2024 Pan-Pacific Festival, Waikiki, Hawaii: Bon Odori, Taiko, Crafts, Live Music, Performances, Cooking Demos.. (3 Days)NEW

The Pan-Pacific Festival Foundation and the Matsuri in Hawaii Committee announce the return of the Pan Pacific Festival in 2024 after a 5-year hiatus. We look forward to seeing everyone in June 2024 when the festival can provide an array of participants and entertainers from Japan, Hawaii and beyond. Save the dates! June 7-9, 2024. Stay tuned for updates on our digital platforms.

Previous Festival name: Pan-Pacific Matsuri

Festival Date
June 7 - 9, 2024 (3 Days)

Friday, June 7, 2024: Bon Dance Festival
7pm to 10pm
Kalākaua Avenue (Fronting the HPD substation, near Uluniu Avenue)

Schedule

About Festival
In the late 1970’s the number of travelers from Japan to Hawaiʻi dramatically increased. A small group of people wanted to ensure that the increased interaction between these two cultures would be both enjoyable and educational.

Thus, the very first Matsuri in Hawaii was born in 1980. The word “MATSURI” is a Japanese word meaning “FESTIVAL”. Matsuri in Hawaii was envisioned as a means to enrich the lives of both participating artists and audiences, including Hawaiʻi residents and other travelers visiting Hawaiʻi, with a rewarding and participatory exposure to traditional Japanese culture.

Matsuri in Hawaii allowed visiting participants from Japan to share their music, crafts, traditions, and foods with others in the beautiful setting of world-famous Waikīkī, while Hawaiʻi residents and other Hawaiʻi visitors gained a deeper appreciation of Japanese sensibilities and cultural heritage. By highlighting traditional folk music and age-old arts and crafts and bringing internationally respected performers to Hawaiʻi, Matsuri in Hawaii has served Japan as a sort of cultural goodwill ambassador, introducing the people of Hawaiʻi and it’s many visitors to the richness of the Japanese culture. Today, the most popular events continue to be those that showcases the cultures of Japan, Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Rim.

In 1996 Matsuri in Hawaii became known as the Pan-Pacific-Festival as it broadened its capacity to include other cultures from Hawaii’s rich melting pot. However, the Festival is still called Matsuri in Hawaii in Japan and continues to have a strong following there.

In 2008 the logo was redeveloped as the Pan-Pacific-Festival prepared for its 30th anniversary. The new logo now symbolizes the Festival more accurately: as an international festival bringing various cultures and people together and creating a more global community through the sharing and celebration of cultures.


3 Locations will host various events during the Pan-Pacific Festival.

1) Ala Moana Centerstage
Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814
Description: A premier international and local shopping destination with over 290 shops and restaurants. The Centerstage hosts over 500 performances a year, including during the Pan-Pacific Festival​ (Pan Pacific Festival)​​ (FestivalNet)​.

2) Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound
Address: 2453 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 (near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue)
Description: An outdoor stage adjacent to the beach, ideal for hula performances. It provides a casual, grassy area for audiences to enjoy performances as the sun sets on Waikīkī Beach​ (Pan Pacific Festival)​​ (Pan Pacific Festival)​.

3) International Market Place
Address: 2330 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815
Description: An open-air shopping environment celebrating the history and culture of Waikīkī. Features daily performances at the torch-lit stage in Queens Court and offers a range of dining and shopping options​ (Pan Pacific Festival)​​ (FestivalNet)​.

Title
2024 Pan-Pacific Festival, Waikiki, Hawaii: Bon Odori, Taiko, Crafts, Live Music, Performances, Cooking Demos.. (3 Days)