Annual Japanese Festival scheduled for Saturday in Ponderosa Room

Japanese students perform a dance during last year’s International Food and Cultural Festival at UNK. The Japanese Association at Kearney will host its annual Japanese Festival on Saturday in the Ponderosa Room at UNK’s Nebraskan Student Union. (Photo by Todd Gottula, UNK Communications)
Japanese students perform a dance during last year’s International Food and Cultural Festival at UNK. The Japanese Association at Kearney will host its annual Japanese Festival on Saturday in the Ponderosa Room at UNK’s Nebraskan Student Union. (Photo by Todd Gottula, UNK Communications)

KEARNEY – The Japanese Association at Kearney is hosting its annual Japanese Festival on Saturday (Feb. 15) at the Ponderosa Room inside the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Nebraskan Student Union.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the festival begins at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

This year’s theme is “Tokyo 2020,” celebrating the Olympic Games Japan’s capital city will host this summer.

The festival showcases Japanese culture and tradition through food, performances and other activities.

The menu includes rice bowls topped with thinly sliced beef (gyudon) and vegetables (tyukadon), miso meatball soup, edamame (prepared soybeans) and pudding. Performances include J-pop, Yosakoi and locking dances, a cosplay show and music. There will also be a prize raffle, Japanese quiz and videos highlighting the country.

Formed in 2001, the Japanese Association at Kearney is open to any UNK student interested in promoting or learning more about Japan. Hundreds of people attend the group’s Japanese Festival each year, making it one of the most popular international events on campus.