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  • KC Japan Fest Vendors

    Vendor Booths

    RC: 1st Floor +4 more

    Throughout the festival, shop artist and merch booths and find information from organizations and sponsors! 

  • Anime Screening: Tsurune

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Minato Narumiya once loved kyudo, the traditional Japanese art of archery, but a difficult experience caused him to leave the sport behind.

  • bonsai

    Bonsai and Suiseki Display

    SC: 1st Floor

    The Bonsai Society will provide an exhibition of a wide variety of bonsai styles and plant materials for our Festival again this year. Society members will be at the exhibit to answer questions and demonstrate how plants are pruned, shaped, trained and wired.

  • Yukata and Kimono Kitsuke Portraits

    Yukata and Kimono Kitsuke Portraits

    MTC: 1st Floor

    Volunteers will dress you in authentic Kimono or Yukata and take your picture with your camera/phone in front of a Japanese Backdrop.

  • Ikebana Exhibit

    Ikebana Exhibit

    RC: 1st Floor

    This exhibit of the beautiful art of Ikebana will give everyone an opportunity to see both traditional and contemporary styles of this distinctively Japanese art form.

  • Japanese Bazaar Shopping Extravaganza

    Japanese Bazaar Shopping

    OCB: 1st Floor

    You can shop for unique Japanese crafts, Kimono, yukata, happi coats, kokeshi dolls, games, books, Japanese serving ware, ceramics (sake sets and tea sets) and much more.

  • Sumo - More Than a Match: From Ancient Ritual to Modern Ring

    Sumo – More Than a Match: From Ancient Ritual to Modern Ring

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    Explore the fascinating world of Sumo! 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.

  • Kansas City Japan Festival Opening Ceremonies

    Japan Festival Opening Ceremony

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    The Opening Ceremony will include music, introduction and remarks by distinguished guests and the ritual of Kagami-wari – the breaking of a sake barrel and toast to open the festival, plus a special performance from Three Trails Taiko. 

  • The Legacy of Japan’s Masked Heroes

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    This presentation explores the rich history of Japan’s masked heroes—from Kamen Rider and Kikaider to Super Sentai and GARO—and examines the cultural traditions, industries, and ideas that shaped them.

  • Go and Shoji Game

    The Games of Go and Shogi

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    Come to this workshop to play actual games, see demonstrations and competition games, and hear a brief discussion of the history and rules of “go” and “shogi.”

  • Anime Screening: Azumanga Daioh

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Follow a wonderfully eccentric group of students through the funny, strange, and surprisingly memorable moments of everyday high school life.

  • Fun Japanese for Kids

    MTC: 1st Floor

    In this Japanese for Kids workshop, kids will learn to say various everyday phrases and how to read some basic Japanese, all through fun activities.

  • Out of the Ring: The Lesser-Known History of Sumo

    Out of the Ring: The Lesser-Known History of Sumo

    Featured
    MTC: 2nd Floor

    What 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.

  • Tatsuosho and the Shogeki Sumo Team

    Sumo Performance

    Featured Schedule of all Sumo Performances
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Featuring 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. The performance also features live taiko drumming and plenty of audience participation.

  • Origami Workshop

    Beginners Origami Workshop

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    Fold and build the simple – bit impressive – Sonobe cube. No complicated squash, rabbit ear, or petal folds are involved!

  • Kids at the Cultural Village

    Kids Japanese Cultural Village and Bazaar

    MTC: 1st Floor

    Featured again at this year’s Festival is the Kids Japanese Cultural Village operated by the Kansas City Japanese School. Young and old attendees will be entertained with many opportunities to experience the “real” Japan here in Kansas City.

  • Tea Ceremony Demonstration at the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival

    Tea Ceremony Demonstration – Edo-senke

    Featured
    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Attendees will have the opportunity to witness, and several attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.

  • Anime Screening: Ya Boy Kongming

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Legendary Chinese military strategist Zhuge Liang—better known as Kongming—awakens in modern-day Tokyo and discovers an entirely new battlefield: the city’s music scene.

  • Godzilla. Image Credit: Toho Co., Ltd

    Godzilla! What you (probably) don’t know

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    In 1954, GODZILLA emerged from the rubble of postwar Japan and forever changed the world of cinema. What inspired Japanese filmmakers to create this iconic movie monster? What challenges did they face in bringing him to life? And how did Japanese audiences respond to this unforgettable creature?

  • Karate Workshop

    Misogi-Ryu Karate Workshop

    OCB: Fountain Square (outside)

    This workshop will introduce the martial art of Karate as a method of self-defense.

  • Shakuhachi

    The Shakuhachi, Shamisen and Koto: A Window into Japanese Music

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    This presentation focuses on the shakuhachi as both a traditional and contemporary Japanese instrument. It will introduce the instrument's history, repertoire, aesthetics, and performance practice, while also providing an overview of other traditional Japanese instruments, including the koto and shamisen, to place the shakuhachi within the broader context of Japanese music.

  • Origami

    Sumo Origami Event

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    In this workshop participants will use their folding skills to make Sumo Origami.

  • Japanese Language for Beginners

    Japanese Language Workshop for Beginners

    MTC: 1st Floor

    Attend a Japanese language workshop to learn about the Japanese language, and with the aid of the instructor, learn some basics of the language.

  • Screening: JCCC Japanese Shorts Festival

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Watch fourteen original Japanese-language shorts created by Japanese language students at schools in Kansas and Missouri.

  • Tatsuosho and the Shogeki Sumo Team

    Sumo Panel Discussion & Lecture

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Sumo 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.

  • Japanese Religion and the Supernatural

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    In this presentation, Dr. Sarah Aptilon will delve into supernatural beliefs in Japanese culture and their connection to Shinto and Buddhism.

  • Kendo Workshop

    Kendo Workshop

    OCB: Fountain Square (outside)

    Learn the martial art of Kendo in this outdoor workshop, using a bamboo sword called a shinai.

  • bonsai

    Miniature Trees: An Introduction to the Ancient Art of Bonsai

    SC: 1st Floor

    This presentation will provide a general overview of the many aspects in practicing the art of Bonsai, including Chinese and Japanese origins, philosophy, and description of design styles, tools, general horticulture procedures, pot selection and the design process.

  • Children's Mikoshi Parade

    Children’s Mikoshi Parade

    MTC: Courtyard (outside)

    Participating in the parade, students from the Saturday Kansas City Japanese School will carry a traditional-style festival float, accompanied by taiko performers.

  • Japanese Dance: Fuji Musume (The Wisteria Maiden)

    Japanese Dance: Fuji Musume (The Wisteria Maiden)

    Featured
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Experience one of the most celebrated works of Japanese classical dance as Fuji Musume (The Wisteria Maiden) comes to life on stage, performed by Nihon-buyō (Japanese Dance) Master Asuka Wakayagi Kichi Iijima.

  • Japan’s Women Warriors – The Onna-Bushi

    Japan’s Women Warriors – The Onna-Bushi

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    The onna-bushi represent the women of Japan’s warrior tradition. From stories predating the samurai class, through the centuries of samurai history, and into the present day, accounts of female warriors have continued to shape and preserve this legacy.

  • Tessenjutsu - Martial Arts Fan Workshop

    Tessenjutsu – Martial Arts Fan Workshop

    OCB: Fountain Square (outside)

    This outdoor workshop focuses on Tessenjutsu (鉄扇術), or “iron fan technique” – the martial art of the Japanese war fan (tessen).

  • Samurai Armor Up Close

    Samurai Armor Up Close: Presentation

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    Step into the world of the samurai and experience Japanese armor up close. Using a full set of samurai armor from a private collection, you’ll explore its major components and learn how each piece was worn, its purpose, and the craftsmanship behind it.

  • Anime Screening: The Dangers in My Heart

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Quiet middle school student Kyotaro Ichikawa prefers keeping to himself, until he begins spending time with Anna Yamada, a cheerful and popular classmate who isn’t quite what he expected.

  • Image of wood block printing supplies

    Poems and Woodblock Prints Workshop

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    This workshop introduces the basics of Japanese poetry (waka) and woodblock printing (mokuhanga). Each participant will print their own woodblock image and compose a poem inspired by it.

  • Tatsumaki Yosakoi Dance Club: Yosakoi Dance Workshop

    Yosakoi Dance Workshop

    Featured
    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Enjoy trying the Yosakoi style of dance, which is highly energetic and combines traditional Japanese dance movements with modern music.

  • Katakana: Key to Instant Japanese

    MTC: 1st Floor

    Attend a Japanese language workshop to learn about the Japanese language, and with the aid of the instructor, learn some basics of the language using Katakana. 

  • Large-Scale Origami

    Large-Scale Origami: Think Big, Fold Bigger

    GEB: 2nd Floor

    The Greater KC Japan Festival’s first ever LARGE-SCALE origami demonstration. Teams will work together to fold a 7-foot square of paper in 45 minutes or less. Experience origami on a whole new scale!

  • Anime Screening: My Love Story!

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Takeo Gouda is a big-hearted high school student whose imposing appearance hasn’t exactly helped his romantic prospects. But after he rescues the kindhearted Rinko Yamato, an unexpected romance begins.

  • The Future of Aging: Lessons from Japan and the United States. Photo: Takato Marui (m-louis), “Sakura Tai Chi,” Osaka, 2016. CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

    The Future of Aging: Lessons from Japan and the United States

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    What does it mean to age with dignity, and how can communities help older adults live fuller, more connected lives? This presentation explores the changing landscape of aging and dementia in Japan and the United States, examining how cultural attitudes, community support, and technology shape the experiences of older adults.

  • Himawari Japanese Choir

    Featured
    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Himawari is a local choral group in which members enjoy experiencing Japanese culture and tradition through singing Japanese songs.

  • Hidden Ninja Taiko Drum Performance

    Hidden Ninja Taiko Drum Performance

    Featured
    MTC: Courtyard (outside)

    Experience taiko up close and in the open air! Hidden Ninja Taiko brings powerful rhythms, dynamic movement, and high-energy Japanese drumming to the festival for an outdoor performance you can feel as much as hear.

  • Zen Meditation Workshop

    Zen Meditation Workshop

    MTC: 2nd Floor

    In this Zen meditation workshop, we will explore the basics of Zen meditation and how to practice it.

  • Tatsuosho and the Shogeki Sumo Team

    Sumo Performance

    Featured Schedule of all Sumo Performances
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Featuring 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. The performance also features live taiko drumming and plenty of audience participation.

  • Anime Screening: Dungeon People

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Skilled thief Clay ventures deep into a mysterious dungeon in search of her missing father, only to discover there is much more happening behind the scenes than monsters and treasure.

  • Tatsuosho and the Shogeki Sumo Team

    Sumo Meet and Greet

    MTC: Courtyard (outside)

    MTC Courtyard • Outside Sumo Meet and Greet Meet the sumo wrestlers of Shōgeki Sumo and former professional wrestler Tatsuosho following their performances at KC Japan Fest! Stop 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 […]

  • Anime Screening: Non Non Biyori

    Nerman: 2nd Floor

    Life moves at a different pace in the tiny rural village of Asahigaoka, where a handful of students of different ages share the same small school.

  • Introduction to Martial Arts

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    An introduction to Martial Arts demonstrations being given at the festival. 

  • Karate Demonstration

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    A demonstration of the martial art Karate. 

  • Kanji Made Easy

    MTC: 1st Floor

    Is it possible to learn to read Kanji in less than a year? Try out the Heisig method of Kanji acquisition in this fast-paced and fun session.

  • Kendo Demonstration at the Greater Kansas City Japan Festival

    Kendo Demonstration

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    The art of Kendo derives from sword skills developed by the samurai of the 12th century called Kenjutsu. During the 14th to 16th centuries, accomplished swordsmen opened schools to teach the art of the sword.

  • Kenjutsu Demonstration

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Kenjutsu-Marishiten-kai Martial Arts Demonstration.

  • Naginata Demonstration

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Experience the art of the naginata (薙刀), one of Japan’s most distinctive traditional weapons. The naginata is a long polearm fitted with a curved blade, combining the reach of a spear with the cutting ability of a sword.

  • Aikido Demonstration by Neil Segal of Aikijuku Dojo

    Aikido Demonstration: Aikijuku Dojo

    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Aikido Demonstration by Neil Segal of Aikijuku Dojo: techniques containing mostly blocks, locks and takedowns by the proper use of grappling techniques.

  • Tatsumaki Yosakoi Dance Club

    Yosakoi Dance Club Performance

    Featured
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Yosakoi is a unique style of dance that is highly energetic, combining traditional Japanese dance movements with modern music.

  • Three Trails Taiko Performance

    Three Trails Taiko Performance

    Featured
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Feel the thunder of the drums! Experience the power, rhythm, and energy of Japanese taiko as Three Trails Taiko brings this dynamic performance tradition to the Kansas City Japan Festival.

  • Cosplay Contest

    Cosplay Contest and Fashion Show

    Featured
    MTC: Polsky Theatre

    Come to Polsky Theatre and enjoy a Cosplay Contest and Fashion Show. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.

  • Three Trails Taiko Workshop

    Three Trails Taiko Workshop

    Featured
    MTC: Yardley Hall

    Learn all about Taiko drumming from members of Three Trails Taiko. This is a hands-on workshop for those wanting to learn the basics of Taiko drumming.