Following the huge success of last year’s first Japan Parade, the second Japan Parade kicked off in New York City on Saturday, May 13th at 1pm.
Starting at Central Park West at West 81st Street and continuing south to West 67th Street, the purpose of the parade is to express gratitude from the Japanese community, celebrate and express the friendship between New York City and Japan, It was to raise awareness. Olympic gold medalist, Always Dream founder and author Christy Yamaguchi served as the parade’s grand marshal.
This year’s Japan Parade featured a live performance by the cast of Japan’s 2.5-dimensional show “Live Spectacle ‘NARUTO'”. Naruto is one of the most internationally recognized and popular manga series of all time. To date, the series has sold over 250 million copies worldwide. Written and drawn by author Masashi Kishimoto, his Naruto was first published in Shueisha’s magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, where it was serialized and ran for 15 years. More performers will be announced in the coming weeks. Japan Parade is affiliated with Japan Day @ Central Park, an annual event held in Central Park since 2007.
At the same time as the Japan Parade, the Japan Street Fair was to be held on West 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. Japan Street Fair is the spiritual successor to Japan Day @ Central Park.
The Japan Street Fair showcased tents offering fun and educational cultural activities such as calligraphy, water balloon yo-yo fishing, origami, photography, and gift giving. In collaboration with JAPAN Fes, one of the world’s largest Japanese food festival organizers that hosts over 20 Japanese food fair events annually in New York City, the street fair will also feature about 20 tents serving authentic Japanese food. intend to do something. Several other tents will provide up-to-date information on Japan’s many tourist destinations, and like last year, there will also be a tent where visitors can donate to charity. Japan Street Fair is your chance to experience a Japanese festival like no other.
Kristy Yamaguchi served as the parade’s grand marshal, while KTVV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News correspondent and Goodday LA featured reporter Sandra Endo hosted the parade.
“I am truly honored to serve as the grand marshal for this year’s Japan Parade,” said Kristi Yamaguchi.
“My Japanese culture makes me proud, and I am delighted to celebrate our goodwill with Japan and our engagement and solidarity with the Japanese American community.”
Participating organizations include Anime NYC (anime convention), COBU (drums), Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir, International Karate Organization Kyokushin Kaikan, New York Japanese Folk Dance, Katsura Sunshine (comic storyteller), Midori & Friends ( Music Education Group), Taiko (drums), TATE Hatori-ryu NY (sword fighting), Yosakoi Dance Project 10tecomai, New York City Youth Chorus, and many others.
“The Japan Parade is a big ‘Arigato!’ from the Japanese community to New York City,” said Ambassador Mikio Mori, Honorary Chairman and Consul General of Japan in New York.
“This will be our second annual celebration of Japanese culture and the many vibrant connections between Japan and this great city. We plan to go beyond the Inaugural Parade in strengthening our engagement with the Asian community during AAPI Heritage Month while highlighting the uniqueness of AAPI Heritage Month. I look forward to further strengthening the bond between us and our friendship for generations to come.”
Japan Parade Executive Producer Kumiko Yoshii said, “After the great success of the inaugural parade last year, I am very excited to be returning to New York City for the second year and showcasing the diversity and pride of the Japanese community. I will,” he said.
“Last year, more than 20,000 crowds, including nearly 2,400 participants, marched through Central Park West. We look forward to building on this success and introducing more groups in New York and Japan. I would especially like to thank our sponsors and supporters, without whom this event would not have been possible.”
“The overriding goal of the Japan Parade is to serve as a platform for new connections and an inspiration to strengthen existing relationships between Japan and the United States, the Japanese American community and the people of New York City.” said. Daisuke Ugaeshi, Chairman of Japan Day’s Board of Directors, represents the prominent Japanese and Japanese-American companies that make up Japan Day’s Board of Directors.
“To that end, I am humbled by the immense support of our sponsors, the trust placed in us by our parade participants, and the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers who truly believe in the good that our event can achieve. and empowered.” We hope that everyone who visits, experiences and immerses themselves in Japan Parade 2023 will not only enjoy it to the fullest, but also come home with a newly cultivated or renewed awareness of the unique splendor and beauty of Japanese culture. with my greatest wish. ”
The first Japan Parade and Japan Street Fair will be held in 2022. Actor, author, civil rights activist and influencer George Takei served as Grand His Marshal for the inaugural parade. The parade included special guests from Japan, including the cast of “Sailor Moon” The Super Live, children’s choirs, taiko drummers, Bon Odori and kimono groups, and martial arts groups such as karate. Activists protesting attacks targeting Asians and anti-Asian rhetoric also took part in the parade.
Diamond sponsors of this year’s Japan Parade (as of April 5) are ANA (All Nippon Airways), Hisamitsu America, Japan Airlines, and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. Platinum sponsors (as of April 5) include ITOCHU International Inc., Marubeni America Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Mitsui & Co. (USA), Inc., Nomura America Foundation, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas Foundation, and Tokio Marine will be America.
Learn more about Kristy Yamaguchi
Kristy Yamaguchi won gold in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She is also a two-time World Champion and National Champion. Christie is a member of the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. She recently received the USOPC’s Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award for her “her contribution as a powerful force for good in society,” as well as the work of her organization, Always Dream. She also won the 2019 Heisman Humanitarian Award for After a long and successful career in professional figure skating, which included a ten-year tour with Stars on Ice, Christie Miller joined her partner Mark Ballas in Season 6 of the popular TV show Dancing with the Stars. I stood on the dance floor to win the ball trophy. In 1996 she founded Christie’s Yamaguchi’s Always Her Dream, whose mission is to provide low-income children with quality books in a home environment. We aim to bridge the opportunity gap and information divide with an innovative family-based literacy program. www.alwaysdream.org. In 2012, Christie published her first children’s picture book, Dream Big, Little Pig!, and later she published Big World, Little Pig!, which added her achievements to the New York Times Bestselling Authors list. I was. And the third title “Kara’s Kindness”. Christie lives in her San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Brett, a two-time US Olympian and Stanley Her Cup Champion, her hedican, and her daughters Keala and Emma.
Learn more about Sandra Pea
Sandra Endow is a Television News Correspondent for KTTV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News. Endo covers the latest news in Good Day LA’s featured report. She spent most of her career on the East Coast before returning to her hometown of Los Angeles. Before she moved to Los Angeles, she worked for CNN, which is based in Washington DC. Her storyline has appeared in primetime shows such as Anderson She’s Cooper starring She’s AC 360. She also reported on the devastating tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan in 2011, the international conflict in Egypt, and US involvement in Libya. Before joining CNN, Endo was a political reporter, host and anchor for NY1, covering a wide range of campaigns and the 2005 traffic strikes, and after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, she was Reported 24 hours a day. Originally from California, Sandra is a Nisei Japanese American whose grandfather was interned during World War II. She believes it is important to teach her two young children cultural heritage in order to preserve traditions and learn from the past.
Learn more about Japan Day
Japan Day Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has primarily hosted the Japan Day @ Central Park Festival since 2007 and the Japan Parade and Japan Street Fair since 2022. This work is made possible by the support of major local Japanese companies that make up the Board of Directors of Japan Day Co., Ltd., the Consulate General of Japan in New York, and all the individuals, organizations and companies that sponsor and donate. , or volunteer to participate in this wonderful celebration.
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