Archive 2019
Our past events
MAY 12TH, 2019 (SUN)
JAPAN DAY INC.
JAPAN DAY FESTIVAL
9:30AM – 4:00PM
Central Park’s Bandshell Area
RUN
4-mile Run 8:00AM,
Kids Race 9:30AM
Starting Point: Central Park East Drive 68th Street
PRESIDENT
Tsutomu Takemura
President & CEO, Nomura Holding America Inc.
Lyubava Kroll
Lyubava Kroll, MDes, is a visual communication designer, illustrator, and researcher. Her interests include interdisciplinary learning and participatory design as methods to promote creativity and social awareness. Her independent body of work primarily focuses on social and environmental issues. She has previously worked as a design consultant in Canada for the Government of Alberta, University of Alberta, National Research Council of Canada, Sustainable Waterloo Region, as well as a marketing specialist for WSPA/World Animal Protection and National Dance Institute in New York. She is currently freelancing, pursuing artistic opportunities like the Japan Day Contest, and continuing to develop her design, illustration, and research interests.
Special Juror JUNKO KUBO Award & Honorable Mention
Jana Ireijo
Jana Ireijo lives and works in Westport, CT. After receiving a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she went on to graduate with an MFA in Painting from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. She has participated in shows throughout the US and Europe. A self-proclaimed 80’s girl, her mission is to use the language of pop art to create work that is both personal and universal.
GUEST JUROR: JUNKO KUBO
Born in 1972 in Tokyo, Japan. Spent 10 years working as a show host, interviewer and narrator for various news programs and sports shows at NHK (Japan’s national broadcasting organization). She was the main host on “Ko-haku-uta-gassen,” an annual popular singing competition on New Year’s Eve, and “Project X,” a long-running Japanese documentary show. In 2004 she became a freelance television presenter. While appearing on television and radio shows, she has read children’s books and worked on translation. In 2014 she was certified by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. Her teaching regimens emphasize the themes of “Children” and “Words.” She serves as Special Envoy of “World Terakoya Movement” of National Federation of UNESCO Associations in JAPAN. She attended elementary school in England and high school in the US. She is a mother of two children. She lives in New York with her family.
Junko’s comment on the artwork:
I was instantly drawn to Jana’s red apple the moment I saw it. Connecting Japan and NY with the “Big Apple.” This concept, so direct and new, truly fascinated me. Thank you for such a wonderful design.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Chiaki Yagishita, Jodie Rae Charity, Jose Taira, Marcelo Maziero
HOST: SANDRA ENDO
ACT 1
- 10:30am – Japanese Taiko Drumming by Soh Daiko
- 10:50am – Yosakoi Dance Performance by 10tecomai
- 11:10am – Greetings
- 11:20am – Japan Day Art Contest Awards Ceremony
- 11:43am – Japanese poem recitation (Shigin) and Japanese flute (Shakuhachi) demonstration by WagakkiBand
ACT 2
- 12:15pm – Band Performance by @K4
- 12:45pm – Bon Odori by The Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York
- 1:05pm – Japanese Taiko Drumming & Dance by COBU
- 1:28pm – Karate Demonstration by International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan
ACT 3
- 2:20pm – Pop Cover Performance by JHM Jams
- 2:45pm – Dance Performance by Toshihiko “TOSHI” Nakazawa
- 3:10pm – Band Performance by KAI YOSHIHIRO BAND
- 3:40pm – Finale
ACTIVITY TENTS
- Experience Japan Rail Travel (JR East & JR Central)
- instax Photo Booth (Fujifilm North America Corporation)
- Try-on Yukata (NY de Volunteer)
- Be a Samurai (Villagewell)
- VR Experience: Visit Japan (Japan Day & JNTO)
- Hello Kitty Photo Booth (Sanrio Co., Ltd.)
- Origami (Origami Therapy Association (OTA))
- Kabuki Face Painting (Northeast Council Of Teachers Of Japanese)
- Yo-Yo-Fishing (JETAA NY & Japan Society)
- Calligraphy (Japanese American Association Of New York, Inc.)
FOOD TENTS
- Gyoza (Ajinomoto North America,Inc.)
- Okonomiyaki (Otafuku Foods, Inc.)
- Onigiri (ITOCHU International Inc.)
- Snacks 1 (Meiji America Inc.)
- Snacks 2 (Morinaga America Inc.)
- Tea (ITO EN (North America) Inc.)