September 5, 2025 • 18 mins
JapanFest is the premier celebration of Japanese culture in the Southeast! Immerse yourself in a vibrant, two-day cultural journey where ancient tradition meets modern innovation. From the mesmerizing rhythms of taiko drumming to the delicate artistry of a traditional tea ceremony, this festival offers a unique escape to the Land of the Rising Sun.
This year, JapanFest Atlanta is returning to the Gas South Convention Center on September 20th and 21st, 2025. Experience the best of Japanese entertainment with special guest performers, martial arts demonstrations, and a wide array of authentic Japanese food vendors and a beer garden.
Join thousands of others in celebrating the rich heritage of Japan right here in Georgia. JapanFest 2025 is the perfect family-friendly event to discover new traditions, indulge in delicious cuisine, and create unforgettable memories. Whether you're a long-time enthusiast of Japanese culture or a curious newcomer, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Web: https://www.japanfest.org/
ABOUT
Now in its 38th year, JapanFest welcomes around 23,000-25,000 visitors each year.
Organized by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and supported by the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, the festival fosters greater cultural understanding between the Japanese community and Americans in the Southeast.
Our Story
Co-organized by JapanFest, Inc., The Japan-America Society of Georgia, The Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, and supported by The Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta.
MISSION
The mission of JapanFest is to improve understanding and appreciation of linkages between Japanese and Americans residing in the Southeastern United States through an annual salute to Japanese culture and friendship entitled JapanFest. This celebration will promote multicultural education, encourage social harmony, and ensure the cultural integrity of JapanFest by providing an appropriate mix of authentic contemporary and traditional programs on Japanese art and culture.
Activities include a wide variety of performing arts, demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and exhibitions. These grassroots efforts are coordinated by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and The Japan-America Society of Georgia and implemented by a host of community volunteers. JapanFest is committed to organizing a self-sustaining event, supported in part by non-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and non-Japan-America Society of Georgia members, and provides meaningful support to educational endeavors in Georgia.
HISTORY
What is now referred to as "JapanFest" began in 1981 as Japan Week, a biannual series of Japan-related cultural events organized by the Consulate-General of Japan that took place around the city of Atlanta. In 1986, the name was changed to JapanFest, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, the Japan America Society of Georgia, and the Consulate General of Japan organized their own events under the title of JapanFest. In 1993, the first Picnic and Sports Day was held at Mercer University.
In 1995, Picnic and Sports Day became Japan Day at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. In 1996, JapanFest moved to Stone Mountain Park and became an annual event. In 1997, JapanFest, Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit corporation.
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AshSaidit.com: A vibrant lifestyle blog and event platform, AshSaidit.com is your gateway to Ash's world. Here you'll find exclusive event invitations, honest product reviews, and a wealth of engaging content designed to inform and inspire. It's the perfect online destination to stay connected and get your daily dose of Ash's unique personality and insights.
The Ash Said It Show: With over 2,100 episodes and over half a million global listens, "The Ash Said It Show" is a powerful and popular podcast. Ash engages in meaningful conversations with inspiring guests, diving into topics that truly matter. Listeners gain valuable life lessons, encouragement, and practical advice to help them navigate their own journeys
This year, JapanFest Atlanta is returning to the Gas South Convention Center on September 20th and 21st, 2025. Experience the best of Japanese entertainment with special guest performers, martial arts demonstrations, and a wide array of authentic Japanese food vendors and a beer garden.
Join thousands of others in celebrating the rich heritage of Japan right here in Georgia. JapanFest 2025 is the perfect family-friendly event to discover new traditions, indulge in delicious cuisine, and create unforgettable memories. Whether you're a long-time enthusiast of Japanese culture or a curious newcomer, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Web: https://www.japanfest.org/
ABOUT
Now in its 38th year, JapanFest welcomes around 23,000-25,000 visitors each year.
Organized by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and the Japan-America Society of Georgia, and supported by the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, the festival fosters greater cultural understanding between the Japanese community and Americans in the Southeast.
Our Story
Co-organized by JapanFest, Inc., The Japan-America Society of Georgia, The Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, and supported by The Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta.
MISSION
The mission of JapanFest is to improve understanding and appreciation of linkages between Japanese and Americans residing in the Southeastern United States through an annual salute to Japanese culture and friendship entitled JapanFest. This celebration will promote multicultural education, encourage social harmony, and ensure the cultural integrity of JapanFest by providing an appropriate mix of authentic contemporary and traditional programs on Japanese art and culture.
Activities include a wide variety of performing arts, demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and exhibitions. These grassroots efforts are coordinated by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and The Japan-America Society of Georgia and implemented by a host of community volunteers. JapanFest is committed to organizing a self-sustaining event, supported in part by non-Japanese Chamber of Commerce and non-Japan-America Society of Georgia members, and provides meaningful support to educational endeavors in Georgia.
HISTORY
What is now referred to as "JapanFest" began in 1981 as Japan Week, a biannual series of Japan-related cultural events organized by the Consulate-General of Japan that took place around the city of Atlanta. In 1986, the name was changed to JapanFest, and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, the Japan America Society of Georgia, and the Consulate General of Japan organized their own events under the title of JapanFest. In 1993, the first Picnic and Sports Day was held at Mercer University.
In 1995, Picnic and Sports Day became Japan Day at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. In 1996, JapanFest moved to Stone Mountain Park and became an annual event. In 1997, JapanFest, Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit corporation.
Ash Brown: Your Ultimate Guide to Inspiration, Empowerment, and Action
Are you searching for a dynamic motivational speaker, an authentic podcaster, or an influential media personality who can ignite your passion for personal growth? Look no further than Ash Brown. This American multi-talented powerhouse is a captivating event host, an insightful blogger, and a dedicated advocate for helping people unlock their full potential. With her infectious optimism and genuine desire to empower others, Ash Brown has become a leading voice in the personal development and motivation space.
Discover the World of Ash Brown: AshSaidit.com & The Ash Said It Show
AshSaidit.com: A vibrant lifestyle blog and event platform, AshSaidit.com is your gateway to Ash's world. Here you'll find exclusive event invitations, honest product reviews, and a wealth of engaging content designed to inform and inspire. It's the perfect online destination to stay connected and get your daily dose of Ash's unique personality and insights.
The Ash Said It Show: With over 2,100 episodes and over half a million global listens, "The Ash Said It Show" is a powerful and popular podcast. Ash engages in meaningful conversations with inspiring guests, diving into topics that truly matter. Listeners gain valuable life lessons, encouragement, and practical advice to help them navigate their own journeys
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
What it is, what it beside the world.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's your girl, the one and only Ash Brown, and
this is the Ash said. It's show over twenty one
hundred episode since twenty fourteen, half a million streams around
the world. None of this is possible without you, guys,
So I thank you so so very much. Today my
guest is from one of my favorite events. Yes, since
(00:28):
I've been back to GA, I've had to go to
wear japan Fest. So we've got Beth with us today. Hey, Beth, Hey,
thanks so much for joining us today.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Beth, we love thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, and so for people that I don't know have
been living under a rock or I don't even know
what they've been doing back, let them know.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
What is japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Oh. It is the largest celebrated of Japanese culture in
the South East, and we've been doing it for over
thirty years, and it's just a great way to get
to know more about Japanese culture and the arts without
even having to buy a plane ticket.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I know it, and I just love just the celebration
of it. It's grown so much since I. You know,
my baby sister is definitely the one that got me
into conventions and introduced me to japan Fest, so I
you know, I've definitely been going for a number of
years now and just seeing how the event has grown
(01:36):
is just incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, it's been incredible to watch that. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So with so many different facets of like Japanese culture
to showcase, how do you guys decide the performers and
the artists and the vendors each year?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Oh god, yeah, Well, we have several different ways. We
we have a theme this year around cases of Japan,
but we're also celebrating twenty years of the Atlanta Fukuoka
Japan sister city relationship, so we wanted to bring out
(02:15):
more about Fukuoka and that leads us to bring in
some special performers from Fukuoka.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
And some special.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Foods from Fukuoka, so our theme can kind of drive
some of that. We also know that there's performers that
that our audience loves every year that we we like to.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Bring them back. And then you we do have.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Local community performers that showcase some of the Japanese arts
and the martial arts.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
So we have a variety of.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Ways that we get get performers and showcase them and
think about we do have an application process as well.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I would imagine that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, And I mean it's just always like vendors, it's
like busting at the seams, like there's always so many
just amazing vendors and all the different I just love
the themes every year, So I'm excited to see how
this year's theme unfolds. But how do you and the team,
how do you all measure like the success of japan
(03:28):
Fest every year, like in terms of like attendance or
impact on the community. How do you guys see that?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, so attendance is pretty easy because of the ticketing system,
and definitely it's grown beyond our expectations, so and try,
you know, and that has been one way we measure
is or primarily through the survey that we put out.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And that has always been one of.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
The complaints, as wow, there's so many people here, it
can get congested. But Gas South has expanded and renovated
their area and.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Gosh, just to go from.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
One end of the festival area to the other, you
really have to plan what you want to do because there's.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Just so much can do.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, there's literally like so much like there's no you
go to japan Fest and there's like literally there's nowhere
of just like boredom of not having anything to do. No,
there's always something for you to run into at japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So that is the attendees themselves, because people dressed up
and they have just some of the coolest costume.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That is probably one of my favorite parts too, is
just watching the cosplay. Like people spend like you know,
like a year, some change and they get like the
details down to the to the tea and I'm like, wow,
that is incredible.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I don't know all my anime characters, but other people
do and they're like, oh, look there's so and so,
and I'm like, oh, wow, now have you dressed up?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I haven't, and I haven't in recent years bad Like
I just moved back to Georgia last year, and so
I haven't. I haven't costplayed much. Maybe I need to
change that at some point. I haven't, but I need to.
I I used to back in the day, like when
(05:45):
my mom would send me to basically chaperone and my
sister and her friends at these conventions and I would
dress up and I would cosplay. I would be like
a vampire or a witch or you know, I never
would like going like deep in to like characters per se,
like like some of these people that cosplay, but I
would be like a generic vampire that would be about.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
It be cool. I love it.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Now with the festival, a new cosplay you could do
if you come. We have a group from Fukuoka, a
pop idol group called Link, so they will sorts of fancy.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Cool costumes. It's a group of.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Young women, yes, and link link stands for Lovely Love
in t Shoes. So they'll be one of our new acts.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
And like I.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Said, since we're celebrating the Fukuoka connection, they'll they're coming
to us from Fukuoka.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
So that's exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Oh wow, that is really cool.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
That's so cool.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So yeah, I may have to look into that one.
That sounds like it's gonna be fun. And I mean,
I don't know how much your how up you are
on a lot of anime and the cartoons and the
different things that happened. But I've been obsessed, okay, absolutely
obsessed with K pop Demon Hunters.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I have been obsessed with Oh my gosh, it was
like I just I love it. It just brought back all
of like from my childhood, like sing along type of
stuff that just the graphics were amazing, the story was awesome.
I was absolutely obsessed. So I know that that's going
to be heavy hitter. I know we're gonna see a
lot of Demon Hunters. A lot of Demon Hunters are
(07:41):
going to be there this year, I already know.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And they always the anime group is always always pretty
pretty large because we have no anime vendors there too, so.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
They'll have plenty to pick from.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yes, yes, oh my goodness. Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward
to that one. But so, the festival has been running
for well over thirty years now, and in what ways
have you seen japan Fest evolve to adapt to the
new trends of Japanese pop culture.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yeah, that's an interesting question.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
We will.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
And it started out as kind of a Japan just
a general Japan Week type of thing, or maybe it
was even a month where.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
The Japan's Consulate was just really trying to get more
exposure of Japanese culture to the Southeast population.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
So wasn't until I think ninety seven that it evolved
into the japan Fest as we kind of know it now.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But part of it is I mean, and so, yes,
we have brought in new acts like link this pop
Idol group.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
One year we did.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Seem on Technology, Cool Technology, and we had had a
lot of interesting robot toys and we had a therapeutic
robot seal that was.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Used with.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Older patients like those with dementia or something they did
and it would react to them and they could talk
to it sort of thing. But part of japan Fest
is to bring the traditional arts and the culture, and
so we don't want to lose that either. As we
(09:41):
bring in the cosplay. We never had the cosplay, but
we've partnered with Momo Con and they brought in the
cosplay contest and pay which in the early years we
didn't have any of that.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So we tried.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
To balance both, you know, the pop culture and the
way japan culture is evolving, but also showcase the traditional arts,
which is important for people to see as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yeah, I agree with that one, And I mean, looking ahead,
what do you feel are the long term goals or
the long term vision for japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Well, I would say that our goals we kind of
have three that.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
We like to think about.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
One is obviously to increase awareness and appreciation understand of
Japanese culture throughout the Southeast and thereby we want to
grow our audience. But one of the measures we use
in our survey is how many people are first time
(11:03):
visitors to japan fests and because we want to you know,
keep growing the new people as well as we love
having people return.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
But last time we were like at fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
We're newcomers exciting.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
And you know, means that we're exposing more.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
People to the Japanese culture in the Southeast, So that's
important to us.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
But it's also important for.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Because we have over six hundred companies Japanese companies in Georgia.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
And I think they.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
They employ over thirty seven thousand Georgians and about eleven
billion dollars in the Georgia economy. So we really want
them to feel part of the japan Fest and to
be part of the local community. So that's why we
have affection for Jet businesses in Georgia at the festival,
(12:09):
so that they can interact with attendees and the attendees
can get to know some of these companies that are
in Georgia, and people really seem to enjoy.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
What that section offers.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
So that's another piece of what we always look for
is to increase that connection between the local community and
the festival goers and the Japanese expats and businesses here
in Georgia. But we also can't get our performers, so
(12:46):
we try.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
To bring in new performers. But as I said, there's
crowd favorites. My favorite VI the Tycho Drummers. I love
the come back every year.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
But this is also a way for them.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
To be able to share their skills, so we want
we want them to have that opportunity, and it also
gives them an opportunity to network and and we actually
survey our performers too, and some of them, like we
had the Rock and Go, which is Japanese kind of
(13:22):
stand up comedy, but he sits, but he was he
came for the first time last year and he's like, oh,
I want to come back, so he will be here
this year. So that's yeah, that's how we look at
kind of our I guess.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
You could call them.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Stakeholders, and if we want to make sure we're doing
right by our attendees but also by the Japanese businesses
here who.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Also you know, help us put on the festival. And
then the performers too.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Yeah, I mean I thought of one question here about that.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I figured out to ask you because you know we're
already here we're talking Japan Fest.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Is Komalman coming this year? Is he going to be there?
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
The bear? I think he's a bear? Is he a bear?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
He is?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
You know, I have not heard that he is.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
But you never know.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
You have something of their own that they want to bring.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
So that's that. But yeah, so doesn't is not.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
From Pukuoka, so we we we don't want him pick
flash if.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Anything, yetcha.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, we don't want any beefs. We don't want any
trouble Japan Fest. You behave yourself wherever you are.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
We have another Fukuoka performer called Hakata Coma and it's
and you can see all this on our website japan
Fes dot org. But he he uh, he works with
with spinning tops. And I was kind of like, oh,
come on, you know, how how special to see? But
(15:22):
when I saw the video, it was it was amazing
what he is able to do. And apparently he is
like the twentieth generation or something like that of family
that that has done work with with with these tops.
Uh these spinning tops. So excited to see what that's going.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
To be, like, yeah, I mean, and then of course
you know the food hall. The food is always amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, oh what I want to see there? This one
Fukuoka company is bringing an own.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Machine no.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Scene that make I don't know how many owning the
rifle ball for us.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
So we could have plenty of food or right, But
I hope it.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I hope it's able that we can see the actual
machine making those rice balls.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
That would be so cool. I love and Ari.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Oh yeah, that's gonna be fun. So thank you so
much for coming through and sharing with us a little
bit about what's going on this year at japan Fest
when everyone can look forward to let everyone know the
best way they can go ahead and reserve their tickets
and stuff, because you guys have tickets, you know, so
(16:52):
the ticketed event and how they can keep in, you know,
keep up with everything that's going on with japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Okay, yeah sure, So at Japanfest dot org they can
order tickets and if you buy them before September nineteenth,
they'll be sixteen dollars.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
Otherwise it's twenty dollars at the door.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
But we do have some family packages which you can
also see on the website. Kids that are six and
under are free, so any any parents with the little
ones you don't have to worry about that.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
And then ticket packages we do have four K through twelve.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Students, Like if a teacher wanted to to pick up
a package of tickets for their students, you can get
them free for those students. So allfest dot org.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
That sounds like a plan that It is always great
catching up with you.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Thank you so much for coming through. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Je look forward absolutely and I appreciate each and every
one of you. Guys. Thank you so much for your
love and support. Keeping in mind. Anyone to tell you
that you can't do what you want to do, you
look them square in the face, you tell them, don't
believe me. Just watch watch what I do, Watch me
(18:20):
make it happen, Watch me make history. That's what we're
doing this for the history books. Social media is nice,
but real life is so much better.
What it is, what it beside the world.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's your girl, the one and only Ash Brown, and
this is the Ash said. It's show over twenty one
hundred episode since twenty fourteen, half a million streams around
the world. None of this is possible without you, guys,
So I thank you so so very much. Today my
guest is from one of my favorite events. Yes, since
(00:28):
I've been back to GA, I've had to go to
wear japan Fest. So we've got Beth with us today. Hey, Beth, Hey,
thanks so much for joining us today.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Beth, we love thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, and so for people that I don't know have
been living under a rock or I don't even know
what they've been doing back, let them know.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
What is japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Oh. It is the largest celebrated of Japanese culture in
the South East, and we've been doing it for over
thirty years, and it's just a great way to get
to know more about Japanese culture and the arts without
even having to buy a plane ticket.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
I know it, and I just love just the celebration
of it. It's grown so much since I. You know,
my baby sister is definitely the one that got me
into conventions and introduced me to japan Fest, so I
you know, I've definitely been going for a number of
years now and just seeing how the event has grown
(01:36):
is just incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, it's been incredible to watch that. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So with so many different facets of like Japanese culture
to showcase, how do you guys decide the performers and
the artists and the vendors each year?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Oh god, yeah, Well, we have several different ways. We
we have a theme this year around cases of Japan,
but we're also celebrating twenty years of the Atlanta Fukuoka
Japan sister city relationship, so we wanted to bring out
(02:15):
more about Fukuoka and that leads us to bring in
some special performers from Fukuoka.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
And some special.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Foods from Fukuoka, so our theme can kind of drive
some of that. We also know that there's performers that
that our audience loves every year that we we like to.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Bring them back. And then you we do have.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Local community performers that showcase some of the Japanese arts
and the martial arts.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
So we have a variety of.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Ways that we get get performers and showcase them and
think about we do have an application process as well.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
I would imagine that.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, And I mean it's just always like vendors, it's
like busting at the seams, like there's always so many
just amazing vendors and all the different I just love
the themes every year, So I'm excited to see how
this year's theme unfolds. But how do you and the team,
how do you all measure like the success of japan
(03:28):
Fest every year, like in terms of like attendance or
impact on the community. How do you guys see that?
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, so attendance is pretty easy because of the ticketing system,
and definitely it's grown beyond our expectations, so and try,
you know, and that has been one way we measure
is or primarily through the survey that we put out.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
And that has always been one of.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
The complaints, as wow, there's so many people here, it
can get congested. But Gas South has expanded and renovated
their area and.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Gosh, just to go from.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
One end of the festival area to the other, you
really have to plan what you want to do because there's.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Just so much can do.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, there's literally like so much like there's no you
go to japan Fest and there's like literally there's nowhere
of just like boredom of not having anything to do. No,
there's always something for you to run into at japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So that is the attendees themselves, because people dressed up
and they have just some of the coolest costume.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That is probably one of my favorite parts too, is
just watching the cosplay. Like people spend like you know,
like a year, some change and they get like the
details down to the to the tea and I'm like, wow,
that is incredible.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
I don't know all my anime characters, but other people
do and they're like, oh, look there's so and so,
and I'm like, oh, wow, now have you dressed up?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I haven't, and I haven't in recent years bad Like
I just moved back to Georgia last year, and so
I haven't. I haven't costplayed much. Maybe I need to
change that at some point. I haven't, but I need to.
I I used to back in the day, like when
(05:45):
my mom would send me to basically chaperone and my
sister and her friends at these conventions and I would
dress up and I would cosplay. I would be like
a vampire or a witch or you know, I never
would like going like deep in to like characters per se,
like like some of these people that cosplay, but I
would be like a generic vampire that would be about.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
It be cool. I love it.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Now with the festival, a new cosplay you could do
if you come. We have a group from Fukuoka, a
pop idol group called Link, so they will sorts of fancy.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Cool costumes. It's a group of.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Young women, yes, and link link stands for Lovely Love
in t Shoes. So they'll be one of our new acts.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
And like I.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Said, since we're celebrating the Fukuoka connection, they'll they're coming
to us from Fukuoka.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
So that's exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Oh wow, that is really cool.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
That's so cool.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
So yeah, I may have to look into that one.
That sounds like it's gonna be fun. And I mean,
I don't know how much your how up you are
on a lot of anime and the cartoons and the
different things that happened. But I've been obsessed, okay, absolutely
obsessed with K pop Demon Hunters.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I have been obsessed with Oh my gosh, it was
like I just I love it. It just brought back all
of like from my childhood, like sing along type of
stuff that just the graphics were amazing, the story was awesome.
I was absolutely obsessed. So I know that that's going
to be heavy hitter. I know we're gonna see a
lot of Demon Hunters. A lot of Demon Hunters are
(07:41):
going to be there this year, I already know.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
And they always the anime group is always always pretty
pretty large because we have no anime vendors there too, so.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
They'll have plenty to pick from.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yes, yes, oh my goodness. Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward
to that one. But so, the festival has been running
for well over thirty years now, and in what ways
have you seen japan Fest evolve to adapt to the
new trends of Japanese pop culture.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yeah, that's an interesting question.
Speaker 5 (08:21):
We will.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
And it started out as kind of a Japan just
a general Japan Week type of thing, or maybe it
was even a month where.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
The Japan's Consulate was just really trying to get more
exposure of Japanese culture to the Southeast population.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
So wasn't until I think ninety seven that it evolved
into the japan Fest as we kind of know it now.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But part of it is I mean, and so, yes,
we have brought in new acts like link this pop
Idol group.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
One year we did.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Seem on Technology, Cool Technology, and we had had a
lot of interesting robot toys and we had a therapeutic
robot seal that was.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Used with.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Older patients like those with dementia or something they did
and it would react to them and they could talk
to it sort of thing. But part of japan Fest
is to bring the traditional arts and the culture, and
so we don't want to lose that either. As we
(09:41):
bring in the cosplay. We never had the cosplay, but
we've partnered with Momo Con and they brought in the
cosplay contest and pay which in the early years we
didn't have any of that.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
So we tried.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
To balance both, you know, the pop culture and the
way japan culture is evolving, but also showcase the traditional arts,
which is important for people to see as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yeah, I agree with that one, And I mean, looking ahead,
what do you feel are the long term goals or
the long term vision for japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Well, I would say that our goals we kind of
have three that.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
We like to think about.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
One is obviously to increase awareness and appreciation understand of
Japanese culture throughout the Southeast and thereby we want to
grow our audience. But one of the measures we use
in our survey is how many people are first time
(11:03):
visitors to japan fests and because we want to you know,
keep growing the new people as well as we love
having people return.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
But last time we were like at fifty percent.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
We're newcomers exciting.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
And you know, means that we're exposing more.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
People to the Japanese culture in the Southeast, So that's
important to us.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
But it's also important for.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Because we have over six hundred companies Japanese companies in Georgia.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
And I think they.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
They employ over thirty seven thousand Georgians and about eleven
billion dollars in the Georgia economy. So we really want
them to feel part of the japan Fest and to
be part of the local community. So that's why we
have affection for Jet businesses in Georgia at the festival,
(12:09):
so that they can interact with attendees and the attendees
can get to know some of these companies that are
in Georgia, and people really seem to enjoy.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
What that section offers.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
So that's another piece of what we always look for
is to increase that connection between the local community and
the festival goers and the Japanese expats and businesses here
in Georgia. But we also can't get our performers, so
(12:46):
we try.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
To bring in new performers. But as I said, there's
crowd favorites. My favorite VI the Tycho Drummers. I love
the come back every year.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
But this is also a way for them.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
To be able to share their skills, so we want
we want them to have that opportunity, and it also
gives them an opportunity to network and and we actually
survey our performers too, and some of them, like we
had the Rock and Go, which is Japanese kind of
(13:22):
stand up comedy, but he sits, but he was he
came for the first time last year and he's like, oh,
I want to come back, so he will be here
this year. So that's yeah, that's how we look at
kind of our I guess.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
You could call them.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Stakeholders, and if we want to make sure we're doing
right by our attendees but also by the Japanese businesses
here who.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Also you know, help us put on the festival. And
then the performers too.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Yeah, I mean I thought of one question here about that.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I figured out to ask you because you know we're
already here we're talking Japan Fest.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Is Komalman coming this year? Is he going to be there?
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
The bear? I think he's a bear? Is he a bear?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
He is?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
You know, I have not heard that he is.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
But you never know.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
You have something of their own that they want to bring.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
So that's that. But yeah, so doesn't is not.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
From Pukuoka, so we we we don't want him pick
flash if.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Anything, yetcha.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, we don't want any beefs. We don't want any
trouble Japan Fest. You behave yourself wherever you are.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
We have another Fukuoka performer called Hakata Coma and it's
and you can see all this on our website japan
Fes dot org. But he he uh, he works with
with spinning tops. And I was kind of like, oh,
come on, you know, how how special to see? But
(15:22):
when I saw the video, it was it was amazing
what he is able to do. And apparently he is
like the twentieth generation or something like that of family
that that has done work with with with these tops.
Uh these spinning tops. So excited to see what that's going.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
To be, like, yeah, I mean, and then of course
you know the food hall. The food is always amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Yeah, oh what I want to see there? This one
Fukuoka company is bringing an own.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Machine no.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Scene that make I don't know how many owning the
rifle ball for us.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
So we could have plenty of food or right, But
I hope it.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I hope it's able that we can see the actual
machine making those rice balls.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
That would be so cool. I love and Ari.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Oh yeah, that's gonna be fun. So thank you so
much for coming through and sharing with us a little
bit about what's going on this year at japan Fest
when everyone can look forward to let everyone know the
best way they can go ahead and reserve their tickets
and stuff, because you guys have tickets, you know, so
(16:52):
the ticketed event and how they can keep in, you know,
keep up with everything that's going on with japan Fest.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Okay, yeah sure, So at Japanfest dot org they can
order tickets and if you buy them before September nineteenth,
they'll be sixteen dollars.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
Otherwise it's twenty dollars at the door.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
But we do have some family packages which you can
also see on the website. Kids that are six and
under are free, so any any parents with the little
ones you don't have to worry about that.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
And then ticket packages we do have four K through twelve.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Students, Like if a teacher wanted to to pick up
a package of tickets for their students, you can get
them free for those students. So allfest dot org.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
That sounds like a plan that It is always great
catching up with you.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Thank you so much for coming through. We appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Je look forward absolutely and I appreciate each and every
one of you. Guys. Thank you so much for your
love and support. Keeping in mind. Anyone to tell you
that you can't do what you want to do, you
look them square in the face, you tell them, don't
believe me. Just watch watch what I do, Watch me
(18:20):
make it happen, Watch me make history. That's what we're
doing this for the history books. Social media is nice,
but real life is so much better.
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