| Turning Japanese (For A Day) |
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Japan Day @ Central ParkJune 3, 2007212-398-7145   The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York will perform at noon on the Rumsey Playfield SummerStage  Live martial arts demonstrations are one of the many Japanese cultural activities on display at Japan Day  The great Taiko drummer Leonard Eto performs at 3 pm at Rumsey Playfield at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park Enter at 69th St. and 5th Ave. (east side) or 72nd St. and Central Park West (west side) japandaynyc.org The influence of Japan's unique culture can be seen everywhere in New York these days, from the prevalence of Japanese animation and video games to karaoke and miniaturized accessories. The Japanese community in New York would like to show off even more of its culture, and as an end to that means, has put together Japan Day at Central Park on June 3rd. Japan Day kicks off with the Japan Run at 8 am, a four-mile mini marathon which is a required race for automatic entry into the New York City Marathon. A traditional Japanese Shishimai (Lion Dance) will be performed before the run to raise runners’ spirits. To register for the Japan Run, please register for the run at www.nyrr.org. The festival continues throughout the day with food, art, activities and entertainment showcasing some of the most exciting elements of traditional and contemporary Japan. Live music, dance and martial arts demonstrations will be performed on the open-air Rumsey Playfield SummerStage, and activity booths will highlight traditional Japanese arts such as origami and calligraphy. Of course, food is a large part of any culture, and Japan's cuisine is like no other in the world. At Japan Day's many food booths, you can sample not only sushi and tea, but dishes as diverse as Gyo-za dumplings, Soba noodles, and delicious Japanese sweets. Japan Day is organized by representatives of the Japanese Community with the support of the Consulate General of Japan in New York to say a heartfelt “thank you” to the great city that America’s largest Japanese community calls home. |
