May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and it’s a great time to engage with Eastern cultures in Dutchess County. From bonsai workshops and kintsugi sessions to Japanese-inspired gardens and Asian art, here are a few ways to discover something new in the heart of the Hudson Valley.
This state-of-the-art brewery and tasting room in Hyde Park produces a Junmai Daiginjo-only sake, the highest level of premium sake. Sake is a traditional alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice, popularized in Japan. Dassai is made from 100% Yamada Nishiki rice, the gold standard of sake rice. Observe the brewing process through windows looking into various production rooms during the tour and tasting experience and sample Dassai Blue 50, the first sake brewed on-site.
Discover blooming Japanese primroses, peonies and yellow foxgloves in this stunning Eastern Dutchess garden. Golden light dramatically floods the Chinese and Japanese-inspired gardens and landscape. Enjoy meditative cup gardens (drawn specifically from ancient Chinese villa gardens) around the 40-acre glacial lake. Bring a picnic for an amazing afternoon snack. Or, create art by bringing an easel or a camera, drawing inspiration from the curated landscape. Rock formations, lily pads and native wildlife provide peace to visitors. Be sure to bring birding binoculars to spy heron and other beautiful birds.
Select dates at Dassai Blue Sake Brewery, Hyde Park
Dassai continues its popular Sushi Omakase lunch and dinner events through the spring on select dates. The lunch pop-ups include a refined nine-course tasting, which can be paired with Dassai Blue sake for an additional fee. For the dinners, Michelin-starred Chef Tasuku Murakami presents an exclusive 16-course omakase experience, which can also be paired with Dassai Blue sake for an adde charge. This is the perfect opportunity to experience authentic omakase-style dining — traditionally found only in true Japanese sushi restaurants. Click here to book your reservations.
May 21, July 16, Sept. 17 and Nov. 19, at Industrial Arts Brewing Company, Beacon
Learn the Japanese art of bonsai, as Bonsai Bar brings the East Asian gardening tradition to beginners. At these workshops, grab a beer from Industrial Arts Brewing and start making miniature trees. Fundamental techniques will help you pot, prune, and design organic works of art. Start with the dwarf jade for a manageable tree. For details, click here.
Thursday, May 21, 6 p.m., at River Valley Arts Center, Wappingers Falls
The ancient practice of Kintsugi teaches us to embrace flaws and imperfections. This Japanese tradition highlights the beauty of blemishes by breaking pottery bowls, studying the pieces and gluing them back together with gold. The bowls change forever, just as people change and become stronger through difficult personal experiences. River Valley Arts Center invities art therapist Tara DeLuca to lead a unique kintsugi workshop. Visit Wappingers Falls and reflect on the Kintsugi experience, connecting with a pot of your own before breaking and rebuilding it. To register, click here.
On long-term view at Dia Beacon
Dia Beacon presents the artwork of Lee Ufan, who is a founding member of Mono-ha ("School of Things"), a group of artists who worked in a shared sculptural idiom in Japan roughly between 1969 and 1974. This exhibit, curated by Matilde Guidelli-Guidi with Min Sun Jeon, includes three sculptures emblematic of his Mono-ha period, along with eight paintings dating from the 1970s through the 1990s. Click here to learn more.
Sunday, June 7, 2 p.m. at Dassai Blue Sake Brewery, Hyde Park
Discover the art of Wagashi at this fun event aimed at artists with a sweet tooth! Wagashi is a traditional Japanese confection that can be made into many different shapes and designs; craft your very own butterflies, flower and fish wagashi. Plus, for the perfect pairing enjoy a glass of Dassai Blue nigori or sparkling nigori. Sara Suzuki will guide attendees through the process, and Moyuru Shiroma will be live painting throughout the event. Get your tickets here.
