| Japanese Festival of Houston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Japanese Culture, Anime |
| Venue | Hermann Park |
| Location(s) | Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 1993 |
| Attendance | 30,000 in 2015 |
| Organized by | Japanese Festival of Houston Inc. |
| Website | http://www.houstonjapanfest.org/ |
The Japanese Festival of Houston, located in Houston, Texas is considered one of the largest Japanese festivals in the United States. Hosted originally by the Japan-America Society of Houston (JASH, ヒューストン日米協会 Hyūsuton Nichibei Kyōkai) it is now handled by the Japan Festival of Houston Inc under the Japan-America Society of Houston advisement. Typically in the spring of each year, the event can attract nearly 30,000 visitors in a single weekend. While the festival theme changes from year to year, the premise remains the same—to educate the citizens of Houston on the fundamental interests and facts of the land of Japan.
The Japan Festival is located in Hermann Park, typically adjacent to the Japanese Garden near downtown Houston. The festival itself was created by volunteers nearly 20 years ago and is still operated by a volunteer staff.
In 2009, the festival was awarded the title of "Best Festival" by the Houston Press.[1]
This festival went on hiatus in 2020 and did not return in 2021 or 2022.
The festival returned in May 2023. In addition to commercial, merchandise and food booths, there were demonstrations for sumo wrestling, and on the main stage there were other activities including Taiko drumming, and performances by artists like the Minyo Crusaders.
