[ WEEKEND ]

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JAPANESE MATSURI A mother and her child present an offering during a cultural dance at last year's new year festival.

Another week,
another new year

Japanese festivals gets a jump
on the Year of the Horse, with
music and dance

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Star-Bulletin

The local Japanese community will do its part to welcome the Year of the Horse (officially Feb. 12) with tonight's Matsuri, a Japanese Festival at Honolulu Hale, a preview for the New Year's Festival being held Sunday at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in Moiliili.

As part of the city's continuing ethnic heritage series, Matsuri will fill the courtyard with taiko and koto music, dance and martial arts demonstrations beginning at 7 p.m.

After an introduction of the Cherry Blossom court, Mayor Jeremy Harris will help participate in a good luck candy toss for the keiki.

Members of the Taiko Center of the Pacific will then lead off the evening's entertainment, followed by the 16-member folk dance ensemble Miyazono Minyo Buyo Kai.

Around 8, kendo master Shigeo Yoshinaga will lead his Kenshikan Kendo Club through a demonstration, and the evening will end with performances by Sawai Koto Kai and Ryukyu Kobudo Taiko (Okinawan drumming).

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Representatives from the University of Hawaii Lab School Kimono Program will give a demonstration of kimono dressing at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, 5th floor.

A festival tent in the courtyard will also be distributing free engimono (bamboo branches with good fortune paper cutouts) for people to take home, paper daruma, Year of the Horse T-shirts with an exclusive woodcut-style design by Cane Haul Road's Grant Kagimoto, as well as offering arts and crafts for kids throughout the evening.

ALL THIS IS just a small preview for the bigger festival on Sunday, which will also include more martial arts demonstrations including judo, karate, bojitsu and naginata, cultural lectures, kamishibai (storytelling), nakamise (marketplace) and Japanese foods.

On the fun side, JN Productions will set up a Kikaida booth, and festival-goers can also help judges select the first Sour Plum Seed Queen in the Miss Umeboshi drag parody contest at noon. Brave men will be transformed into nervous and ambitious beauty contestants with a hair, cosmetic and yukata makeover, as they attempt to keep their "feminine" poise intact while vying for the coveted title.

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the center, located at 2454 S. Beretania St. While admission is free and parking will be available, a festival supporters' $25 coupon will be available that will offer a free Year of the Horse T-shirt, a discount on all food purchases and a special festival souvenir.

For more information, call 945-7633.

JAPANESE MATSURI

Where: Honolulu Hale
Time: 7 p.m. today
Admission: Free
Call: 945-7633

The schedule

7 p.m. -- Opening and welcome
7:15 p.m. -- The Taiko Center of the Pacific
7:35 p.m. -- Miyazono Minyo Buyo Kai
8 p.m. -- Kenshikan Kendo Club
8:20 p.m. -- Sawai Koto Kai Hawaii
8:50 p.m. -- Ryukyu Kobudo Taiko

NEW YEAR FESTIVAL

Where: Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, 2454 S. Beretania St.
Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
Admission: Free
Call: 945-7633

The schedule

9 a.m. -- Opening ceremony in the Manoa Ballroom, New Year's blessings by the Rev. Daiya Amano of Izumo Taishakyo Mission

Courtyard

9:30 a.m. -- Taiko Center of the Pacific
10:30 a.m. -- Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko
11 p.m. -- Mochi pounding by Tenrikyo Mission
Noon -- Miss Umeboshi beauty contest
1 p.m. -- Kamishibai (traditional storytelling)
2 p.m. -- Ryukyu Kobudo
2:30 p.m. -- Taiko performance by Shinyo-En

Dojo

9:30 a.m. -- Kenshikan Kendo Club
11 a.m. -- Japan Karate Shoto-kai
Noon -- Tangentz (Butoh dance)
1 p.m. -- Hawaii Naginata Federation

Gallery (all-day):

Art exhibition, hands-on arts and crafts activities for the keiki ($5 supply fee required), plus a talks by Dr. George Tanabe on omamori (good luck charms) and ema (talismans) and Joan Namkoong on festival traditions, plus signings of her book "Go Home, Cook Rice."

5th floor stage

9:15 a.m. -- Kenbu (sword dance) by Hawaii Shinryu Kai
9:45 a.m. -- Minyo dancing by the International Society for the Arts Tamamikai and Miyashiro Minbu Kai
10:45 a.m. -- Sawai Koto Kai Hawaii
11:30 a.m. -- Karaoke by Urata Music Studio
Noon -- Minyo dancing by Kilauea Minbu Kai and Harada Naoyuki Kai Hawaii
1 p.m. -- Kamishibai (traditional storytelling) by Janice Terukina and James Grant Benton
1:30 p.m. -- Taisho koto by Hawaii Yuzan Kai
2:15 p.m. -- Minyo dancing by Miyazono Minyo Buyo Kai

5th floor display

All-day exhibition of ikebana, bonsai, Japanese swords and miniatures, plus all-day demonstrations of calligraphy, origami, anime showings, shishu (Japanese embroidery), kumihimo (decorative cord braiding), basket making, chigirie (paper mosaic art), go gaming and tea ceremonies.

At 1 p.m. there will be a kimono dressing demonstration by the University Lab School Kimono Program, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., te-uchi soba (handmade buckwheat noodles) will be made by Yabusoba Restaurant.

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