Storytellers: The Story of Fountaingrove and Kanaye Nagasawa

Featuring Gaye LeBaron in conversation with Mary Ijichi and Eiji Akaboshi

Join us for a very special evening of stories of Fountaingrove and a traditional Japanese tea ceremony! This is our second Sonoma County Storytellers program, a series of live storytelling events inspired by MSC's groundbreaking exhibition, Sonoma County Stories. On September 19, MSC welcomes Gaye LeBaron in conversation with Mary Ijichi and Eiji Akaboshi talking about the fascinating history of Fountaingrove and Kanaye Nagasawa. Born in 1852 in Kagoshima, Japan, Kanaye Nagasawa was one of 15 young students smuggled out of the country to study Western culture in the United Kingdom. By 1875 he had found his way to Fountaingrove, the religious community and winery at the north end of Santa Rosa where he became a renowned winemaker and notable culture bearer.

The program features Mary Ijichi, Kanaye Nagasawa’s great-grandniece and a keeper of the family history; Eiji Akaboshi, a distant relative of Nagasawa and a contemporary winemaker at Freeman Winery who only recently discovered his historic family connections; and Gaye LeBaron, retired Press Democrat columnist and co-author of The Wonderseekers of Fountaingrove, who will moderate the conversation and further highlight the history of Fountaingrove.

Preceding the spoken portion of the program will be a traditional Japanese tea ceremony presented by Aiko Mouri.

MSC Members $5
General Non-Member Ticket $15

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