Tickets are required!
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Tickets are required! 〰️
NATSU MATSURI KC
Natsu Matsuri(夏祭り) which translates to "summer festival" in Japanese, is an annual event that takes place across Japan in the summer months of July to September. These festivals are a celebration of Japanese culture and customs, and feature a variety of activities and performances.
Our Natsu Matsuri KC will showcase Japanese owned + related businesses, Japanese artists and organizations, traditional performances, and games such as the water balloon fishing(水ヨーヨー釣り) and the goldfish scooping(金魚すくい) and more!
Date & Event Time: August 31st(sun) 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Merriam Marketplace
*Outdoor under a pavilion
Ticket price: $5
Kids 12 and under enter free!
Event Parking Available
This is a family & kids friendly outdoor festival. Please bring a lawn chair and/or picnic blankets to enjoy the summer weather with us! Please be prepared for potential excessive heat.
Tickets are $5 pre-event and $7 on event day. We have limited space so please get your tickets soon!
Kids 12 and under enter free!
We will have Game Passes $10 for kids 12 and under to play select games an unlimited amount of times and have 1 prize guaranteed per game.
Single game tickets $1.5 will also be available for people 13+ to play games, but prizes are based on skill.
All funds raised will be directly put towards future Japanese community events hosted by Yukari KC Inc.
Yukari KC is a registered 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit.
Tickets are required!
What is Natsu Matsuri?
Want to support Natsu Matsuri?
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our [Volunteer Form]
If you are Japanese owned/related business and would like to be a vendor, please fill out our [Vendor Form]
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor, please email us at INFO@YukariKC.org.
Huge Thank You to Our Kin Sponsor!
Special Thank You to our Tomodachi Sponsors!
Performances
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We're a Kansas City based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit taiko group bringing the art of Japanese drumming to our community through live performances and community engagement!
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In 2005, Seiji Ikeda founded the Kansas State University Yosakoi Dance group, inspired by his experiences with Yosakoi dancing during his time in the JET Program. Ikeda’s initiative brought this unique dance form to the heart of Kansas, fostering a unique cultural bridge between American and international students at K-State. In 2006 and 2007, dancers from Kansas State University Yosakoi Dance group participated in the Yosakoi Soran Festival in Hokkaido, Japan, where they competed against thousands of dancers and earned several performance awards. Today, Tatsumaki Yosakoi operates from Manhattan, Kansas, with a sister team in Kansas City, continuing to spread the joy and energy of Yosakoi dancing. In 2019, the group was honored with the title of Official Yosakoi Ambassador by Kochi Prefecture, a testament to their efforts in promoting Yosakoi around the world. This accolade highlights Tatsumaki’s role in fostering global cultural exchange and understanding through dance.
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Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) is a traditional art form that uses an ink-dipped brush and paper to write kanji and kana characters. At the Natsu Matsuri, Miho will perform a Shodo demonstration using a large brush and oversized paper, making it even more impressive and dynamic. Miho is a Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) Coordinator at Johnson County Community College. The Japan Outreach Initiative is a program supported by the Japan Foundation and the Laurasian Institution. It aims to promote awareness and understanding of Japan by sending volunteer Japanese coordinators to regions of the U.S. where Japanese culture is less accessible, for a period of two years. Miho regularly visits K–12 schools, universities, senior centers, libraries, and companies to share the richness of Japanese culture with students and the broader community. She is passionate about offering cultural activities such as calligraphy, onigiri making, and origami. If you’re interested in having Miho visit your school or community, please feel free to reach out to her! (miho.kawashita@jccc.edu)
Our event elevates local Japanese performers that showcase our Japanese Heritage through performances like the Bon Dori dance, Taiko, Yosakoi, and Shodo. Learn more about them below!
Test your skills by playing our traditional festival games to win prizes! Catch the Gold fish, fish out a balloon yo-yo, or ace in ring toss!
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Goldfish scooping is a traditional Japanese game in which a player scoops goldfish with a paper scooper. It is also called "Scooping Goldfish", "Dipping for Goldfish", or "Snatching Goldfish". Kingyo means "goldfish" and sukui means "scooping". Sometimes bouncy balls are used instead of goldfish.
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Ring toss is a game where rings are tossed around a peg.
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Yo-yo balloons, also known as Yo-yo Tsuris, are a common type of water balloon found at matsuri festivals in Japan. Typically small, round, and colourful, the balloons are filled to a diameter of about 75 mm (3 in) with air and roughly 45 mL (1.6 imp fl oz; 1.5 US fl oz) of water. The balloon is clipped or tied closed and hung from an elastic string with a finger loop tied at the end. This gives them enough weight and bounce to function as a yo-yo, earning them their name.
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Shateki (usually written in Japanese as 射的) is a target-practice game in which participants shoot down gift prizes with a paper-bullet gun. Our version uses rubber band guns made out of chopsticks.
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Senbonbiki has treats are attached to long pieces of string which are strung through holes. The child pulls on a piece of string, not knowing which treat it is attached to.
Natsu Matsuri Games
Vendors and Info Booths!
FAQ:
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YES! We encourage it regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Natsu Matsuri KC is an event that celebrate Japanese culture, and everyone is invited!
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No worries! We will be handing out general admission at the event through our registration booth. Just bring your name and order number and you’ll receive all of your admission wristbands.
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Yes! Parking is completely free, we will be guiding people to the main event grass lot parking area that is northeast of the marketplace.
But, donations are always welcome!
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Game passes allow children 12 and under to play all of our games, they are guaranteed one prize per game. Once their prize is redeemed, their game pass will be marked. They will be able to continue playing the games as long as they go to the back of the line at the end of their turn, but prizes will no longer be redeemed.
Game tickets lets anyone play any of our games (EXCEPT SENBONBIKI) but the prize has to be earned through skill.
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No, kids are limited to one prize per game per game pass. If they want additional prizes, they must purchase a new game pass or individual game tickets.
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There is very limited seating, but people are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs and pic-nic set ups.
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Yes, but they must be leashed at all times.
https://www.merriam.org/Government/Departments/Parks-Rec/Parks
