The Japanese American National Museum Announces the In-Person Return of the Natsumatsuri Festival

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) is proud to announce the in-person return of the Natsumatsuri Festival on Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. JANM’s annual summer celebration features cultural performances, crafts, and activities for families and kids of all ages. Natsumatsuri is free but RSVPs are requested.

The festivities include dynamic drumming from Makoto Taiko, music from Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, author and librarian led interactive storytimes, Tanzaku bamboo wish tree, traditional bon odori dance lessons, Obon festival-themed origami, crafts to celebrate the summer, a festival-themed photo booth, a scavenger hunt for prizes, exclusive benefits for JANM Members, free admission to see the exhibitions Be Here / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration and Sutra & Bible: Faith and the Japanese American World War II Incarceration, and so much more!

JANM will be posting select performances and activities on the Museum’s YouTube channel, @janmdotorg, and Instagram, @jamuseum, throughout the day. For more details and to RSVP, visit janm.org/natsumatsuri2022. Natsumatsuri is sponsored by MUFG Union Bank, N.A., the Nissan Foundation, and American Honda Co., Inc. This program is also made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. The media sponsor is The Rafu Shimpo.

"Our Natsumatsuri family festival brings multiple generations together to explore Japanese American culture, foster community connections, and learn about the hard-fought lessons accrued from Japanese American history. Through our public programs and family festivals, we empower the public to deepen their understanding of one another’s cultures and unite to create a more just America and a better world," said Ann Burroughs, President and CEO.

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About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. For more information, visit janm.org or follow us on social media @jamuseum.