ABC7 New York

Japan Day parade in NY showcases Japanese culture, tradition

New York's Japanese community has held a parade in central Manhattan to showcase Japan's traditional culture.

The parade along Central Park is part of the annual Japan Day festival.

New York Mayor Eric Adams told the crowd that the city's various cultural and ethnic groups are all part of the melting pot and the energy of the city.

He asked the participants to march and show their vibrancy, their inclusiveness and their community.

About 100 groups of Japanese or people of Japanese descent living in New York took part. They played drums, performed dances and carried a portable shrine.

Figure skaters Alex Shibutani and Maia Shibutani were among the participants. The siblings took bronze medals in ice dance at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018.

They recommended NHK's English news programs on its international broadcasting service, NHK World-Japan. Live news broadcasts from the New York studio started in 2021.

Spectators lined the street. Some were wearing simple Japanese kimono, while others were dressed as anime characters.

Japanese Consul-General in New York Mori Mikio said he was happy so many people came to see the parade. He said he will continue to try to share the culture of Japan with people in America.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230514_09/