JapanFest is always pretty high on my list of “must-attend” Atlanta events every year (not surprising, since JapanFest has been one of my favorite annual festivals for several years now)! For over thirty years now, this Atlanta-area festival has celebrated the people and the culture of Japan, and over 20,000 participants attend each year. It’s an incredibly opportunity to have a rich cultural experience right here in Georgia!
JapanFest was one of my first ever blog posts here at Raine In The City. I can’t believe it’s been two years already! For this updated post, I’d like to share some of my favorite things you can find at JapanFest, especially the kimono try-on hosted by the Konnichiwa Club!
JapanFest Must-Dos
I have a terrible tendency to show up at JapanFest right around lunch time, once lines are long. If you really want to enjoy the best possible JapanFest experience, I strongly recommend arriving early. If you’re interested in kimono try-ons, I definitely recommend going and signing up for a time first thing when you get there. It’s popular, so it always gets really crowded! It’s a very affordable, unique experience, and it’s certainly worth showing up early to make sure that you get a time slot. Also make sure that the clothes you’re wearing aren’t bulky; you don’t want any collars sticking up outside of your kimono!
The kimono I tried on last year was a huge favorite of mine. Thank you so much to all of the wonderful volunteers!
After getting dressed up and having your photos taken, go walk around the anime village for a little while before heading over to check out the food vendors. The anime village seems like it’s getting bigger and bigger every year. It’s always interesting to see the merchandise that’s available!
My meal of choice for JapanFest is always okonomiyaki! I don’t get a chance to have it very often, so I really wanted to get some before it sold out. Totemo oishii~. Go get a dessert from Suno – their milky-sweet, fluffy shaved ice is delicious. You might want to split it with a friend, though, because the portions are huge!
While you’re eating dessert, wander around the vendor’s area. There are so many booths to check out, and it can be a really good place to pick up a gift for someone! Once you’ve checked out the vendor area, make sure to stop by the Japanese Business in Georgia exhibition. They always have really interesting interactive exhibits featuring the latest in Japanese technology.
Also make sure to check the schedule and stop by to watch the kyudo and judo demonstrations, and the children’s Bon-Odori performance! There are always extremely talented martial artists, and the children’s dance is super cute. The festival also has traditional dances and performances that you don’t want to miss. Get your fortune told! (For me, the hardest part of attending only one day is seeing everything… there’s so much to do)!
As you can probably tell, I’m always looking forward to next year’s JapanFest. If you’re in the Atlanta-area, I hope to see you there next year, too! Keep up with JapanFest on their Facebook page or Instagram. Did you attend JapanFest this weekend? Planning to attend next year? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
xoxo,
Raine
5 Comments
Love JapanFest and all of your posts! Would love to go again!
I haven’t gone to a Fest like that. It looks like so much fun to be around the rich culture.
What a cool experience! 20k people is a lot! I don’t know if I could handle the crowds, but sounds like you had a great time!
Would love to attend Japanfest, seems like an amazing event.
Japanese culture is something I really have fun experiencing. I wish they had one closer to my area. A Japan Fest sounds really cool