Story originally published in The Sylva Herald, April 19 edition
Sylva hosts its first Japan Fest Saturday, April 29, from 2-5 p.m. at Bridge Park. Attendees can eat, dance and practice calligraphy and get to know more about Japan.
The Sylva Japan Fest is organized by the Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator for Western Carolina University, Nanaka Okamura, and Japanese Program Coordinator, Yumiko Ono.
“I have been working since August 2021 to promote understanding, awareness, and interest in Japan and Japanese culture is this community,” said Okamura in an email. “I hope that this festival will be an opportunity for the people to become more familiar with and have a deeper understanding of Japan.”
There will not be a food truck, but there will be dessert and drinks. Those options include curry and rice, cotton candy, chocolate bananas and chocolate marshmallows.
“We hope that visitors will enjoy the opportunity to experience various aspects of Japanese culture, such as Tanabata (star festival) wishes, chopstick challenge, wanage (ring toss), calligraphy and others,” Okamura said.
The main events for the day will be a cosplay contest, a Shamisen concert, a calligraphy performance and a Bon Odori dance.
Registration for the cosplay contest is open, and everyone is welcome to participate.
Participation will be accepted on the day of the event. However, it is encouraged to register ahead of the event. To register and find out more information visit @sylvajapanfest on Facebook or Instagram or the WCU website.
The Shamisen concert consists of a Japanese stringed instrument that gives off a sound that is comparable to that of a banjo. All performers will be WCU students taking Japanese classes or students who are from Japan.
After that, a Calligraphy Performance will take place where once again audience members will participate. There will be music as people dance around a canvas creating art. The main performer will be Okamura, but audience members are welcome to join in.
To close out the day of activities, all are invited to join in the Bon Odori dance, a traditional Japanese dance performed while the shamisen and taiko drums are played.
“We also hope that people will enjoy interacting with students studying Japanese at WCU and international students from Japan,” Okamura said.
People can also purchase souvenirs such as T-shirts, stickers, postcards and origami accessories.
