Rotorua Japanese Summer Festival bringing other cultures to city

Rotorua RACCO entertaining the crowd with a drumming performing at last year's event. Photo / Joni Tuhakaraina

A family fun event celebrating both Japanese culture and summer is being held tomorrow, featuring a taste of other cultures too.

The Rotorua Japanese Summer Festival 2020 - 2020 Natsumatsuri is on this weekend at the Government Gardens. This will be the fourth annual event by Rotorua Japanese Playgroup and Community.

Event organiser Mika Squibb says the opening ceremony at 11am will include a tea ceremony demonstration and the Taiko Japanese Drumming group performing.

The event will include its annual Japanese fashion, a gospel party performance with Japanese and American performers, traditional ball-catching and Bon dance.

However, this fun day out will also be a multicultural event.

Mika says Rotorua Multicultural will have a stall with Māori, Moroccan, Indian, South African, Russian and Japanese teas for tasting, so people can enjoy tea from all over the world, and there will also be an African drumming performance.

Kai Rotorua will be selling organic vegetables and there will be real fruit ice cream. Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick and councillor Fisher Wang will be attending and will be dressed up in summer kimono, she says.

"We just want to celebrate summer with the Rotorua community which has been nice to us, and this event is funded by Creative Communities Scheme Rotorua.

Last year's Rotorua Japanese Summer Festival. Photo / Joni Tuhakaraina

Mika says she wants to help bridge a connection between the Japanese culture and New Zealand culture.

"I live here and cherish the New Zealand/Māori culture but thought maybe New Zealanders also want to know about the culture we come from.

"We just wanted to share some of the hospitality and spirit from Japanese culture."

Kai Rotorua is coming to sell organic vegetables and there will be real fruit ice cream.

The details
- What: Rotorua Japanese Summer Festival 2020
- When: Saturday, February 1, 11am to 2pm
- Where: Te Runanga Tea Rooms, Government Gardens
- Free entry