Japan Summer Festival Held in West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT - The third annual Japan Summer Festival is a free, one-day celebration of Japanese culture that will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2016 in Blue Back Square, 1:00-8:00 PM. (The rain date is Sunday, June 12, 11:00 AM-4:00 PM).

The main event at 6:00 PM is a powerful drumming performance by Arashi Daiko of Montreal, Canada. Prior to the show, the general public can learn how to play the Taiko, a large Japanese drum used by the performers. The Consulate General of Japan will officially open the festival at 1:30 PM.

Throughout the day, there will be Japanese Festival Dancing by Heart International of Fukuoka, Japan, at 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM, and Shishimai, traditional lion dancing, at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

Outside at Webster Walk in Blue Back Square, the Japan Summer Festival will have calligraphy demonstrations in which you can get your name written in Japanese or you can try on a Yukata, a light weight Japanese traditional robe. Also featured is Shintaido martial arts, a Kamishibai illustrated picture show, a woodblock printing demonstration, a Japanese marketplace, information tables hosted by the Japan Society of Greater Hartford, Hello! West Hartford, IACE Travel of Boston, Dr. Hashimoto’s Sotaiho and Kooma massage therapy. Japanese food and beverages will be available for sale by Fuji Mart of CT and Ogawa-Shou B&B.

At Barnes & Noble, a free origami class will be held at 1:30-3:30 PM, and Japanese fable telling by Stephen Long at 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM.

The West Hartford Public Library will have a class on how to use chopsticks properly and elegantly at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, a Japanese language class by Heart International at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, Doll Bookmark Making at 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM, Sumi black ink painting at 2:30-3:30 PM, Haiku poetry at 2:30-3:30 PM, and Anime, a Japanese animation demonstration at 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM.

The Japanese Summer Festival is sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan, IACE Travel, Fuji Mart of CT, Heart International, Barnum Financial Group, Ogawa-Shou B&B, Sotaiho by Peter & Akiko Thompson, and Kooma Massage Therapy.

Event organizers are the Japan Society of Greater Hartford, Town of West Hartford, West Hartford Public Library, Barnes & Noble Booksellers of Blue Back Square and Starwood Retail Partners.

For more information, contact Mas Hongoh of the Japan Society of Greater Hartford at 860-796-1637 or Renée McCue, public relations specialist, Town of West Hartford, (860) 561-7521.

See the attached flyer for the event schedule.