2015 Oregon NATSU MATSURI (Japanese Summer Festival - Music, Dance, Traditional Japanese Children's games, & Yatai Festival)NEW

This year's exciting Natsu Matsuri (in English: Oregon Summer Festival 2015) is Saturday, July 18, 2015, at Uwajimaya Plaza in Beaverton. �Natsu Matsuri will host a traditional Japanese summer festival centered on music, dance, traditional Japanese children's games, and Yatai festival foods. There will be fun for the entire family.

This is a community event where non-profits are invited to serve Yatai foods and earn funds to grow their non-profit culture and language schools, community programs, and church programs. It is also a chance for�others to get involved, learn what is current in the Japanese community, team up and network with these great groups.

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This year we have a special lineup of entertainment, including singer-song writer Ryukichi Amacho with his new album tour of his 2014 release of "Namida no Sunahama". This will be his first visit to our area from Japan. We are so pleased and honored to have such talented folk pop singer as a guest at our festival.

�Many community favorites and great talent will also be performing. Highly creative Takohachi Taiko and Unit SouZou Taiko drumming group will perform, as well as Leo Dance Group, Kyokushin Karate Ito Dojo, and Portland Aikikai.

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For the first time at the festival we will be serving Okonmomiyaki (Yaki means "grilled" or "cooked" and Okonomi means "what you want" or "what you like") also called Japanese pizza, a hot savory grilled pancake with delicious pork, green onion, veggies, sometimes seafood, chicken and topped with a special topping. This Japanese soul food will be a big hit and something very special. �It's not something you get a chance to enjoy every day, but this festival will be serving it in vast quantities. Takoyaki, grilled battered octopus balls, will be served by the Japanese International Baptist Church. This annual favorite will raise funds for youth programs and the famed Hope Japan Rescue and Relief Team. Also this year the Nichiren Buddhist Temple of Portland will be serving their renowned Yakisoba, a special treat for everyone. The food lineup is huge, just what you'd expect at this great Asian supermarket, Uwajimaya.

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The Portland Bentham Lions Club, Knights of the Blind, will bring the Lions Foundation Mobile Screening Unit to Uwajimaya Plaza in Beaverton from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. �The Mobile Screening Unit and several members of the nearly 55-year-old club will be on hand throughout the day to perform sight and hearing exams, blood pressure checks, and glaucoma testing.

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Everyone attending at the festival will have a chance to be in a special video for the Japanese-based pop star group AKB48. Working with the Japanese Cultural Society in Salem and Michael Dunning Media Productions, Natsu Matsuri 2015 and guests will be able to learn a few dance moves, courtesy of some great teachers from the Leo Dance Group, and then perform in a special video segment to be sent the AKB48 YouTube website in Japan. If the group AKB48 likes our video, they will link and show it on their youtube channel and we expect to have many millions of watchers from around the world. This is a fun and very rare opportunity for us and Michael Dunning will work his magic to make our video a special candidate. A call-out of thanks to Kaoru Lewman of the Japanese Cultural Society of Salem for giving us this special opportunity (Also a Happy Retirement to Kaoru's husband Dennis Lewman, who has dedicated his life to teaching for over 45 years, beginning here in Oregon and teaching around the world.) Thank you Dennis!

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Plus don't miss our annual watermelon eating contest, and a balloon toss contest will get the younger kids really involved--lots of fun to watch and get a good laugh. Adults can participate too!

Admission to the festival is free and there will be plenty of food, entertainment, games, and activities for young and old alike. The festival will be held in the Uwajimaya Plaza parking lot (10500 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is plenty of free parking.

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The event is supported by many area Japanese businesses and non-profits. Uwajimaya Manager Jack Ayers wanted a festival geared to support non-profits in the Japanese community, to offer a chance for smaller non-profits to get involved and benefit from working at the festival. �Jack's idea is a great example of Uwajimaya's committed history of reaching out and giving back.

So gather up the family and come enjoy delicious Kakigori: Japanese shaved ice, Takoyaki, Yakisoba, Japanese crepes, and lots of other delicious festival foods, fun activities, and great entertainment at Oregon's very own traditional Japanese Summer Festival.

We are proud to announce our title sponsor is Yoshida Foods International. Other sponsors may include Epson, Creative Woodworking Northwest, INC., Young's Market Company, InSpec, Inc.,�iPropetiesNW.com�(Kat Arai) and Marinepolis �Sushiland and Uwajimaya Plaza Beaverton.

This event is produced by Friends of Japan in Oregon, a non-profit organization. For more information, please call Keiko Honda at 503-297-9268 or 503-481-8110 (cell ).