Kodomo no Hi and Día de los Niños meet at Fiesta Matsuri, a multiethnic celebration for children and families, on Sunday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.
Admission to this one-of-a-kind Children’s Day festival is free. It will feature arts and crafts, games, cultural demonstrations, and performances by children from the Japanese and Latino communities.
“It’s a fun-filled day that fosters an appreciation for Japanese American tradition and also connects participants to the diversity derived from multiple generations and ethnicities,” said JACCC President and CEO Leslie Ito. “Workshops and activities are designed for children of all ages and connect families with culture and community. Through collaboration, it also serves to create new ties and promote understanding among a diverse group of people.”
Indoor activities include:
11:30 a.m.: Mochi/manju demonstration by Brian Kito of Fugetsu-Do
11:30 a.m.: “What Is Taiko?” by UCLA’s Kyodo Taiko
12:15 p.m.: Samurai armor demonstration by Darin Furukawa and Mike Yamasaki
1 p.m.: Tea ceremony by Ogasawara Sencha
1:45 p.m.: “Basics of Taiko” by Kyodo Taiko
2:30 p.m.: Ukulele workshop by U-Space
3 p.m.: Tea ceremony by Ogasawara Sencha
Plaza performances on the Nissan Stage:
11 a.m.: North Torrance Youth Musician Ensemble
11:45 a.m.: Nishi Hongwanji Child Development Center
12:30 p.m.: Boyle Heightts Community Youth Orchestra
1:15 p.m.: El Marino Rainbow Taiko
2 p.m.: Tierra Blanca Arts Center
2:45 p.m.: Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu of Little Tokyo
3:30 p.m.: Plaza de la Raza Youth Mariachi Ensemble
Fiesta Matsuri is supported in part by Nissan, Toyota Financial Services, Union Bank, Rafu Shimpo Foundation, the George and Sakaye Aratani CARE Grant, and UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.
For more information, call (213) 628-2725 or visit www.jaccc.org.