Japanese festival ii

Posted by Ron (Saint Louis, United States) on 4 September 2008 in Lifestyle & Culture and Portfolio.

This Taiko drummer led the procession that officially opened the 2008 Japanese Festival.

Since 1977 the Missouri Botanical Garden has hosted an annual Japanese Festival to celebrate the history, culture and people of Japan. The festival is held at various locations around Seiwa-en, the "garden of pure, clear harmony and peace" – one of the largest traditional Japanese gardens in North America. The annual event is filled with colorful sights, sounds and cultural activities.

In 1975, St. Louis and Suwa, Japan, became sister cities. In 1977, a Suwa delegation presented St. Louis a Yukimi lantern and teahouse, honored elements of Seiwa-en, which is modeled on the chisen kaiyu-shiki, or "wet strolling garden," a style developed by wealthy landowners of the late Edo period in 19th century Japan.

This was my first visit to this festival.

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