UPDATED with video: Colorful Farmers Branch Japanese festival draws thousands

Updated 10:44 a.m., September 23, 2009

by Lena Dirbashi

FARMERS BRANCH — Bright colors complimenting spring floral shades of pink and lavender on kimonos dotted the Japanese Aki Matsuri, or fall festival, in Farmers Branch on Sunday, Sept. 20.

Vendors with Japanese restaurants like Sushi-Sake of Richardson and Sushi Yama of Dallas were serving traditional Japanese delicacies ranging from familiar sushi rolls and gyoza dumplings to more exotic tako-yaki (octopus dumpling) and oden (Japanese stew consisting of boiled eggs, radish, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light soy broth).

Little boys and girls dressed in teeny kimonos stood in between other children dressed in casual American t-shirts and jeans, as they waited in long lines to participate in Kingyo-Sukui. “Kingyo” means goldfish and “Sukui” means catching. As the kids anxiously reached the booth, the volunteer on the other side handed them two special scoop sticks made of thin paper in exchange for two tickets. The children -- though adults have not shied away from participating – squat over an inflatable pool where hundreds of tiny goldfish swam. They were scooped up and packaged in clear bags as prizes.

The most impressive and entertaining moments of the festival came straight from the performances. With an opening act by high school Japanese band playing “J-pop,” or Japanese pop, the show went on with non-stop action. Masked boys and girls in black uniforms resembling ninjas performed Kendo, a type of martial art similar to European fencing. Next, a performance by an American family – including mom, dad, and three kids passionately danced along the sounds of Okinawa flowing from the speakers as they beat their drums in black and brilliant red uniforms, the official colors of the famous Japanese city.

A Plano-based karate group showed off its members’ skills, ranging from the beginner white belts to the advanced black-belts, including one that has been recognized internationally having participated in world leagues.

The most adorable performance goes to the Cherry Blossom Choir, Japanese school children dressed in colorful kimono’s singing traditional and modern Japanese songs. They threw in an English song at the end too.

Taiko, or Japanese drum, lured in the largest crowd. Dressed in bright blue jackets with a thick, red Japanese calligraphy on the back, the performers were mostly women – a tradition previously dominated by men.

With admission free and a strong tradition going back as far as 1983, the Aki Matsuri has long been the most authentic sample of Japan in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The festival is organized by the Dallas Japanese Association (DPA) and has grown tremendously over the years – mostly by word-of-mouth marketing. Last year, the turnout was about 4,000, an increase of 500 from its previous year. Aimed mostly at families, there is little reason to believe the festival cannot be enjoyed by anyone at any age or background.

In fact, many of the attendees and performers are not even Japanese, as DPA’s committee chairman Minoru Makita explained in a welcoming speech. “The association is committed to developing friendship and bring races together,” he said.

The purpose of this, he continued to say, is to enjoy Japanese culture. “We want it to be enjoyed by the local people and give a little taste of Japan in a fun, relaxing environment -- especially in this kind of economic crisis going on.”

The festival started early at 11 a.m during a beautiful sunny day and lasted until a little before 3 p.m. Volunteers put the festival together and funds heavily came from membership fees and donations. All performers are also volunteers. It takes about three months to organize the event, organizers explained. “There are no professionals that are doing this,” Makita said, laughing. “So nobody can be negative!”

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