Day 88 - Embassy of Japan in Washington DC

With our Broadway opening 99% decided (official announcement soon) Sunshine Rakugo Road Show began the other day in very cool fashion indeed, appropriately at the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC!

There is a fascinating exhibit on now at the Japan Information and Culture Center called "Indigo Threads - Weaving Japanese Craftsmanship and American Heritage.

According to the Embassy website, it is an exhibition exploring the rich history of indigo dyed fabric and garments in Japan, including the current hype on Japanese denim and jeans. While the United States is undisputedly known to be the birthplace of blue jeans, traditional Japanese craftsmanship has helped resurrect the classical American blue jean in extraordinary ways in recent history. Visitors are invited to explore the question, “Why Japan?” through the eyes of the historian, manufacturer, marketer, consumer, and more.

In honour of the exhibition, and in collaboration with the exhibition, on June 11 and 12 I sported denim kimono (self-designed with partner Marie Fukuda and kimono maker Junko-Sensei of Tokyo), and presented two evenings of "denim rakugo". There was denim decorating the Rakugo stage and indigo threads on either side as well - a Canadian in a denim kimono doing Japanese Rakugo in English seemed a great fit for an exhibition "Weaving Japanese Craftsmanship and American Heritage".