Steam wafts from the big bowl of noodles before me while Yoko Tanaka, the executive director of the Japan America Society of Iowa, shares her plan to bring the Japanese art of bunraku to Iowa. It is a traditional form of puppet theater that dates back to the 17th century. It was particularly common in … Continue reading A sister state relationship — forged after the 1960 ‘hog lift’ — brings a rare Japanese art form to Iowa this week