Lauritzen Gardens Japanese Festival

I just attended a few hours of the Japanese Festival at Lauritzen Gardens this afternoon and loved it! I wanted to let everyone know that it is worth it to go spend a beautiful Fall day there tomorrow and attend festival events. The festival is happening tomorrow from 10-4. The gardens are open from 9-5. See a schedule of Sunday Japanese Festival events. You can see a tea ceremony, martial arts, musical performances, and a unique bonsai display. There are activities for both kids and adults, plus you can enjoy the garden!

Maybe it’s because I played percussion in high school, but my favorite part of today’s events was the taiko drumming performance. Check out the video clip below. ⤵️

I was so inspired I am even considering taking lessons either in Omaha or Lincoln from the instructor who performed today. I was supposed to go to Japan for three weeks in May of 2020. Thanks to Covid, that didn’t happen. Isn’t it cool that I only had to drive about 10 miles to see some of the same things I would have seen?

Perhaps this is obvious, but you don’t always have to travel far (or across the world) to have a cultural experience. This weekend I have seen a tea ceremony and chanting of Tibetan monks (at Kaneko) and a Japanese taiko drumming presentation, both less than 10 miles from my home and at a very reasonable cost. The great thing is that sometimes the world comes to you! Do all you can to take advantage of it. You will be richly rewarded. You might make a new friend, discover a new hobby, or find yourself marveling how wonderfully diverse our planet is. 😌

Taiko Drumming