Welcome to Art & Sake Yasugi-Bushi, Catching Fish Dance, and Rakugo, Traditional Storytelling  

$30 General / $25 Member 

includes Garden Admission for the day

Program Description

We invite you to our third Art & Sake event. Art & Sake events feature various Japanese artists paired with delicious Japanese sake varieties for our guests to enjoy.  

At this event we will introduce 2 traditional Japanese cultures with deep roots in the life of Japan. The first act is called Dojo Sukui. It is simply translated as Loach Catching Dance. This traditional dance came from Shimane, Japan. The guy in the farmer’s costume will try to catch the slippery fish but struggles doing it because the fish plays with him, splashing mud and water onto his face. Mr. Naoto Abe from Hiroshima Shudo University will be performing this dance.  

The other performance is called Rakugo, verbal entertainment(落語, literally "fallen words""). The lone storyteller sits on stage, called Kōza, using only a paper fan (扇子 sensu) and a small cloth (手拭 tenugui) as props. Without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the Rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story. Ms. Kanariya Peako, Ms. Kanariya Aimu, and Ms. Kanariya Zakuro will fly from Japan for this opportunity. 

Our RoHoEn market will be serving authentic Japanese sake of all kinds as well as Japanese beer and Jelly sake during the performance. 

Featured artists and their presenting arts

Mr. Naoto Abe  

Naoto has been performing Yasugi-Bushi since he was an elementary school student. In his hometown, he had many opportunities to experience local traditional performing arts from his early age. That is how he started performing it. He has the experience of winning the top position in Japan. Since then, he has performed in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Nara, Kyoto, and Kagawa. He hopes to introduce Yasugi-bushi to the world. Must see how he catches the loach, a slippery fish.   

Ms. Kanariya Peako

Peako has been performing English Rakugo in Japan and abroad for seven years and has 14 stories to tell. She has toured California, Denmark and Kazakhstan, and drew the audience to the humorous world of rakugo. She loves rakugo because people in the stories are lovable and charming despite the negative aspects of human nature such as stupidity, meanness, greediness, and forgetfulness. Her favorite stories include Refreshment Bag (Kan-nin Bukuro), Matsuyama Mirror (Matsuyama Kagami),  Make Your Choice as You Like It (Omitate) and The God of Death (Shinigami). She is a full member of the English Rakugo Association based in Tokyo.  

Ms. Kanariya Aimu 

Aimu has been performing English rakugo in Japan and abroad for seven years and has 14 stories to tell. She has toured Denmark and Arizona.  She started to learn English rakugo because she wanted to introduce Japanese culture and amuse many people in the world with rakugo. Her favorite stories include The Judgement of Tengu  (Tengu Sabaki), Prohibition Gate (Kinsyu Banya), The Wallet (Kami-ire) and The Dogs Eyes (Inu no Me).  She is a full member of the English Rakugo Association based in Tokyo.  

Ms. Kanariya Zakuro 

Having spent some time overseas during her childhood, Zakuro’s dream has been to become a bridge between Japan and other countries. She started practicing rakugo in 2019, hoping to perform for people visiting Japan for the Olympics in the following year. Her early years as a rakugo performer did not turn out to be what she had expected due to COVID; however, she is excited to start having opportunities to perform in the new normal environment. This is her first overseas rakugo show and she is delighted to perform in the United States where she went to university. Her favorite stories are Chiritotechin, A Pot of Poison (Busu), and The Wallet (Kami-ire). She is a full member of the English Rakugo Association based in Tokyo.  

Gate Opens & Check in at 16:30 pm

Program starts at 17:30 pm

Your prompt arrival will ensure a more pleasurable experience not only for yourself but for the other participants as well.

• 16:30 Open the gate 
• 17:30 Yasugi Bushi (Catching Fish Dance) 
• 17:45 Rakugo Commentary 
• 17:55 Rakugo “Matsuyama Kagami” by Ms. Peako 
• 18:10 Rakugo “Chiritotechin” by Ms. Zakuro 
• 18:25 Intermission 
• 18:50 Dojo Sukui (Catching Fish Dance) 
• 19:00 Rakugo “Tameshi Zake” by Ms. Aimu 
• 19:15 Tamasudare by Ms. Peako 
• 19:20 End 
• 20:00 Close the gate 

The Garden is located at 1125 North 3rd Avenue, between 3rd Avenue and Latham (2 blocks North of Roosevelt). Parking is available at the garden. 

When riding the Light Rail, exit at the Central and Roosevelt stop. The Garden is located on the west side of the rail, 0.3 miles from the station; it is directly behind the Irish Cultural Center (1106 N. Central Ave, Phoenix), just north of Portland Avenue. The Garden entrance is across the parking lot at 1125 N. 3rd Avenue.