Megumi Tanaka, a member of the Wa-Wa-Wa Club, practices on her koto before her performance during Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. The koto is the national instrument of Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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The Nishizuka School performed Nambu local dancing to welcome patrons to the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3, 2010, outside the Misawa Collocated Club Misawa Air Base, Japan. Japan Day is an opportunity for Misawa service members and their families to immerse themselves in various aspects of the Japanese culture. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield)

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A Japanese boy with the Makibano Drummers, plays a Taiko drum during the opening ceremony of Japan Day April 3, 2010 at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. The drummers were one of many performances throughout the day. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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Col. David Stilwell, 35th Fighter Wing commander, and Kazumasa Taneichi, Misawa City Mayor, watch as a Japanese girl plays the koto, a traditional Japanese instrument, during Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. The Misawa International Club worked with volunteers from the base to bring the Japanese and American communities together. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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Megumi Tanaka, a member of the Wa-Wa-Wa Club, practices on her koto before her performance during Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. More than 600 Japanese locals visited the base to take part in the events. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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A Japanese girl with the Makibano Drummers, plays a Taiko drum during the opening ceremony of Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. Taiko, meaning "great" or "wide drum", is a percussion instrument used for classical and traditional Japanese folk music. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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Yamamoto Harushiko, a local toin potter, carves a pot during Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mr. Harushiko was one of the two potters that came on base to show his craft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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Yamamoto Harushiko, a local toin potter, carves a pot during Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Tohoku Enlisted Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mr. Harushiko demonstrated the art of pot-making to American and Japanese guests. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Chad C. Strohmeyer)

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Chief Petty Officer Janssen Jascha, of Combined Task Force 72, follows Yashiro Takebayashi's guidance during a calligraphy lesson as part of the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Misawa Collocated Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. Chief Jascha spelled the name of his son, Lars, using Japanese Katakana characters. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)

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Kazu Suzuki shows Bryan Perdue, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron base planner, how to play the koto during the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Misawa Collocated Club, Misawa Air Base, Japan. Mrs. Suzuki is a koto student who volunteered to play the traditional Japanese instrument during this year's event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)

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Catherine DeJager, with the assistance of Noritake Toyoshima, makes kogin embroidery during the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3, 2010, at the Misawa Collocated Club, Misawa Air Base, Jaopan. Japan Day featured Japanese events, activities and entertainment for Misawa service members and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jamal D. Sutter)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Nana Miyano, Sokyoku Seigensha koto player, performs during the 23rd Annual Japan Day at the Collocated Club April 3. A koto is a traditional Japanese string instrument played by pinching and plucking the strings. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- A dancer with the Towada Hanasuzukai performs a traditional Japanese dance during the 23rd Annual Japan Day at the Collocated Club April 3. The stage performances gave Americans stationed at Misawa Air Base a chance to see Japanese heritage and culture. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Japanese and Americans sing and dance to Nebuta music during the 23rd Annual Japan Day at the Collocated Club April 3. The annual Nebuta Festival is one of the largest festivals in northern Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- A Japanese woman performs a folk dance accompanied by shamisen music during the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3 at the Collocated Club. The shamisen is a three-stringed fretless lute common in Japanese folk music with a sound similar to a banjo. The Tsugaru shamisen used in the performance is unique to northern Japan with a longer neck for a deeper sound. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Members of the Towada Suijin Thunder Drummers perform "Kabuki" on taiko drums during the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3 at the Collocated Club. Taiko originated as a form of spiritual worship and is now commonplace in a variety of settings from Japanese festivals to film scores. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Junko Takaya, member of the Towada Suijin Thunder Drummers, dances in front of the stage during the 23rd Annual Japan Day April 3 at the Collocated Club. Japan Day is an annual celebration of Japanese culture, and serves as a precursor to its sister festival, American Day, scheduled to take place June 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Members and instructors from the Misawa Youth Kendo Team teach American children how to perform a head strike during Japan Day April 3 at the Collocated Club. The kendo team was one of three martial arts organizations who demonstrated their disciplines and offered Americans a chance to try them. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

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Cultures blend during Japan Day

Published April 5, 2010