Japanese friendship Garden of Phoenix re-opening
Alex Underwood
Mesa Legend
The Japanese friendship Garden of Phoenix will be re-opening for its 2016-2017 season on Saturday, October 1st after closing for maintenance over the summer. The Japanese Friendship Garden first opened to the public in 2002 and has since grown into a beloved gem to visit in the city of Phoenix that offers a peaceful oasis for guests, as well as many cultural events and educational programs. In order to celebrate the opening day of the Garden, there will be a live performance featuring Ken Koshio, a local musician and peace advocate, along with Chieko Kojima from the Taiko performance ensemble, KODO. Along with the live performances, the Garden will also be hosting a silent auction in order to raise funds for the Garden, as well as the events, programs and future projects that go with it.Family Arts and Crafts will also be available.
Born in Japan, Ken Koshio is a world class Taiko drummer who has produced several cultural events and concerts in Arizona, including the Taiko and Roll live performance last spring that combined multi-cultural music with rock and roll; along with his performance at the Matsuri festival earlier this year as well. Ken Koshio has traveled the world as a street performer and is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona. He has collaborated with the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix on multiple occasions, most recently being his Way of Wa performance in 2015, which combined music from many different cultures in order to promote peace and harmony as a way of life. When asked about the Japanese Friendship Garden, Ken Koshio stated: “The Japanese Friendship Garden was built by the Sister Cities program. The architects who designed the Garden came from Himeji Japan and are cultural ambassadors who came to build the garden in the desert. Mentally and physically it is an oasis to be relaxed.”
Ken Koshio also collaborated with the Japanese Friendship Garden to produce the Japanese folk tale musical story, Sakura No Ne. On September eleventh, a little over a week ago, Ken Koshio hiked up CamelBack Mountain and performed on the summit of the mountain in prayer and remembrance of the many lives lost on that day fifteen years ago.Such acts like this are just the beginning of Ken Koshio’s long history of promoting peace and harmony through music. Chieko Kojima is Japanese folk dancer and one of Kodo’s founding members in 1981. Kodo is one of the best and well-known Japanese Taiko Troup touring worldwide. In addition to her work with Kodo, she also has an active solo career that is perhaps best characterized by her ongoing project, “Yukiai,” where she seeks out new encounters and collaborations with artists and taiko groups within Japan and throughout the world.
The event will be held from 10 am to 4 pm and general admission will be $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, students with ID and veterans. Kids six and under are free. The Voice of the Earth taiko concert will also be held on October 1st in Sedona, Arizona starring Ken Koshio and Chieko Kojima. The show will feature an ensemble of Taiko drums, which combines movement music and spirit to create a unique style of performance. Advance tickets are $20 for an adult and $10 for a student and can be bought at www.universe.com/voice-of-earth1. Tickets can also be bought at the door, the prices are $25 for an adult and $15 for a student. Doors open at 6 pm.More information can be found at www.sedonahub.org
