2024 Summer Festival
2024/8/15
On Sunday, August 11, the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage and the Japanese Association of Alaska (JAA) co-hosted a summer festival at the Moose Lodge in Anchorage. Following the opening remarks given by JAA President George Tolbert and Head Consul Hamada welcoming the guests in attendance, short speeches were given by former Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell and State Representative Andrew Gray highlighting Japan’s influence on Alaska’s economy among other topics.
Aside from classic summer festivities like Bon-odori and Kingyo Sukui (a Summer Festival game where you have to scoop goldfish using a very thin paper net), there were also several performances of traditional Japanese arts like Taiko drumming, the Okinawan Sanshin, and even a live Iaido demonstration (the Japanese art of unsheathing a katana quickly for sudden attacks). Despite the rain-heavy beginning, the energy of the attendees made it an event to remember.
The Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage would like to thank everyone that attended and looks forward to working with JAA in the future to organize events like Summer Festival in order to showcase Japanese culture in Alaska.
*Photos by Mr. Daisaku Yamamoto
Aside from classic summer festivities like Bon-odori and Kingyo Sukui (a Summer Festival game where you have to scoop goldfish using a very thin paper net), there were also several performances of traditional Japanese arts like Taiko drumming, the Okinawan Sanshin, and even a live Iaido demonstration (the Japanese art of unsheathing a katana quickly for sudden attacks). Despite the rain-heavy beginning, the energy of the attendees made it an event to remember.
The Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage would like to thank everyone that attended and looks forward to working with JAA in the future to organize events like Summer Festival in order to showcase Japanese culture in Alaska.
*Photos by Mr. Daisaku Yamamoto