Thursday, February 28
Lunch and Dinner: Solo Bistro
Solo Bistro, 128 Front St, Bath
Japanese-inspired menu featured at Bath’s award-winning restaurant. FMI: 443-3373
Friday, March 1
Movie: Jiro Dreams of Sushi 7 -9:00 pm
Patten Free Library Community Rm 33, Summer St., Bath
Documentary about 85-year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. A thoughtful and visually elegant meditation on work, family, and the art of perfection. Refreshments available. Free admission.
Saturday, March 2
Cheseborough Lap Swim 7 am – noon
Bath Area YMCA, 303 Centre Street, Bath
Swim and add your laps to help bridge the distance between Bath and its Japanese sister city! FMI: 443-4112
Children’s Hour
Patten Free Library Children’s Rm, 33 Summer St, Bath
Storytime, ages 4 and up 10:15-10:30 am
Carol McFadden, Children’s Librarian, will read Wabi Sabi, the story of a cat who lives in the city of Kyoto, Japan; then…
Pictorial Haiku, ages 7 and up 10:30-11:15 am
Children will learn about the Japanese poetry called haiku, through drawing their own pictures and words. Join Carol for the haiku fun! FMI: 443-5141
Ikebana Workshop 12:00-1:00 pm
Hampton Inn, 140 Commercial St, Bath
Learn the sculptural Japanese art of flower and plant arranging, and make your own, with instruction from Naomi Ryokufu of Ikebana in Maine. Participants bring their own materials and must pre-register. Limited space available. FMI or to pre-register 844-0510. Donations accepted
Family Festival 1:00-3:00 pm
Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Rd., Bath
Japanese games, crafts, and activities:See martial arts and the amazing Dragon Parade by Five Elements Mountain School of Martial Arts! Write your name in Japanese characters! Try Sumo wrestling using traditional miniature rice straw figures! See a display of costumed dolls traditional for Girls’ Day, March 3 in Japan! Make origami folded paper creations! Between 1 and 2 p.m., dye plain cloth in the traditional art of Shibori, transforming it into rich three-dimensional designs. Pick up your finished fabric piece an hour later at 3 p.m.! Refreshments available. Donations accepted.
Japanese Dinner 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Rd., Bath
Enjoy delicious Japanese food, plus chances to win fabulous gift baskets! Advance Tickets: adults $10, children $5, under 5 free. Available at Now You’re Cooking.
(Limited tickets may be available at the door: $12 and $6)
Bowdoin Taiko Drumming, Japanese Archery & Kimono Show 7 – 8:30 pm
Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Rd., Bath
Three Japanese traditions come to Bath for a fun family evening of entertainment! Bowdoin Taiko is an ensemble group which uses huge Japanese drums, and combines music, rhythm, and dance into a stunning audio-visual spectacle. They dazzled the audience last year with their performance, so don’t miss this rare opportunity! Kyudo, literally “The Way of the Bow”, is a martial practice using the unique bamboo Japanese bow. The fashion show features a range of beautiful Japanese kimonos modeled by Morse High School students, with narration by Pat Parker, who lived and taught for many years in Japan. Donations accepted.
Sunday, March 3
Cheseborough Lap Swim 9 am – noon
Bath Area YMCA, 303 Centre Street, Bath
Swim and add your laps to help bridge the distance between Bath and its Japanese sister city! FMI: 443-4112
Sunday Afternoon at the Library
All the following activities are at the Patten Free Library, 33 Summer St., Bath, and are free to the public.
Demonstration and talk by Arthur Davis, teacher and practitioner with over 30 years’ experience. He will bring examples from his own collection of more than 250 bonsai. Bonsai is a Japanese art form of cultivating miniature trees to mimic the shape and style of mature, full size trees.
“Creating Japanese-Inspired Gardens in Maine” 1:00 pm
Talk and slide presentation by Lee Schneller Sligh, owner of Lee Schneller Fine Gardens, Inc. Lee is a Master Gardener volunteer and has designed and built over 200 gardens in Maine. She has new slides from her recent trip to Japan!
Green Tea Ceremony
Two sessions 1:00–1:45, or 2:00–2:45 pm
The Japanese tea ceremony or “chanoyu” is an aesthetic pastime unique to Japan. The basis of the ceremony still practiced today was established in the 16th century. Practitioner Sachiko Clough will conduct the ceremony, which embodies “the beauty of studied simplicity and harmony with nature.” Limited space available. Call Patten Free Library, 443-5141 to reserve a space.
“Japanese Textile Craft” 2:00 pm
Artist Kathy Goddu will give a brief historical overview of two ancient Japanese textile crafts, traditionally done with indigo: Shibori (dyeing techniques) and Sashiko (quilt stitching), and will talk about her experience with each. Samples of her work will be on display.
Shamisen Performance 3:00 pm
Musician Hiroko Fogarty will perform on this traditional Japanese three-stringed instrument in the beautiful Patten Free Library reading room. Enjoy this special conclusion to a full weekend of exciting events!
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