The Arizona Matsuri / Japanese Festival this weekend Feb 23/24, in Phoenix

[rawnshah]

The annual AZ Matsuri is set again for this coming weekend (Feb 23rd Sat & 24th Sun) in Phoenix at Heritage and Science Park downtown on 7th St & Monroe. This will be the 24th anniversary of the event and looks to be just a good a previous years. It starts at 10:30am and goes on until 4:30pm.

Aside from the three stages where they show performing and martial arts, there are about 60 booths and stands on everything from Amezaiku (candy sculpting) to zen calligraphy. On the martial arts stage, there will be Judo, Taijutsu, Karate, Iai, Naginata, Aikido and cosplay (costume playacting). The other stages have fashion, taiko drummers, dance, music, and choirs. There must be at least a half dozen different taiko drum teams playing.

I was thinking of making a trip up on Sunday morning, if anyone in the Tucson group would like to join us. Send me a message here. My car can only fit two more after my family but I'm sure we can figure out transportation if there are enough people.

-rawn

[Steve Waldstein]

Sounds cool, I'd like to go.

[Monica Margaret Voge]

I would really like to go, but two of my classes just piled on the homework...