Japan Parade Fair Press Event Consulate General of Japan in New York 4/26

Dear Journalist:

You are invited to attend a special Japan Parade and Street Fair preview event on Friday, April 26 from 10AM – 12PM hosted at the residence of Ambassador Mikio Mori of the Consulate General of Japan in New York.

The Japan Parade celebrates the unique beauty of Japanese culture and U.S.-Japan relations, and the press preview will showcase Japanese culture, art, tradition, and food.The event will offer brief highlights of the third annual Japan Parade, followed by a reception with some food samples from participating Japan Street Fair vendors.

At this preview event, The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York and the Japanese Taiko drumming group Soh Daiko are scheduled to perform. They are two out of approximately 90 groups which will march / perform on May 11th at the parade.

About The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York

The purpose of our organization is to research, promote, and keep alive interest in the traditional folk dances of Japan. Our primary function is the performing, teaching, and preserving of those authentic dances, performed by the ordinary working people of Japan. To us, it is dance with the sweat and sweetness of life, itself! Presently, the Japanese Folk Dance Institute consists of two performing groups; Minbuza, a professional group whose purpose is to perform folk dances from around Japan, and Hanagasa kai (Flower Hat Dance Group), an open group of all ages and nationalities, which performs and parades the Bon-Odori at festivals and other events.

About Soh Daiko

Established in 1979, Soh Daiko was the first taiko drumming group on the East Coast of the U.S. The group performs a variety of original compositions and arrangements that, in addition to the drums, incorporate accessory instruments such as bamboo flutes, brass bells, conch shells, gongs, African shekere, and more.

(Photo/Tsuyoshi Toya)

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On Saturday, May 11, the Japan Parade will kick off at 1pm, going from 81 Street to 67th Street along Central Park West, after the opening ceremony at 12:30 pm. Wheelchair tennis star and four-time Paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. The 2024 Japan Parade will also feature a live performance by the cast of the 2.5-Dimensional show from Japan, “Demon Slayer: The Stage” plus a special appearance from the Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke Mini Corps Member mascots from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime series. There will be taiko performers, bon-odori dance and kimono groups, Karate and other martial arts groups, and many more.

We are also expecting the attendance of high-level New York City officials for the parade’s opening ceremony. Alongside the Japan Parade, the Japan Street Fair will be held on West 72nd Street, and JAPAN Fes will be organizing over 20 food tents serving authentic Japanese street cuisine with a rich variety of flavors and dishes that would surely delight food enthusiasts. The street fair will also feature Japanese cultural activities including calligraphy, water balloon yo-yo fishing, origami, photo opportunities with Hello Kitty, and booths promoting Japan’s popular tourist destinations during “U.S. – Japan Tourism Year 2024.” A charity tent will collect donations for Noto earthquake victims, providing a Japan Parade tote bag as a thank-you. In addition, there will be a raffle with prizes.

MORE ABOUT JAPAN DAY

Japan Day Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the primary organizer of the Japan Day @ Central Park festivals since 2007, and of Japan Parade and the Japan Street Fair since 2022. Japan Day Inc.’s activities are made possible by the support of the local leading Japanese American companies that compose Japan Day Inc.’s Board of Directors, the Consulate General of Japan in New York, and all the individuals, organizations, and companies that sponsor, donate, or volunteer and be a part of this great celebration.