Kouhei Nishino and Tsugumi Nishino who together hold the pen name, "KONOHANA SAKUYA", will travel to the six U.S. cities under the Japan Foundation's Cultural Exchange Program.  KONOHANA SAKUYA will present their insights of Japanese manga, including current business style and future trends.  The audience will also be introduced to the creator's visual contents of manga production in a 60 minute lecture followed by a 30 minute Q&A session.  This is a fantastic opportunity for Japanese anime fans.  Admission is free.  Open to the public.

Date/Time

Monday, November 9, 20097:00PM-8:30PM

Location

King Center Concert Hall

(855 Lawrence way, Denver, CO80204 (303) 556-2296

Kabuki with its magnificent beauty and highly refined artistry has made it a rare jewel among the great theater traditions of the world.Its actors must undergo years of rigorous training in order to master its three artistic components of music (ka), dance (bu) and drama (ki) before being allowed to perform before an audience.In order to create the magic that is seen on stage, kabuki actors are supported backstage by a team of unseen artisans and craftsman including costumer stylists, wig masters, musicians and prop masters.

The traveling kabuki theater “Backstage to Hanamichi”, featuring leading actors Nakamura Kyozo and Nakamura Matanosuke of the world-renowned Shochiku Company, provides the audience with a rare glimpse into the traditional world of this centuries-old theater and the painstaking preparation that leads up to an actor's grand entrance onto the hanamichi stage.

The lecture/performance includes performances of two kabuki dance classics: Sagi Musume (The Heron Maiden) and Shakkyo (Lion Dance), contrasting the lyrical style of the onnagata (actor specializing in female roles) with the dynamic, acrobatic style in the heroic Lion Dance.

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, October 24, 2009, 7pm

　Location　

　June Swaner Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center Performing Arts, University of Denver

　2344 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80208

　Admission　

　$25 General

Japanese Association of Colorado is sponsoring a showing of the video "Nisei Who Became Japanese Sumo Wrestler". Mr. Eiichi Tsukiji will join the showing as a special guest.

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, March 14, 2009　　1:00 p.m.

　Location

　JAC Officel

　1215 19th St, Denver, CO 80202

The Department of Music at Metropolitan State College of Denver will be presenting "Ode to Spring- the World of Japanese Sankyoku Music", a concert by Duo Sokyo. It will feature artists Yoko Hiraoka and David Wheeler. Free parking is available at the Tivoli lot and PTC parking.

　Date/ Time

　Thursday, March 5, 2009　　7:30 p.m.

　Location

　University of Colorado, Denver; Kenneth King Academic & Performing Arts Center, Concert Hall

The Japan-America Society of Wyoming (JASWY) will hold its third Japanese Film Festival at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne on Feb.28 and at University of Wyoming in Laramie on March 7. Free Admission, open seating.

(Cheyenne)

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, February 28, 2009　　1:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. "Hula Girls"/  7:00p.m.-9:15p.m. "Always: Sunset at 3-chome"

　Location

　LaramieCountyCommunity College (CCI bldg room 120)

　1400 E. College Dr., Cheyenne, WY 82007

(Laramie)

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, March 7, 2009　　1:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. "Always: Sunset at 3-chome, 2"/  7:00p.m.-9:00p.m. "Hula Girls"

　Location

　University of Wyoming (Classroom Building Room 133)

　1000 E., University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071

Click here for the further information.

"Hula Girls"

In 1965, a cold, northern Japanese coal mining town was facing unemployment due to reduced coal use as oil became the predominant energy source in Japan. In a desperate move to revive the town, local women and an urban-born dance instructor from Tokyo formed a hula dance group as a major attraction of a Hawaiian-theme resort the town plans to build. Based on a true story. (2006, 107 minutes, comedy/Drama)

"Always: Sunset at 3-chome"

Set in Tokyo in 1958, this film depicts human dramas of downtown residents who lived at the time of the construction of the Tokyo Tower. (2005, 133 minutes, comedy/Drama)

"Always: Sunset at 3-chome, 2"

The story revolved around a young man (Chagawa Ryuunosuke) who aspires to become a professional novelist. The sequel has the same cast and crew from the first film. (2007, 145 minutes, comedy/Drama)

The Program for Teaching East Asia, the CU Center for Asian Studies, and the Japan America Society of Colorado is sponsoring a showing of the award-winning documentary Wings of Defeat. Both the director and producer of the film will be present for comments and a discussion.

　Date/ Time

　Thursday, February 26, 2009　　6:00 p.m.- 8:15 p.m.

　Location

　CU Boulder; Eaton Humanities Room 150

　Contact：　casevent@colorado.edu　　(303) 735-5511

Noh is one of the oldest performance arts in the world, featuring rhythmic musicians, choral chanters and masked actors. Japan Foundation, Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Consulate-General of Japan at Denver, University of Colorado Denver’s College of Arts and Media along with several others have put forth the support needed to bring this performance to Denver. Principal noh actor Shizuka Mikata will be joined by four exceptionally talented performers from the KanzeSchool to demonstrate this traditional art.

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, February 14, 2009　　8:00 p.m.-

　Location

　University of Colorado, Denver; Kenneth King Academic & Performing Arts Center, Recital Hall

　Admission

　Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved by calling the King Center Box Office at (303) 556-2296.

The 2009 Colorado Garden & Home Show will be held from February 7th – 15th. The show is known as the oldest, largest and most prestigious garden and home show in the Rocky Mountain Region.

While celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Garden & Home show, the Ohara school has been participating in the flower circle for over 15 years and will supply an arrangement again this year. The arrangement by the Ohara School of Ikebana Denver led by master instructor Akiko Buckmaster won the award for Best Floral Display in 2008 (Please see the picture at right).

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, February 7- Sunday, February 15, 2009　Sat:10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Weekday: 12:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

　Location

　Colorado Convention Center

　700 14th St. Denver, CO80202

　Admission

　General Admission $12, Senior Ticket (at the door) $10, Kids 12 and under Free.

　(Discount Ticket at all Tickets West outlet in King Soopers $10.)

The Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple, the Japanese Association of Colorado and the Uta Gassen Executive Comittee will be co-hosting the "34th Denver Red & White Singing Competition" in accordance with the schedule below. On the day of this event, they will serve obento-boxes for $10 and there will be door prizes at the end. The competiotion will be recorded and both copies (DVD/ VHS) will be sold later.

　Date/ Time

　Saturday, January 24, 2009　　11:00 a.m. Doors open/ 12:00 p.m. Competition begins

　Location

　Denver Buddist Temple

　1947 Lawrence St., Denver 　　(303) 295-1844

　Admission

　$8 (Admission is free for people 15 years and under/ 75 years and older.)