Extraordinary. Contemplative. Soul-stirring. Awe-inspiring. The Japanese film “Departures” brought these words to mind at opening night of the Japanese Film Festival. The three-day festival began Friday at 8 p.m at the Crest Theater with showing the solo feature film "Departures" followed by double features, “K-20: Legend Of The Mask” and “Throne Of Blood” on Saturday, and “White On Rice” and “Memories Of Matsuko” on Sunday. The festival started out with the shocking film “Departures” Friday night. That’s right, I didn’t say “The Departed,” as in the Martin Scorsese movie. With a title like “Departures” and perhaps without reading a synopsis, audiences would have been clueless as to what

Just a few steps into Taiko Dan's dojo stands a Goliath-like wooden drum looming overhead. The drum is 780 pounds and rests on a 860-pound stand, standing nine feet tall altogether, according to the dojo's owner and founder, Tiffany Tamaribuchi. Despite its intimidating proportions, the drum is beautiful, with a glossy finish and a large black and white skin stretched over it. Dojo is another word for a school of training in Japanese; in this case, the Sacramento Taiko Dan performing ensemble uses its dojo to teach the ancient art of Japanese Taiko drumming. Behind the large drum inside the dojo are smaller drums stacked on wooden shelves, and the dojo's walls are lined with even more dru