Mariko Kitakubo to Perform at Altadena Library

Mariko Kitakubo, an esteemed Japanese poet visiting the US this March, will be part of the lineup at Altadena Library’s A Taste of Japan program to be held this Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m. in the Barbara J. Pearson Community Room of the Main Altadena Library. 

Mariko’s delightful style of tanka poetry has the flavor of a joyous song. Other elements of this fascinating program include an authentic Japanese tea ceremony by Naomi Onizuka; an illustrated talk on the beauty of Japanese food by Maureen Nyham, President of the Japan Arts Council at Pacific Asia Museum; excerpts from Puccini's Madame Butterfly (set in Japan) with short art video interpretation by Susan Dobay with tanka inspired by the art; and Japanese snacks. 

This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library . The Main Altadena Library is located at 600 E. Mariposa St, Altadena, 91001. For more information please call (626) 798-0833 or check the library’s website at www.altadenalibrary.org

Mariko Kitakubo of Mitaka-city, Tokyo, has made over 100 tanka presentations world-wide to great acclaim.  She has five books of tanka including two bilingual ones:  On This Same Star and Cicada Forest. She has also produced a CD of her tanka, titled "Messages."  Mariko is a member of the Association of Contemporary Tanka Poets, Kokoro no Hana, The Japan Writer's Association, Japan PEN Club, Japan Tanka poets club, Tanka Society of America, and Tanka Online Project. She hopes to encourage more poetry lovers worldwide to appreciate and practice tanka. For more information about Mariko please see her website: http://tanka.kitakubo.com/english