We invite you to join us in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner for an afternoon of storytelling and sing-a-long. Our storytelling program is filled with traditional Japanese mukashi banashi –  “tales of long ago” presented by Rie Ogawara.

Rie was born in Nagano, Japan and as a child loved being read to and eventually loved reading classic Japanese tales and discovering the rich messages of human morality embedded within the story lines. Working as a nanny, Rie enjoyed reading to her young charges, as well as to seniors at nursing homes. She recognizes the power of the spoken word and appreciates the pleasure it can bring to the listener, as well as the reader. Rie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California-Berkeley.

These tales share a world in which good triumphs over evil, and where love, honesty, respect, hard work, and determination carry with them great power.

Come explore and learn about the culture of Japan through the folklore and folktales that have been told to generations. We have chosen stories and nursery rhymes that will appeal to the young and the young-at-heart.