Sunday
’s Haru Matsuri festival has no problem with refrigeration
The sounds of taiko drums resonated outside the Buddhist Community Center Sunday during the 44th annual Haru Matsuri Festival as energetic drummers entertained the public with music and movement.
This festival celebrates the tradition for greeting the new rice planting season. During this time, from March to April, Buddhist priests pray for a successful harvest and perform annual purification rites.
An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 festival-goers joined in this celebration enjoying traditional Japanese food, cultural art displays, performing arts and arts and crafts booths.
Festival organizer Howard Watanabe said the numbers were more than last year, dampened by the rain, but less than in some previous years.
“We were happy with the turnout,” he said.
“Most of the people come for the food,” said Sam Hamlin, who has been coming to this festival for the past four years along with his wife, Jeri.
In 2003, problems with refrigeration caused health department officials to shut down food service, losing the festival $25,000 of its expected $30,000 revenues. This year, Watanabe said, they took precautions.
“We worked on having a better refrigeration system than last year,” said Watanabe.
A walk-in refrigeration unit, a refrigeration truck and working closely with the heath inspectors to understand the guidelines for temporary events such as this worked out well for the festival, Watanabe added.
The food booths were busy throughout the festival serving gyoza, sushi, chicken salad, udon, manju and beef teriyaki.
Among the exhibits were booths selling everything from cultural books to contemporary Japanese handcrafted art and gifts, jewelry, sushi makers and fresh flower leis.
Pam Yoshida, owner of Nikkei Traditions, a contemporary Japanese gift store said that this was their first time exhibiting in this festival and that it gives Nikkei the opportunity to bring more cultural awareness to the South County.
Ron Iwamsa, owner of Maki Sushi Ki, a sushi maker, who has been exhibiting at this festival for the past seven years said that he hopes that more people become aware of this festival and come out to share in the culture.
Some of the exhibits inside the community hall included a display of historical facts and photographs honoring the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service. Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, displays by the Sogetsu Ikebana School lined tables with unique floral art styles.
Art work from the Morgan Hill Dharma School covered the walls as well as a silk handcrafted quilt that was the raffle prize whose proceeds went to the Morgan Hill Tai Chi Group.
Morgan Hill Tai Chi members performed to the gentle sounds of the Japanese koto, a 13-string instrument with a sound similar to an American harp.
Throughout the day, as different taiko groups performed, children played in a jump house provided by TK Jumps and the food and exhibit booths were busy sharing in this cultural celebration.
The beat lived on as San Jose Taiko, the most awaited event concluded the festival with the beating of drums and movements expressing the beauty and harmony of the human spirit through the voice of the taiko, something this group prides.
“Overall, the festival was pretty successful. The people came and enjoyed themselves without worrying about the food,” said Watanabe.
Watanabe said that now that the festival organizers have a better idea of what the health inspectors expect and that they intend to continue a working relationship with them because the food guidelines are always changing.
With this out of the way, Watanabe said that next year, they can spend more time promoting the festival.
