As you may know, I minored in Japanese as an undergrad. I absolutely love Japanese food, language, and style! That’s why JapanFest, now in its 30th year, is one of my favorite annual Atlanta-area events! It’s an enormous celebration of Japanese culture, with vendors, demonstrations, and a fun, friendly atmosphere.
This year, I was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in the Modern Kimono Fashion Show, a new addition to the festival. The look I wore was kimono-inspired, and an absolutely perfect dressy-business look!
After the show (which was a blast!) I had the chance to try on an actual traditional-style kimono, courtesy of the Konnichiwa Club. It was so incredibly beautiful! I wish I could have worn it home with me.
And of course, no cultural festival would be complete without some delicious authentic food! I got my absolute favorite, okonomiyaki, and was stuffed in no time at all! If you’ve never had the chance to try it, okonomiyaki is a sort of savory Japanese pancake. They’re also really fun to make at home and customize! This was also my first time trying canned coffee… but I was pleasantly surprised!
I also strolled around the vendor market to look at all the beautiful handicrafts and artwork. I’m always inspired to go home and practice my own origami skills… although this level of perfection is pretty hard to compete with!
It’s really great to see how JapanFest continues to grow bigger and bigger every single year, and I’m already looking forward to next year! What’s your favorite Altanta-area cultural fest?
2 Comments
This is so neat!! I wish we had a JapanFest in Rochester, NY! That kimono is absolutely GORGEOUS! I’m so jelly!
Thanks Sarah! I had been wanting to try on a real kimono for so long, haha. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to try one on someday soon!