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Most summers, Japan House is closed in July, so we are not around to celebrate a simple, yet very sweet summer festival called Tanabata. This year, we have the opportunity to rethink what our events look like. We are so excited to announce our first opportunity to engage (lightly) with the public in a while.

Tanabata (七夕), also known as the "star festival", takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when, according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the Milky Way, are able to meet.

One popular Tanabata custom is to write one's wishes on a piece of paper, and hang that piece of paper on a specially erected bamboo tree, in the hope that the wishes become true.

Watch the special video presentation at 9am where Japan House Interns Sian, Lengxi and Qiqi present the story of Tanabata, as well as demonstrate 3 ways to make decorations and the special piece of paper called tanzaku. Click here to watch!

Walk by Japan House from 10am to 5pm where you will find special bamboo branches from which you can hang your wish or decoration. Weather-permitting, there will be additional supplies available for guests to make their own tanzaku. 

What will your wish be?

Please be respectful of the gardens and of each other by wearing face coverings and keeping a safe distance from other guests. NOTE: Parking near the Arboretum is not free during the day.
 
JAPAN HOUSE CARES
By not being able to interact with one another as we once did, the Japan House family has been trying to develop new ways of connecting with those that we love. Our newest effort is focusing on limited care packages that we are entitling, “Japan House Cares.”

These packages are ideal gifts to send to friends and family both far and near (or even as a gift for yourself!). We wanted to find a unique means of not only connecting with all of you, but to support our local businesses, artists, and friends from abroad. Each month, we will curate a thematic collection of Japanese and Asian goods that are created or distributed by these individuals and businesses.
 
For our inaugural package, our theme is matcha, powdered green tea, that is used for tea ceremonies. We have identified a delightful mix of products that use matcha as the primary ingredient. Locally, we must thank our dear friend, Jackie Wright of Wright Soapery for creating a matcha soap, and Green Onion, Asian Market on Neil Street, for working with us for the matcha Kit Kat and Pocky! We are pleased to introduce to you 3 different, delicious treats, along with tea, from the tea company in Kyoto, Marukyu Koyamaen, that we have been working with for over twenty years. 
 
We believe that this package will bring much joy to all who are true matcha lovers, but it will also be a wonderful introduction to someone new to the world of matcha!

JAPAN HOUSE CARES MATCHA PACKAGE - $75 (includes shipping)

CLICK HERE TO SHOP
Japan House Reflections

We are pleased to welcome former Director of Japan House, Professor Emeritus Kimiko Gunji to share her reflections on the word, “Ikasu,” (活かす).

The character 活 (katsu) means “living, life, and vigor.” Adding the hiraganaかす(kasu) to this character makes it a verb 活かす (ikasu), meaning to revive, vivify, revitalize, or invigorate. It can also be used in a broader sense meaning “to make the best use of, keep things alive, bring out the best, put the best use, and to capitalize upon something.”

Each day we see, hear, smell, taste and touch things. But how many of us experience things deeply? How many of us in everyday life penetrate into the depth of the things we see? So many of us live life only on the surface, missing the chance to make the most out of every opportunity to really see.

If we all took a bit more time to observe things carefully, how much more of the truth would be revealed to us, and how much richer could we make our lives? This also goes for hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. If we could use all five senses to their greatest advantage whenever we have an opportunity, how much more would we gain and how much more could we feel and sense in others. Most of us are lucky enough to have all of these five senses, so why not make the best use of them, enriching our own lives, and feeling more compassion for others. This word can be applied to many other everyday life opportunities — for work; for more time; for a new friendship; or for the chance to study.

During this pandemic, many of us are confined inside of homes, and some of us are getting tired with the situation, and, thus, we start complaining. But instead of complaining, I urge you to make good use of the time you have, and try to bring out the best of this difficult situation.

Live each moment of your life to the fullest and make the most out of it for yourself as well as for others. If you don’t make the effort, you are wasting your time, your opportunities, and your life. Life does just happen to us. It is up to us to make it ikasu.
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