Japanese Fall Festival

Fri., Sept. 8 from 5pm-10pm
Admission: $9/adult; $4/child ages 3-12

Sat., Sept. 9 from 11am-10pm
Admission: $14/adult; $4/child ages 3-12

Sun., Sept. 10 from 11am-6pm
Admission: $9/adult; $4/child ages 3-12; $4/person dressed in costume role play

𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦! 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺.

𝐁𝐮𝐲 𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞

Members of Springfield Sister Cities Association receive free entry all weekend. An annual membership ranges in price from $10 for a student to $60 for a family; view additional benefits and join at peacethroughpeople.org/membership.

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒

The ancient art of sumo will be on full display in the Ozarks as three title-winning 𝗨𝗦𝗔 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗼 wrestlers battle it out on the festival stage. Witness their strength and agility up close and personal and maybe even challenge one of these champions to a match.

𝗨𝘇𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘂, a yosakoi dance ensemble from San Jose’s Japantown, performs an energetic style of dance that blends traditional and modern Japanese movements and music.

𝗬𝗮𝘀𝘂 𝗜𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗮 is a storyteller and magician originally from Ube, Japan. Ishida combines traditional Japanese theatre, music, origami, magic and storytelling to bring the enchanting land of Japan to his audiences.

𝗦𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗮 is a world-renowned shodo artist from Japan’s Fukushima prefecture. Her large-scale calligraphy performances are inspired by hope and peace.

Favorite performers returning to the festival include 𝗦𝘁. 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝘀𝘂𝘄𝗮 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗸𝗼, ensemble drummers; 𝗞𝗶𝘇𝘂𝗻𝗮, Springfield’s Japan America friendship club; 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆’𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗽𝗼 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶, martial arts demonstrators; 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆, costume role play demonstrators; and 𝗞𝗶𝗥𝗮 𝗞𝗶𝗥𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱, cosplay dance team.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

In addition to numerous vendor and artisan booths featuring wares authentic to Japanese culture, guests will enjoy the 𝗡𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 (Japanese culture experience tent) where you can meet delegate from our Japanese sister city, Isesaki, the 𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 (souvenirs and snacks tents), and 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

The festival offers cultural opportunities geared toward children including an activity area featuring traditional Japanese games and crafts led by Japanese language students from 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹. These opportunities end by dusk each evening.

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐒

Workshop opportunities include amezaiku, bonsai, kokedama, ikebana, kintsugi and martial arts.

𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥.

𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊

Beginning at dusk on Friday and Saturday, September 8 and 9, hundreds of torches light the garden pathways and soft Japanese music fills the air to create a romantic strolling atmosphere.

Purchase a 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 and set your dreams afloat on one of the koi ponds.

𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘

𝗖𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆 in partnership with 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 is Sunday, September 10. Come to the festival in your cosplay (costume role play) to receive $4 admission.

𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐋𝐄

𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥.

𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐑

Hundreds of volunteers are needed to work the Japanese Fall Festival; volunteers receive free entry to the festival on the day of their shift.

𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥.

𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐃

New vendor applications are welcome; proposed booths must be authentic to Japanese culture for consideration. Learn more and apply by Aug. 11 at peacethroughpeople.org/jff.

𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒

– Missouri Arts Council
– Mid Missouri Bank
– MSU’s Department of World Languages and Cultures
– Renewal by Anderson
– Chase

Sponsorship opportunities are still available and start at $600; learn more at peacethroughpeople.org/jff.

𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

The Japanese Fall Festival is a celebration of authentic Japanese culture highlighting 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝟯𝟲-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘀𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗶, 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻. Each year, Springfield and Isesaki exchange performers to entertain and share culture at each other’s festivals. You can meet the Isesaki delegates at the festival’s culture tent. We’ll send Springfield musician Dallas Jones to perform in Isesaki this September. Learn more at peacethroughpeople.org/donatetodallas.

Springfield Sister Cities Association donates half of the Japanese Fall Festival’s admission proceeds to the maintenance and development of the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, sponsored by Simmons Bank. The remaining proceeds benefit cultural programs which further Springfield Sister Cities Association’s mission of “Peace through People.”

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

For more information regarding the Japanese Fall Festival or Springfield Sister Cities Association, please visit peacethroughpeople.org.