One would normally have to travel more than 4,000 miles to bridge the distance that separates the San Juans from Japan.

Beginning this month, however, the San Juan Islands Museum of Art kicks off a two-month long celebration of Japanese-inspired art and culture, as well as an appreciation for one tremendously tragic current event.

Singer Susan Osborn will help to kick-off this celebration in concert, March 1, 7 p.m. at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church.

Osborn, a long-time resident of Orcas Island, has been traveling to Japan for the past 22 years as a concert and recording artist, photographer and teacher. She received the Recordo Taisho for her first recording there of traditional Japanese songs in English and her music has been featured in many commercials and films. This concert will feature many of those beautiful Japanese songs, and stories of her time as an ambassador in song, as well as original compositions influenced by the land and culture. Her most recent recording in Japan is called Kakehashi, which means “one who bridges.”

Advance tickets can be purchased throughout the museum at 370-5050 or at Friday Harbor’s Isle Be Jammin. Tickets are a suggested donation of $15.

For more information and complete list of events for this celebration,visit, www.sjima.org. To learn more about susan Osborn, visit www.http://www.susanosborn.com/.