SAKE WORKS
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: WINE OF JAPAN | KOME COLLECTIVE | WORLD SAKE IMPORTS | SOTO | HAKKAISAN
Culinary Delights:
Delicious flavors from a variety of well-known chefs and restaurants will be available. Enjoy a range of tastes with dishes changing throughout the night. (Subject to change)
Chef Abe Hiroki – Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu
Taka Sakeda and Jihan Lee of Nami Nori – Hand Rolls
Chef Foo Kanegae of Karazishi Botan – Chicken Wings
Chef Masaru Kajihara of Ootoya – Sesame Tofu
Sen Japanese Restaurant – Onigiri Bar
Chef Chika Hanyu of C by C Pastry – Chocolates and Dessert
Assorted Japanese savory snacks for sake sipping
Behind the Bar:
Guest bartender Kenta Goto will provide cocktails throughout the evening.
Music: DJ Aki, Executive Chef of Tokyo Record Bar, will be spinning tunes.
Raffle:
The price of admission grants you one ticket for an exciting sake goods and experiences raffle. Win sake sets, sake cups, carafes, sake classes, tastings, restaurant dinners, artwork, and more! You can purchase additional tickets at the event for only $10 each.
To purchase tickets to the fundraiser, please visit ASA and Brooklyn Kura’s Eventbrite page.
The Impact of Your Donation
Ticket sales will be collected by the American Sake Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All profits from this event will be donated to the Ishikawa Sake Brewers Association, and these funds will directly benefit the impacted sake brewers of Ishikawa.
Ishikawa Breweries Affected by the New Year’s Day Earthquake
Matsuba Shuzo
Sakurada Shuzo
Tsuruno Shuzo
Hiyoshi Shuzo
Sogen Shuzo
Kazuma Shuzo
Shimizu Shuzo
Hakuto Shuzoten
Nakajima Shuzo
Nakano Shuzo
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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.
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Kurosawa Oscar-Winner at Film at Lincoln Center
Dersu Uzala at Film at Lincoln Center
Sunday, January 28 at 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, January 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Walter Reade Theater – 165 W. 65th Street
Admission: $17 General Public | $14 Students | $12 JapanCulture•NYC Members (with Discount Code)
In Akira Kurosawa’s storied career, the Japanese director won two Oscars and a 1990 Lifetime Achievement Award. His first Oscar came in 1951 for Rashomon, and his second was for the 1975 Soviet film Dersu Uzala.
Film at Lincoln Center is featuring the film that garnered Kurosawa his second Academy Award as part of its series Never Look Away: Serge Daney’s Radical 1970s, a tribute to the French film critic Serge Daney and the films he championed in his book La Rampe, a collection of essays about cinema. From this lineup, Dersu Uzala captures an endangered way of being in the world, in which the encounter between a Russian military geographer and a Nanai hunter leads to an unexpected friendship. The series runs from Friday, January 26 through Sunday, February 4 with Dersu Uzala screening on both Sunday, January 28 and Tuesday, January 30. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the film on the big screen! To purchase tickets, please visit Film at Lincoln Center’s website.
Film at Lincoln Center is giving an exclusive opportunity for members of JapanCulture•NYC! Members will receive the discount code to use for $5 off tickets to a screening of Akira Kurosawa’s Dersu Uzala. Not a member? Please click here to register. Your membership fee of $5 a month helps defray the costs of running JapanCulture•NYC and keeps everyone informed about All Things Japanese in New York City.
Dersu Uzala. Used with permission from Film at Lincoln Center
Dersu Uzala
Dir. Akira Kurosawa | 1975 | Japan/Soviet Union | Russian and Chinese with English subtitles | 35mm | 142 minutes
In Akira Kurosawa’s Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, an unexpected friendship arises between a Russian military geographer and the Nanai hunter he has hired to guide his expedition across the Siberian taiga. After the baffling fiasco of his previous film, Dodes’ka-den, and his subsequent suicide attempt, Kurosawa experienced an artistic rebirth with this Soviet-produced ode to wilderness, replacing the dynamic montage of his earlier films with stately widescreen compositions that capture the Russian Far East in all its forbidding beauty. In celebrated scenes like the expedition’s encounter with an Amur tiger (no CGI here) and the blizzard in which famed geographer Vladimir Arsenyev is saved by the titular hunter, Kurosawa pays tribute to once-indomitable nature on the verge of being encroached upon by the Trans-Siberian Railroad, capturing an endangered way of being that resonates ever more strongly in our era of climate disaster and rampant capitalism.
Meet the sake Brewers at Union Square Wines & Spirits
Free Sake Tasting – Meet the Fukushima Sake Brewers
Tuesday, January 23 · 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Union Square Wines & Spirits – 140 4th Avenue (between 13th and 14th Streets)
Admission: Free
Fukushima Prefecture has won the most Gold Prizes at the century-old Japan Sake Awards for nine years in a row. Sake from Fukushima is created with unmatched craftsmanship and the finest taste. While famous in Japan, Fukushima sake is still not well known to the outside world.
To introduce New Yorkers to the delights of Fukushima sake, the Fukushima Trade Promotion Council is hosting two free sake tastings at Union Square Wines & Spirits on January 23 and 24. Nobuhiro Hosoi, Sake Master and President of Kokken Brewery, and Nobuo Shoji, Sake Master and President of Yumegokoro Brewery, are traveling from Fukushima to pour sake for New Yorkers. There will be seven different brands from three different breweries on January 23 and eight brands on January 24 to enjoy.
Featured Sake on January 23
Junmai Kokken from Kokken Brewery
Yamahai Junmai Kokken from Kokken Brewery
Junmai Daiginjo NARAMAN from Yumegokoro Sake Brewery
NARAMAN Junmai-shu Muroka Binhiire from Yumegokoro Sake Brewery
Aizu Chujo – Junmai Ginjo Yumenokaori from Tsurunoe Shuzo
Aizu Chujo – Junmai from Tsurunoe Shuzo
Aizu Chujo – Junmai Ginjo Yuri from Tsurunoe Shuzo
Featured Sake on January 24
Daiginjo Kokken from Kokken Brewery
Tokubetsu Junmai Kokken Yume no Kaori from Kokken Brewery
Uka Black Label Organic Junmai Daiginjo from Ninki Brewery
Uka Dry Organic Junmai Daiginjo from Ninki Brewery
Uka Sparkling Sake Organic Junmai Daiginjo from Ninki Brewery
Masakura Kimoto Junmai Ginjo from Daishichi Sake Brewery
Kimoto Umeshu from Daishichi Sake Brewery
Tenmei Junmai Hi-ire Orange Label from Akebono Sake Brewery
Enjoy a 15% discount on the featured sake that will be poured and 10% discount on all Fukushima sake on the days the tastings.
Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are appreciated. Please visit the Fukushima Trade Promotion Council’s Eventbrite page to RSVP to the January 23 tasting and/or the January 24 tasting.
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!
DIY Matcha Workshop at a-un Brooklyn
Nina Tea Salon “Matcha Tea DIY Workshop”
Sunday, January 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 25 at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
a-un Brooklyn — 156 Knickerbocker Avenue, Brooklyn
Admission: $35 plus tax
Welcome to Nina Tea Salon 2024
Nina Tea Salon presents a “Matcha Tea DIY Workshop” at a-un Brooklyn, a Japanese restaurant by the owner/chefs of Wasan Brooklyn. Using the finest premium matcha imported directly from Japan, Nina Tea Salon invites you to enjoy the beauty of authentic Japanese culture. Be enchanted by the harmonious pairing of this exquisite tea with handmade, seasonally inspired traditional desserts.
In these 30-minute sessions, Nina will guide participants on how to make a bowl of light matcha tea at home for yourself and your loved ones!
Three Levels of Learning
Level 1 — Preparation and tea-whisking technique
Level 2 — Purifying utensils
Level 3 — Combined techniques of Levels 1 and 2
The serene ambiance, the lingering aroma of freshly whisked matcha, the symphony of flavors, and the atmosphere both tradition and innovation will surely captivate your senses.
Seating is limited, so register by using this Google Form.
About A-un
The phrase "a-un no kokyuu," literally translating to the "breath of a-un," originates from an ancient Japanese idiom. This expression signifies a silent communication between two individuals who understand each other without the need for words.
Sake sommelier Toshi Koizumi and chef Kakusaburo Sakurai opened Wasan East Village in 2010 and Wasan Brooklyn in Park Slope, Brooklyn, five years later. Together they opened a-un Brooklyn last year. Over the years, as restaurant owners, they have found their a-un, strongly reaffirming the sheer joy and importance of serving the local community through their cuisine.