The Nihon Matsuri Festival celebrates Japanese influences on Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The 15th annual Nihon Matsuri festival, a massive event celebrating Japanese culture, is coming up this weekend.

The street festival will take place on Saturday, April 27 at 100 South between 200 and 300 West.

Guests can expect food, entertainment, and historical and cultural exhibits. The festival starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 5 p.m. Admission is free.

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Nihon Matsuri chairman Floyd Mori said the festival will give attendees the opportunity to experience Japan without needing to travel — bringing a part of it right to Utah.

The festival will take place at the site of Utah’s former Japantown, just one part of the significant history of the Japanese community in Utah.

Japantown is where over 2,000 Japanese people lived in the heart of Salt Lake for almost a century before it was destroyed in 1969 when the Salt Palace Convention Center was built. What remains now is a small section west of the Salt Palace called “Japantown Street”, with the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple and the Japanese Church of Christ as the last landmarks.

Furthermore, Japanese workers helped construct the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which connected Salt Lake with Denver. Japanese farmers also contributed to the state with Utah Japanese producing nationally acclaimed celeries and strawberries. In the 1800s and 1900s, Japanese miners worked in Castle Gate, Hiawatha, and other Utah mines.

During World War II, Japanese families were held in the Topaz Internment Camp in Delta.

Mori said many may not know about the history of the Japanese community in Utah, which is why it’s important to highlight and speak about.

“The Japan Festival or Nihon Matsuri in Japanese is sort of a celebration of Japanese culture. I think a lot of people in Utah don’t really [understand] that there were Japanese in Utah’s history and part of Utah,” he said. “The festival is to allow people to have a chance to get acquainted with the culture here and the entertainment and the food of Japan.”

Some activities at the festival include a tea ceremony, Taiko drum performances, a cosplay contest, singers, dancing and more.

Mori said they work every year to bring something unique. This time, it’ll be the performer Katsura Sunshine using Rakugo storytelling to tell comedic stories about Japanese culture.

Tracy Akimoto will be gracing the stage with Japanese dances she said were passed down to her through the generations.

“They’re beautiful dances that just represent the culture. I’ll use different instruments like the folding fan to Japanese music,” she said.

She said the dances tell stories, including of picking flowers in the field, cherry blossoms, and the joy of life itself.

Akimoto has performed at Nihon Matsuri several times, as well as the Obon Festival at the Buddhist temple, where she is an instructor.

“I feel like it’s a real honor to be able to be asked to be able to perform. I’ve done it for so many years and I just really enjoy the people,” she said.

Mori said as soon as this year’s festival finished, they’ll begin planning for next year. Learn more about Nihon Matsuri’s events and activities online.

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