The Spirit of Japantown Festival is a multi-ethnic celebration that took place throughout 7 city blocks of Japantown San Jose.
The festival was held annually for five years.
It is currently ‘in hiatus’ following the advent of the national recession.
As volunteerism once again increases and more sponsorship and other funding grows, the festival may return.
It was a day of celebration with cultural exhibits, free entertainment, anime all day, a car club exhibition, martial arts and sword demonstrations, arts & crafts, Kids Zone, bonsai workshops, food vendors, the J-town Idol contest and much more. Three performance areas were alive with music and dance all day long in addition to the indoor exhibitions and demonstrations.
Funds raised from this event were collected in order to further preserve and commemorate San Jose Japantown.
Some of our sponsors: from 2011:
San Jose Mercury News
Nichi Bei Weekly
Gordon Biersch Brewery
Takara Sake
Kirin Beer
Chateau Marie Antoinette
City of San Jose, Office of Cultural Affairs
Japanese Chamber of Commerce
Carl Mindling
San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin
Wesley United Methodist Church
Japantown Business Association
Japantown Community Congress 