Kaze Daiko (youth group performing Taiko, Japanese drumming)

Kaze Daiko is a performing taiko group for youth and young adults. The group is organized and run by youth performers and their parents with an emphasis on supporting the local community with public and private performances throughout the year. All performance requests are given equal consideration. Kaze offers ongoing drop-in classes and workshops for youth ages 7-18. Interested youth may enter into apprenticeships to become performing members.

Kaze is a community-focused organization with strong ties to the local Japanese-American community – but participation is not limited to the Japanese American youth. In Kaze Daiko, we strive to develop an appreciation of Japanese music and movement; to learn about Japanese and Japanese American culture, history and heritage; to help members develop and maintain a sense of identity, pride and self-confidence; to reach out to a broader community in support of diversity, tolerance and mutual education; to foster teamwork and unity of purpose.

Kyoko Hasegawa / Terra Bella  (interactive ikebana – traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement – demonstration)

Tomo Nakayama (musical performance)

Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Tomo Nakayama has explored the lines between intimate indie folk, exuberant synth pop, and cinematic soundtracks for over two decades. Best known for placements in Netflix’s “House of Ninjas” and the Sundance Grand Jury nominated film “Touchy Feely”, Tomo’s music has been praised by NPR, KEXP, and the New York Times, and his hit single “Get to Know You” received over 2 million streams worldwide. His latest album “Ocean” is out now on Porchlight Records. www.tomonakayama.com

Kristi Nakata / Kristi Knots (Macrame, weaving, and fiber art)

Kristi Nakata (she/her) is a Yonsei (fourth generation) Japanese American fiber artist born and raised in the Seattle area, on Duwamish and Coast Salish land. Kristi creates macraweave wall hangings combining techniques of macramé and weaving. Inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, she creates mountainscapes and abstract interpretations of the colors of our region. Her macramé products include bags, coasters, keychains, plant hangers, and more.

PeachyxNoodle (Kawaii/cute aesthetics, creating cute things to brighten your day)
Curated by Rinjin Art Market

Hello! I am an illustrator from Japan creating cute things to brighten up your day! I design and produce everything myself, focusing mostly on the kawaii/cute aesthetic. I’m always experimenting and learning how to create new products and new art styles, and I am excited to share my art with everyone as I continue to grow! I love to create happiness and smiles through my work! peachyxnoodle.carrd.co

Yuzumakes (Japanese foods, characters, memes, polymer clay keychains and crochet plushies)
Curated by Rinjin Art Market

Yuzumakes offers variety of cutesy designs with ideas that are personal to the artist’s interests and cultural background, from funny phrases/memes, artist’s original characters, Japanese foods and characters. Some products are entirely handmade, such as the oven baked polymer clay keychains and crochet plushies. Other products are stationaries and accessories featuring the artist’s drawings, such as stickers, acrylic keychains, tote bags, and washi tapes. https://www.instagram.com/yuzumakes

Mari Horita, Moderator

As Senior Vice President, Social Impact & Civic Affairs for the Seattle Kraken and Founding Executive Director of One Roof Foundation, Mari Horita sits on the team’s Executive Committee and leads the development and implementation of the social impact, community engagement, philanthropic, and DE&I vision and strategy for the Seattle Kraken.

Prior to joining the Kraken Mari was President and CEO of ArtsFund, where she led the organization’s strategic transition to better represent and serve the evolving population and arts community in the Puget Sound region. Mari began her professional career as a lawyer at Bogle & Gates, and later at Dorsey & Whitney and K&L Gates.

Mari chairs the Downtown Seattle Association Board, serves on the Boards of Seattle Credit Union, UW Foundation, and Seattle Art Museum, is a member of the Committee of 33, and co-founded Ourstoriesareyourstories.com. She previously served on the Boards of United Way of King County, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, ArtsFund, Seattle Center Foundation, Asian Bar Association of Washington, Bertschi School, Densho, YouthCare, and the Advisory Board for the Foster School’s Board Fellows Program. In 2023 she was recognized as a Puget Sound Business Journal Woman of Influence, in 2024 Seattle Magazine named her among Seattle’s most influential people for her equity work, and in 2025 she received Seattle University’s Alumni Career Achievement Award.

Mari has played violin with Vina Musica String Quartet for the past 25 years and before that performed with the Seattle Youth Symphony, the Denver Philharmonic, and the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra. Her daughter, Naomi, is a senior at Carleton College and a 2x World Champion ultimate frisbee player.

Mari holds a B.A. from Pomona College, a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law, and an M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University.

Caitlin Oiye Coon graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in History. She also holds an MA in History/Archives and Records Management from Western Washington University and an MLIS from San Jose State University. Caitlin has over 15 years of experience as an archivist, with a specific interest in community-based archives and the impact of technology in the archival profession. At Densho she currently manages their archives program in which she oversees a team dedicated to the preservation and access of historical materials and oral histories through digital technologies.

For more information about Densho, visit densho.org or @denshoproject on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

AC Petersen (she/her) is Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) and Danish/Scot/Irish, and grew up in Seattle and on Tachikawa Air Base, on the fringes of Tokyo.

She wrote the libretto for Currents, a 43-minute operetta with music by Jeremy Berdin, which a Japanese America family from Bainbridge Island from 1941 through WWII, both in Japan and Minidoka Incarceration Camp in Idaho.

Her dance/theatre works have focused on themes of tea ceremony, sumo (a collaboration with Seattle Kokon Taiko) and sweatshops. Her works have been produced by On the Boards NW New Works, Consolidated Works, Northwest Asian American Theatre, Powell Street Festival (Vancouver, B.C.), and Bumbershoot.

She has a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Washington, and studied dance with (among others) Hannah Wiley and Daniel Chick, and voice with Phyllis Petersen (no relation).

She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, serves on the board of 4Culture of King County, and the Bothell Arts Commission.

acpetersen.org