Are you ready to celebrate Japanese culture at the 12th annual Nikkei Matsuri?
The matsuri – which means “festival” in Japanese – will host a wide variety of entertainment, including a Mikoshi procession and Bon Odori dance, food trucks with delicious Japanese festival foods, games for kids, a marketplace, tearoom and much more.
The event will feature performances and martial arts demonstrations by:
- Appare Yosakoi Vancouver: Lively dance with wooden instruments called naruko
- Chibi Taiko: Canada’s first children’s taiko ensemble
- Hitotose: Japanese sword fighting performances by actors Haruno Niiyama and Yuki Kedoin
- Kotononekai: Koto players led by koto master Yuriko Nariya
- Non Sweet: Local Japanese pop music group
- Ishikawa Family Judo Club
- Shorinji Kempo
- Aikido Vancouver Shomonkai
- and more.
Special guest Masaki Yogi, a sanshin player from Miyako Island, Okinawa, will exhibit, sell and perform sanshin, a three-stringed Japanese instrument.
Festival goers can rent a yukata, a type of kimono, if they wish to dress in traditional Japanese festival attire.
Before the pandemic, more than 14,000 guests came out to enjoy the Nikkei Matsuri festivities, according to the event website.
If you want to celebrate even more, check out the pre-party on Friday.
The Matsuri Eve Zenyasai Beer Garden will run from 4 to 10 p.m. for cold beer, sake and a special DJ set.
Then the festival begins in earnest on Saturday, Aug. 31 and runs till Sunday, Sept. 1.
For more information, including a schedule of performances, go to the Nikkei Matsuri website.
Nikkei Matsuri in Burnaby
When: Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre (6688 Southoaks Cres.)
Cost: $8.40 for one-day ticket on Eventbrite; $10 at the door; free for NNMCC members, children and youth aged zero to 17 and seniors 65+
Matsuri Eve: Zenyasai Beer Garden
When: Friday, Aug. 30 from 4 to 10 p.m.
Where: Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre (6688 Southoaks Cres.)
Cost: $8.40 for tickets on Eventbrite; $10 at the door; free for NNMCC members, children and youth aged zero to 17 and seniors 65+
