FREE
Join us for the in-person return of the Natsumatsuri Family Festival, our annual summer celebration featuring free cultural performances, crafts, and activities for families and kids of all ages!
Plus, free admission all day to see all of our exhibitions: Be Here / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration, Sutra & Bible: Faith and the Japanese American World War II Incarceration, The Interactive StoryFile of Lawson Iichiro Sakai, and Common Ground: The Heart of Community.
Special perks are available for JANM members! Be sure to check in when you arrive to get a member sticker so you can take advantage of all the special member benefits!
This event is free, but RSVPs are requested. Those who RSVP and show their ticket at the JANM membership table at the Natsumatsuri Family Festival will be entered into a drawing for a one-year JANM family/dual level membership. Members who RSVP will be entered for a chance to win a special gift bag from the JANM Store!
Can’t join us in person? We’ll be posting select performances and activities on our YouTube channel and Instagram throughout the day!
See the full schedule of activities below!
Sponsored by:
Media Sponsor: 
In-kind donations: 
For press inquiries, email mediarelations@janm.org or call 213.625.0414.
Press Photo Gallery (Password Access Only—contact mediarelations@janm.org for access.)
Activities
Photo Booth
Grab some fun props from Cre8tive Outlets and take a souvenir photo with friends and family.
Express lane for members!
Obon Fan Craft
Make and decorate a colorful paper fan to use during Obon Festival season!
Summer Shades Craft
Decorate some snazzy sunglasses to show off your style this summer.
Wishing Tree
Wishing trees are a summer tradition in Japan, appearing as apart of the annual Tanabata Festival.
This activity is in collaboration with the Los Angeles Tanabata Festival.
Ruthie’s Origami Corner
Learn to fold a jumping frog and a paper lantern—a colorful festival decoration!
This activity is named in honor of JANM volunteer Ruthie Kitagawa (1937-2020), who led origami activities at the museum for many years.
30th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt
Explore JANM’s current exhibitions, find all the items on our scavenger hunt list, and win a prize.
One per participant, while supplies last.
Quiet Room
Take a moment to decompress in our quiet space for young children and families. There will also be a private area for nursing.
Los Angeles Public Library
Sign up for a library card with friends from the Los Angeles Public Library! Stay for button making and coloring pages!
CMA Book Sale
Check out our Collections Book Sale.
Schedule
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
DJ Performance by Emma Anderson
Kick off Natsumatsuri with a DJ performance by one of JANM's 30 Changemakers Under 30, Emma Anderson!
Emma Anderson is a Gosei Okinawan-American radio DJ, podcaster, and software engineer whose focus is uplifting Okinawan stories and traditions. Emma is a proud Uchinanchu, and she hopes to share that pride with the greater Japanese American community through her work in audio production and software development.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Performance by Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles
Start the day with a performance by Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles! Led by director Carlos Samaniego, Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles performs its repertoire to suit the LGBTQ community while it maintains the highest level of musicality.
Reserved seating for members!
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
“I am Able to Shine” Book Reading
Join author Korey Watari for a reading from her book I am Able to Shine, an affirmative, empowering story about embracing your identity and finding your voice.
Korey will also sign copies of the book, available in the JANM Store.
Reserved seating for members!
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Obon Lecture and Community Dance
Learn about Japan’s obon festivals, which honor and celebrate the spirits of ancestors, with Rimban William Briones of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. A group bon odori (traditional dance) will then be led by Elaine Fukumoto.
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
For Every Generation: Recovering and Sharing Family Histories
Join us as we learn from Dr. Gail Y. Okawa, Mitch Homma, Elizabeth Nishiura, and Laura Dominguez-Yon about their families and the efforts they’ve made to record and share their stories and preserve the unique and rare objects that are featured in Sutra and Bible. Nancy Ukai, Project Director of 50 Objects, will moderate the conversation.
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Kendo Demonstration
Learn about kendo with a demonstration led by Sho Tokyo Kendo Dojo, a member dojo of the Southern California Kendo Federation.
Reserved seating for members!
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Storytime with the Los Angeles Public Library
Join friends from the Los Angeles Public Library for a fun-filled storytime session!
Reserved seating for members!
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
“I am Able to Shine” Book Reading
Join author Korey Watari for a reading from her book I am Able to Shine, an affirmative, empowering story about embracing your identity and finding your voice.
Korey will also sign copies of the book, available in the JANM Store.
Reserved seating for members!
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Performance by Makoto Taiko
Finish up the fun-filled day with a performance by Makoto Taiko, a taiko group that strives to connect and empower people of all backgrounds by advancing the practice of taiko with intention and sincerity.
Reserved seating for members!