Japanese Student Association invites students to attend Japanese Fall Festival at 6 p.m Friday, Nov. 11, on the Union Mall (Union Theater in case of rain).
Festivals in Japan, “Matsuri,” have served a variety of purposes over time. Originally, from the teachings of Shintoism, the Japanese believed that a god exists for everything, so they started to hold “Matsuri” to worship those gods. As time went by, the purposes and the contents have changed based on the need of the people. Today, “Matsuri” are held in many different forms to honor the gods, to give thanks for the seasons, to bring people together, and to connect the local community. More detailed information about “Matsuri” is available on Wikipedia. In this age of pandemics, JSA would like to offer a unique Japanese festival to bring people together and have a great time.
This year, we are inviting a music performance group “KANPAI” from Oklahoma. They will be performing a Japanese taiko drum, called “wadaiko” at our event. Wadaiko are traditional Japanese drums and are used to perform at festivals and other events, infusing them with energy and listeners with excitement. Even in Japan, it is extremely rare to hear taiko drumming. You don’t want to miss this breathtaking experience.
Looking forward to the International Education Week from Nov. 14-18, we hope people can get ready for exploring the world culture through our event on Nov. 11. Our fall festival should be a very good starter to open the door and enjoy different cultures. In our “Matsuri,” people can play many different Japanese games and enjoy free Japanese food. All of these are unique aspects of Japanese culture that you can experience at this festival.
This event is supported by the Student Activities Fee as a funded event by the Associated Student Government and is free to all currently enrolled University of Arkansas students. For questions about the event or for accommodations due to disability please contact Kenshi Kawade, kkawade@uark.edu, 910-260-3561.
Original source can be found here.
