Sushi & Stroll is the can’t-miss event for the Japanese culture lover

The Morikami Museum is attracting everyone to its unique summer event, rain or shine.

A soggy Palm Beach County couldn’t keep thrill-seekers away from Morikami Museum’s Sushi & Stroll in June, a monthly event for new guests and loyal members who want to experience a dose of Japanese culture.

Every second Friday of the month, from May through September, the Pan-Asian event features three taiko drumming performances, six alluring Japanese gardens (Rojien), premium Japanese sake, a plentiful gift shop and visiting food trucks. The annual summer event, one of several program offerings at the 188acre Morikami Park, is a cultural escape that differs from South Florida’s common Latin American and Caribbean flair.

In June, strolling initially took a backseat as the damp afternoon, bereft of sunlight, kept onlookers cozied up in the Cornell Cafe, sipping on different brands of sake and cold beer, munching on sushi and other selections from the cafe’s a la carte menu.

If you’re looking for things to do this summer, Sushi & Stroll is a great choice for a romantic date or a calm family outing; it’s a soothing place with a winsome atmosphere.

But what else separates Sushi & Stroll from other events?

“There aren’t many places you can go in Palm Beach County on a Friday afternoon where you feel like you’ve been transported to a different country, without needing a passport,” says Kizzy Sanchez, director of Marketing and Events for the Morikami. “When you walk through our doors at Sushi & Stroll, you experience Japanese culture through the sights, sounds and smells that make us a unique way to spend your Friday night.”

When the weather let up a bit, dozens of people took their umbrellas and sped off to the six distinct Japanese gardens or perused around the various food trucks tucked within Sunset Square. It’s normally filled with face paint- ing, bean bag toss, Jenga and other games, but the slick weather was the grinch that stole sunlight.

But adventurers took matters into their own hands. Children played tag and jumped over rain puddles; photographers used the damp scenery for their portraits; a family and a few teens joined Palm Beach Post’s Instagram Stories to express their preference for Sushi versus Strolling — strolling won.

Strollers, after their therapeutic journey, eventually made it into the Morikami Theater for the climatic taiko drumming performance by Fushu Diako, a multinational group that has been performing since 1990.