Boston Flora

Tag: Showa Boston Institute

  • Friday, April 12, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Taiko Drumming in the Cherry Blossoms

    In Japan, the appearance of cherry blossoms (sakura) in early spring is marked by festivals, family gatherings, and flower viewing where the trees thrive. At the Arnold Arboretum, the cherry collection along Forest Hills Road draws visitors to enjoy their spectacular and ephemeral displays. Among the showstoppers is the Sargent cherry, which was introduced to North America by the Arboretum and named for our founding director who collected the species on his 1892 expedition to Japan.

    Come celebrate sakura and Japanese culture in our Bradley Rosaceous Collection near the ponds and the Forest Hills Gate on Friday, April 12 from 6–7 p.m. Enjoy the rhythms of Taiko drumming by Karen Young and KASA Taiko from 6–6:30 p.m. and learn calligraphy and Japanese games with Showa Boston Institute. Visitors are welcome to bring a blanket to sit on for the performance. This event is appropriate for all ages.

  • Saturday, November 20, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm – Kodo: An Afternoon of Incense Appreciation

    Mr. Masataka Hata, President of the Shoyeido Incense company of Kyoto will return to present this popular Japan Society of Boston program at the Showa Boston Institute, 420 Pond Street in Boston on Saturday, November 20. This program is limited to 12 people per session. It sold out last year very quickly. Priority will be given to Japan Society members, seats for non-members will be made available if any remain after November 1st.

    The program will be in two parts: first, participants will engage in the classic incense game known as “kumiko” or “genji-ko,” a favorite pastime of courtiers, as depicted in The Tale of Genji. The incense game will take place in Showa Boston’s beautiful Sanzashi-an tea-house. A more perfect setting for experiencing incense as it was known to Prince Genji and Lady Murasaki does not exist in New England. The second part of each session will be a workshop where each participant will create their own fragrance to take home in an incense sachet.

    2 sessions at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Each session includes both the incense game and the sachet workshop. Seating is limited to 12 people per session. Please register soon to reserve your seat. $15 per person (JSB members); $30 (non-members) www.thejapansocietyofboston.camp9.org/Default.aspx?pageId=321976&eventId=226303&EventViewMode=EventDetails