Photos by KATHEE YAMAMOTO
The 49th annual Bunka-Sai Japanese Cultural Festival was held April 20 and 21 at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, featuring food, entertainment, crafts and displays. It’s sponsored by the Torrance Sister City Association, whose members served as volunteers. Above: L.A. Miyake Kai’s taiko performance featured Jen Baik, Fred Visaya and Aki Imai
Author and illustrator Sunny Seki shows how the origins of the Daruma figure are explained in his book “Yuko-chan and the Daruma Doll.” His newest book, scheduled for release Sept. 10, is “Hokusai’s Daughter: A Young Artist in Old Japan,” which tells the story of painter and printmaker Katsushika Hokusai’s youngest daughter Eijo, who became a trailblazing artist in her own right.
Newly-elected Torrance City Councilmember Jeremy Gerson at a display of children’s art from students of the Saga Art Center. Gerson was adult leader for the 2017 Torrance exchange student group that visited Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. He was also part of the delegation from Torrance that celebrated the landmark 50th year of the sister-city relationship in Kashiwa last October.
Tea ceremony demonstration by Urasenke Tanko Kai Los Angeles Association.
Nancy Hayata’s Tierra Murra by Ecommshipments booth included hand-crafted clothes, jewelry and “Scrubbies,”? machine-washable substitutes for sponges, some created to resemble sparkly sushi.
Doyle Saito (left) and Jason Saito, president and vice president, respectively, of Dai Ichi Bonsai Kai, a bonsai club that meets in Gardena. The club’s exhibit of bonsai and Jason’s demonstration on how to create a saikei or landscape bonsai were part of the festival.