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X-WR-CALNAME:Kansas City Japan Festival
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Kansas City Japan Festival
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T161500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T164500
DTSTAMP:20260926T210348Z
CREATED:20260926T210348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260926T210348Z
UID:10000308-1791044100-1791045900@www.kcjapanfestival.org
SUMMARY:Sumo Meet and Greet
DESCRIPTION:MTC Courtyard • Outside\nSumo Meet and Greet\nMeet the sumo wrestlers of Shōgeki Sumo and former professional wrestler Tatsuosho following their performances at KC Japan Fest!\nStop by the MTC Outside Courtyard for a chance to meet the athletes\, ask questions\, take photos\, and get an up-close look at the people bringing the traditions and excitement of sumo to this year’s Festival. \n\n 
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-meet-and-greet/
LOCATION:MTC: Courtyard (outside)
CATEGORIES:Special Activities,Sumo Theme
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GEO:38.924781845511;-94.728036897336
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T160000
DTSTAMP:20260927T212736Z
CREATED:20260811T203347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260927T212736Z
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SUMMARY:Sumo Performance
DESCRIPTION:MTC: Yardley Hall • 11:00 AM\, 3:00 PM\nSumo Performance\nPerformed by Tatsuosho and the Shōgeki Sumo Team\nExperience the power\, tradition\, and excitement of Sumo Wrestling as former professional wrestler Tatsuosho brings centuries of tradition to life with the Shōgeki Sumo Team and Three Trails Taiko.\nFeaturing TATSUOSHO\, a former professional sumo wrestler from Japan\, and the Shōgeki Sumo Team\, this action-packed 45-minute performance brings audiences up close to one of Japan’s most iconic traditions. \nMore than just a wrestling exhibition\, the performance explores the fundamentals\, history\, rituals\, and cultural significance of sumo. Learn about the traditions surrounding the ring\, discover how sumo wrestlers train and compete\, and watch exciting matches demonstrating the strength\, balance\, and technique behind the sport. \nThe performance also features live taiko drumming from Three Trails Taiko and plenty of audience participation—including the opportunity for select festivalgoers to step up and test their skills against the wrestlers! \n\nABOUT THE PERFORMERS \nStanding 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall and weighing 331 pounds (150 kg) during his professional career\, Tatsuosho (Ryu Nakasone) has performed at numerous sumo events\, helping introduce audiences around the world to the excitement and rich cultural heritage of Japan’s oldest sporting tradition. \nThe Shōgeki Sumo Team\, from Houston\, is dedicated to promoting Japanese culture through sumo\, combining education and entertainment to give audiences a deeper understanding of the sport and challenge common Western stereotypes about sumo wrestlers. \nThree Trails Taiko is a Kansas City–based community ensemble dedicated to sharing the tradition\, culture\, and art of kumi-daiko (ensemble taiko drumming). The group performs throughout the Greater Kansas City area at festivals\, cultural events\, libraries\, community organizations\, and more. Through their performances\, members strive to grow as taiko players in mind\, body\, and spirit while sharing the excitement of Japanese taiko with the community. \n 
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-performance/2026-10-03/2/
LOCATION:MTC: Yardley Hall
CATEGORIES:Performances,Sumo Theme
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T133000
DTSTAMP:20260927T213157Z
CREATED:20260922T213339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260927T213157Z
UID:10000295-1791032400-1791034200@www.kcjapanfestival.org
SUMMARY:Sumo Panel Discussion & Lecture
DESCRIPTION:MTC: Polsky Theatre\nSumo Panel Discussion & Lecture\n Featuring Nicholas Tôn & Ryu (TATSUOSHO)\nSumo is much more than what happens inside the ring. Join Nicholas Tôn\, Director and Co-Founder of Shōgeki Sumo\, and Ryu (TATSUOSHO)\, a former professional sumo wrestler from Japan\, for a deeper look at the traditions\, values\, and culture behind one of Japan’s most iconic sports.\nExplore the philosophy of Shin-Gi-Tai — mind\, technique\, and body — and discover how discipline\, respect\, strength\, and community are woven into the practice of sumo. Nicholas and TATSUOSHO bring perspectives from sumo practiced in the United States and the world of professional sumo in Japan\, offering festivalgoers a chance to go beyond the matches and better understand what sumo means to those who practice it. \n\nABOUT THE PANELISTS \nStanding 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall and weighing 331 pounds (150 kg) during his professional career\, Tatsuosho (Ryu Nakasone) has performed at numerous sumo events\, helping introduce audiences around the world to the excitement and rich cultural heritage of Japan’s oldest sporting tradition. \nNicholas Tôn is Director and Co-Founder of the Shōgeki Sumo Team from Houston\, dedicated to promoting Japanese culture through sumo\, combining education and entertainment to give audiences a deeper understanding of the sport and challenge common Western stereotypes about sumo wrestlers.
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-panel-discussion/
LOCATION:MTC: Polsky Theatre
CATEGORIES:Cultural Presentations,Sumo Theme
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T130000
DTSTAMP:20260927T201153Z
CREATED:20260927T201020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260927T201153Z
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SUMMARY:Sumo Origami Event
DESCRIPTION:GEB 254 • 2ND FLOOR\nSumo Origami Event\nInstructed by Michaela Blank\nIn this workshop participants will use their folding skills to make Sumo Origami.\nAlthough the models are not overly complex\, we still recommend that participants have previous folding experience and basic folding skills. Due to a limited number of helpers with origami experience\, and seats available\, we will be limiting the number of attendees to 30.
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-origami-event/
LOCATION:GEB: 2nd Floor
CATEGORIES:Special Activities,Sumo Theme,Workshops
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T120000
DTSTAMP:20260927T212736Z
CREATED:20260811T203347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260927T212736Z
UID:10000287-1791025200-1791028800@www.kcjapanfestival.org
SUMMARY:Sumo Performance
DESCRIPTION:MTC: Yardley Hall • 11:00 AM\, 3:00 PM\nSumo Performance\nPerformed by Tatsuosho and the Shōgeki Sumo Team\nExperience the power\, tradition\, and excitement of Sumo Wrestling as former professional wrestler Tatsuosho brings centuries of tradition to life with the Shōgeki Sumo Team and Three Trails Taiko.\nFeaturing TATSUOSHO\, a former professional sumo wrestler from Japan\, and the Shōgeki Sumo Team\, this action-packed 45-minute performance brings audiences up close to one of Japan’s most iconic traditions. \nMore than just a wrestling exhibition\, the performance explores the fundamentals\, history\, rituals\, and cultural significance of sumo. Learn about the traditions surrounding the ring\, discover how sumo wrestlers train and compete\, and watch exciting matches demonstrating the strength\, balance\, and technique behind the sport. \nThe performance also features live taiko drumming from Three Trails Taiko and plenty of audience participation—including the opportunity for select festivalgoers to step up and test their skills against the wrestlers! \n\nABOUT THE PERFORMERS \nStanding 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall and weighing 331 pounds (150 kg) during his professional career\, Tatsuosho (Ryu Nakasone) has performed at numerous sumo events\, helping introduce audiences around the world to the excitement and rich cultural heritage of Japan’s oldest sporting tradition. \nThe Shōgeki Sumo Team\, from Houston\, is dedicated to promoting Japanese culture through sumo\, combining education and entertainment to give audiences a deeper understanding of the sport and challenge common Western stereotypes about sumo wrestlers. \nThree Trails Taiko is a Kansas City–based community ensemble dedicated to sharing the tradition\, culture\, and art of kumi-daiko (ensemble taiko drumming). The group performs throughout the Greater Kansas City area at festivals\, cultural events\, libraries\, community organizations\, and more. Through their performances\, members strive to grow as taiko players in mind\, body\, and spirit while sharing the excitement of Japanese taiko with the community. \n 
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-performance/2026-10-03/1/
LOCATION:MTC: Yardley Hall
CATEGORIES:Performances,Sumo Theme
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T115000
DTSTAMP:20260923T152745Z
CREATED:20260923T152208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T152745Z
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SUMMARY:Out of the Ring: The Lesser-Known History of Sumo
DESCRIPTION:MTC 211 • 2nd Floor • 11:00 AM\nOut of the Ring: The Lesser-Known History of Sumo\nPresented by Morgan Williamson and Yayoi Shinoda\nWhat do celebrity culture\, religious institutions\, and strong women have in common? Surprisingly\, the answer is sumo. During the Edo period\, sumo was a very popular form of entertainment. Star wrestlers were celebrities\, and their portraits circulated widely in colorful prints that captivated devoted fans.\nIn this presentation\, we will look at these portraits while highlighting lesser-known sides of sumo: its important role in supporting temples and shrines\, and its long associations with strong women. Sumo tournaments generated financial support for temples and shrines. And although women are often prohibited from participating today\, their connection to the sport dates back centuries\, with women’s sumo competitions developing as entertainment. \n\nABOUT THE PRESENTERS \nMorgan Williamson is a PhD Candidate at the University of Kansas\, Department of Art History. Her research interests focus on painting and print making of Early Modern periods of Japan and East Asia. She is particularly interested in the role women played: as creators\, consumers\, and subjects who influenced the world of art of their time and its continuing history into modernity. She is also interested in looking at how narrative art and eventually manga and modernity have shaped and combatted gender norms and what roles these works have played in the culture and the impact of those trajectories on modern and contemporary artistic productions. Other research interests include religion and art\, and the role(s) play in Asian mythology. \nYayoi Shinoda\, PhD\, is Associate Curator of Japanese art at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. She has held curatorial positions at the Nelson-Atkins since 2013 and has contributed to various projects and exhibitions\, including the exhibitions Weaving Splendor: Treasures of Asian Textiles and Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration. She holds a PhD in the history of Japanese Art from the University of Kansas. See her current exhibit\, Water Embodied: Flow and Meaning of Water in Japanese Art\, on display in the Japanese Gallery at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art through Nov 22\, 2026. Learn more at Nelson-Atkins.org \n\nIMAGE CITATION  \nImage: Ichiyōsai Toyokuni and Kōchōrō Toyokuni\, Illustration of a Kanjin Grand Sumo Tournament (勧進大相撲興行之図)\, published by Aritaya / Aritaya Seiemon. National Diet Library Digital Collections.
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/out-of-the-ring-the-lesser-known-history-of-sumo/
LOCATION:MTC: 2nd Floor
CATEGORIES:Sumo Theme
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sumo-print-stitch.jpg
GEO:38.9251032;-94.7281012
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261003T225000
DTSTAMP:20260926T141613Z
CREATED:20260926T135223Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260926T141613Z
UID:10000302-1791021600-1791067800@www.kcjapanfestival.org
SUMMARY:Sumo - More Than a Match: From Ancient Ritual to Modern Ring
DESCRIPTION:MTC 211 • 2nd Floor\nSumo – More Than a Match: From Ancient Ritual to Modern Ring\nPresenter: Kristin (Rain) Caswell\nExplore the fascinating world of Sumo with enthusiast Kristin (Rain) Caswell! We’ll demystify the sport’s sacred Shinto roots\, grueling daily training\, and emotional retirement ceremonies. From legendary past champions to the exciting new era of current Yokozuna\, discover how this ancient ritual thrives today.\n\nABOUT THE PRESENTER \nKristin (Rain) Caswell is an avid Japanese culture enthusiast specializing in Shinto\, etiquette\, and Sumo. She has shared Sumo’s sacred Shinto roots through presentations and has volunteered at several Midwest conventions including Naka-Kon and Anime St. Louis. Kristin is excited to foster cross-cultural connections at this year’s festival! \n\nIMAGE CITATION \nHaguroyama Masaji performing the yokozuna dohyō-iri\, 1941. Photographer unknown. Public domain\, via Wikimedia Commons.
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/sumo-more-than-a-match/
LOCATION:MTC: 2nd Floor
CATEGORIES:Cultural Presentations,Sumo Theme
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261003
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261004
DTSTAMP:20260929T222127Z
CREATED:20250925T183607Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260929T222127Z
UID:10000240-1790985600-1791071999@www.kcjapanfestival.org
SUMMARY:Sumo Stamp Passport
DESCRIPTION:Festival Wide\nSumo Stamp Passport\nCollect six stamps. Build one ukiyo-e inspired print.\nThis year’s Festival stamp hunt has an ukiyo-e inspired twist! Instead of six separate stamps\, each stamp will be a layer of the same image! Travel throughout the Festival to find six stamp stations\, with each stop adding a new layer to your Sumo Stamp Passport. Watch the image gradually come together in a process inspired by the layered color printing of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. \nShow the completed card to the Japan Festival Booth (MTC 2 Floor Merchandise Table) to receive a sticker of the printed image.  \nYou may obtain stamps in any order\, but to maintain stamp quality\, we recommend visiting the 2nd floor MTC stamp station last!  \n\n Find the 6 layers of the stamps: \n\nGEB 202 Turnsol Books on the 2nd Floor\nCOM 201: JCCC Global Engagement Office\nSC (Student Center) 1st Floor Lobby\nOCB 100 1st Floor Japanese Bazaar\nRC (Regnier Center) 2nd Floor\n2nd Floor MTC Alzheimer’s Association Table\n\n  \n\nAbout the Artwork:\nSumo in the Heartland\nOriginal artwork by Meghan May \nInspired by traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints\, this original illustration features a sumo wrestler framed by the torii gate displayed at the entrance to the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival. Japanese maple leaves symbolize the festival’s autumn season\, while sunflowers\, the state flower of Kansas\, and Big Bluestem\, Missouri’s state grass\, represent the natural heritage of the two neighboring states. The Kansas City skyline highlights the enduring connection between Kansas City and Japan through cultural exchange and friendship. Created for the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival\, the piece celebrates the shared traditions\, landscapes\, and relationships that bring the two communities together. \n 
URL:http://www.kcjapanfestival.org/event/stamp-passport/
LOCATION:MTC: 2nd Floor
CATEGORIES:Special Activities,Sumo Theme
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GEO:38.9251032;-94.7281012
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