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2011 Japanese Festival At The Missouri Botanical Garden

Labor Day weekend; Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (doors open at 9 a.m.)

Celebrate the culture and traditions of Japan when the 35th annual Japanese Festival returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis! From music to martial arts, sumo to sushi, bon odori dancing to bonsai displays and taiko drumming to Tea House Island tours, the three-day Labor Day weekend is filled with sights, sounds and experiences fit for the entire family.

Seiwa-en, the “garden of pure, clear harmony and peace” and one of the largest authentic Japanese strolling gardens in North America, takes center stage for the weekend’s festivities. A boisterous opening ceremony kicks off the celebration Saturday morning at the Japanese Garden entrance with an elaborate omikoshi Shinto shrine parade, bon odori festival dancing, taiko drumming and remarks by local and visiting dignitaries.

New in 2011, the private Tea House Island of the Japanese Garden will be open for guided public tours every hour from 12 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and from 12 to 4 p.m. on Monday. Normally closed to the public, visitors can see the Garden’s soan, or “farm hut” style tea house, which was a gift from Missouri’s sister state of Nagano prefecture in Japan. The tea house was originally built in Japan, and then reassembled on site by Japanese craftsmen and dedicated by a Shinto ceremony in 1977. Tea house tour tickets are $5 each and the maximum group size per tour is 20.

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Japanese musicians Kaoru Watanabe and Kenny Endo will entertain crowds with a unique blended performance. Watanabe, a former member of the Japanese taiko ensemble Kodo, is a practitioner of various Japanese traverse bamboo flutes and the Western flute, along with the taiko drum. His blend of Japanese folk and classical traditions with contemporary improvisational and experimental music will be paired with the contemporary percussion and rhythm of Endo, a vanguard of the taiko genre during his 35-year career.  

The St. Louis Osuwa Taiko group returns to the Garden to celebrate their 25th Japanese Festival appearance. These hometown favorites will sound their formidable taiko drums during reverberating performances twice daily at the outdoor Cohen Amphitheater.

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Also taking the stage are retired sumo wrestlers from the Hawaiian islands. These gentle giants give visitors a glimpse of the lifestyle, training and fighting techniques of Japan’s ancient warriors. Hear their perspective and watch several practice bouts during demonstrations twice daily.

Watch martial arts demonstrations of aikido, judo, kendo and karate-do, along with the more ancient koryu bugei. Learn about the disciplined art of ikebana flower arranging and the proper pruning of a delicate bonsai tree. Marvel at the quick work of ice sculptor Naomi Hamamura as he wields a chain saw to create birds and other objects from large, frozen blocks.

Learn the steps and join in a bon odori dancing demonstration. Take in a colorful kimono fashion show on Sunday inside the Shoenberg Theater; seating is limited.

The “Candyman” Masaji Terasawa is back to roam the grounds, delighting onlookers with his unique style of street magic and sugary-spun creations. Stop by the Spink Pavilion to enjoy children’s activities including origami paper folding and traditional Japanese games. Shop for souvenirs and other Asian-inspired merchandise at the Japanese marketplace and the Garden Gate Shop. Sample Japanese cuisine at the outdoor food court, including sushi, yakisoba noodles, pancake-like okonomiyaki and green tea ice cream. Take back the tap – bring your own refillable water bottle to keep refreshed throughout the day.

Wind down with an evening showing of the anime feature “Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone” on Saturday. Listen to a demonstration of Japanese karaoke on Sunday. Take a candlelit stroll through the Japanese Garden from 8 to 10 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday nights. Sponsorship support for the 2011 Japanese Festival is provided by Central States Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Novus International, Inc.

Members get more! Join the Garden or renew your membership during the Japanese Festival and receive free admission for two adults and all children for every day of the event. Memberships begin at $65 ($60 for seniors) and offer 12 months of free admission for two adults and all children, plus exclusive invitations and discounts. Learn more at www.mobot.org/membership.

*Description by the Missouri Botanical Garden.

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