Participating Organizations The following information pertains to Celebrate Japan! 2006. Please check back soon for 2007 updates.  Renowned musician Masayo Ishigure, who recently contributed to John Williams' "Memoirs of a Geisha" soundtrack alongside Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, performs on the koto, a traditional, 13-string wooden instrument, at 2 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. Ms. Ishigure represents the Sawai Koto Academy in New York City and has performed at the Lincoln Center, the Carnegie Hall-Weill Recital Hall, and other venues around the world. Swarthmore Taiko, under the direction of Kim Arrow, offers two taiko drumming performances in the Harrison Auditorium, at noon and again at 3:40 p.m. for the event's finale. Taiko is the generic term used to represent various styles of Japanese drumming, from ancient to modern times, used in many contexts including court and classical music, festival and theater, to the internationally popular kumi daiko (taiko ensembles). One of the highlights of Swarthmore Taiko's program is "Go Shin Ji," a 16th century taiko invocation to deities related to agriculture and the land, featuring traditional masks by Mum Puppettheatre and costumes by Susan Smythe constructed in the traditional style. The title of the work translates as "respect for religious services of the Shinto ritual." Visitors may attend an introduction to Taiko drumming with instructor Kris Rudzinski of Shofuso Taiko, a community taiko group associated with Shofuso, the Japanese House and Garden in Fairmount Park and Settlement Music School, at 11 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. in the Lower Egyptian gallery. Members of the group offer visitors an opportunity to participate. The Museum's Upper Egyptian gallery is host to additional Japanese music in the afternoon. Fumiyo Batta, Japanese language instructor at the Japanese Language School of Philadelphia and Widener University, performs traditional Japanese songs with opportunities for audience participation at 12 p.m. Following her performance, Ms. Batta offers her insight into the delicate art of Kimono dressing through a live demonstration, dressing models in Kimonos for different seasons and life events, from birth to marriage to funeral, in the Rainey Auditorium at 2:30 p.m. Other presentations in the Rainey Auditorium include "Japanese Warriors through History and Myth" at 11 a.m. by Jeremy Sather, PhD student in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania; screenings of Japanese anime (cartoons) from noon to 1 p.m.; and "Godzilla and Friends: Giant Japanese Monsters on Film" at 1 p.m. by Dr. Frank L. Chance, Associate Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Sensei (teacher) Keith Badyna, founder of Saboten Ryu Aikido, and students of the Saboten Ryu Dojo, demonstrate this Japanese art of self-defense along with some traditional Japanese sword techniques, in the Harrison Auditorium at 12:30 p.m. Saboten Ryu Aikido applies traditional Aikido techniques to modern scenarios to provide non-violent defense against armed and unarmed attackers on the ground and in an upright position. These techniques have been incorporated into self-defense training for EMTs, security and law enforcement professionals, and U.S. Marines. Eleven instructors from the Dojo have been inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Food is an important part of every culture. Madame Saito, international chef and owner of Philadelphia's Le Champignon de Tokio and a cuisine instructor with Temple University for 13 years, offers a Japanese sushi-making demonstration in the Upper Egyptian gallery beginning at 11 a.m. The Museum Café also gets into the spirit of the day with a Japanese-inspired menu. Visitors have an opportunity to learn about and experience a Japanese tea ceremony, or chanoyu, at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. demonstrations by Mariko LaFleur, in Classroom I. Ms. LaFleur received her Master of Arts at the Kyoto Urasenke Professional Japanese Cultural Institute in Japan and currently teaches Saturday chanoyu classes at the chashitsu (tea house) of Urasenke LaSalle, a branch of the Kyoto-based Urasenke tea school located at La Salle University. She also teaches Japanese at Lower Merion High School. Many can learn about, and a few lucky visitors can experience, Shiatsu massage, which utilizes pressure points along with other manual therapy techniques to reduce stress, fatigue, and other symptoms. Shirley Scranta, Director of the International School of Shiatsu, offers several "hands on" demonstrations in the Nevil Classroom during the day. Visitors are invited to try their hands at origami (the art of paper folding) from noon to 2 p.m. in the Chinese Rotunda, as volunteers from the Japanese Language Program at the University of Pennsylvania offer lessons in folding a paper crane. The crane is a symbol of good health and longevity, and the goal for the afternoon is to collect 1000 paper cranes to send to the patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Other highlights in the Chinese Rotunda include ongoing calligraphy demonstrations; an exhibit of traditional Japanese dolls from the collection of Penn Museum's International Classroom and Washi paper dolls designed by artist Yuko Doren; and a table where kids of all ages can try traditional and contemporary Japanese toys and games, including a chance to learn the game Go from a member of the Penn Go Society. In the nearby Pepper Gallery, members of Ikebana International offer demonstrations of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. Kimonos for diverse occasions, from the collections of Kazumi Teune, Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, and the Friends of the Japanese House and Garden (Shofuso), can also be seen in the Chinese Rotunda throughout the day. The Museum Shops set up an outpost in the Chinese Rotunda with Japanese kimonos and garments using old and new pieces from kimonos, as well as other Japanese and Japan-inspired items, for purchase. Yoko Trading also offers a selection of kimonos for sale, and Morihata International Ltd. Co. features selections from their Kishu Laquerware collection of hand-finished interior accessories and tableware. The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, a co-sponsor of Celebrate Japan!, works to foster understanding, cooperation, and international exchange between the U.S. and Japan. They offer numerous ways to get involved in the Japanese and American communities in Philadelphia, including networking events, a bi-monthly Japanese conversation club, sake tastings and sushi making workshops. Their most popular event is the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place in and around Philadelphia during the spring. The Center for East Asian Studies, a U.S. Department of Education National Resource Center, supports and coordinates the study of China, Japan, Korea, and neighboring regions at the University of Pennsylvania. The Center sponsors lectures, conferences, film series, and performances; offers a bachelor's degree in East Asian Studies; and administers professional development projects for area educators. The Friends of the Japanese House and Garden seeks to preserve, maintain, and interpret Shofuso, the 17th-century-style house and garden in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park and to offer public educational programs through its Japanese Cultural Center, promoting intercultural understanding of Japanese art, architecture, and culture.   [ Back ]