Photo gallery: Celebrating at Mukai’s Japan Festival

The annual event celebrates Japanese culture and history on Vashon.

September 11, 2024 11:15 am

Crowds flocked to Mukai Farm & Garden on Saturday, September 7 for the fifth annual Japan Festival.

In these photos: Vashon Soran Dancers dance to a modernized version of Sōran Bushi, a Japanese folksong; Musokai Iaido performs a display of Japanese swordsmanship; mochi master Mike Okano moves out of the way while Alex Harui pounds the rice into shape; the Seattle Kokon Taiko drum ensemble turns up the energy for the crowd; and visitors join together for a community Bon Odori dance.

The festival also included exhibits and lessons on the Japanese-American experience, including the injustice and trauma of mass incarceration in the 1940s and the resilience of the community up through today.