Morikami has Sado Tea, Raking Demonstration and Taiko Drumming in March

Artist Pinar Sinka presents a Butoh dance performance. [Photos by Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens]

The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach offers a wide range of cultural programs and hands-on workshops throughout March, giving visitors opportunities to explore traditional Japanese arts, cuisine and performance.

Located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach, the museum’s March lineup includes classes in ceramics, tea ceremony, textile dyeing, bonsai, poetry, sushi-making and taiko drumming, along with live performances and demonstrations inspired by centuries-old Japanese traditions.

On March 14, the museum will host Sado: The Way of Tea demonstrations at noon and 1:30 p.m. Guests can observe the traditional tea ceremony and experience its guiding principles of harmony, reverence, purity and tranquility, while enjoying matcha green tea and a traditional sweet. The program costs $5 with paid museum admission.

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Nature and mindfulness intersect during the Karesansui: Raking Demonstration on March 19 at 10:30 a.m., where visitors can observe how Morikami’s dry landscape garden is carefully raked to symbolize water currents and waves. Rooted in Zen philosophy, the practice is often described as a form of meditation. The demonstration is free with paid museum admission.

Performance art comes to the museum on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m., when internationally trained artist Pinar Sinka presents a Butoh dance performance. Butoh, an avant-garde form of Japanese dance theater that emerged in 1959, blends movement, expression and philosophy in a powerful stage performance. Sinka, founder of the South Florida-based PIArtButoh organization, studied with leading Butoh masters in Japan and Malaysia. Tickets are $20, or $15 for members.

The month concludes with two programs celebrating the rhythm and movement of Japanese drumming. On Sunday, March 29, visitors can participate in The Way of Taiko – The Heartbeat of Japan, a workshop introducing the history and techniques of taiko drumming. Sessions are offered 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., with a fee of $70. The workshop is led by performers from Fushu Daiko, a South Florida group recognized by Seiichi Tanaka, founder of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

Taiko drumming performance at the Morikami Museum.

Those interested in continuing their study can enroll in the Taiko Class, beginning Tuesday, March 31, with sessions for adults from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and for students in grades three through twelve from 4 to 5 p.m. The five-week course introduces participants to the cultural traditions and techniques of taiko drumming. The cost is $135, or $130 for members, and instruments are provided.

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The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach, is dedicated to sharing Japanese culture and heritage through exhibitions, gardens and educational programming. For more information or to register for classes, visit morikami.org.