Give Peaceful a Chance

We have one heckuva sports hangover. If the college bowl season was akin to draining cocktails at happy hour, and the golf tournament was killing a bottle of wine at dinner, then Super Bowl week was like closing down the bar with a gratuitous round of shots.

After a two-month toast to American excess, a little peace and quiet sure will help, and the 24th annual, two-day Matsuri: A Festival of Japan should help us dry out. We can gaze at tranquil koi ponds or one of the many exquisite bonsai displays, get a dose of refinement and culture at a highly mannered tea ceremony, and check out exhibits of Japanese musical instruments and traditional arts and crafts, such as origami and calligraphy. That bad taste in our mouth? It’ll be gone after we hit up the vendors selling fresh sushi and other healthful Japanese food. And if we still need some full-contact hair of the dog? We’ll check out demonstrations of Japanese martial arts such as karate, kendo, and aikido.