NikkeiWest--Northern California Japanese American Newspaper

By J.K. Yamamoto--The Diablo Japanese American Club held another successful Summer Festival the weekend of Aug. 14-15 at the Japanese American Religious and Cultural Center (JARCC).

The 54th annual event featured food, games, cultural displays and demonstrations, taiko drumming, martial arts, and traditional Japanese dance and music. Organizers were pleased with the fair weather, which meant large crowds; there have been times when the heat kept some people away.

Local government officials regularly visit the festival. This year’s guests were Contra Costa County Supervisor Susan Bonilla, Concord Mayor Guy Bjerke, Mark Peterson, former city councilman and now a candidate for district attorney, and Bill McManigal, former city councilman and mayor.

Jennifer Gee, who is in charge of PR for the festival, said, “This year, unlike past years, we had four different taiko groups performing.” The four were San Jose Taiko, Emeryville Taiko, Tatsumaki Taiko from Berkeley, and Concord’s own Diablo Taiko. Japanese music was also represented by a koto concert.

Gee added, “Several of the food booths sold out before the festival ended on Sunday.” The event is known for its chicken and beef teriyaki, tempura, udon, gyoza and shave ice.

Visitors also browsed through a boutique and a bake sale, both featuring items made by club members, and viewed an outdoor exhibit by the Shikishima Bonsai Club.

An outdoor kendo demonstration was given with instructor Mike Espinosa explaining the rules of competition, such as where one can strike one’s opponent — men (face), kote (wrists), dou (belly) and tsuki (throat). Members of the audience were invited to pick up a shinai (bamboo sword) and take a whack at one of the kendo students. A judo demonstration was also given.

Indoors, an Ikenobo ikebana demonstration was given by Hideko Metaxas and various flower arrangements were displayed. There was also a calligraphy section where visitors could have their names written in Japanese and an exhibit explaining the 12 animals of the Asian zodiac.

One of the highlights was the Obon Odori, chaired by Carolyn Fujinaga. The Saturday dance featured live minyo (folk music) by Matsutoyo Kai. The Sunday dance, which featured Michiya Hanayagi’s Nihon buyo (Japanese classical dance) group, once again closed out the Obon season in the Bay Area.

Performing on the central stage prior to Sunday’s Obon Odori were Michisuya Hanayagi, Michikiya Hanayagi, Michiruriya Hanayagi, Kyoko Peterson, Felicia Hoshino, Stephanie Gee and Elizabeth Driskill.

Serving as lead dancers on the stage during the odori were Michiya Hanayagi, Michisuya Hanayagi, Alice Horio, Lauren Cantrell, Lindsay Tamura and Stephanie Ellis. Special thanks went to Michiya Hanayagi for participating in every Summer Festival since the beginning.

As always, people of all ages and ethnicities joined in, some in their regular clothes and others wearing yukata or happi coats. The kids (and some adults) were rewarded with hot dogs and soft drinks when the odori was over.

The JARCC houses both a Buddhist Fellowship and a Christian Fellowship as well as the Diablo Japanese American Club, which includes the Nippongo Gakuen (Japanese language school) and athletic, bonsai, gardeners’, ikebana, judo, kayo (Japanese popular song), kendo and taiko clubs.