Japan Festival Boston: A Celebration of Culture and Community

In historic Boston Common on a beautiful spring weekend, the decadent smell of Japanese street food, lively music, and exuberant chatter permeate through the air. Flags and banners flutter in the warm breeze, sending cherry blossom petals afloat. Rows of bustling vendors and workshops line the greenery, while a sea of spirited visitors partakes in the cultural activities, delicacies, and conversations at the 11th Japan Festival Boston 2024 on April 27 and 28.

For the first time in five years, the Japan Festival Boston returned to Boston with larger crowds and more energy than ever, filling the Common with 23 food stalls, 18 cultural sites, 18 arts and crafts booths, and various other educational groups and businesses.

Upon stepping into the Common, lines of eager visitors wait patiently at the food vendors, selling a wide array of classic cuisine such as takoyaki, gyozas, okonomiyaki, ramen, and matcha, to name a few. Despite the long waits, people engage in lively interactions with one another and try out, many for the first time, authentic dishes from Japan. Filled with the smell of mouth-watering dishes, the Common transforms into a Japanese market, transporting visitors to the center of Japanese culinary culture.

Many participate in the collaborative art activities as they gather around and leave their own marks on wooden sculptures. Engaging live performances on the central stage showcase Japanese imperial music, bon odori traditional dance, Eisa folk dances, and kimono fashion, amongst others, imbuing the space with lively traditional music and energetic voices. In the workshops, visitors experience a mix of traditional and contemporary activities, ranging from tea ceremonies to flower arranging to cosplay. Visitors, volunteers, and performers alike strolled around the festival in Japanese traditional dress and subculture fashion, relishing in the vibrant celebration of Japanese culture.

The festival unites the Japanese community in Boston with traditional Japanese culture, featuring local and international groups. According to public relations and social media manager Ara L. Mahar, food vendors and performers come to Boston from Japan for the festival, including Hiroko Watanabe and Dagashiya Rock, and from local communities, such as Jeiko & Odaiko New England. Creating a melange of local Japanese groups and unique experiences that visitors typically cannot find outside of Japan, the festival connects the “communities that already exist” and “brings everyone together,” according to Mahar.

The festival originated in 2012 in honor of the 100 year anniversary of the arrival of Japanese sakura cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C. From anticipating only 3,500 visitors in the first year, the festival has grown tremendously to host over 70,000 people in the past few years, rapidly outgrowing from its initial Copley Square and Government Center locations. Now located in Boston Common, the festival accommodates a much larger range of vendors and visitors, while attracting the attention of passersby and inviting them in. This year, for the first time in five years, the festival returns to Boston with even greater turnout.

The founders’ mission is to celebrate the culture for the Japanese community and beyond.

“We want to continue 100 years,” former president Etsuko Yashiro said, “because our grandsons, granddaughters, should have a chance to see our culture.”

The festival seeks to introduce Japanese culture to the greater Boston community, creating a welcoming, open atmosphere for all to see the rich history and traditions. By Courtesy of Leshui (Jade) Xiao

The festival also seeks to introduce Japanese culture to the greater Boston community, creating a welcoming, open atmosphere for all to see the rich history and traditions. To Yashiro, the festival has the power to create community and give back to the world.

“If we connect with each other, we can make peace easier,” Yashiro said.

The festival also connects to the vibrant youth and student communities of Boston. The festival established a student team this year to foster more student involvement, as volunteers or visitors. From publicizing the event in their respective universities to working on site at the booths, the energy for the students truly shines at the festival, according to student leader Miyuka Mamizu.

Connecting people from all across the city and beyond, Japan Festival Boston is a stunning annual celebration of Japanese culture. Through food, workshops, and performances, it truly highlights the robust Japanese community and the diversity of Boston.