Re: the July 22 article "Tokyo to Tucson."
I loved your article on sharing Japanese Culture in the desert. As someone who has always been fascinated with Japan, I've enjoyed finding ways to bring a little of the culture to me. Some other wonderful expressions of Japanese culture can be found here including Odaiko Sonora, a local taiko (Japanese drumming) group, the Sakura Tea Circle, who are devoted to Japanese Tea Ceremony, and the Japanese New Year's Festival, usually held in January which takes all these wonderful groups, including the ones you wrote about, and showcases them all for one special occasion. There is also the annual Japanese speech contest, and Japanese archery and calligraphy being taught in Tucson. Being someone who has dabbled in many of these, and a current member of the Sakura Tea Circle, I can personally say that exploring another culture, no matter which one, can be a deeply rewarding experience. The world is a vast, beautiful kaleidoscope of peoples and practices. And Tucson is special in the way it brings the world together.
Marnie Sharp
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.