Justin’s Japan: Mar Creation, Inc.

By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Shukan NY Seikatsu. Visit his Examiner.com Japanese culture page here for related stories.Those who have attended intimate Japanese arts performances in the city—such as last November’s sold-out shows of “IN THE BOX” at the Martha Graham Dance Company featuring Bessie Award winner Miki Orihara—might be familiar with the name Mar Creation, Inc.Established by Nagoya-born Hiroshi Kono in 2003 as an independent record company with him doubling as label artist, Mar Creation expanded its focus to live events in 2008, and in recent years has been involved with various charitable causes. Some of its popular series include j-Summit NY (which hosted its 27th edition last month at The Bowery Electric featuring Alan Merrill, the original singer and composer of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”), and the annual New York Japan CineFest at Asia Society, which Mar Creation aims to expand this year as part of a national tour that includes Tokyo and several U.S. cities.A music writer and journalist, Kono says that his other ambitions as a producer include a collaboration with Japanese calligrapher Setsuhi Shiraishi on her upcoming solo exhibition in New York and Washington, D.C. featuring workshop/performance shows with live musicians in multiple cities this summer and fall; Fukushima-related lectures and film screening events; Brazilian music festivals to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics; Japanese cherry blossom festivals in springtime; and anime/comic book conventions nationwide and abroad.For more information, visit www.marcreation.com.