Did You Enjoy the Japanese Matsuri Festivals This Summer?
Matsuri festivals are a cultural tradition handed down from olden times in Japan. It may be said to be the only cultural event where all of those organizing, those participating and those watching become as one, enchanted with the dreamy atmosphere. One dances with abandon as the person one is at the core. One sweats with natural vigor. The innocent energy released crosses all differences of age, sex, title and any kind of national boundary.
Those types of matsuri were held in Los Angeles this year.
The matsuri produced on the largest scale in Los Angeles is the Nisei Week Japanese Festival, this year celebrating the 73rd time that it has been held over its long history. This year, in the Grand Parade, participating for the first time and coming all the way from Japan were the famous Nebuta floats of Aomori, thrilling the many onlookers. This writer also participated as one of the haneto dancers. Amidst the darkness of the night, the instant the bright lights of the Nebuta floats were lit, the crowd let out an excited cheer and standing amidst that, even now I savor the excitement and happiness that I felt deep in my heart.
The thing that one experiences at this moment is in infinite life force that fills the matsuri with power and gives one the impression of being at one with the universe, being moved by the purity of it, that one will never forget in one’s life.
Well then, here in Los Angeles there are matsuri that have been started with the thought of “creating a bond with matsuri throughout the region and wishing to play a role in bringing it to life.” Keeping that in mind, two of those matsuri held this summer are explained in detail as follows.
Wasshoi! Little Edo Matsuri Festival
Wasshoi! (Heave ho!) Little Edo Matsuri Festival was held on August 255th in Little Tokyo, sponsored by the non-profit group, the Japanese Student Network, which serves the needs of Japanese exchange students. This year is the third time it has been held.
It attempts to recreate Japan’s summer matsuri, with a large array of booths serving foods like yakitori grilled skewer dishes, yakisoba noodles, okonomiyaki pancakes, takoyaki grilled octopus and kakikori shaved ice. Booth were also there presenting nostalgic Japanese games such as playing with yo-yos, target practice and cupping of ping-pong balls to delight the spectators. On stage there was a yukata summer robe contest, hip-hop dancing, taiko drumming, swordplay and other features. Approximately 50,000 people attended, enjoying the matsuri while it continued into the evening. Chief Azuma of the organizing committee of this matsuri said, “Starting with the sponsors, we are grateful for the support of many people. We all joined forces, one by one, learning the importance of teamwork in carrying out this single event.” Those were the reflections concerning the matsuri this year.
Shin Sen Gumi 5th Summer Charity Festival
Since 1992, the Shin Sen Gumi Group, which has developed restaurants serving ramen, yakitori grilled skewer meals and the like in Southern California, has been developing a chain of Japanese restaurants with the focus on “Yakitori Shin Sen Gumi.” By doing so it has brought the wonders of Japanese food culture not only to the Japanese-related community in Los Angeles, but to the broader American society in the area.
The Shin Sen Gumi 5th Summer Charity Festival was held on Sunday, August 26th at the Gardena branch of “Yakitori Shin Sen Gumi.” This was a particularly festive event, since it celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Shin Sen Gumi’s first restaurant and in combination with that, it was held on a grand scale. Representing the Shin Sen Gumi Group, Shigeta Mitsuyasu related that, “With this summer matsuri, we want to share together with the attendees how happy and moved we are and the joy it brings to play a role contributing to true international exchanges as well as the local community.”
On the stage there was an Amami island folk songing from Shigeta’s hometown and a Ryukyu-koku (Okinawa) Matsuri Taiko drumming and other performances that, when announced, the attendees greeted with thunderous applause. In addition, when the special guest, former Yokozuna Grand Champion Sumo Wrestler, Musashimaru mounted the stage, the excitement rose to a crescendo.
Many people came by, including women wearing summer robes and children. Just a glance at the traditional booths that were set up gave one the complete impression of a “Japanese summer matsuri.” The stall were packed with families that had come with their children to enjoy the event, scooping up goldfish, playing with yo-yos, trying on masks, tossing rings, sampling dagashi sweets and stopping at all of the other nostalgic booths that were lined up.
For those of us living our lives separated from Japan, it was a perfect illusion of the home country, giving the feeling of some kind of wonderful place to enjoy.
The Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California (JRA) is holding its regular annual 8th Japanese Food Festival on Saturday, October 27th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the New Otani Hotel and Garden. This Japanese Food Festival, which is always held during this season every year, has become completely established as a “Fall Festival” in Little Tokyo. During this Food Festival one has the rare opportunity of trying foods that are usually not easy to come by, starting with such traditional Japanese fare as kaiseki cuisine, Japanese foods that have become fixtures in America like sushi and tempura, shabu-shabu hotpot, yakitori grilled skewer fare, tofu dishes and ramen and one can even enjoy okonomi-yaki griddle cooking. There are also plans to cut up a whole maguro tuna on stage where there will also be a sushi contest among other things. In the garden there will be a live jazz performance to entertain attendees.
In addition, traditional Japanese cultural arts such as koto and taiko drum performances will be showcased. Up to last year a coupon system was in place for trying foods and beverages, but this year by purchasing an entrance ticket one will be able to eat and drink everything that is available. However, many of the popular dishes will be sold out quickly, so it is recommended that one checks reports before the event for one’s favorites. Besides that, a roundtrip ticket to
If you are older than 21 years of age, Japanese sake, Japanese beer and shochu will be available so make sure that you do not forget to bring personal ID. Please be sure to come to the Japanese Food Festival on October 27th and invite your friends and family to come with you. Finally, entrance tickets are only available in advance and will not be sold on the day of the event. Entrance tickets may be purchased at www.jrasc.com. For more information, contact the JRA office at (213) 687-4055.