Matsuri
For 37 years, Arizona Matsuri has taken place during the last week of February. Each year, organizers “try to keep it as Japanese as possible,” Kelly Moeur, president of the Arizona Matsuri Steering Committee board, told The Arizona Republic last year.
This has meant allowing only Japanese cuisine in food vendors’ menus and dissuading attendees from wearing costumes that are not of Japanese origin.
“At the festival, we’re trying to show people what really is Japanese — a Japanese person would pick this up and say, ‘This is Japanese food,’” said Beverly Washichek,vice president of the Arizona Matsuri Steering Committee board.
What is Arizona Matsuri?
Arizona Matsuri was born out of a semester-long series of lectures and events at Arizona State University in 1984, according to Moeur. He has been involved with the matsuri since the beginning and now serves as the Honorary Consul of Japan in Phoenix.
Almost four decades later, it is now a nonprofit organization “based on the dedication of volunteers who wish to introduce and educate all who are reached in the essence of traditional and modern Japanese culture,” according to the matsuri’s website.
“The mission of the Arizona Matsuri is to promote Japanese culture and to showcase it to people who attend,” Washichek said.
Since its first year at Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix, Moeur said, the matsuri has drawn many thousands of people.
“The matsuri has come a long way from its roots,” Moeur told The Arizona Republic ahead of last year’s event. “It just got so big at Heritage Square. The lines backed up so you couldn’t really pass through.”
Since organizers expected as many as 50,000 people at last year’s matsuri, there are no intentions of returning to Heritage Square.
The nonprofit has an agreement with Phoenix to hold its event at Steele Indian School Park for five years, Washichek said.
The Steering Committee members include people associated with the Arizona Buddhist Temple, the Japanese American Citizens League, the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix and Japanese Culture Club of Arizona,
among others.
The committee decided last July that the 2021 event could not take place in person safely due to the spread of COVID-19. Later, they decided an online version of the event would be possible.
Arizona Matsuri 2021 theme: ‘A hope for health’
To reflect the hope for health, this year’s matsuri theme is Senbazuru, which translates to “1,000 cranes.”
The theme was chosen “with a hope for health — everyone’s health — in the future and the health of the festival as well,” Washichek said.
The symbolism of 1,000 origami cranes strung together has a few meanings in Japanese culture. Sometimes, they are given to those who are critically ill as a token for their recovery. Some people create them with the hope of being granted a wish.
Cranes are also placed at certain sites as a sign of peace.
The tradition was popularized outside of Japan through the children’s book “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,” a fictionalized version of Sadako Sasaki’s life by Canadian American author Eleanor Coerr. Sasaki survived the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima at 2 years old and developed leukemia as a result of her exposure to radiation.
Before she died in 1955 at age 12, she folded hundreds — more than 1,000, according to Sasaki’s family — of origami cranes while hospitalized in the hopes of being granted one wish.
How to watch Arizona Matsuri 2021
Arizona Matsuri 2021 will be presented online from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 27-28. It will be streamed on the Arizona Matsuri Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ azmatsuri, as well as on the matsuri’s YouTube channel and website, www.azmatsuri.org.
Arizona Matsuri 2021 highlights
The matsuri will open on Saturday with recorded messages from special guests including Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles Akira Muto and Hideyasu Kiyomoto, mayor of Phoenix’s Japanese sister city, Himeji.
Video presentations will focus on Japanese history and culture, including teaching viewers how to partake in traditions such as the Japanese tea ceremony at home. Entertainment programming typically found at the annual event, such as taiko drumming and martial arts, will also be featured.
Of course, food will be part of the online festivities.
Local restaurants such as Hot Bamboo and Origami Ramen Bar in Chandler and vendors including OkonomiYuki and TakoYaki Balls have created videos for the livestream.
OkonomiYuki will teach the history and technique behind making Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and Origami Ramen Bar’s video will have a tutorial on how to make ramen
at home.
What are this year’s raffle prizes?
Each year, the matsuri raffle raises money for the next year’s event. Local businesses and international airlines donate prizes including gift certificates and roundtrip airfare to Japan.
Raffle tickets start at $1; the highest possible single transaction is 160 tickets for $100. They can be purchased with a credit card through PayPal on the festival’s website at azmatsuritickets.org. Prizes include:
● One roundtrip economy ticket to Japan departing from Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego.
● Two domestic roundtrip plane tickets to the lower 48 states, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Bahamas, Canada or Mexico.
● A $100 gift certificate for Hana Japanese Eatery in Phoenix.
● A $40 gift certificate for Japanese drumming lessons from taiko dojo Fushicho Daiko in Phoenix.
● A gift bag, poster or $50 gift certificate to Samurai Comics, which has stores in Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa and Chandler.
● A $100 gift certificate to Hiro Sushi in Scottsdale.
The winners will be announced at 6 p.m. Feb. 28.
Nintendo held its much anticipated Nintendo Direct event online where the company announced new video games coming to the Switch.
For 50 minutes, the event showcased new game trailers and release dates for games and accessories including new Zelda-themed Joy-Cons.
Perhaps the biggest news of the hour, Nintendo revealed the latest characters stepping into the “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” arena: Pyra and Mythra from “Xenoblade Chronicles 2” will join the game in March.
The worst news, the company did not announce any updates to the highly anticipated game “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.” However, Nintendo will release “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” for the Switch on July 16. The game was originally released on Nintendo Wii.
Also in Zelda news, a “Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity” expansion pack will release on May 28. Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma said during the event that more details on BOTW2 would come later this year.
‘Animal Crossing’ updates and more
Super Mario-themed items are coming to “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” including super blocks, 1-up mushrooms and warp pipes. The update is free and will be available on the Switch on Feb. 25
Here are more games coming to Nintendo Switch in 2021. During the event, Nintendo said the release dates of these games are subject to change.
“Tales from the Borderlands” on March 24.
Capcom’s on March 26.
“Mario Golf Super Rush” on June
25.
“Monster Hunter
Rise”
Two “Famicon Detective Club” games will be released in America for the first time on May 14.
“Knock Out City” on May 21. “Legend of Mana” on June 24.
“Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout” summer 2021.
“Outer Wilds” summer 2021.
The fifth installment of the “Samurai Warriors” franchise is coming summer 2021.
“Star
2021.
Wars:
Hunters”
coming
in
Arcade games “1943” and “Ghosts and Goblins” coming 2021.
“Project Triangle Strategy” in 2022. “Splatoon 3” in 2022.