Everything You Need To Know About The Upper West Side's Japan Parade Saturday

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The third annual Japan Parade and Street Fair is back on the Upper West Side this Saturday, kicking off at 12:30 p.m. along Central Park West.

This year's parade starts at West 81st Street, passes by the American Museum of Natural History, and ends at West 67th Street, event organizers say.

Anywhere along the route is fair game to watch the parade, which will include kimonos, anime costumes, floats from local community groups, Hello Kitty, dancing, taiko drumming, and more.

Along the parade route, West 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue will transform into a street fair with food, music and dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, Hello Kitty and more Japanese mascots, event organizers said.

Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is leading the parade as the grand marshal, event organizers said.

"I am deeply honored to be appointed the Grand Marshal of this year's Japan Parade in New York City," Morimoto told Patch. "This role gives me a unique opportunity to celebrate and share the rich, dynamic culture of Japan with the heart of one of the world's most vibrant cities."

Road closures

Several roads on the Upper West Side will be closed at the discretion of the NYPD.

• Central Park West between 86th Street and 81st Street
• 85th - 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• Central Park West between 81st Street and 66th Street
• Central Park West between 68th Street and 67th Street
• 69-67th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• Central Park West between 70th Street and 71st Street
• 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.