by Activities Director, Julie Hubbard

To start the New Year off right we are honored to have Baisho Matsumoto, world-renowned contemporary tsugaru shamisen player perform here. Mr. Matsumoto is traveling here from Japan. He has actively performed Japanese folk songs throughout Japan and in Europe, including television programs, radios, CDs, recitals, lectures, dinner shows and in concerts in Western music performances for more than 30 years. Experience Japan through the dynamic sounds of Japanese folk songs on Wed, January 5^th from 10:30-11:30 am.

On Wednesday, January 26^th our own Yu-Ai Kai Senior Karaoke Club Dancers will be performing. This group performed at least ten different places this year from here to Sacramento even Casa de Fruta! If last year is any indication of this groups talent, we are in for a treat.

February

Tomoko Yoshida another visitor from Japan will be sharing her Japanese storytelling talent here on Monday, February 14^th starting at 10:00 am. In Japan, Mrs. Yoshida was a radio broadcaster at the Mineshi broadcasting company and also helped the royal family with an album. She describes her storytelling as “popular song without singing”, she tells modern folk tales written by Ryusuke Saito. Please note: Mrs. Yoshida will only be speaking in Japanese, there will be no interpretation

On Wednesday, February 16^th from 10:30 – 11:30 am, Kazuko Muramoto and Kanow Matsueda have graciously agreed to perform here again. Mrs. Muramoto received the honorary degree of Tobiume no Tsukasa Dai Shihan. She is the only Koto master outside of Japan to hold such an honor.