2012 marks the 100th Anniversary of the original gift of cherry trees from Japan to the United States in 1912. Planted at the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River in the nation’s capital and supplemented with more cherry trees over the years, the blossoming cherry trees of Washington DC have become a national treasure and attract hundreds of thousands of viewers to the “Cherry Blossom Festival” along the Potomac each spring. Japan will mark this Centennial with new gifts of cherry trees to Washington and to a number of other American cities, Boston among them. The Consulate General of Japan in Boston will arrange ceremonial cherry tree plantings in many Boston parks and public places. To accompany the new cherry trees, planning is now underway for a rich festival of Japanese cultural events in Boston, beginning in March 2012 and spanning more than three springtime months. Highlights of this festival include the events listed below. Many, many more festival events will be added during the coming weeks and months. For detailed information, schedules, details, and ticketing, please keep checking this website: www.japansocietyboston.org.
An Evening of Kabuki Dance
March 27: Paramount Theater, Boston
A spectacular presentation of classic dance pieces from the
Kabuki repertory, featuring Kabuki star performer Kotoji Bando.
(Presented by The Japan Society of Boston)
Anime Boston
April 6-8, Hines Convention Center, Boston
New England’s Largest Annual Celebration of
Japanese animation, comics and pop culture.
A not-to-be-missed festival and trade show of Anime art and publications.
Thousands attend, many in incredible anime costumes!
Boston Gagaku Concert
“From Centennial to Millennial Spring”
April 9, Boston Symphony Hall, Boston
The Kitanodai Gagaku Ensemble and
Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
will perform music by Tchaikovsky, and Gagaku
traditional Japanese Court Music.
Japan Society Annual Dinner
April 18, Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, Boston
The Japan Society of Boston’s single largest annual gala event.
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Kazuo Inamori (Chairman of Japan Airlines and Founder/Honorary Chairman of Kyocera Corporation). Other guests of honor will include Japan’s internationally acclaimed wheelchair marathoner Ms. Wakako Tsuchida.
The Kioi Sinfonietta
May 1, Sanders Theater, Cambridge
Japan’s celebrated chamber orchestra will present a single concert appearance at Harvard’s beautiful Sanders Theater
(Presented by The Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard, & The Japan Society of Boston).
The Beauty & Mystery of Japanese Textiles
May 2, Remis Auditorium, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Reiko Sudo, Japan’s brilliant textile designer and founder
of the world famous NUNO textile shop will speak on the transformation of traditional Japanese textiles into
contemporary works of art.
(Presented by the MFA and The Japan Society of Boston as the 2012 Rad Smith Program in Japanese Art)
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Many other “Sakura Festival” events in Spring 2012 will include exhibits, performances, demonstrations, receptions, concerts, film programs, and symposia.
