Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc.
Get a taste of Japanese culture by taking a drive to Memphis Botanic Garden on September 29th to experience the Memphis Japan Festival. The event celebrates Japanese history and culture, and invites families to take part in activities like sumo suit wrestling, calligraphy lessons, Pokemon Go, and culture camps, which include workshops and lectures about tea, manga drawing, and more.
With more than 7,000 attendees last year, Japan Fest hopes to draw even larger numbers this year with new performances and activities. Festival-goers can experience contemporary and traditional Japanese culture with live performances from local bands like the Skalors and demonstrations from martial arts groups. Organizers are also excited about the new cosplay fashion show at the event, which encourages attendees to come dressed in costume.
The organizers of the event, the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Inc., hope to both expose Memphians to Japanese culture and highlight Memphis to prospective investors. Japan is the largest foreign investor in Tennessee, and the Japan-America Society, which also hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival in Nashville, hopes the festival will strengthen that connection in the city. Ginger Byrn, the festival director, says that the event is a “way to experience a little bit of Japan and to learn about Japan and Japanese culture without going to Japan.”
Finally, make sure to come hungry. Byrn promises that the event will have plenty of food to choose from, with local restaurants and food trucks serving up traditional favorites like ramen, chicken teriyaki, and sushi. Other vendors will arrive with special Japanese-inspired menus for the festival, so look out for Japanese-style pizza or Tennessee teriyaki wings. Vendors include Sekisui, Robata, GRISANTI 9DOUGH1, and more.
The Memphis Japan Festival takes place September 29th, from 10 am to 5 pm, rain or shine. Festival tickets are $5 for adults and $2.50 for children 2-12 years old. Admission is free for Botanic Garden members and children under 2 years old. Tickets include Japan Fest and access to the Botanic Garden, including the Japanese Garden. Parking is free. For more information and the full performance schedule, click here.
