Last night I was fortunate enough to catch the sole United States exhibition of Japanese performance artist Mari Natsuki in her new piece "The Impressionist - Vol. 8" during The Kennedy Center's Japan! Culture + Hyperculture event.

This was the best performance art I've seen in a long time. Weird, beautiful, emotive, musically rich, visually powerful. It included elements of the John Lennon songs "You Say You Want a Revolution" and "Imagine", Gershwin's "Summertime", "Amazing Grace", Iroquois ritual chant, as well as her musical group's original work. Her voice had nuance and range and the dancing was animated, expressive, and visually impressive. Ms. Natsuki has been a popular singer since 1973, and also a successful stage and screen actress with an extensive list of appearances.

Unfortunately, you'll have to pursue her CDs at a store that specializes in imports, but we can help you with her DVDs! Japanese film fetishists may have seen her as the self-involved, neglecting mother in Shoujyo - an adolescent which bears a visual and thematic resemblance to Stanley Kubrick's Lolita and Jean-Jacques Beineix's Diva, or as the female gambling tycoon in Samurai Fiction, a movie which is both a successful parody and visual homage to classic black-and-white samurai films. Both of these are worth a look for the artistry and style.

However, Ms. Natsuki is mostly known in this country for her vocal credits as the witch Yubaba in Hayao Miyazaki's exquisite animated film Spirited Away - Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi. Spirited Away is rather spooky, so it really should be reserved for older kids. The lead character Chihiro must rescue her parents from a spell cast by the spirits who have come to cleanse themselves in a paranormal therapeutic spa, but the plot and animation is sophisticated enough for adults to enjoy as well.

Interest in Hayao Miyazaki then points one to My Neighbor Totoro - Tonari no Totoro, which is also visually wonderful, but a more gentle and soothing child-friendly animation. Like Spirited Away, it focuses on a fantasy world only accessible to children. This time two girls spending the summer in the country make friends with magical forest creatures called Totoro, who help them face their mother's illness. All of these films are available through Olsson's ordering department (well, except Diva, which, currently in the midst of a 25th anniversary cinematic rerelease, you can catch at E St. Cinema).

And now a segue, to children's books, because Miyazaki's Totoro bears a resemblance to watercolorist John J. Muth's panda Stillwater, both in physical appearance and in temperament. Both are patient guides and friendly companions who appear quietly to the children and offer to assists with life's problems. And we're always crazy for pandas here in Washington, DC!

You may know that Mr. Muth collaborated with Caroline Kennedy by contributing his wonderful illustrations to her A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children and helping the poems to be even more engaging and accessible to young readers. Muth now has two books of his own about Zen instruction for children told through parables. First the wildly popular Zen Shorts and now his new book which is currently on the independent booksellers bestseller list Zen Ties.

Zen Shorts is quietly philosophical, with additional information for older readers and parents about Zen Buddhism at the back of the book, but the appeal for younger children are the bright color washes of the giant panda Stillwater and the three short stories he tells which encourage a thoughtful response and many rereadings. (0439339111, $16.95)

In Zen Ties, we meet Stillwater's tiny nephew Koo, who always speaks in haiku verse, joins his uncle in meditative poses, and helps the children make friends with an older neighbor who at first appears scary but they learn is a "good friend". It's a lesson about the interconnectedness of human beings and the importance of community and friendship, even with people who may not necessarily seem approachable. Again the lessons are told with a gentle touch and the vibrant pictures that draw children in so easily. Zen Ties (0439634253) is usually $17.99, but as a Booksense Bestseller is on sale for 10% off.

So enjoy Japan, both from original films and animation, and filtered through Jon Muth's impressions.

-Andrew