Location:
1090 Monica Lane
San Jose, CA 95128
408-241-0900
The Nikkei Matsuri Committee is an educational association that strives to preserve
Japanese American traditions and educate others about this culture. They achieve
this goal by organizing the Nikkei Matsuri Festival, a yearly festival in Japantown,
San Jose. This festival brings together Japanese American organizations from all over
the Santa Clara Valley to sponsor booths and events that focus on all aspects of
Japanese American culture. These booths sell a number of traditional foods and crafts, and
are run by organizations, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, various churches and Boy
Scout Troops. Events include traditional Japanese dance, doll making, martial arts and
bonsai, as well as the Yu-Ai Kai sponsored Japantown run. For children, the Nikkei
Matsuri Committee organizes Suzume no Gakkoo which offers children hands-on Japanese art
projects. Also included is the San Jose's Japanese sister city, Okayama, which
sponsors an entertainment group each year to perform at the Nikkei Matsuri Festival, as well as
and the Japanese American Resource Center which holds educational shows that reflect upon
the experiences of Japanese Americans, such as the WWII Internment. Approximately 10,000
people attend the Nikkei Matsuri Festival each year. The Nikkei Matsuri Festival takes place
the last week of April or the first week of May in the center of Japantown, at 5th and Jackson.
Further reading:
Michelle Guido, "Festival Draws 10,000 to Japantown", San Jose Mercury News, Monday,
29 April 1991, Morning Final Edition, Local Sec., p. 3B
For updated information on the date of the Nikkei Matsuri Festival access the San Jose Living
Web Site at:http://www.acoates.com/Annual.html
