There’s less than a month left before Animazement and we’re so excited for all of the fantastic things we’ll be bringing you over the weekend. We’ve got a lot to share, so we’re going to start off by telling you about two unique events we’ll be offering at this year’s convention.
Mini Tsugaru Shamisen Workshop – $39 per person
Join tsugaru shamisen duo Kiki and YouTuber and shamisen player Norm Nakamura for a lesson in how to play the shamisen! In this rare and interactive workshop from Japan’s top players, you will have a chance to:
- Experience LIVE Tsugaru Shamisen
- Put together your own Mini Shamisen (That you can take home with you!!)
- Learn the basics of Shamisen and even how to play a song!
With small group sizes (max 15 people), tickets will go quickly! We’ll sell 10 tickets in advance and 5 at the door, so if you miss the advance sale, you’ll still have a chance to attend. There will be three sessions over the course of the weekend, for a total of 45 tickets available.
Sessions will be:
- Friday, May 26th at 10:30am
- Saturday, May 27th at 2:30pm
- Sunday, May 28th at 10:00am
Advance sales for this event will begin on May 8th at noon. Watch our website and social media for links to ticket sales.
Sake Tastings
We are also excited to offer three sake tasting sessions over the course of the weekend.
Sake 101 – An Introduction to Sake (2 sessions) – $25 per person
What is Sake? How is it made? What are the main styles? What are the most important key words? How does it pair with food? How should it be stored? How does one taste it? This is one stop shopping for ALL the magic of this ethereal beverage, including a tasting of 6 different sakes!!
- Friday, May 26th at 4:00pm
- Saturday, May 27th at 1:00pm
Sake in Japanese Culture & Anime (1 session) – $20 per person
This fantastic seminar discusses the importance of Sake in Japanese culture, its inclusion in Manga & Anime, sake etiquette in Japan, Nomikai culture, and all travelers in Japan should know about how to enjoy sake. This seminar will include a brief introduction to sake & tasting of two vastly different styles of sake, including a comparison of sake at different temperatures!!
- Saturday, May 27th at 6:00pm
Each sake tasting session has room for 20 people. We’ll sell 15 tickets in advance and 5 at the door. Advance sales for this event will begin on May 8th at noon. Watch our website and social media for links to ticket sales. Obviously, you must be 21 years or older to attend these sake tasting events. IDs will be checked at the door.
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With this announcement of sake tastings you may be wondering if we’ve changed our policies on alcohol in the RCC…
We are excited to announce that, starting this year, we will be offering alcoholic beverages for sale in the RCC. Alcohol sales begin at 7pm each evening. We’ll have several options on offer, including a variety of Japanese inspired beverages for you to enjoy.
In accordance with downtown Raleigh’s Sip n’ Stroll district, you’ll also be able to purchase your drink in a Sip n’ Stroll cup and bring it with you out into the district. You can find more information about Sip n’ Stroll here:
https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR13/SocialDistrictGuide.pdf
Although the RCC is within the Sip n’ Stroll district, beverages from outside are not allowed within the RCC.
That’s all for now, but keep watching for more announcements!