29th Annual Katari Japanese Storytelling Festival – After Every Storm Comes a Rainbow –

The recording of the event is now available on the YouTube channel of Katari Japanese Storytellers! 

Step into a world of enchanting Japanese tales at our traditional storytelling event, celebrating Japanese culture through captivating narratives, folk songs, and musical performances!

Although the pandemic prevented us from holding in-person events for the past five years, Katari has evolved into a cherished tradition, spreading Japanese folklore, creativity, and language to the diverse communities of Canada. The Katari Japanese Storytellers’ programme showcases family-friendly traditional Japanese stories in English. This year’s theme, “After every storm comes a rainbow” (「待てば海路の日和あり」) promises a celebration of resilience, hope, and the triumph of positivity in the face of challenges.

Audience: General (6 yrs old and above)

Admission: Free (RSVP required)

Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes

Programme:

1. 「座敷わらし」菊池幸工 / Tatami Room Boy by Koko Kikuchi
2. 「山姥（やまんば）」田中裕介 / Mountain Woman by Yusuke Tanaka
3. 「さくらさくら」唄：白藤青湖 / Song Sakura Sakura by Seiko Shirafuji
       「春の海」琴：藤井愛子/ Koto solo The Spring Ocean by Aiko Fujii

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   -休憩- Intermission

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4.  グループ 弥栄 による民謡演奏 / Folk song performance by the group Iyasaka
        「こきりこ節」/ Kokiriko-bushi
        「津軽甚句」/ Tsugaru Jinku
        唄と小太鼓：秦佐千子 / Vocal & Framedrum by Sachiko Hata, 
        津軽三味線と尺八：Gerry McGoldrick /Tsugaru-shamisen & Shakuhachi by Gerry McGoldrick, 
        津軽三味線：Martin Posen / Tsugaru-shamisen by Martin Posen
5. 「浦島太郎」森俊樹 / Urashima Taro by Toshiki Mori
6. 「無手勝流」梅沢ルイ / The Art of Fighting Without Fighting by Rui Umezawa

*The event closing time may be extended by 10-15 minutes depending on the progress of the programme.　

JFT Library is open from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm to the public on Saturday, March 23. Feel free to explore our physical collection, with complimentary tea! Apply for a new JFT library card or renew your expired card here.

Storytellers

Sachiko Hata Born in Hyogo, Japan, Sachiko is an active community worker and singer at various local community events and she loves painting and teaching Etegami (picture card) craft, while practicing Voice Yoga everyday.

Koko Kikuchi Born in Tohoku, the northeast of Japan, Koko has been involved in Katari since its inception. He specializes in the folktales of his native region of Iwate, Northern Japan.

Toshiki Mori Toshiki started his career as storyteller of Kamishibai in Toronto and was invited to the Japan Festival 2020 in Ottawa. He currently lives in Yamagata, Japan and has been actively performing at libraries and schools.

Seiko Shirafuji Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture, she is a singer and folk dancer and a retired medical doctor. Seiko has been performing in community events and local festivals since 1995.

Yusuke Tanaka A veteran translator, writer, director of the Katari since 1994. He has been telling his own adaptations of Japanese folklore in many places such as New York, Seoul, Kyoto, Tokyo and Sapporo.

Rui Umezawa A Toronto writer and storyteller. His novel, The Truth About Death and Dying was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize for Best First Book. His past participation in Katari inspired his latest publication, Strange Tales Afar: Tales of the Supernatural from Old Japan.

Musicians

Aiko Fujii Started learning koto, shamisen and jiuta at an early age. She holds a koto teacher’s diploma in the Ikuta school from the Kyoto Todokai. Since 2017, she has experienced many concerts abroad, collaborative ensembles with other genres and teaching.

Gerry McGoldrick He has been involved with traditional Japanese music for over thirty years, and has played shamisen and shakuhachi in a variety of styles in Japan and Canada. A professor at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Martin Posen He is an acoustic guitarist and composer and is currently studying Minyo and Tsugaru shamisen with Omodaka Akiko.

Co-presented by

Supported by

Registration

This event is now fully booked, and registration is closed. Rush tickets will be available at the entrance on day of the event.