Japanese Summer Festival 2015
2016/7/9
On August 1st, 2015, the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage co-hosted the annual summer festival with the Japanese Society of Alaska. Over 5,000 visitors attended the festival at Cuddy Hall on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.
In the opening ceremony, Japanese Society of Alaska President Yoshi Ogawa and Consul Makoto Izakura gave welcoming remarks. University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Tom Case, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, and Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan also spoke at the event.
Entertainment at the festival included Japanese taiko drumming, martial arts performances, tea ceremonies, and bon dancing. Visitors could also take origami lessons, participate in a cosplay contest, and take photos in Japanese samurai armor and yukata. Food vendors sold delicious Japanese food such as sushi, yakitori, and fried noodles.
In addition to the Consular Office of Japan and the Japanese Society of Alaska staff, volunteers from the Anchorage community contributed to the success of the event. Alumni from the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and students from the Japanese Culture Club at the University of Alaska Anchorage helped bring visitors to the festival through community outreach and advertising. This event is one of the many ways the Consular Office of Japan works with Alaskan communities to promote mutual understanding and respect between Japanese and American cultures.
In the opening ceremony, Japanese Society of Alaska President Yoshi Ogawa and Consul Makoto Izakura gave welcoming remarks. University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Tom Case, Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, and Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan also spoke at the event.
Entertainment at the festival included Japanese taiko drumming, martial arts performances, tea ceremonies, and bon dancing. Visitors could also take origami lessons, participate in a cosplay contest, and take photos in Japanese samurai armor and yukata. Food vendors sold delicious Japanese food such as sushi, yakitori, and fried noodles.
In addition to the Consular Office of Japan and the Japanese Society of Alaska staff, volunteers from the Anchorage community contributed to the success of the event. Alumni from the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and students from the Japanese Culture Club at the University of Alaska Anchorage helped bring visitors to the festival through community outreach and advertising. This event is one of the many ways the Consular Office of Japan works with Alaskan communities to promote mutual understanding and respect between Japanese and American cultures.