Photo from Moon Viewing 2021
Experience the magic of the Seattle Japanese Garden's Moon Viewing event, where two enchanting nights await you. As the garden comes alive with the soft glow of lanterns and luminaries, immerse yourself in a celebration that pays homage to the ancient Japanese tradition of お月見 (otsukimi). Step into a realm of timeless beauty as you wander through meticulously manicured landscapes, where nature and artistry intertwine in elegant harmony.
Performance
Underneath the moonlit sky, the moon viewing platform becomes a stage for captivating performances. Each night, three talented artists will grace the moon viewing platform, mesmerizing you with their music and dance.
Haiku Contest
Throughout the evening, the air will be alive with poetic inspiration as the Haiku Contest unfolds. Allow your creativity to flourish as you craft a haiku. Share your heartfelt verses and join in the timeless tradition of poetic contemplation, adding your voice to the chorus of those who have found solace and enlightenment under the moon's watchful gaze. Michael Dylan Welch from Haiku Northwest.
Tickets with Tea Ceremony and Paper-boat Wish
As this ticket with special features, you will be treated to the exclusive wonders that await within the Shoseian tea house. Witness the artistry and precision of a traditional tea ceremony, as skilled practitioners guide you through a sensory experience that embraces elegance and serenity. Furthermore, indulge in the magical tradition of launching a paper-boat adorned with a luminary onto the tranquil waters of the pond, a symbolic gesture that carries your wishes into the starlit night.
Experience the ethereal beauty, the captivating performances, the serene tea ceremony, and the poetic indulgence that await at the Seattle Japanese Garden's Moon Viewing event. Allow yourself to be swept away by the enchantment of this remarkable celebration, where the timeless allure of the moon and the artistry of Japanese culture intertwine to create an experience beyond compare.
Featured:
SATURDAY
Koto by Marcia Takamura and Flute by Esther Sugai
Michael Dylan Welch of Haiku Northwest
Tea Ceremony and Paper-Boat Launching with a special ticket by Kyoko Matsuda (Omotesenke-Style)
About Marcia Takamura and Esther Sugai:
Marcia Takamura
Began learning Koto and Shamisen from mother, Kuniko Takamura, director Seattle Miyagi Koto Association. Moved to Tokyo, Japan for intensive studies under Kiyoko Miyagi, (living national treasure) director of Miyagi Koto Association, Japan. Completed studies and completed teachers exam in Tokyo.
Has been actively performing classical and contemporary Koto/Shamisen music in various community events (Sakura Matsuri (Seattle), folklife, Bellevue, Japan Week, Olympia Japan Week, Nippon-kan Japanese Heritage Foundation concerts) throughout the Northwest Area.
Esther Sugai
Esther Sugai is a composer and flutist. She also plays a variety of traditional Japanese bamboo flutes: the shinobue used in folk and festival music, and the ryuteki (dragon flute), a gagaku instrument.
Esther has performed with One World Taiko and Inochi Taiko, and is a member of the Seattle Gagaku group. She also performs with Aono Jikken Ensemble, which specializes in live performances to silent Japanese films. Esther has a Masters degree in Music Composition from the University of Utah, where she studied with electronic music pioneer Vladimir Ussachevsky.
About Kazuko Kaya Yamazaki and Gabrielle Nomura Gainor
Kazuko Kaya Yamazaki
Growing up in Tokyo, Kaya began Japanese dance training at age four and received a master's license at age 18. After coming to the U.S., Kaya studied modern dance techniques and continued teaching Japanese dance. As dance critic George Jackson wrote, Kaya is "a versatile and vivid performer." Her repertoire spans from 18th-century Kabuki dances to her creations inspired by classical Japanese style and modern dance. Her distinctions include a Ph.D. in anthropology, Artist Trust Fellowship, Heritage Arts Apprentice Program master artist, and a Rockefeller Fellowship at the Asia-Pacific Performance Exchange residency. Kaya is the creator of the Yamazaki Method™, the world's first Japanese Dance training system registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Gabrielle Nomura Gainor
Gabrielle Nomura Gainor makes dances for healing, for being together in community—and for reclaiming what it means to be Asian American. Classically trained in ballet, they studied dance and journalism in college—later getting involved in racial justice work and activism in Seattle. Today, she is honored to lead a diverse, intergenerational group of Asian American artists. In 2023, this ensemble performed at Pride ASIA, Hiroshima to Hope, and in a film version of "Sadako and the Cranes" produced by Trial & Error Productions. This year, Gabrielle's work will also be included in a book of writing and art created by Okaeri, an LGBTQ+ Japanese American organization based in Los Angeles. Learn more about Gabrielle's dance projects at gabriellekazuko.com.
About Patrick Johnson
Patrick Johnson has played the shakuhachi -- the vertical bamboo flute of Japan -- for more than 25 years and is a senior student of Kakizakai Kaoru. Currently he is the founder and chief instructor of the Seattle Shakuhachi Study Group, a flute dojo that has its headquarters in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. Over the years Patrick’s primary interest has been playing and teaching Honkyoku, the meditation music that has been associated with Japanese Zen temples for many centuries. To learn more about this remarkable instrument, or to inquire about lessons or to book a performance, please contact Patrick directly at seattlebambooflute.org.