Vashon Japan Festival
Mukai Farm & Garden
Saturday, September 7, 11am to 5pm

On September 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the 5th Annual Japan Festival offers an abundance of fun for people of all ages to enjoy food, music and the arts at the Mukai Farm & Gardens, 18017 107th SW on Vashon Island. Activities include a Kids’ Village, Taiko drumming, traditional bon dancing, craft workshops, mochi pounding, community booths and an array of Asian food. The Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will host a Spirit Garden to raise funds to restore and transform the historic Mukai Fruit Barreling Plant into a Food Hub for local farmers. The festival finale will feature the renowned indie Japanese indie pop star, Tomo Nakayama.

“The theme of this year’s festival is Okage Sama De!” said Jade Agua, Board President. “The phrase means, It’s all thanks to you. We feel gratitude to our forebearers and to the larger community for helping make us what we are.”

The event is one of many programs sponsored by island non-profit Friends of Mukai each year to bring together thousands of people who share an appreciation or curiosity of Japanese culture and Asian American history. This year's festival is sponsored by ArtsFund, 4Culture, King County Department of Local Services, Nashi Orchards, Thriftway, Bandstand Music, Camp Colvos, and Dragon's Head Cider.

This year’s Master of Ceremonies, Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma, poet, author musician and magician, will direct a lively Mukai Japan Festival. The main stage features:

11:00 a.m. Grand Opening with dignitaries and Vashon Soran Dancers

11:30 a.m. Japanese swordsmanship display with Musokai Iaido

12:15 p.m. 3-time Grand Slam Champ poet, Troy Osaki

1:00 p.m. Seattle Kokon Taiko drum ensemble

1:45 p.m. Koto music by teen musicians from Koto No WA

2:30 p.m. Workshop by Seattle Kokon Taiko

3:15 p.m. Community Bon Odori dance

4:15 p.m. Concert by indie pop star, Tomo Nakayama

There will also be 15 community craft and non-profit booths. Festival workshops include Uchiwa (Fan Making), lino printing, a mochi (rice cakes) demonstration and kimono demonstration with photo booth. For event information, go to mukaifarmandgarden.org/japan-festival/.

Founded by Issei pioneer B.D. Mukai in 1926 as a strawberry farm, Mukai Farm & Garden today is on the National Register of Historic places with a heritage home, rare Japanese Garden designed by a woman and the Fruit Barreling Plant. Open and free to the public, Mukai Farm & Garden celebrates Vashon Island’s Japanese American and agrarian heritage.