Matsuri Kaua‘i Perpetuates Japanese Culture

Taiko drummers

The Kaua‘i Japanese Cultural Society will be celebrating the island’s 30^th Matsuri Kaua‘i festival Lihu‘e Memorial Convention Hall on Oct. 4.

“This is to promote the Japanese culture,” said event organizer Pearl Shimizu, adding that Japanese immigrants first came to Hawai‘i more than 100 years ago. Many Japanese descendants, she said, lost touch with the culture.

“They don’t know about their culture or what their roots are,” Shimizu said of some Japanese descendants on Kaua‘i. The festival, she said, promotes interaction with Japanese visitors and brings back old Japanese traditions, helping to perpetuate the culture.

But the event is also for anyone who is interested in Japanese culture, she said.

The festival is traditionally held in the fall. Usually, a feature from Japan is presented along with hands-on activities, crafts, kimono dressing, tea ceremony, shodo, bonsai, ikebana and others.

This year’s cultural festivities include Karaoke singers, dancers, martial arts, drumming, kimon kitsuke for adults as well as children, bento sales, origami, mochi pounding, mini bon dance, tea ceremony and bonsai.

There will be Japanese dance by Japanese visitors and local artists.

The festival will welcome visitors from the Japanese sister cities Moriyama and Iwaki.

The Lihu‘e Memorial Convention Hall is on at 4191 Hardy St. The festival’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s no fee to attend, but donations are accepted.

Visit www.Kauaijcs.org for more information.