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  • About
    • About Us
    • Board and Staff
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us on Social Media!
    • Join Our Email List
    • Resources
    • Testimonies/PR
  • Donate
  • Become a Friend of the GVJCI
  • Events/Programs
    • GVJCI >
      • GVJCI Upcoming Events
      • 2022 Art Show
      • Bento Program
      • GVJCI Scholarship
      • Matsuri Bento-To-Go Fundraiser
      • TANOSHII Fun Camp >
        • Camper Registration
        • Counselor Registration
        • Testimonials
        • Camp Supporters
        • Activities
        • FAQ
      • Restaurant Fundraiser
      • Virtual Matsuri >
        • VM Main Page
        • VM Content Schedule
        • 2021 VM Art Gallery
        • Entertainment
        • Food
        • Martial Arts
        • Matsuri Memories
      • Seniors >
        • TNK Classes
        • Smartphone/Tablet Class
        • Food Distribution >
          • Greeting Card Program
        • Tomo Cafe | 友カフェ
      • Recurring Events >
        • Day Of Remembrance >
          • DOR 2022 >
            • Big Band Music in Camp
            • Camp Comedy Performances
            • Japanese Cultural & Performing Arts
            • Fine Art >
              • Amache & Heart Mountain
              • Arts & Crafts
              • Henry Fukuhara
              • George Hoshida
              • Minidoka
              • Rohwer
              • Tanforan-Topaz Art School
          • DOR 2021 >
            • CSUDH Japanese American Digitization Project
            • Densho Campu Podcast
            • Lane Ryo Hirabayashi Tribute
            • South Bay JACL Oral Histories Collection
        • Meditation & More Class
        • Virtual Matsuri >
          • Art Gallery
          • Entertainment
          • Food
          • Martial Arts
          • Scholarship Recipients
      • Past Events >
        • 2021 GVJCI Online Art Show Home Page >
          • Artists A-J
          • Artists K-M
          • Artists N-O
          • Artists P-Z
        • The Bridge: GVJCI Heritage Center >
          • Book Club
        • KonMari Method Workshops | こんまり®︎メソッドワークショップ
        • Oshogatsu
        • Oysters, Bites & Biiru
        • TABE-DORAIBU >
          • TABE-DORAIBU
          • Map & Partner Bios
          • POINT SYSTEM
          • FOOD PICTURES
    • Japanese Language School >
      • Japanese Language School >
        • JLS Graduates
    • Member Organizations >
      • Arts/Music/Dance >
        • Bando Hidesomi
        • Hawaiian Music Class
        • LA Men's Glee Club
        • Meito Calligraphy
        • Taiko
      • Health and Wellness
      • Martial Arts >
        • Gardena JCI Kendo
        • Gardena Judo Club
        • Gardena Kendo
        • Gardena Naginata
        • Kyudo Renmei
      • Service >
        • Evening Optimist Club of Gardena
      • Sports >
        • Sansei Baseball League
        • South Bay F.O.R Junior Sports Association
        • South Bay Youth Basketball
      • Youth >
        • Boy Scout Troop 683
        • Boy Scout Troop 719
  • COVID-19
  • How to Help
    • Become a Bento Buddy!
    • Giving Tuesday 11.30.21
    • Donate Your Car!
    • 2022 GVJCI Raffle Drawing
    • Shop on Amazon
    • Volunteer
    • Purchase a 2023 Calendar Ad
  • Facility Reservations
  • Blog
    • Blog Terms of Use
    • Want to write for us?

GVJCI Blog
ガーデナ平原日本文化会館ブログ

GVJCI's Annual Matsuri Fundraiser - What is Matsuri?

6/23/2022

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By: Lise Tarui, GVJCI Program Intern
One of GVJCI’s biggest events of the year is the annual Matsuri Fundraiser. In Japanese, “matsuri” means festival and refers to any and all festivals that occur throughout the year and across regions in Japan. 

Matsuri has origins in Shintoism. It was meant to celebrate kami, or Shinto “gods”/deities. Further, matsuri was meant to celebrate a local shrine’s kami, or a seasonal or historical event. While most Japanese individuals do not regard themselves as being religious today, many of the practices of Shintoism have become ingrained in Japanese culture; this is why matsuri is still celebrated today. 
One prominent matsuri in Japan is natsu-matsuri, which are the festivals that occur in the summer season (July and August). This is the matsuri celebrated by GVJCI every June. 
Despite the fact that matsuri differ based on when and where they occur in Japan, many characteristics remain consistent.  Matsuri usually features mikoshi, or palanquins that are small portable shrines; the local shrine’s kami is said to be carried around the town in mikoshi during the festival. Another feature of matsuri is dashi and yatai, or decorated festival floats. These floats are meant to resemble mountains, which in its Shinto origin were believed to be where kami reside. While mikoshi carry the kami honored at the local shrine, dashi and yatai are built more generally for all the kami that live in the mountains. Dashi and yatai usually also feature a Taiko, or drum, stand. Other common characteristics of matsuri include hanabi, or fireworks, games and activities, and food. 
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Traditional matsuri foods include yakisoba, or stir-fried noodles, takoyaki, or small balls of cooked octopus in pancake batter, and yakitori, or grilled chicken skewers. Additionally, matsuri traditionally features sweets. Many of these sweets are also common features of festivals and carnivals in the United States. They often include taiyaki, or fish-shaped pastries filled with red bean paste, wataame, or cotton candy, kakigori, or shaved ice, and dango, or skewers of dumplings made from rice flour.
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GVJCI’s matsuri endeavors to maintain the integrity of traditional Japanese matsuri, though it does not take as much influence from Shintoism. Rather, it is catered more toward children and families in the South Bay area, offering a fun cultural experience to those of Japanese descent or interest. A large part of what makes GVJCI’s masturi is the community that comes together to celebrate Japanese culture. Similar to traditional Japanese matsuri, GVJCI’s matsuri features games and activities and familiar Japanese foods. Beyond the inclusion of traditional Japanese activities, such as pachinko machines, GVJCI has created games themselves, like “Duck-Duck-Duck” and “String Pull,” which are all favorites with the kids. Additionally, because the South Bay area has a large population of Japanese-Hawaiians, Hawaiian influences are also seen here. For example, Hawaiian dancing and music can be experienced within the mix of other traditional Japanese entertainment.
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GVJCI’s matsuri foods often include yakisoba, as seen in traditional matsuri, chicken teriyaki, a popular Japanese dish, and spam musubi, a popular Hawaiian dish. In terms of the sweets, this matsuri includes kakigori (shaved ice), also as seen in traditional matsuri, and sata andagi, or deep-fried donut balls that originate from Okinawa. GVJCI often works closely with the Okinawa Association of America (OAA), which has influenced the inclusion of sata andagi, one of the most popular items offered each year!
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GVJCI is extremely proud of its tradition of hosting matsuri every year. This event has been put on for decades and continues to bring the community together. ​
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GVJCI's Mission and Vision

Our mission is to create a space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience and culture.

The GVJCI envisions a vibrant network and a welcoming space for all persons interested in Japanese heritage and culture where history and tradition are honored, people are inspired to create action and change, and cultural pride and respect for all humanity are promoted.




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