Serenity now: Morikami Japanese Gardens in South Florida

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Assistant Curator Tom Gergersen stands on on bridge while one of the Koi are seen jumping over to get into the moat.

Nicholas R. Von Staden / Sun Sentinel

The 33rd Hatsume Fair at Morikami Japanese Museum and Gardens in Delray Beach celebrating the first bud of spring. Vincent Rankin, 15 of Boynton Beach gets ready to preform as a Fudawg or Shisar in a "Lion Dance" performance put on by East/West Karate in Hypoluxo, Fl during the fair.

Robert Duyos / Sun Sentinel

Yochi Yokoyama, of the Japanese drum group Fushu Daiko, lets it all out at the end of the band's afternoon performance.

Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel

Tsukasa Cherkaoni dances with cherry blossoms as a part of the Chitose Kai dancers during the Bon Festival at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens.

Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel

Chitose Kai dancers perform with Cherry Blossoms during the Bon Festival at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens.

Robert Duyos / Sun Sentinel

Yukako Beatty smiles while playing the Shinobue during a performance with her drum group called Fushu Daiko, who are based in Davie. Yukako was born and raised in Japan and now calls Ft. Lauderdale home. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens hosted it's annual Oshogatsu new year's celebration Sunday afternoon.

Robert Duyos / Sun Sentinel

Maiko Kusano, of the group Fushu Daiko, plays her traditional Japanese drum during her group's performance. Fushu Daiko is based out of Fort Lauderdale.

Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel

Elizabeth Fish (center) wears her homemade anime inspired pink-haired costume while in line for the fashion show during the Hatsume Fair at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. The event included a haiku wall, a ribbon kite flying area, a cherry blossom hill and a variety of food and music for all ages.

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George S. Morikami tombstone at Morikami Museum and Park in Delray Beach.

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Tiffany Wong, of Lantana, dresses for the occasion as she attends the 2009 Hatsume Fair at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens west of Delray Beach on March 22nd, 2009. Activities include martial arts demonstrations, traditional Japanese fashion shows, anime screenings, traditional tea ceremony demonstration, Taiko drum performances and much more.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

David Hilsabeck of Durham, North Carolina (l) and David Cohen of Fort Lauderdale pause to talk while crossing a bridge at the Morikami Japanese Gardens at Morikami Park west of Delray Beach.

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The drumers of the band Fushu Daiko help ring in the new year at the Oshogatsu Festival.

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The Morikami Japanese Museum hosts its annual springtime festival,the Hatsume Fair. Amy Minshew a member of the Fushu Daiko, a Japanese Taiko Drum performance group, adds her exclamation point during their performance of "Yatai" Saturday.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Greg Williams of Deerfield Beach, performs with the Fushu Daiko taiko drummers at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens' Hatsume Fair 2008.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Diana Sacco of Brooklyn and Margaret Henderson of Breezy Point, New York, stroll across a bridge at the Morikami Japanese Gardens in Morikami Park west of Delray Beach.

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Yoshiko Cane, a student of the Fujima School of Japanese Dance, performs a traditional Japanese number at Morikami Museum's 11th Annual Hatsume Festival.

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Toro Nagashi, floating of the lanterns, pay homage to those who have passed float to the middle of Morikami Lake at the Morikami Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach.

Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel

Nicole Richardson of Boca Raton wears her homemade anime inspired costume while participating in the fashion show during the Hatsume Fair at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. The event included a haiku wall, a ribbon kite flying area, a cherry blossom hill and a variety of food and music for all ages.

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The Morikami celebrated the 33rd annual Bon Festival which is inspired by Japan's traditional three day holiday honoring ancestors and thanking them for the quality of life enjoyed by the living. The festival featured Taiko drum performances and traditional Japanese folk dancing. (pictured) Ft Lauderdale resident, Sachi Oyama waits to take the stage and perform Bon Odori a traditional Japanese dance. Photo/Michael Francis McElroy, for the South Floirda Sun-Sentinel

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The Morikami celebrated the 33rd annual Bon Festival which is inspired by Japan's traditional three day holiday honoring ancestors and thanking them for the quality of life enjoyed by the living. The festival featured Taiko drum performances, traditional Japanese folk. (pictured) On the last night of Obon, ancestors are beleved to depart for the other world, paper lanterns with personal messages written on them are floated in the Morikami pond that in accordance with Japanese custom, guide the departure of ancestor's souls who have come for a brief visit among the living.

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Lion Dancer, Naomi Morishita, with the Fushu Daiko Japanese Taiko Drum troop makes her way through a packed audience at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens celebrates the Year of the Dragon with the 34th annual Oshogatsu New Year¿s Festival.

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Chitose Fujima performs a traditional Japanese dance at Morikami Museum's 11th Annual Hatsume Festival. Fujima is the director of the Fujima School of Japanese Dance of Florida.

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Amy Minshew a drummer with the Fushu Daiko Japanese Taiko drumming troop entertains the crowd during the Oshogatsu festival, a traditional Japanese New Year celebration, held at the Morikami in Delray Beach. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens celebrates the Year of the Dragon with the 34th annual Oshogatsu New Year¿s Festival.

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Atsuko Lefcourte with Japanese Daruma at the Morikami Museum. These dolls were a gift from the Japanese government, via the Japanese Pavilion at the New Orleans World Fair.

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A group of visitors leave the original Morikami Museum building. The Morikami is preparing for the Hatsume Festival, the museum's largest display of Japanese culture this year.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Sunny Meyer, a professor at Palm Beach Community College, performs the Lion Dance or the "Kamgamijishi" at the Hatsume Festival held at Morikami Park.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Visitors to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens were treated to blossoming Japanese Cherry trees, as was this honey bee. The trees require very specific weather conditions to blossoming making the event a rare thing.

Robert Duyos / Sun Sentinel

A scene from The Tea Ceremony, or Chanoyu. The Morikami displayed what a traditional Japanese tea ceremony might look like, much to the delight of visitors to the festival. Here we see the hostess, at right, bring some tea to the guest at left.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Victoria Gonzalez and Angela Miranda(r),both from Parkland, stroll through the Morikami Japanese Gardens at Morikami Park west of Delray Beach.

Robert Duyos / Sun Sentinel

12 year-old Yuni Sakurada packs her drum after a performance by Orlando Taiko Dojo. Yuni is from Kissimee, Fl.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Visitors to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens were treated to blossoming Japanese Cherry trees Tuesday. The trees require very specific weather conditions to blossoming making the event a rare thing.

Scott Fisher / Sun Sentinel

Performance artist Masaji Terasawa entertains the crowd during t he 2009 Hatsume Fair at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens west of Delray Beach on March 22nd, 2009. Activities include martial arts demonstrations, traditional Japanese fashion shows, anime screenings, traditional tea ceremony demonstration, Taiko drum performances and much more.

Mark Randall / Sun Sentinel

Amelia Melendez of Deerfield Beach (center) and family members Maddi Sclafano of Deerfield Beach, Paul Melendez of San Diego and Miriam Singh of Margate stroll through the Morikami Japanese Gardens at Morikami Park west of Delray Beach.

MARK RANDALL / Sun Sentinel

Rae Wolfe, 15, of Coral Springs, attended the Hatsume Fair 2011 Saturday in traditional Japanese attire from the feudal period. The fair continues Sunday with muscial performances, martial arts demonstrations, tea ceremonies, bonsai exhibits and craft sales.

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Fushu Daiko pounds drums to the enjoyment of the audience

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Sky Miller, 2, of Pompano Beach gets some help getting ready to play the drums from Nalinee Miller at the Morikami's Bon Festival in Delray Beach. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens celebrates the 34th annual Bon Festival, inspired by Japan's traditional three-day holiday honoring ancestors and thanking them for the quality of life enjoyed by the living. The festival west of Delray Beach will feature Taiko drum performances, traditional Japanese folk dancing and Japanese food.