Experience Incense with Tea Ceremony
Samurai Tea Ceremony: Savoring Matcha and Incense
Saturday, June 24
Morning Session from 10:30 a.m. until noon
Afternoon Session from 2:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Globus Washitsu – 889 Broadway at E. 19th Street, PHC
Admission: $108.55
The world of tea ceremony is deep and full of various pleasures. In addition to drinking matcha together, people also enjoy flowers and incense together.
June, known as the rainy season, is Japan's wettest month before summer begins in earnest. While the high humidity makes it more comfortable to spend time indoors during this season, it has long been considered the best time to burn incense.
Although it is not practiced much anymore, there is a ritual in the world of the tea ceremony called kōshomō. In this ceremony, incense burned by the first guest is passed around and enjoyed by all participants. After the incense has calmed the mind, a cup of matcha tea becomes even more special. The Samurai Tea Ceremony will offer two types of incense.
In addition, Nagoshi Tofu will be served. It is a traditional Japanese custom to eat Nagoshi Tofu in June, when half of the year is over, to purge the impurities of the previous half year and to pray for good health for the remaining half year.
To register, please visit tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano’s Eventbrite page and select the session you would like to attend.
Yoshitsugu Nagano (far right) performs a tea ceremony at Globus Washitsu
About the Tea Master
Yoshitsugu Nagano is the youngest person to be certified in the highest rank of the Ueda Soukata school of samurai tea ceremony, which has been practiced in Hiroshima for four hundred years. He serves as a professor at the school.
In 2019, Nagano relocated to New York City, where he energetically promotes the spirituality and aesthetics of the Japanese tea ritual, rooted in Zen, through tea rituals and classes. He has also been working on and establishing new styles of modern tea ceremony that incorporate new expressions to create new ways of engaging with the traditional ritual.
Tea ceremony implements by Yoshitsugu Nagano
About the Japanese Tea Ritual
The ritual of Japanese tea has an 800-year history. Samurai warriors developed the tea ceremony as their essential practice to relax and preserve their mental health after battles. In addition to performing a tea ceremony, Nagano will also discuss Japanese history, culture, and most important, the relationship between samurai warriors and tea ceremony.
Globus Washitsu, the setting for the event, is a tatami-mat oasis with traditional Japanese architecture. Says Nagano, “You won’t find better place than this place to experience Japanese culture.”
Dress Code
Western-style clothes are acceptable, but please do not wear sleeveless shirts or short miniskirts. Bring a clean pair of white socks. Organizers will ask you to remove jewelry and watches.
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Sample 576 Sakes at The Joy of Sake
The Joy of Sake
Friday, June 16 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion – 125 W. 18th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)
Admission: $130
The Joy of Sake, the world’s largest sake tasting outside Japan, returns to New York! There will be a record 576 competition-level sakes available to taste alongside sake-inspired appetizers from sixteen top restaurants.
Now in its 22nd year (18th in NYC), The Joy of Sake celebrates the ancient art of sake brewing with a walk-around tasting where attendees can taste the full spectrum of sake styles in the premium daiginjo, ginjo, and junmai categories from every sake-brewing region in Japan. More than 300 sakes are not otherwise available in the U.S.
©The Joy of Sake
Sakes are grouped by category so attendees can explore each in depth, including recipients of silver and gold awards from the U.S. National Sake Appraisal, a rigorous blind tasting conducted by ten judges from the U.S. and Japan. This is an opportunity to sample bottles of the actual competition entries in excellent condition.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit The Joy of Sake’s website.
©The Joy of Sake
Participating Restaurants
15 East @ Tocqueville
75 Degrees Café & Dessert
Amami Bar & Restaurant
BondSt
Gugu Room
Hutong
Insa
J-Spec Wagyu Dining
Juban
Katsuya
Momoya
Rule of Thirds
Sakagura
Towa
Yopparai
Zuma
Popularity of Sake
Sake continues to soar in popularity in the U.S. with imports from Japan more than doubling from 2012 to 2022, while U.S. sake breweries continue to open and expand production. “Sake's popularity is here to stay,” says The Joy of Sake founder Chris Pearce. “It's now a celebration sake lovers in New York look forward to every year.”
About The Joy of Sake
The Joy of Sake is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering appreciation for the ancient craft of sake making. Now the largest sake tasting outside Japan, the annual event has grown from 124 sakes in 2001 to 576 in 2023. More than half are ultra-premium daiginjo sakes, made from the innermost core of the rice grain. Every year, The Joy of Sake stages events in major cities, presenting hundreds of sakes, many not otherwise available outside Japan, along with sake-themed appetizers from top local restaurants in a lively festival setting.
The Festival of Japan: Drums + Dance
The Festival of Japan: Drums + Dance
Presented by The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York
Saturday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Abrons Arts Center Playhouse Theater – 466 Grand Street (between Pitt and Willett Streets)
Admission: $25 ($30 Door) | $20 Seniors | $15 Students
The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York celebrates its 30th anniversary with The Festival of Japan: Drums + Dance, a collaborative dance performance between JFDINY’s own dance ensemble Minbuza, accompanied by world renowned taiko ensemble Sukeroku Taiko from Japan.
Minbuza
Sukeroku Taiko
Powerful taiko performances will be weaved throughout a full repertoire of more than one thousand years of folk dance, including “Tsugaru Aiya Bushi” (umbrella and fan dance from Aomori) and “Onikenbai” (demon-masked sword dance from Iwate that is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List).
Tsugaru Shamisen Singer/Player Yuzu Natsumi will also join as a special musical guest.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit JFDINY’s website.
Solo Dining Bliss: Discovering ICHIRAN Ramen's Tranquil Hideaway in Times Square
Nestled amidst the neon and noise of Times Square, ICHIRAN Ramen beckons with a serenity that stands apart from the bustling streets of its surroundings, enveloping diners in an atmosphere that feels worlds away.
Considered the best tonkotsu ramen in the world, ICHIRAN began in 1960 as a family-owned ramen stall in Fukuoka in Western Japan. Since then, President and CEO Manabu Yoshitomi has grown the business to 83 locations throughout Asia and three right here in New York City. Along with an original style and flavor of ramen, Yoshitomi created a unique dining experience. Diners sit in individual, partitioned cubicles that separate them from other guests so that customers focus only on the ramen that’s placed before them.
Recently, ICHIRAN invited me to a tasting at their Times Square location during regular business hours, where I embarked on a solo dining experience unlike any other. Knowing that ICHIRAN’s specialty is classic tonkotsu ramen—my personal favorite—I was intrigued by how they would combine their culinary delights with their unique concept of individual cubicles to provide a peaceful and delicious lunchtime retreat.
Electronic booth seating chart at ICHIRAN Times Square
Personalized Culinary Adventure
Walking through the doors of ICHIRAN, I instantly saw a blend of traditional Japanese atmosphere and modern technology: On the wall between noren adorning the doorways leading to the seating area sits a seating chart that indicates vacant booths with bright green lights. The solo cubicles, separated by wooden partitions, create an intimate space where I could enjoy my meal undisturbed. I'm not an introvert, but the prospect of indulging in my ramen without distractions was truly appealing. But the booths don’t mean you must dine alone; the partitions can be folded back to allow you to talk to your companions.
Individual dining booths at ICHIRAN Times Square
My personal booth
Ordering at ICHIRAN
ICHIRAN’s order sheet allowed me to tailor my ramen to my exact preferences, from the richness of the broth to the firmness of the noodles and the intensity of the spices.
The server, whose face was unseen due to tatami-like curtain, instructed me to place the order sheet facing the kitchen when ready to order. There is also a call button in the booth to press, just like restaurants in Japan.
I opted for light dashi seasoning and a light oil base, ensuring the broth wouldn’t be overpowering and steering away from the full richness commonly associated with traditional tonkotsu ramen. The Original Spicy Red Sauce is ICHIRAN’s secret recipe and claim to fame, but I am not a fan of spicy food, so I skipped it altogether.
I wanted my bowl of ramen to come with scallion and chashu sliced pork, but this presented a momentary dilemma. The "Recommended Toppings Set" includes scallion and chashu, along with soft-boiled egg, dried seaweed, and kikurage mushroom. I wondered, Should I select “without” scallion and chashu on the main portion of the menu if I ask for the Recommended Toppings Set? But if I select “without,” will my server think I don’t want scallion and chashu and leave both off my order? In the end I kept my original “with” choices as well as the toppings.
The first plate that arrived contained all the items in the recommended toppings set. When the server placed my steaming bowl of ramen in front of me, chashu and scallion already garnished the broth. My decision to choose the toppings set alongside the "with" options had essentially doubled my order. I embraced the unexpected abundance and had no trouble consuming everything.
Recommended Toppings Set with boiled egg (still in its shell)
ICHIRAN’s classic tonkotsu ramen
The soft-boiled egg arrived in a separate bowl, shell intact, which was unexpected. As I peeled away the shell, I discovered a perfectly cooked egg, reminiscent of what one would expect at a renowned ramen restaurant, there was a lack of the distinct, vibrant orange hue often associated with eggs from Japan.
While the customizable menu offers beverages such as soda, Ramune, and Calpico, water is self-service, with water dispensers located throughout the dining area.
ICHIRAN’s matcha pudding, with its creamy and smooth texture and rich matcha flavor, was the perfect finale to a satisfying meal.
ICHIRAN’s matcha pudding
Authenticity
True to its reputation, ICHIRAN’s tonkotsu ramen did not disappoint. The rich, creamy pork bone broth, simmered to perfection for hours, exuded a delightful umami. The thin, chewy noodles complemented the broth, providing a satisfying texture with each slurp. I have great appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into the Hakata-style broth and thin noodles, which are prepared every day in ICHIRAN’s Brooklyn factory and delivered to each location. If I were to change anything about my order, I would have selected a mild version of the red sauce, just to see what the extra flavor was like.
Embracing Solitude
ICHIRAN Ramen in Times Square NYC seamlessly combines flavors, an authentic Japanese experience, and a welcoming haven for solo diners. I enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere of the individual cubicles while relishing the classic tonkotsu ramen. Whether you're an introvert seeking solitude or an adventurous food enthusiast, ICHIRAN Ramen promises a unique dining experience that will transport you to a yatai in Fukuoka.
ICHIRAN Times Square
New York Locations
Times Square – 152 West 49th Street
Hours: Monday - Thursday 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Friday - Sunday Noon - 10:00 p.m.
Midtown – 132 West 31st Street
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Friday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Brooklyn – 374 Johnson Avenue
Hours: Every day Noon – 9:00 p.m.
Klavierhaus to Spotlight Japanese Pianists
Love Letter from Japan
Wednesdays in June at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Klavierhaus – 790 11th Avenue (between 54th and 55th Streets)
Admission: $25 in advance | $30 at the door
Klavierhaus, New York City’s premier fine piano showroom, presents some of the finest Japanese pianists in the world this June.
Produced by Jim Luce and Charles Carlini, the series promises to be a month-long celebration of the deep musical and cultural ties between Japan and New York City.
Each Wednesday in June, with sets at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., you can witness some of the most talented Japanese pianists in New York City, showcasing their unique styles and sounds to create an unforgettable musical experience.
Grab your tickets now at Klavierhaus’s website and immerse yourself in the captivating sounds of Japanese jazz pianists. JapanCulture•NYC.com members will receive a special promo code for a $5 discount. Not a member? Join now by clicking here.
Love Letter from Japan Lineup
June 9 – Miki Hayama
Miki Hayama
Grammy-nominated pianist Miki Hayama studied jazz piano with the renowned jazz pianist Sadayasu Fujii in Kyoto and came to New York in 2003 after graduating from the Osaka College of Music. She has toured and/or recorded with Roy Hargrove, JD Allen, Kenny Garrett, Vincent Herring, Christian McBride, Ralph Peterson, Greg Osby, Mark Shim, and others. She is featured in a rare solo piano setting at Klavierhaus at 7:30 p.m.
June 14 – Yayoi Ikawa
Yayoi Ikawa
As a composer and arranger, Yayoi Ikawa received commissions from Modern Music Society of Tokyo, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and Montreal-based sculptor David Baumflek. She is a veteran of bands led by Reggie Workman, Michael Carvin, Howard Johnson, Michal Urbaniak, Butch Morris, Craig Harris, Lenny Pickett, Frank Lacy, Lonnie Plaxico, Fostina Dixon, and others. She is featured in a rare solo piano setting at 6:00 p.m.
June 21 – Toru Dodo
Toro Dodo
Grammy-nominated pianist Toru Dodo was born in Tokyo and started playing classical piano at age four. In 1995, after graduating Meiji University in Tokyo, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated summa cum laude in 1998. Following his graduation from Berklee, Dodo moved to New York. Dodo has released five solo albums, all produced by legendary guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo for the Japanese label Jazz City Spirits. He has performed with Kenny Garrett, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Louis Hayes, Ruth Brown, and Terumasa Hino, among others. At this concert, he will be joined by special guest singer Alicia Olatuja.
June 28 – Miki Yamanaka
Miki Yamanaka
Japanese-born pianist Miki Yamanaka has called New York City home since 2012 and in the past decade has wasted no time establishing herself as one of the leading personalities of her generation on the piano and beyond. Critics laud her “light, expressive touch and solidly crafted, mainstream approach” (Mike Jurkovic in All About Jazz), while audiences delight in not only her playing, but her vibrant personality as well. Yamanaka has gained international recognition from her albums as a leader; her most recent and most intimate release, Stairway to the Stars, features Jazz masters Mark Turner and Orlando le Fleming. Additionally, Yamanaka has emerged as a leader of the New York Scene via her notable residencies at mainstay West Village sister clubs Smalls and Mezzrow. During the pandemic, she developed a successful in-home live-streaming weekly concert series titled “Miki’s Mood,” where she features a veritable who’s who of NYC talent (including her husband and frequent collaborator, drummer Jimmy Macbride). The series showcases her vast knowledge of Jazz standards and tunes, often featuring themed offerings of various composers from both the Great American Songbook as well as iconic Jazz composers.
“Our Japanese Jazz Piano Series is a celebration of the deep musical and cultural ties between Japan and New York City. We are thrilled to bring together some of the most talented Japanese pianists in the city to share their unique musical perspectives with audiences."
— Jim Luce
About the Series
The Japanese Jazz Piano Series is the inaugural event of the new weekly Klavierhaus Wednesday Night Concert Series, which features curated sets of today’s most interesting pianists in jazz today. It is a must-see event for anyone who loves jazz music. Whether you're a longtime fan of Japanese jazz or simply looking for a night of great music, this series promises to deliver an unforgettable experience.
JAPAN Fes Returns to Midtown West
JAPAN Fes
Saturday, June 10 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Midtown West – 8th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets
Admission: Free
There will be tons of drool-worthy Japanese food at JAPAN Fes on Saturday June 10 at Midtown West! Alongside the remarkable assortment of vendors such as Oconomi, Karl’s Balls, and Menya Jiro, JAPAN Fes welcomes the globally acclaimed Taiwanese bubble tea brand Tiger Sugar. Featured in Thrillist, Food Insider, Eater, and Cosmopolitan, Tiger Sugar will have an exclusive, one-day-only strawberry matcha latte available for JAPAN Fes attendees.
Savor fluffy okonomiyaki, slurp up flavorful ramen, indulge in matcha- and mochi-filled sweets, and satisfy your delicious Japanese cravings all in one place. Make sure to be hungry when you get there!
For full details on each vendor, please visit JAPAN Fes’s website and Facebook page.
Stamp Card
It wouldn’t be a true Japanese festival without a stamp rally! This year, JAPAN Fes introduced its new digital stamp card for attendees.
How It Works
Get the Stamp Card
Download the free JAPAN Fes Digital Card to your phone through their website or visit the JAPAN Fes tent on the day of a street fair to scan the QR code. You can conveniently store the card in your phone’s wallet.
Collect Stamps
Each time you attend an event, stop by the JAPAN Fes tent and receive one stamp.
Receive Rewards
Once you reach 5, 10, 15 and 20 stamps, you'll have the option to get rewards.
5 stamps = Original Merchandise
10 stamps = Original Merchandise
15 stamps = VIP (first pass) to skip the lines for your favorite foods
20 stamps = Become an official JAPAN Fes ambassador
Remaining JAPAN Fes Schedule
June 10 in Midtown West
June 17 in East Village
June 18 in Park Slope, Brooklyn
July 2 in Astoria
July 15 in Chelsea
August 26 in East Village
August 27 in East Village
September 9 in Upper East Side
September 16 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
September 17 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
October 7 in East Village – Ramen Contest
October 8 in Upper West Side – Ramen Contest
October 28 in East Village
Oscar Oiwa to Exhibit METROPOLIS at NowHere
Oscar Oiwa METROPOLIS
Thursday, June 8 through Sunday, July 16
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 8 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
NowHere – 40 Wooster Street (between Grand and Broome Streets)
Admission: Free
SoHo gallery NowHere will host the exhibition METROPOLIS with recent artworks by Japanese Brazilian artist Oscar Oiwa.
Oscar Oiwa has special attachments to numerous cities. These places—Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Paris, and New York—deeply inform his art and the logic behind it. In this exhibition’s large-scale piece Zeus, for example, we see three of these cities writ large by Oiwa. These fantastical versions of each place are rendered, in marker, in hyper-realistic fashion. The proximity between the real and the unreal is the life of the piece, and it reflects the experience of intimately knowing a favorite city, where memory, reality, dream, and geography all collide.
The Olympic games, with their connections to both the ancient and the contemporary worlds, were also a catalyst for Zeus. The games take over a city, present it to the world, recontextualize it, and compel its citizens to reevaluate their hometown. For Oiwa, the Olympics have both positive and negative impacts on their host cities. This ambivalence plays out in his work.
Gods and mascots. In a show that evokes both Zeus, the thunderbolt-wielding patriarch of the fearsome Greek Olympians, and Sam the Olympic Eagle, the cheery representative of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Oiwa levels the importance of the two. We might wonder whether any similarities might exist between them. Is a god merely a form of mascot? Might mascots find themselves elevated to the position of gods? In the art of Oscar Oiwa, anything seems possible.
To learn more about Oiwa, please visit his website.
“Zeus the god of Olympia” ©Oscar Oiwa
About NowHere
NowHere is a hub for emerging Japanese artists. The focus of the SoHo gallery is on creatives who come from Japan to New York City, whether for a visit or to stay. They feature work from a broad spectrum of media, from digital to fashion, culinary arts to photography, and everything in between. NowHere is dedicated to building community and expanding their artists’ networks.
NowHere is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. No appointment required.
For more information, please visit NowHere’s website.
KAGAMI by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tin Drum
KAGAMI
Tuesday, June 13 through Sunday, July 2
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays at 12:30, 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 6:30, and 8:00 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays at 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00, 7:30, and 9:00 p.m.
Sundays at 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00, and 7:30 p.m.
The Shed – 545 West 30th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues)
Admission: $38 | $33 Seniors and Students
Created by legendary composer, producer, artist, and environmental activist Ryuichi Sakamoto (Yellow Magic Orchestra, The Last Emperor, The Revenant) and Tin Drum, KAGAMI represents a new kind of concert, fusing dimensional moving photography with the real world to create a never-before-experienced mixed reality presentation. Audiences will wear optically transparent devices to view the virtual Sakamoto performing on piano alongside dimensional art aligned with the music.
KAGAMI, which translates to “mirror” in Japanese, features Sakamoto playing ten original compositions including well-known works “Energy Flow” and “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” along with rarely played pieces, such as “The Seed and the Sower.” Presented in surround sound, the experience will be both collective and individual, inviting observers to connect to the work—and each other—throughout. While audiences may view the show in a seated format, they will also be free to wander and explore during the hour-long event.
To purchase tickets, please visit The Shed’s website.
Important Note
The mixed reality headsets used in KAGAMI will not fit comfortably over prescription eyewear. Guests requiring vision correction should wear contact lenses if able to do so. A limited number of corrective lenses will be available, but these do not guarantee perfect vision correction. Headsets are not approved by the manufacturer for use by children under the age of 14, and children under that age will not be permitted.
About Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto was a composer, producer, artist, and environmental activist born in Tokyo, making his debut in 1978 with the album Thousand Knives. Sakamoto’s diverse résumé includes pioneering electronic works in the legendary techno group Yellow Magic Orchestra and producing globally inspired pop albums and numerous classical compositions, two operas, and nearly 45 original film scores for directors, including Bernardo Bertolucci, Pedro Almodóvar, Brian De Palma, and Alejandro González Iñárritu. His film soundtracks have won prestigious awards, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globes. Sakamoto’s activism was widespread and included various environmental conservation efforts and promoting denuclearization and world peace. After 3.11 in Northeastern Japan, he became a strong voice of support for the victims of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.
Sakamoto made considerable contributions to the art world with both solo and collaborative installations and multi-piece exhibitions presented in galleries and museums worldwide. Most recently, M WOODS (Beijing) presented the largest and most comprehensive collection spanning 30 years devoted to Sakamoto’s artworks in various media, centering around eight large-scale sound installations.
In 2017, the documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA (Stephen Nomura Schible) was released, coinciding with the release of his renowned 14th solo album, async. Additionally, Sakamoto presented unique performances at the Park Avenue Armory (NYC), later released worldwide as the film Ryuichi Sakamoto: async Live at the Park Avenue Armory.
Premiering at the Holland Festival 2021, Sakamoto and longtime collaborator Shiro Takatani presented a new theater piece, TIME. TIME continues to tour the world, bringing the artist duo’s last collaboration to longtime and new fans alike.
On January 17, 2023, his 71st birthday, Sakamoto released 12, his 15th solo album. The new album is a collection of 12 songs selected from musical sketches Sakamoto recorded like a sound diary during his two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.
Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away in March 2023.
There is, in reality, a virtual me.
This virtual me will not age, and will continue to play the piano for years, decades, centuries.
Will there be humans then?
Will the squids that will conquer the earth after humanity listen to me?
What will pianos be to them?
What about music?
Will there be empathy there?
Empathy that spans hundreds of thousands of years.
Ah, but the batteries won’t last that long.— Ryuichi Sakamoto, 2023
The making of KAGAMI. Photo courtesy Tin Drum.
About Todd Eckert
Todd Eckert was first published as a music journalist at age 14 and became an editor of the US national OnlyMusic Magazine at 17. He produced the award-winning feature film Control about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division. In 2012, he joined the mixed reality technology group Magic Leap and served as director of content development before leaving to found Tin Drum in 2016. Eckert directed Marina Abramovic in The Life, which premiered in 2019 as the world’s first mixed reality, large-scale public performance.
About Tin Drum
Tin Drum is the world’s premier studio producing content for mixed reality devices. Founded in 2016 by Todd Eckert, this collective of artists, engineers, designers, and technologists blends uniquely dimensional form with the real world to create experiences impossible through other media. The results are without modern precedent and are changing the definition of engagement in recorded performance. Tin Drum creates content in collaboration with world-renowned artists, creators, and performers. In partnership with Christie’s, Tin Drum was the first to sell a mixed reality production at auction.
Summer Festival: Japanese Food & Drinks
Night Market in Japan Village
Wednesday, June 14 from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Japan Village – 934 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn
Admission: $12 Presale | $15 (after presale tickets are sold out)
The first epic Japan Night Market is coming to Japan Village in Industry City, Brooklyn! Night Market Summer Festival will kick off the 2023 season at Japan Village Brooklyn followed by Chelsea in July and Bushwick in August. Celebrate the early summer with mouthwatering Japanese foods and a selected special drink menu.
Upstairs NYC is turning all 20,000 square feet of Japan Village into a night market featuring a variety of food, drink, and crafts.
The courtyard at Japan Village
Food
Wagyu Sushi
Yakitori (Skewers)
Kushiage (Deep-fried Skewers)
Grilled Corn
Ikamaruyaki (Grilled Whole Squid)
Onigiri Rice Ball
Ramen
Curry Rice
Ube and Matcha Cheesecake
Mochi-Filled Cookies
And more!
The price range for food is $10-$15
WakuWaku
Special Sake Selection
Sake from Japan by Kubota Sake
Brooklyn Cocktails with a sake spin by Brooklyn Kura and Kato Sake Works
Special Chu-Hi by Takara
Umeshu (plum sake) by Choya
This is a very rare sake experience with many brands in collaboration!
Kato Sake Works
There will also be accessories, candles, outfits, crafts, and more available for purchase.
Japan Village’s large outdoor patio and lanterns offer the perfect backdrop for photos and add to the festive atmosphere! Plus, there will be a display of 100 Hello Kitty balloons! Come dressed in a yukata for the photo booth and make memories.
Night Market is open to the public. Your ticket grants you admission to the event as well as one free drink (sake, chu-hi, or a non-alcoholic beverage) and $5 off one menu item. To purchase tickets, please visit EventCreate.com.
About Upstairs NYC
Formed in 2022, Upstairs NYC is a non-profit organization based in New York City dedicated to promoting friendly relations between New York and other countries. The organization focuses on fostering learning and community engagement across four pillars: arts and culture, lifestyle, technology, and food. Upstairs NYC regularly hosts panel discussions, experiential events, cultural celebrations, and socials. For more information, please visit Upstairs NYC’s website.
About Japan Village
The culture at Japan Village is rooted in omotenashi, a Japanese approach to great hospitality and a mutual respect for guests. The Industry City complex strives to create and nurture a strong Japanese community in Brooklyn. Their mission is to communicate Japanese culture and everyday life through the food served at the food hall and the plethora of ingredients and items that are available at Sunrise Mart. For more information, please visit Japan Village’s website.
TOSA SAKE WEEK in JUNE
In the Shikoku region of Japan lies Kochi Prefecture, also known as Tosa, where a rich sake-drinking culture has taken root. Historically, sake has had a deep presence in this area, with a wide variety of sake still being produced today. Many of Tosa's sakes are known for their light and dry characteristics, making them a perfect accompaniment to the local delicacy, Katsuo no Tataki (seared bonito). However, there is a growing interest in fruity sakes, which offer a contrasting taste profile compared to conventional brands from Tosa. These fruity sakes are gaining popularity among younger generations and those who are less familiar with sake.
Kochi is actively engaged in research and development of kobo yeast, and the Kochi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center has introduced numerous unique strains of kobo yeast, including CEL 24. The significance of Tosa sake lies in its extensive range of flavors, derived from a diverse array of aromas and tastes. Additionally, the prefecture has successfully cultivated its own sake rice varieties, such as Tosanishiki, Gin no Yume, and Kazenaruko.
Tosa Sake from Kochi Prefecture
TOSA SAKE WEEK in JUNE
Nine breweries from Kochi Prefecture will participate in four sake events held in New York during the third week of June. This is a great opportunity to discover new sake from the Tosa region.
Schedule
Bar Convent Brooklyn
Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Industry City – 220 36th Street, Building #8, Brooklyn
The first among this series of Tosa Sake events will be Bar Convent Brooklyn, a B2B gathering that brings together influential figures in the bar industry. Kochi Prefecture will introduce Tosa sake to bar industry professionals, as well as distributors and importers.
Tosa Sake Seminar by Haruhiko Uehigashi
Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 at 2:30 p.m. (Approximately 1 hour)
WakuWaku Outdoor Dining Area in Industry City Courtyard –269 36th Street (between Buildings #3 & #4), Brooklyn
Haruhiko Uehigashi, an expert in kobo yeast, is credited with developing Kochi kobo and has served as an advisor in numerous sake competitions both in Japan and abroad. On June 13 and 14, he will conduct a Tosa Sake seminar at WakuWaku's patio dining area. The seminar is free of charge and will begin at 2:30 p.m. on each day. During the seminar, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to Uehigashi's lecture while sampling six pre-selected sake brands. If you are interested in participating, please make a reservation by sending an email to nori@agentnplus.nyc.
About Haruhiko Uehigashi
Haruhiko Uehigashi, a former researcher at the Kochi Prefectural Industry Technology Center and technical advisor to the Kochi Brewery Association, is a recognized expert in yeast development. He has contributed to the creation of numerous Kochi yeast strains and serves as an advisor in both national and international sake competitions. Some notable roles he has undertaken include:
Sake Competition Jury and Analytical Evaluator from 2012 to 2019 and 2023.
U.S. National Sake Appraisal Jury and Analytical Evaluator from 2015 to 2019, in 2021, and 2022.
Preliminary and final judge in the National New Sake Competition.
During all the Tosa Sake Week events, Uehigashi will be in attendance, presenting an excellent opportunity for attendees to engage in conversation with him at the Kochi booth.
The Joy of Sake
Friday, June 16 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion – 125 W. 18th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)
Kochi Prefecture will participate in the Joy of Sake, the largest public sake-tasting event outside of Japan. To purchase tickets, please visit the Joy of Sake’s website.
Store Tasting Event at Kuraichi
Saturday, June 17 from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Kuraichi – 267 36th Street, Brooklyn
Taste Tosa sake at Kuraichi, sake specialty store in Japan Village. Kuraichi boasts the largest Japanese liquor collection in New York City, carrying sake, shochu, and Japanese whiskies.
Scheduled Participating Breweries
Suigei Brewery
Tsukasabotan Brewery
Tosa Kikusui Brewery
Tosatsuru Brewery
BIJOFU (Hamakawa Shoten Brewery)
Kameizumi Brewery
Fumimoto Brewery
Arimitsu Sake Brewery
Takagi Brewery
Participating breweries differ depending on the event.
This event listing is an advertisement paid for by Tosa Sake from Kochi Prefecture Japan. For more information about Tosa Sake and the scheduled participating breweries, please click HERE.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with an After Dark Tea Party
After Dark Tea Party
Thursday, May 25 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade – 529 5th Avenue
Admission: $40
Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Asian tea, food, and drinks by Asian-owned restaurants and shops at the spectacular Wonderland Dreams, a fun-filled festival bringing together diverse Asian American cultures inside and out!
Your ticket includes admission to Wonderland Dreams, where you can go down a rabbit hole of mad tea parties and secret rose gardens in a living gallery that puts you inside the artwork.
Explore Asian food and shop vendors (Price range: $10-$15)
Taiwanese Vegetable Sticky Rice
Japanese Ramen
Tokyo Fried Chicken
Matcha Cheesecake, Hojicha Cheesecake, Matcha Mochi-Filled Cookies
Tea Cocktails
Bubble Tea
Asian owned brands accessories, candles, crafts, cosmetics, and more!
Early-bird tickets are sold out, but you can receive a 12% discount if you use the promo code UP. To purchase tickets, please visit Event Create.
About Upstairs NY
Formed in 2022, Upstairs NYC is a non-profit organization based in New York City dedicated to promoting friendly relations between New York and other countries. The organization focuses on fostering learning and community engagement across four pillars: arts and culture, lifestyle, technology, and food. Upstairs NYC regularly hosts panel discussions, experiential events, cultural celebrations, and socials. For more information, please visit their website.
About Wonderland Dreams
Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade brings to life the stories of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in an immersive, hand-painted exhibit. Located just steps from Bryant Park, every inch of this interactive exhibition space is hand-painted from floor to ceiling, allowing visitors to walk inside a multi-dimensional work of art. Learn more at their website.
Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
Enter the “May is Japan Month” Social Media Contest
Enter the “May is JAPAN MONTH” Social Media Contest for a chance to win airline tickets to Japan!
JAPAN Fes is presenting a social media contest celebrating Japanese regional cuisine. Now through May 31, Japanophiles are encouraged to visit participating Japanese restaurants, order from their JAPAN MONTH Menu, take a photo, and share it on social media using the hashtag #mayisjapanmonth. A total of three contest winners each will receive a pair of round-trip air tickets to Japan in JAL miles, courtesy of Japan Airlines (JAL)! A selection committee consisting of representatives from JAL, the Consulate-General of Japan, and JETRO will select the winners. One winner will be selected for each of the three designated travel destinations: Sapporo, Itami, and Fukuoka.
How to Enter
Step 1: Imagine Your Destination
Japan is divided into eight regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. However, for this contest, the organizers re-divided the country into three areas.
Area 1: Hokkaido | Tohoku | Kanto Destination: Sapporo
Area 2: Kinki | Chubu |Chugoku Destination: Itami
Area 3: Shikoku | Kyushu |Okinawa Destination: Fukuoka
The 20 participating restaurants are offering cuisine representing each of these areas.
Step 2: Select a Cuisine and a Restaurant
Choose the cuisine according to the destination you want to visit or the destination according to the cuisine you want to eat. For example, if you want to go to Sapporo, visit that restaurants that are offering cuisine from Area 1: Hokkaido | Tohoku | Kanto.
Step 3: Visit and Order
Visit one or more of the 20 participating restaurants and order your meal. Your order must include the specific dish on the restaurant’s JAPAN MONTH menu.
Participating Restaurants and JAPAN MONTH Dishes
Area 1: Hokkaido | Tohoku | Kanto
Hokkaido
BentOn
BentOn – 156 E. 45th Street
Sanpei-Style Fish and Vegetable Soup
A popular soup from Hokkaido, this sanpeijiru features salmon and a variety of root vegetables cooked in a fish-and-kombu broth and miso paste. You’ll enjoy this healthy and substantial soup!
J-spec
J-spec Wagyu Dining – 239 E. 5th Street
A5 Wagyu Steak Flight from Hokkaido
J-spec’s popular Wagyu Steak Flight features three different types of steak, such as beef striploin, filet mignon, and ribeye.
Naruto Ramen
Naruto Ramen – 2634 Broadway
Salmon Butter Onigiri
In Hokkaido, rice balls are grilled with butter. These rice balls are mixed with salmon flakes, bonito flakes, and soy sauce. The scent of butter and fragrantly burnt soy sauce is irresistible!
Tohoku (Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima)
J’s Kitchen
J’s Kitchen New York – 261 1st Avenue
Beef Tongue SENRI
Chef Sumimura makes beef tongue from Sendai even more delicious by using special techniques that maximize the meat’s original flavor.
Sushi Tsushima
Sushi Tsushima – 210 E. 44th Street
Clams Ramen
Shijimi Ramen is representative of Aomori Prefecture. Instead of Shijimi clams, which are hard to find in New York City, this Only-in-NYC Clams Ramen substitutes local clams. Dinner service only.
Kanto (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, and Kanagawa)
Nakamura
Nakamura NYC – 172 Delancey Street
Tokyo Tsukemen
A double portion of chewy noodles topped with chashu pork, menma, and spinach comes an umami-rich pork-and-fish-based sauce spiked with yuzu for dipping.
Hasaki
Hasaki – 210 E. 9th Street
Battera (Pressed Mackerel Sushi)
Ibaraki Prefecture's specialty, battera is an authentic Japanese pressed-style sushi.
Area 2: Kinki | Chubu |Chugoku
Chubu (Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, and Aichi)
Sobaya
Sobaya – 229 E. 9th Street
Ten Zaru
Sobaya’s soba is proudly handmade from scratch every day by chefs who have mastered the craft of soba-making.
Wasan Brooklyn
Wasan Brooklyn – 440 Bergen Street, Brooklyn
Chicken Misokatsu Bun
This misokatsu dish uses hatcho miso an umami-rich paste from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Wasan is putting their chicken misokatsu in a steamed bun, which is popular in New York.
Ootoya
Ootoya – 8 W. 18th Street
Kamo Jibuni Nabe
A traditional Japanese dish that originated in Ishikawa Prefecture, this kamo jibuni nabe includes slices of duck, leek, and mushrooms cooked in Ootoya’s original soy sauce-based broth.
Kinki (Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and Wakayama)
Cha-An
Cha-An – 230 E. 9th Street, 2nd Floor
Cha-An Original Matcha Tiramisu
A classic Cha-an original menu item that incorporates Japanese ingredients into Western-style confectionery, this tiramisu contains Japanese sake, red bean paste, and creamy mascarpone with matcha. The sponge is moistened with sake and is not too sweet. The secret of its popularity over the years is the perfect balance between the sponge, cream, and the amount of azuki (red bean) paste.
Saito
Saito – 72 Kenmare Street
Doteni Wagyu Beef Stew
Respresentative of Osaka downtown soul food, this stew contains wagyu, offal, vegetables, miso, and soy sauce.
Chugoku (Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi)
Sakagura
Sakagura – 211 E. 43rd Street, B1
Fried Oyster with Shishito Pepper
The oyster is one of Hiroshima Prefecture's specialties. Sakagura serves this dish with wasabi-soy sea salt, vegetable sauce, and tartare sauce. Established in 1996, Sakagura has been a pioneer in introducing New Yorkers to the world of sake, so pair your fried oyster with one of more than 260 kinds of carefully selected sakes.
Sushi Ann
Sushi Ann – 38 E. 51st Street
Spring Madai from Hiroshima with Mizuna Green Salad
Seasonal sea bream from Hiroshima, Japanese mustard greens, red onion, and kaiware sprouts with Irizake and olive oil dressing and ichiban dashi gelée make up Sushi Ann’s dish. Dinner service only.
Area 3: Shikoku | Kyushu | Okinawa
Shikoku (Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, and Kochi)
Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji Japanese Steakhouse – 296 Old Route 17, Hillburn, NY
Y’s Mojito
Mt. Fuji’s original Y’s Mojito is based on yuzu sake from Kochi Prefecture and mixed with Pavan, St. Germain, fresh mint, fresh lime, and a splash of champagne.
Restaurant Nippon
Restaurant Nippon – 155 E. 52nd Street
Nabeyaki Sanuki Udon
Sanuki udon is a specialty of Kochi Prefecture. This nabeyaki is served with shrimp tempura, egg, shiitake mushroom, and fish cake.
Kyushu (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima)
Donburiya
Donburiya – 253 W. 55th Street
Nagasaki Sara-Udon Kata Yakisoba
A regional dish of Nagasaki Prefecture, this champon is a mixture of seafood and vegetables with sauce over fried noodles.
Momokawa
Momokawa – 1466 1st Avenue
Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki
Momokawa serves A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef ribeye from one of the best ranchers in Miyazaki Prefecture. Prepared in traditional sukiyaki sauce, warishita, in an iron pan, the meat melts in your mouth with exquisite flavor, texture, and tenderness.
Inase
Inase Restaurant – 1586 1st Avenue
Miyazaki Chicken Namban
Inase’s Miyazaki chicken namban is made with deep-fried chicken marinated in sweet vinegar sauce and tartar sauce.
Ajisen Ramen
Ajisen Ramen – 14 Mott Street
Kumamoto Tonkotsu Ramen
This original tonkotsu ramen is topped with pork chashu, beansprouts, and scallions.
Step 4: Take a Photo and Post to Social Media
The theme of the contest is We Love Japanese Food.
Post a picture of yourself enjoying the meal or a picture of a delicious-looking dish on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #mayisjapanmonth. Express your love for Japanese food with your caption. Judges are looking for photos and captions that convey a love for Japanese food and culture.
The photo must show a specific dish from the JAPAN MONTH menu, but it does not have to be the only dish. It is also possible to order other dishes to make the photo more colorful; however, the number and amount of food ordered will not affect the selection process. Please make sure that your account setting is open, not private, so the contest organizers can see your post. Videos will not be considered.
Step 5: Scan the QR Code
After posting your photo, scan the QR code located in the restaurant and enter the required information. You must do both—post to social media and submit the entry form—for your participation in the contest to be valid.
To view full contest rules, please visit JAPAN Fes’s website.
Celebrate NYC-Japan Friendship at 2nd Annual Japan Parade
Japan Parade
Saturday, May 13 from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Central Park West from 81st Street to 67th Street
Admission: Free
The second annual Japan Parade in New York City will be held on Saturday, May 13, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Starting on Central Park West at West 81st Street and traveling south to West 67th Street, the parade will celebrate, express, and bring awareness of the friendship between New York City and Japan with a thank you from the Japanese community. Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will be the Parade’s Grand Marshal. Former NY1 reporter Sandra Endo, current news correspondent on KTVV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News, and a feature reporter for Good Day LA, will serve as Emcee.
Official Japan Parade poster by art contest winner Gary Bitsicas
This year’s Japan Parade will feature a live performance by the cast of The 2.5-Dimensional show from Japan, “Live Spectacle ‘NARUTO.’” NARUTO is one of the most internationally recognized and popular manga series of all time. The franchise has sold more than 250 million copies worldwide to date. Written and illustrated by creator Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first published in Shueisha’s magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, where it was serialized and ran for 15 years.
ⒸMasashi Kishimoto, Scott/SHUEISHA/Live Spectacle “NARUTO” Production Committee 2022
JAPAN Fes at Japan Parade
Concurrently with the Japan Parade, the Japan Street Fair will be held on W. 72nd Street, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue.
The Japan Street Fair will feature tents offering entertaining and educational cultural activities including calligraphy, water balloon yo-yo fishing, origami, photo opportunities, and a giveaway. In collaboration with JAPAN Fes, one of the largest organizers of Japanese food festivals in the world, hosting more than 20 Japanese food fair events a year in New York City, the Street Fair will also feature about 20 tents serving authentic Japanese food. The latest information on Japan’s many tourist destinations will be made available at other tents, and as with last year, there will also be a tent where visitors can donate to charitable causes that support victims of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The Japan Street Fair is your chance to experience a Japanese festival, or matsuri, unlike any other.
“I am truly honored to act as Grand Marshal for this year’s Japan Parade. My Japanese heritage is something I’m proud of and I’m happy to celebrate the goodwill of our relationship with Japan and the engagement and solidarity with the Japanese American community.”
—Kristi Yamaguchi
Participating groups include Anime NYC, COBU (Drum), Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir, International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan, The Japanese Folk Dance of NY, Katsura Sunshine (Rakugo Comedian), Midori & Friends (Music Education Group), Soh Daiko (Drum), TATE Hatoryu NY (Sword Fighting), Yosakoi Dance Project 10tecomai, Young People's Chorus of NYC, and many more.
The Diamond Sponsors of this year’s Japan Parade (as of April 5) include All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., Hisamitsu America, Inc., Japan Airlines Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited. The Platinum Sponsors include ITOCHU International Inc., Marubeni America Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc., Nomura America Foundation, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas Foundation, and Tokio Marine America.
Photo Credit: AP
"The Japan Parade is a huge 'Arigato!' from the Japanese community to New York City," says Honorary Chairman, Ambassador Mikio Mori, the Consul General of Japan in New York. "It will be the second annual celebration of Japanese culture and the many vibrant connections between Japan and this great city. We plan to outdo the inaugural parade in terms of marchers, contents, and food tents all highlighting the uniqueness of Japan, while also solidifying with Asian communities during AAPI Heritage Month. We hope that these festivities bring the Japanese and all of New York City even closer together, adding to our friendship for generations to come.”
“After the huge success of last year’s inaugural Parade, we are very excited to be back in New York City for our second year, demonstrating the diversity and pride of the Japanese community,” said Japan Parade Executive Producer Kumiko Yoshii. “Last year, we had a crowd of over 20,000 with approximately 2,400 participants, marching down Central Park West. We look forward to building on this success and showcasing more groups from New York and Japan. We especially want to thank our sponsors and supporters, without whom this event would not be possible.”
“The Japan Parade’s utmost goal is to be a foundation to forge new connections, and to be an inspiration to strengthen existing relations between Japan and the United States, as well as between the Japanese American community and the people of New York City,” said Japan Day Chairman of the Board of Directors, Daisuke Ugaeri, who represents the notable Japanese and Japanese American companies that make up the Japan Day Inc. Board of Directors. “To that end, I am humbled and empowered by the invaluable support of our sponsors, the trust placed in us by our parade participants, and the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers who all truly believe in the good our event is capable of achieving. It is my greatest hope that all who visit, experience, and immerse themselves in Japan Parade 2023 will not only enjoy themselves to the fullest, but also walk away with a newly cultivated or renewed appreciation of the unique wonder and beauty of Japanese culture.”
Go early to enjoy the street fair and grab a spot along the parade route. Enjoy a full day of Japanese culture at Japan Parade! For more information, please visit Japan Parade’s website.
About Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristi Yamaguchi captured the gold medal in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She is also a two-time World Champion and US National Champion. Yamaguchi is a member of the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic Hall of Fame. She recently received the USOPC Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award for “serving as a powerful force for good in society.”
Following a long and successful career in professional figure skating, which included ten years of touring with Stars On Ice, Yamaguchi took to the dance floor to win the mirror ball trophy with partner Mark Ballas in season six of the popular TV show Dancing With The Stars.
In 1996, she founded Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream, whose mission is to give children from low-income families access to high-quality books in the home environment. The organization aims to close the opportunity gap and digital divide with an innovative, family engagement literacy program. For her work with her Always Dream organization, Yamaguchi received the 2019 Heisman Humanitarian Award.
In 2012, Yamaguchi added New York Times Best-Selling author to her list of achievements by introducing her first children’s picture book, Dream Big, Little Pig!, and then following up with It’s a Big World, Little Pig! and Cara’s Kindness. Kristi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two-time US Olympian and Stanley Cup Champion, Bret Hedican, and their daughters, Keara and Emma.
About Sandra Endo
Sandra Endo is a television news correspondent on KTTV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News. Endo covers breaking news in feature reports for a Good Day LA. Prior to moving back to her hometown of Los Angeles, Endo spent most of her career on the East Coast a political reporter, host, and anchor for NY1. She covered a wide array of campaigns, the transit strike of 2005, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Later, as a Washington, DC-based reporter for CNN, Endo’s stories appeared on primetime shows such as AC 360 with Anderson Cooper. She reported on the devastating tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan in 2011, as well as the international conflicts in Egypt and the US involvement in Libya.
Endo is a second-generation Japanese American whose grandfather was interned during WWII. She believes it is important to teach her two young children their cultural heritage to keep traditions alive and to learn from the past.
About Japan Day
Japan Day Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the primary organizer of the Japan Day @ Central Park festivals since 2007 and of the Japan Parade and the Japan Street Fair since 2022. Japan Day Inc.’s activities are made possible by the support of the local leading Japanese American companies that compose Japan Day Inc.’s Board of Directors; the Consulate General of Japan in New York; and all the individuals, organizations, and companies that sponsor, donate, or volunteer and be a part of this great celebration.
JAPAN SOCIETY’S KODOMO NO HI
Children's Day: Kodomo no Hi
Sunday, May 7
Session 1: 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Session 2: 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Admission: $15 | $10 Japan Society members | Free children ages 2 and under and Cool Culture members
Carp streamers flying can only mean one thing: Children’s Day is here!
Share the joy of childhood as Japan Society celebrates Japan’s national holiday packed with fun for the whole family. Every child is a star as they pose with life-sized samurai armor displays and take to the stage in a popular sword-fighting workshop led by Kyo Kasumi from TATE Hatoryu NY. Families will also be captivated by the beauty of traditional Japanese dance through an enchanting performance by Sachiyo Ito & Company.
Image © Ayumi Sakamoto
Children can design their own koinobori carp streamer and wearable origami kabuto helmet. The excitement doesn’t end when you leave: There will be take-home craft kits for you to continue the fun at home!
For more information and to register, please visit Japan Society’s website.
Looking to deepen your understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture? Look no further than JapanCulture•NYC's membership program!
As a member, you'll gain access to exclusive content about events, workshops, and resources that will immerse you in the fascinating world of Japanese art, cuisine, history, and more. Whether you're a seasoned Japanophile or just beginning to explore this rich cultural tradition, our membership program offers something for everyone. From crafting classes to kimono-wearing workshops, from sake tastings to film screenings, you'll discover new facets of Japanese culture and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion.
So why wait? Sign up for our membership program today!
“WITH THE DEAD” AT GREEN-WOOD
With the Dead: A Performance by Eiko Otake
Saturday, May 6 from 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 7 from 11:00 a.m. until noon
Green-Wood Cemetery – 500 25th Street, Brooklyn
Admission: Free
With the Dead is a place-inspired performance conceived and performed at Green-Wood Cemetery by acclaimed movement-based, interdisciplinary artist Eiko Otake. It is presented in conjunction with Mother, her installation in Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel. In it, through video and sculpture, Otake converses and dances with her mother, who died in 2019. Beginning in the Historic Chapel and leading participants outdoors, the artist considers what the dead might want from the living and whether through performing she could practice as well as learn about her own dying.
For more about Eiko Otake, please visit her website.
“We all came from a mother, even if some people never met their mothers. From their own birth, mothers contain all the eggs that they will ever have in life. We have been formed from unmeasurable time. Remembering or imagining a mother’s life and body is also to reflect on our own life and body, and beyond.”
— Eiko Otake
The dramaturg for With the Dead is Iris McCloughan.
Photo Credit: Maria Baranova
This event is free, but registration required. To register, please visit The Green-Wood Historic Fund’s Eventbrite page and select your preferred date. Consider making a donation to The Green-Wood Historic Fund so that they can continue to offer free and low-cost programs throughout the year.
METROGRAPH HOSTS SAKAMOTO RETROSPECTIVE
Ryuichi Sakamoto: A Celebration
Friday, May 5 through Thursday, May 18
Metrograph – 7 Ludlow Street (between Canal and Hester Streets)
Admission: $17
Metrograph, the iconic New York City cinema, presents a film celebration of the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of the most innovative and influential composers of the 20th century. The retrospective, which runs from May 5 through May 18, is a fitting tribute to a true iconoclast who helped shape the sounds of modern music and film.
Sakamoto first gained recognition as a founding member of the Japanese electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra in the late 1970s. He later went on to establish a successful solo career, producing a wide variety of music that blended elements of classical, rock, and electronic styles. His groundbreaking work on film scores, which began with his collaboration with director Nagisa Oshima on the 1983 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, in which he also starred opposite David Bowie and Takeshi Kitano, earned him worldwide acclaim.
The Metrograph retrospective features a selection of Sakamoto's most memorable film scores, including his collaborations with legendary filmmakers such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Pedro Almodóvar, Jun Ichikawa, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu. In addition to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, screenings include The Last Emperor, for which Sakamoto won an Academy Award for Best Original Score; the experimental biopic Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis; and The Revenant, which marked Sakamoto’s return to film composition after throat cancer treatments.
On Sunday, May 14, Metrograph is hosting a special Q&A session with and writer Sadie Rebecca Starnes and Sakamoto's long-time collaborator, filmmaker Stephen Nomura Schible, who directed the 2017 documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda. The documentary, which explores Sakamoto's life and career, features interviews with the composer and his collaborators, and provides a fascinating insight into his creative process.
Don't miss your chance to celebrate the life and work of Ryuichi Sakamoto at Metrograph. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit Metorgraph’s website.
Portrait © 2015 Wing Shya
Select Films
The Revenant
Saturday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 10 at 4:00 p.m.
Dir. Alejandro Iñárritu
2015 | 156 min.
Electronic experimentalist Sakamoto may have seemed an unusual choice to score a Western set on the 1820s frontier, but Iñárritu’s choice to have him do so paid off dividends. Triumphantly returning to film composition after treatment for throat cancer, Sakamoto, in collaboration with Alva Noto and Bryce Dessner of The National, created a grandly glacial soundscape to accompany Leonardo DiCaprio’s gravely wounded fur trapper Hugh Glass on his agonizing, hallucinatory mission of vengeance, towards a climactic confrontation with rival Tom Hardy that unleashes a terrible, glorious burst of aural violence.
The Last Emperor
Saturday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 7 at 1:15 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9 at 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, May 11 at 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 17 at 3:45 p.m.
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
1987 | 163 min.
Sakamoto, his work featured alongside that of David Byrne and Cong Su, composed nine of the 15 original pieces on the soundtrack of Bertolucci’s film, a dazzlingly lavish, non-linear biopic on the decadent early life, love, and ignoble exile of Pu Yi (John Lone), China’s last ruling emperor, much of it shot on location in Beijing’s Forbidden City. A meeting between traditional Chinese instrumentation and contemporary avant-garde sensibilities, Sakamoto, Byrne, and Su’s soundtrack would win Best Original Score at the 60th Academy Awards.
Tony Takitani
Friday, May 5 at 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, May 6 at 4:10 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:20 p.m.
Monday, May 8 at 9:15 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9 at 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 10 at 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 11 at 7:15 p.m.
Dir. Jun Ichikawa
2004 | 75 min.
Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, Ichikawa’s graceful, coolly elegant film tells the story—with the help of a drily detached third-person narrator—of the lonesome existence and sudden romantic awakening of its title character (Issey Ogata), who finds happiness in married life after years of isolation, with his only complaint that his lovely wife, Eiko (Rie Miyazawa), has a passion for designer clothes that threatens to drive a wedge between them . . .
A sublimely sensitive work of sly social commentary, newly restored, with Ryuichi Sakamoto’s delicate score adding subtle emotional shading.
Ryuichi Sakamoto in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Friday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 13 at 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 18 at 6:45 p.m.
Dir. Nagisa Ōshima
1983 | 123 min.
Sakamoto’s first film score was for Ōshima’s taut World War II-set drama in which the musician also starred as Captain Yonoi, the bushido code-obsessed commandant of a Japanese POW camp in occupied Java who enters a war of wills with unbreakable South African internee David Bowie, a conflict fraught with repressed, forbidden lust. In addition to proving himself a commanding, focused screen actor, Sakamoto delivered a plaintive, haunting score of delicate synths expressing the characters’ unspoken desires, its glass harp-sampling title track becoming a minor radio hit when matched with lyrics by David Sylvian and released as “Forbidden Colours.”
Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis
Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 14 at 9:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 17 at 9:00 p.m.
Dir. John Maybury
1998 | 87 min.
Derek Jacobi stars as Francis Bacon in John Maybury’s experimental biopic of the revolutionary painter, inspired by the authorized biography The Gilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon and employing distorted visuals that approximate the tormented grotesquerie of the subject’s canvases, which focuses on Bacon’s tumultuous relationship with his penny-ante East End hoodlum muse George Dyer (a pre-Bond Daniel Craig, in his breakthrough role). Sakamoto’s drone and noise-heavy score adds immeasurably to the overall sense of disgust and disorientation in a film that endeavors not just to recap the facts of Bacon’s life, but to filter them through his anguished vision.
Ryuichi Sakamoto: CODA
Sunday, May 14 at 6:50 p.m.
Wednesday, May 17 at 6:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 18 at 9:20 p.m.
Dir. Stephen Nomura Schible
2017 | 100 min.
A precious glimpse into the creative process of the late synth-pop star, film composer, and activist Ryuichi Sakamoto, Stephen Nomura Schible’s deeply affecting film picks up with its introspective subject as he returns to music-making after having been diagnosed with cancer, channeling his new awareness of his mortality into his latest work.
Q&A with director Stephen Nomura Schible and writer Sadie Rebecca Starnes on Sunday, May 14th
44th Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival
Saturday, April 29 from 11:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Chelsea – 8th Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets
Admission: Free
The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) are hosting United We Stand, a festival celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which begins Monday, May 1. The spotlight will shine on a wide range of wonderful organizations, programs, and companies in the Pan Asian American community. There will be arts and crafts booths and vendors, including a Peking duck crepe maker!
With its beginnings as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in May 1979, CAPA has hosted fun-filled outdoor festivals bringing together diverse Asian American cultures through education and interaction. Its Asian American Community Hub serves to promote and amplify work that Asian American organizations have been providing to our community. CAPA provides an excellent opportunity to get to know and get involved with active Asian American organizations.
What CAPA Does
Promotes connection, communication, and collaboration among Asian American organizations
Fosters relationships within and outside the Asian American community
Promotes, represents, and advocates for the issues and interests of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities
Provides an environment to encourage Asian Americans to use their history, culture, and art to foster self-esteem and respect for our heritages while sharing Asian American cultures and contributions to society
Stop by the festival to learn more!
Announcing the japanculture•NYC membership program!
Since 2011 JapanCulture-NYC.com has been your English-language resource for All Things Japanese in New York City. We have a fresh look, and now we’d like to announce our new membership program! For only $5 a month, you’ll have access to exclusive content and cool benefits.
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Our first discount is to the Globus Film Series Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai that begins at Japan Society on Friday, April 28. To receive the code for $2 off any General Audience ticket, become a member of JapanCulture•NYC today! (This code for Rites of Passage cannot be used for additional discounts on Student/Senior/Japan Society member tickets.)
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The Films of Shinji Somai at japan society
Globus Film Series—Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai
Friday, April 28 through Saturday, May 13
Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Tickets: $15 | $12 seniors and students | $10 Japan Society members
Screening of Typhoon Club + Opening Night Party: $18/$15/$14
Japan Society is presenting the first North American retrospective on Japan’s foremost cineaste of the 1980s with the 2023 Globus Film Series Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai. Beginning Friday, April 28 with the sold-out world premiere of the 4K restoration of Typhoon Club this series spotlights director Shinji Somai, who is widely lauded in his native Japan but remains largely unrecognized in the West.
Series highlights include pop idol Hiroko Yakushimaru’s breakthrough Sailor Suit and Machine Gun—with screenings of both the theatrical and 1982 (kanpeki-ban) complete version; the North American Premiere of the 4K Luminous Woman restoration; and imported, archival prints of both Somai’s epic maritime tragedy The Catch and the pop-inflected Tokyo Heaven.
“A major figure in Japanese cinema, Shinji Somai’s recognition and influence are rarely discussed outside of Japan,” said Alexander Fee, Japan Society’s Film Programmer, “this series offers a special chance to rediscover one of Japan’s greatest filmmakers, whose formative works established a unique approach to filmmaking that continues to inspire the current generation today.”
Read Criterion Collection’s look at this series here.
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun ©1981 Kadokawa Corp.
About Shinji Somai
A pioneering filmmaker during what is oftentimes referred to as the “lost decade” of Japanese cinema, Somai came to prominence during the 1980s—a time when the nation’s film industry found itself in flux, perturbed by the collapse of the Japanese studio system in the previous decade. This transitional period would lead to the rise and development of independent productions, leaving Somai to serve as a crucial bridge into the post-studio era. Characterized by his demanding work ethic and innovative use of long takes, Somai forged a unique identity, working predominantly within the genre trappings of seishun eiga (youth films) and directing some of the era's most original and enduring works, five of which comprise Kinema Junpo's critics list for the best Japanese films of all time.
Somai’s acclaimed oeuvre encompasses an eclectic mix of generic and stylistic conventions, ranging from Kadokawa pop idol vehicles to Nikkatsu’s Roman Porno to independent art dramas—all underpinned by the filmmaker’s potent evocation of adolescence. Documenting the tempestuous rigors of youth, Somai’s output would remain a persistent influence on filmmakers to come—from Shunji Iwai and Shinji Aoyama to Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Somai’s frequent depictions of bodies of water—including torrential downpours and typhoons—parallel the emotional turbulence and volatility of youth, externalizing the alienating depths of growing up in an increasingly chaotic world.
Screening Schedule
Friday, April 28
Typhoon Club with Opening Night Party at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1985 | 115 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
With Youki Kudoh, Yuichi Mikami, Yuka Onishi
World Premiere of 4K Restoration. Shinji Somai’s beloved cult film Typhoon Club is widely heralded as the director’s seminal feature, considered to be one of the greatest Japanese films ever made. Offering a caustic immersion into the lives of disaffected junior high students on the cusp of adulthood, Typhoon Club features a lively cast of young talent—including idol Youki Kudoh (The Crazy Family, Mystery Train)—facing existential intrigues, budding sexuality, and rising social tensions in the days leading up to a typhoon’s arrival. Stranded in their schoolhouse as the storm settles in, the group undergoes an awakening as they dispel all—insecurities, fear, and desire—under the swell of the tempest. A Cinema Guild release.
Please note: This screening and Opening Night Party are SOLD OUT. Recently acquired by Cinema Guild, future release plans for Typhoon Club along with Somai’s 1983 postmodern road movie P.P. Rider are in the works, so if you can’t attend the April 28 show, you’ll have a chance to see it soon! Plus, there are nine screenings of six other Somai films in this Globus Film Series that you won’t want to miss!
P.P. Rider
Saturday, April 29
P.P. Rider at 2:00 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1983 | 118 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
With Tatsuya Fuji, Michiko Kawai, Masatoshi Nagase
Based on a story by Leonard Schrader (The Man Who Stole the Sun), P.P. Rider follows three friends—Jojo, Jishu, and Bruce—who, after witnessing the kidnapping of their class bully, try to rescue their tormentor from the grip of his yakuza captors. Aside from the occasional detour, the trio trail their kidnapped classmate across the country, running into a cast of seedy characters along the way—including a pair of layabout cops and a wiry, washed-up gangster played by Tatsuya Fuji (In the Realm of the Senses). Playful and referential, Somai’s farcical seishun eiga employs a variety of stylistic techniques and gags to offer an escapist summer fantasy of carefree misadventures in turn broaching a darker undercurrent despite its tongue-in-cheek demeanor. A Cinema Guild release.
Love Hotel at 5:00 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1985 | 88 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
With Minori Terada, Noriko Hayami
Echoes of the past reverberate when an ex-call girl and a debtor meet two years after the desperate and fateful night that first brought them together. An existential study of two lonely and tortured souls, Somai’s torrid pinku eiga follows the pair as they kindle a newfound friendship amid the chaos of their broken and dispirited lives. Somai, who started his career as an assistant director at Nikkatsu in the '70s, would not direct a feature for the studio until Love Hotel. Love Hotel is a melancholic entry into the studio’s legendary Roman Porno catalogue, set against the backdrop of a shimmering neon cityscape and soundtracked by Momoe Yamaguchi’s heartrending crooning.
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1982 Complete Version) at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1981/1982 | 130 min. (Complete), 112 min. (Theatrical) | Japanese with English subtitles
With Hiroko Yakushimaru, Tsunehiko Watase, Akira Emoto
Based on the popular youth novel by Jiro Akagawa, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun focuses on the life of schoolgirl Izumi Hoshi (Kadokawa idol Hiroko Yakushimaru) who inherits the reins of a dying yakuza clan and is thrown headfirst into a gangster feud. Vying for respect in an adult world, Izumi takes charge and challenges the violent drug cartel that threatens her clan. Between Somai’s skillful direction, a hit theme song and Yakushimaru herself—dressed in her iconic sailor fuku—Sailor Suit and Machine Gun had all the makings of a smash hit, emerging as a cultural phenomenon that catapulted Yakushimaru to widespread popularity and perfectly captured the zeitgeist of '80s Japan.
Luminous Woman
Friday, May 5
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (Theatrical Version) at 6:00 p.m.
Luminous Woman at 8:30 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1987 | 118 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
With Keiji Muto, Monday Michiru, Narumi Yasuda
Monday Michiru will introduce the film!
North American Premiere of 4K Restoration. A burly hulk of a man (pro-wrestler Keiji Muto) makes his way from Hokkaido to the decrepit trash heaps of outer Tokyo, searching for his beloved in what is perhaps Somai’s strangest feature. When he finds himself pulled into the gladiator pits of a Tokyo nightclub, the mountain man agrees to fight in exchange for information on his lost love. Operating within a bizarre carnivalesque realm of tightrope acts, acrobatic jesters and opera, Somai’s magenta-tinged Luminous Woman inhabits a dreamlike Tokyo underworld populated by tragic figures bearing forgotten hopes and dreams.
The Catch
Friday, May 12
The Catch at 7:00 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1983 | 140 min. | Japanese with English subtitles
With Ken Ogata, Masako Natsume, Koichi Sato
Imported 35mm Print. In Somai’s relentless and near-mythical tale of the high seas, a young man takes on the intergenerational calling of his girlfriend’s family—that of a tuna fisherman. Abandoning his father’s vocation, Shinichi (Koichi Sato) turns to his girlfriend’s father, Fusajiro, a leather-faced fisherman played by Ken Ogata, to teach him the ways of the sea but struggles to assimilate to the rugged and callous lifestyle. His doting girlfriend, Tokiko, finds herself caught in a current of emotional devastation as she tends to both men, witnessing the arduous occupation harden and shape Shinichi as he obsesses over mastering his new trade. Playing out as a family tragedy of repeated cycles of trauma and pain, Somai’s maritime odyssey is a modern-day Melvillian epic.
Tokyo Heaven
Saturday, May 13
Luminous Woman at 2:00 p.m.
P.P. Rider at 5:00 p.m.
Tokyo Heaven at 7:30 p.m.
Dir. Shinji Somai | 1990 | 109 min. | Japanese with live English subtitles
With Riho Makise, Kiichi Nakai, Tsurube Shofukutei
Imported 35mm Print. Up-and-coming model Yu (Riho Makise) finds her career aspirations abruptly cut off after being run over in a car accident, waking up shortly afterwards in the sweet hereafter. Tricking a heavenly emissary to send her back to earth, Yu returns to a world where she cannot come into contact with those who know of her demise, which includes her lecherous producer, who is attempting to cover up news of her death. Befriending lowly salaryman Fumio (Kiichi Nakai), Yu is given a new lease on life as she finds happiness living—not as a campaign idol but as an ordinary teenage girl. Capturing Tokyo at the tail-end of Japan's Bubble era, Somai’s charming pop fantasy is a lighthearted reflection on the transience of life and the simple pleasures of human connection and existence.
To purchase tickets, please visit Japan Society’s website.
For JapanCulture•NYC Members
Japan Society is offering a discount code exclusively for JapanCulture•NYC members who want to attend the Rites of Passage screenings! That’s right, JapanCulture•NYC has a new membership program, and receiving discounts such as this is one of the benefits. To receive the code for $2 off any General Audience ticket, become a member of JapanCulture•NYC today! (This code for Rites of Passage cannot be used for additional discounts on Student/Senior/Japan Society member tickets.) JapanCulture•NYC membership is only $5 a month! For details and to register, please click here.
Sakura
Sakura
Saturday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Goldish – 71 Murray Street (between W. Broadway and Greenwich Street)
Admission: $150
Ninja Ballet returns to New York City to grace the intimate space at Goldish, after a whirlwind tour in Mexico. In Sakura, artistic director Shoko Tamai hosts an Earth Day dance theatre celebration of the spring season, along with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Light refreshments will be served.
To purchase tickets, please visit Shoko Tamai’s Eventbrite page.
Photo by MANONCE
Performing Artists
Choreography — Shoko Tamai
Guest Dancer — Elisa Toro Franky
Shakuhachi — Adam Robinson
Drum (Music Arrangement) — Mal Stein
Artwork — Pedro Cuni
Tea Master — Yoshitsugu Nagano
About Ninja Ballet
Established 2017, Ninja Ballet is a fusion Eastern and Western dance methodology, practice, and performance. The company seeks to stimulate cross-cultural learning and environmental awareness through dance, music, and visual arts, while inspiring a new generation of enlightened movement artists. For more information, please visit their website.
