2024 Memphis Japan Festival

The 2024 Memphis Japan Festival was held on Sunday, November 3, at the Memphis Botanical Garden in Memphis, Tennessee. At the opening ceremony, Consul-General Watanabe, Sammie Arnold, Executive Director of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, and Mary Lynn Mack, Executive Director of the Memphis Botanical Gardens, gave opening remarks. Consul-General Watanabe expressed his appreciation for the sponsors, organizations, people, volunteers, and others who have contributed to the festival, noting that it is a valuable event that connects Japan and the local community. The festival featured a walking tour of the Japanese Garden, Japanese drum performances on stage, a cosplay fashion show, martial arts, a performance by the Japanese rock band Kazha, and many other tents showcasing various aspects of Japan. At the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville tent, visitors were introduced to origami and the JET Program. There were also various workshops on ikebana, tea ceremony, rice cake pounding, how to draw manga, Japanese language, and more.

We would like to thank the many people who came to the festival and all those who helped organize it.