Spring Break
Getting down in Japantown
Theater, dance and martial arts showcase
'Spirit of Japantown'
Rie Nakanishi
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: News
Kika Shibata, Ikebana shihan - Japanese for flower arrangement instructor - and one of the event participants, recalled that the only Japanese culture Americans encountered was eating sushi and raw fish when she first came to America 40 years ago.
"It came a really long way," Shibata said of the Japanese culture, especially of the Japanese arts such as Ikebana and Bonsai.
People's reaction to Ikebana at that time was, "Ikebana? What is that? Few flowers in the container?" Shibata said.
However, Americans today are more interested in and aware of Ikebana, Shibata said.
"(It) seems like they know more than some Japanese people. This is a good opportunity to be a part of this special event. It's a spirit of Ikebana, a spirit of Japanese culture," she said.
Kylie Morioka, a sophomore international business major, said it was her second time visiting the festival, and she brought two friends who had never experienced Japanese culture and food.
"I like it," she said. "I came to see San Jose Taiko."
One of the main performances of the festival was San Jose Taiko - an ensemble of Japanese drumming - which attracted a lot of festival visitors. The team played a total of five pieces, including traditional Japanese Taiko tunes and a fusion of Japanese and Cuban tunes.
"Being part of the San Jose community is very important to San Jose Taiko as well as going out on the road to show Taiko to the rest of the country," said Gary Sakaki Wong, a graduate student of SJSU and one of the performers of San Jose Taiko.
"It's just a fun event to feel part of the Japantown community and also the San Jose community as well," he added.
"It came a really long way," Shibata said of the Japanese culture, especially of the Japanese arts such as Ikebana and Bonsai.
People's reaction to Ikebana at that time was, "Ikebana? What is that? Few flowers in the container?" Shibata said.
However, Americans today are more interested in and aware of Ikebana, Shibata said.
"(It) seems like they know more than some Japanese people. This is a good opportunity to be a part of this special event. It's a spirit of Ikebana, a spirit of Japanese culture," she said.
Kylie Morioka, a sophomore international business major, said it was her second time visiting the festival, and she brought two friends who had never experienced Japanese culture and food.
"I like it," she said. "I came to see San Jose Taiko."
One of the main performances of the festival was San Jose Taiko - an ensemble of Japanese drumming - which attracted a lot of festival visitors. The team played a total of five pieces, including traditional Japanese Taiko tunes and a fusion of Japanese and Cuban tunes.
"Being part of the San Jose community is very important to San Jose Taiko as well as going out on the road to show Taiko to the rest of the country," said Gary Sakaki Wong, a graduate student of SJSU and one of the performers of San Jose Taiko.
"It's just a fun event to feel part of the Japantown community and also the San Jose community as well," he added.
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