Japan Fest Presented by Hancock Whitney

Join us on Saturday, October 10th, for the 32nd year of Japan Fest Presented by Hancock Whitney! Celebrate Japanese culture through art, performances, food, and more at this beloved annual event organized by NOMA, the Japan Club of New Orleans, and the Consulate General of Japan in Nashville.

Sample Japanese cuisine, enjoy traditional dance groups, martial arts demonstrations, and tours throughout the day. Shop a variety of vendors offering unique goods in a festive atmosphere.

This year’s Japan Fest Presented by Hancock Whitney is also accompanied by the exhibition Second Nature: Japanese Rinpa Paintings from the Gitter-Yelen Collection at NOMA, as well as the connected installation Good Fortune: 50 Years of Japanese Art at NOMA. Attendees can experience both the exhibition and installation throughout the day. Guided gallery tours of both Second Nature and Good Fortune will also take place during the event.

Please note: Costumes are welcome, but please review our costume guidelines provided on this page. The expansion of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is not included in the Japan Fest festivities but will be open to the general public.

Get Tickets

Tickets for Japan Fest are $10 General Admission, $5 for NOMA members, and free for attendees 19 years old and under

GET YOUR TICKETS

Pre-purchasing Japan Fest tickets online is strongly recommended. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the event in front of the main gate of the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, as well as at the admissions desk in the Great Hall.

Festival Schedule

All Day Activities

10 am – 4 pm | Open Play: Go with Crane’s Nest Go Club (Samuel H. Kress Galleries, first floor)

10 am – 4 pm | Buddha Board demonstration (NOMA Museum Shop, first floor)

10 am – 4 pm | Samurai Suit Fitting with the Japan Society of New Orleans (Elevator lobby, second floor)

11 am – 2 pm | Intro to Zazen Meditation with the New Orleans Zen Temple (Contemporary art galleries, second floor)

Schedule of Events

Start Time

Event and Location

10:00 am

Welcome Remarks (Portico, front of museum)

10:15 am

Minyo Dance Group: Japan Club of New Orleans, Bon Odori dancing (Lapis Center for the Arts, First Floor)

10:30 am

Kaminari Taiko of Houston drum performance (Portico, front of museum)

Youth Japanese language workshop (Art Studio, second floor)

11:00 am

New Orleans Kendo Club demonstration (Sculpture Garden, Oak Grove)

Candy5 demonstration (Lapis Center for the Arts, first floor)

Youth gallery tour (Kurt A. Gitter, M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter Gallery, third floor)

11:30 am

Tairyu Shakuhachi performance (Portico, front of museum)

Baton Rouge Iaido demonstration (Sculpture Garden, Oak Grove)

“Intro to Go: The Game Japan Revolutionized for 1300 Years” workshop (Samuel H. Kress Galleries, first floor)

Teen Japanese language workshop (Art Studio, second floor)

12:00 pm

Satoru Ohashi performance (Lapis Center for the Arts, first floor)

Gallery Tour (Kurt A. Gitter, M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter Gallery, third floor)

12:30 pm

Kaminari Taiko of Houston drum performance (Portico, front of museum)

Shogun Martial Arts demonstration (Sculpture Garden, Oak Grove)

1:00 pm

Japanese Weekend School performance (Portico, front of museum)

Adult Japanese Language class (Art Studio, second floor)

Miki & Mico Fujii: Anime & Traditional Japanese Music performance (Lapis Center for the Arts, first floor)

Second Nature exhibition tour (Ella West Freeman Gallery, first floor)

2:00 pm

Lolita Fashion Show & Cosplay Costume Contest (Portico, front of museum)

NOLA Aikido demonstration (Sculpture Garden, Oak Grove)

“Intro to Go: The Game Japan Revolutionized for 1300 Years” workshop (Samuel H. Kress Galleries, first floor)

Gallery tour (Kurt A. Gitter, M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter Gallery, third floor)

2:15 pm

Taiko Drum Workshop with New Orleans Taiko (Art Studio, second floor)

2:30 pm

New Orleans Zen Temple closing ceremony (Lapis Center for the Arts, first floor)

3:00 pm

Gallery tour (Kurt A. Gitter, M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter Gallery, third floor)

3:15 pm

J-Pop Dance Kaigai Idol showcase (Lapis Center for the Arts, first floor)

3:30 pm

Kaminari Taiko of Houston drum performance (Portico, front of museum)

4:00 pm

Closing remarks, end of Japan Fest, museum closes

Participants

Please note: some vendors for Japan Fest accept cash only. Cash is recommended for making purchases at the festival.

Food Vendors

Ajun Cajun

Nori Guys

Nola Cane Juice & More

Dingtea Downtown Nola

EM’s Bakery

Violet Sprinkles; A Macaron Boutique

Jeon’s Treats

Merchandise Vendors

Minty Mix & Friends

SofinaCo

B.sweetLA

Blerd-ish

Donn Davis

Violet Sprinkles: A Macaron Boutique

NOLA Rufflebutts

Madame Butterfly Nagasaki

Airily Arts

Showtime Sweetie

NOLA Kimekomi

Jeon’s Treats

Shiratori Hime Cosplay & Crafts Designs

Kintsugi Jewelry Kokoro

Vintage Bambi Deville

Twootie Tarte

Japanese Weekend School of New Orleans

Performers, Tours, and…

Community event in New Orleans, LA 70119.