Summer Festival 2018

 

On August 4^th, the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage co-hosted the Japanese Summer Festival with the Japan Alaska Association. The festival took place at the Lucy Cuddy Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and included groups such as the Japanese-American Citizens League, the JET Alaska Alumni Association, and the Anchorage Japanese School. Dignitaries in attendance included Mr. Toshiaki Maeda from Sumitomo Metal Mining, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, Colonel Torrence W. Saxe from the Alaska Air National Guard, representatives from Alaska’s Congressional delegation and the Governor’s Office, as well as Head of the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage Consul Masatoshi Sato.

 
 
The Consular Office provided activities such as kirigami/origami folding station, as well as a calligraphy workshop. It also provided a small Tanabata, where attendees could write wishes on a tanzaku to be hung from a bamboo tree.  The Consular Office also provided information on tourism with Alaska’s sister cities, as well as advertised the upcoming Japanese film screening at UAA. The festival included many cultural and fun activities for Alaskans. Some of these included a Taiko performance, traditional O-bon dance performance, Kendo and martial arts performance, an ikebana station, and a traditional Japanese games booth. The festival also had many different Japanese food options for attendees to try authentic Japanese food.