2024 1st Nihon-Matsui (Japan Festival) Fun Games, Activities, Delicious Food, Grand Performances, Raffles NEW

The land of the rising sun is coming to Fort Smith this weekend through a vibrant Japanese festival. The Japanese Club at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS) will host its first Nihon Matsuri on campus, celebrating Japanese culture and cuisine. The event will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. inside the Reynolds Room in the Campus Center, located at 800 N. 50th St.

Christopher Monterroza, president of the Japanese Club, emphasized the desire to showcase the richness and intrigue of Japanese culture to the community. "Across Japan, there are many festivals across all of its regions, each celebrating the culture in their own way. So, we wanted to grab pieces of Japan and bring them to Arkansas to celebrate the culture in our own way," Monterroza said.

The event will feature a variety of Japanese experiences, including traditional food, a fashion show, a tea ceremony, prize giveaways, and more. As this is the club's inaugural event of this nature, Monterroza emphasized that the club is open to everyone, not just those of Japanese heritage. Club activities include regular meetings, events, volunteer opportunities, and facilitating study abroad experiences in Japan.

"I'm grateful and very excited to see the community attend our event," Monterroza expressed. "There is everything to be excited about: the delicious food, engaging games and activities, expensive giveaways, and we cannot forget the performances. It is something you have to see to believe, and we are very honored to be able to make an impact, one heart at a time."

Kari Carbajal, UAFS coordinator for registered student organizations, highlighted that the festival is just one of many events organized by students on campus. "As an alumna who was heavily involved in these organizations during my undergrad and now as the coordinator who oversees all our RSOs, it still continues to have such an impact," Carbajal said. "There is so much support for our students to express themselves through their events. The opportunities that our students get to be exposed to different cultures and experiences while creating an inviting and safe space for those on campus is incredible."

Rachel Putman, spokeswoman for the university, noted that UAFS had 94 registered student organizations on campus last school year, with those groups hosting around 1,600 events. These events are primarily organized by students, with the university providing access to its resources. "All registered student organizations have an adviser who is a faculty or staff member, but typically, the students organize their club events," Putman said. "Students can typically reserve university spaces at no cost."

Date
Oct 11, 2024, Saturday

Time
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Features
• Traditional Japanese food.
• Fashion show.
• Tea ceremony.
• Prize giveaways.
• Performances and engaging games.