Ava Bartusch, Georgia Haynes and Shae Preston
The Melbourne Japanese Summer Festival is an annual event where people of all nationalities come together to celebrate Japan’s exquisite culture. It was held on Sunday 25 of February in Federation Square and this year three of us all went along as a group. We would say that if you are not a fan of large crowds or are claustrophobic you may not enjoy this festival as there are people EVERYWHERE. However, the festival itself was a very enjoyable experience and we would all recommend that you check it out next year!
They have performances on their culture, stores that sell Japanese treats, clothing and miscellaneous items and food. Where all the food trucks were, they sold a variety of Japanese cuisine, ranging from fried ice cream to vegan ramen.
Whether you’re an anime fan or just love the culture, there is something for everyone at this festival. If you are an anime lover there were many stalls dedicated to selling anime themed items including stickers, keychains, plushies and collectible figurines. As well as that, there were many cosplayers dressing up as characters from their favorite animes and mangas, there were cosplayers from Yuri on Ice, Love Live, Pokemon and more!
Seeing the kumamon (a Japanese mascot created by the government of Kumamoto Prefect) was definitely a highlight. Overall the festival was certainly an interesting time, meeting friends, eating the food and indulging in the culture and we definitely planning on going again together next year!
Chloe McDonald
On the Sunday 25 February at Federation Square I went to a Japanese Festival dedicated to the culture, traditions and celebrations of Japan. There were many stalls filled with Japanese items such as anime, manga, kimono, yukatas, tea and Japanese foods. There was an abundance of food stalls at the festival all selling different foods traditionally made in Japan. At the kimono stalls there were vintage and handmade kimonos and yukatas that you could buy or just try on. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the Japanese culture.
