“Taikodori is proud to partner with All Souls Procession to showcase the finale performances of taiko and guest artists that was rained out earlier this year. Proceeds from this concert will now benefit both NATC 25 and All Souls Procession!

January 12, 2025 2:30 pm PST at Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 

Enjoy the strength and beauty of both taiko and odori together in a showcase that both highlights the talents of taiko groups in Southern Arizona and helps fundraise for NATC Phoenix. There will be a silent auction in addition to the feature performance

Performers include Tucson groups Odaiko Sonora and Suzuyuki-kai Mogan Daiko, Phoenix’s Fushicho Daiko, and the I-10 Taiko Project collaboration. In addition to a wonderful evening of Japanese drumming and dance, our very special guests include Aki Takahashi of Toronto and several All Souls Procession artists. The program includes staging the 2024 All Souls Procession Finale, which was canceled due to rain Nov. 3.General Admission Tickets are $25.

TCA member, teacher, student, and senior tickets are $20. Groups of 10 or more may request a 10% discount by contacting Kristinakeiko@gmail.com or karen@tucsontaiko.org. AND for those who feel they can contribute above the ticket price there is an option to add a donation to the ticket purchase.”

.Get Tickets Now

https://www.taikocommunityalliance.org/

• Saturday, January 11, 2025
• 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
• Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson (map)
• Google Calendar  ICS

BENTO MAKING WORKSHOP

featuring Noriko Hayashi

“Japanese food culture has always valued and cherished the art of presentation. Enjoy watching Noriko Hayashi make delicious and beautiful bento, then try your hand at making your own edible work of art. Noriko Hayashi is part of JOI (Japanese Outreach Initiative) and has conducted many cultural and educational workshops throughout the Tucson area as well as is a regular mainstay for the University of Arizona. She loves sharing Japanese culture with the community, especially when it involves food.

Due to the amount of perishable supplies required for this workshop, space is limited and we recommend securing your spot as soon as possible.”

Dates & Time: 

1/11

12 PM – 1:30 PM

Tickets:

General Admission: $30 (includes supplies for the workshop that you can take with you)

Advanced ticket reservation is required. This is a limited admission event.Get Tickets

• Friday, January 10, 2025
• 1:00 PM to  2:30 PM
• Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson (map)
• Google Calendar  ICS

The Art of Dollmaking – Lecture & Demonstration

with Junko Liesfeld

“We invite you to join us at Yume Gardens for this special event featuring a live demonstration of dollmaking artistry. This immersive experience will be enriched with a fascinating lecture and an engaging discussion, offering deeper insights into this craft and the cultural significance behind it.

Junko Liesfeld is a highly acclaimed doll artist with over five decades of experience in the craft. Growing up in Japan, she was deeply influenced by her mother, also a doll artist, whose work she both observed and assisted. It was from her mother that Junko inherited her passion and refined skills, laying the foundation for her own artistic journey. Although Junko has developed a distinctive style, she continues to embrace her mother’s philosophy of “less is more,” creating dolls with minimal modeling and painting to highlight pure form and subtle expression. Her work often features monotone color schemes with delicate hints of color on the cheeks, and without painted eyes or mouths.

Specializing in dolls crafted from washi paper and kimono fabric, she also creates figures from cloth with wire in the limbs and fingers, allowing them to be posed. While her older dolls are often dressed in traditional attire, her child figures wear modern clothing, reflecting the blend of East and West. This contrast highlights the gradual disappearance of certain Japanese traditions in favor of Western customs. Her work transcends traditional Japanese doll-making, showcasing a unique and original style that is distinctly her own.”

Dates & Time: 

1/10

1PM – 2:30PM

Tickets*:

General Admission: $20

Members: $17

Children age 3-15: $5

Advanced ticket reservation is required. This is a limited admission event.

*Tickets for admission to the Gardens sold separately. Get Tickets

• Sunday, January 5, 2025
• 12:00 PM to  1:30 PM
• Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson (map)
• Google Calendar  ICS

“Join us at Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson on Sunday, January 5, 2025, for a peaceful haiku walk, The Embrace of Stillness. Embrace the stillness of winter as the season shifts, using haiku to capture its beauty and transitions. Through guided exercises, you’ll heighten your awareness of the present moment—observing the movement of leaves, crisp air, and the calming light of the season. Reflect on the stark beauty and impermanence of winter as you write haiku inspired by nature’s cycles. This mindful walk will help you find stillness, gratitude, and deeper connection as the world slows down in preparation for Spring.

This event will be led by award-winning poet, Kenneth Pearson. Kenneth is the digital librarian for The Haiku Foundation and the author of five collections of poetry, including two collections of haiku.

This learning pathway is part of a program designed by Kenneth Pearson to promote living a Haiku life and having a Haiku mindset.

Kenneth Pearson has a MFA in Creative Writing with a MS in Industrial Organizational Psychology. He serves as the Digital Librarian of The Haiku Foundation, is the Facilitator of the Haiku Walk at Yume Japanese Gardens in Tucson, and the author of two haiku collections. For Kenneth, Haiku has become a cornerstone of his life, teaching him to appreciate simplicity, presence, and the fleeting beauty of each moment.”

Date/Time:

Sunday, January 5 @ 12pm – 1:30pm

Tickets:

$20 General/$10 Members 

Advanced Reservations required. Please purchase your ticketsin advance for this event. Get Tickets

Event by Arizona Kimono Club

Rhythm Industry Performance Factory

Duration: 2 hrs

Kimono kitsuke class! “After 1 year, we decided to have in person class for beginners on how to dress up kimono properly!

Time: December 29 from 12:30 to 2:30. 

Location: Rhythm Industry Performance Factory, 1013 S Tyndall Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719 

https://www.facebook.com/events/481309548321313/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22home%22%7D%2C%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D

Fee: $20 per person for the class. Please bring cash as we need to pay the venue in cash. Bring all your kimono and items and let’s figure out how to put them on! Thank you!! “

Carolyn’s note: RIPF is located at 1013 S. Tyndall Avenue, west of Park Avenue, north of E. 22nd St. It is the home of Odaiko Sonora, taiko drumming group.