Hatsume Fair

This past Saturday I got the chance to go to the Hatsume Fair.  I went so I could write a newspaper story about it for the beacon! I included a copy of my article for the paper below which still needs to be edited by our editor in chief but its a rough version and explains what happened and what the fair is all about! Also, I included some pictures from the day! And this Friday when the editors put the Beacon on the web, you will be able to see video that I took on the flip while at the fair! 

Meghan Gilmore

Hatsume Fair Story

Most people are surprised to discover a century-old connection between Japan and South Florida.  It was here, in what is now northern Boca Raton that a group of young Japanese Farmers created a community intended to revolutionize agriculture in the Sunshine State. 

One of those initial farmers was George Sukeji Morikami.  He formed a farming colony named Yamato, an ancient name for Japan.  For years Morikami cultivated local crops and acted as a fruit and vegetable wholesaler. 

In the mid-1970s, when George was in his 80s, he donated land to Palm Beach County with the wish that it be used as a park to preserve the memory of the pioneering Yamato Colony. 

This dream finally came true in 1977 when the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens became a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida. 

Then something happened that Morikami probably never expected even in his wildest dreams.  A fair was created that comes every year and just celebrated it’s 32^nd year of operation. “The Morikami festivals seem to be getting more and more popular each year. This year’s Hatsume Fair was our most successful as far as we can see at this point.  We have an attendance estimate of 13,000 today, but are still waiting on final numbers. The community has Japan on their minds, so we attribute some of the success to that; however, it was a beautiful weekend and the Morikami was a great place to enjoy the outdoors!” said Jamie Russell, Marketing & Events Coordinator for the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens.

This fair is the Hatsume Fair, celebrating the first bud of spring, Hatsume, transforms the normally tranquil Morikami Park into a lively Japanese spring festival.  The event houses three stages of continuous entertainment where visitors got to experience things such as taiko drumming performances, martial art, a Cosplay (short for costume play) otherwise known as anime contest, and a tea ceremony.  Also, visitors could walk around and shop for traditional Japanese merchandise like Bonsai trees, kimono’s, and umbrella’s.  Or the more adventurous could sample traditional Japanese cuisine like Yaki Soba and cellophane noodles. 

One new addition to this year’s fair that had never been done before included the company of the American Red Cross.  The Red Cross was on hand to offer support and information to people who wanted to learn more about the tsunami efforts and donate to the Red Cross to support their work and at 2:30pm on both days, all the festivities came to a halt for all to acknowledge a moment of silence to grieve over Japan’s lose and offer hope for a strong comeback.  Russell added, “The earthquake and tsunami in Japan definitely brought a different element to our festival just through the sentiments our community has for Japan what it’s going through. The moment of silence was a way for us to take a break from the festival celebrations and honor those who have lost their lives in Japan.”

If you didn’t get the chance to make it to this year’s Hatsume Fair, don’t fret that you have to wait an entire year until you get another opportunity.  The Morikami Museum and Garden offers two other fairs throughout the year.  “We have Bon Festival on August 13, 2011 and Oshogatsu, the new year’s festival, on January 8, 2012,” said Russell.

He explained the Bon Festival is “Inspired by Obon, Japan’s traditional three-day holiday honoring ancestors and thanking them for the quality of life enjoyed by the living, the Morikami will celebrate the 34^th annual Bon Festival in one fun-packed evening. Entertainment will include rousing taiko drum performances, traditional Japanese folk dancing with audience participation and a street fair with games and vendor booths. The highlight of the evening will begin at sunset when the lake surrounded by majestic gardens will be transformed into a tranquil sea of lighted lanterns that, in accordance with Japanese custom, guide the departure of ancestors’ souls who have come for a brief visit among the living. A special fireworks display will cap the enchanting evening.” 

 Russell then went on to describe the other festival, “Oshogatsu - the traditional New Year celebratory festival – is celebrated with games and entertainment throughout the museum and its gardens. The day’s activities will include Japan’s customary rice-pounding, making mochi rice cakes and a sado tea ceremony as well as kakizome, hands-on calligraphy; nengajo, New Year's card making and omikuji, fortune telling. Games like hanetsuki, similar to badminton, fukuwarai, similar to pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and appearances by shishimai, the lion dancer are sure to bring in good luck for the New Year!”

Also here is the link to our beacons website so you can look at the video on Friday!

Beacon Website