HAI! JAPANTOWN 2023
Celebrating businesses in Historic Nihonmachi with an all-ages block party on Saturday, August 12th, and more celebrations all week long!
AUGUST 12 - 20, 2023
During Japantown’s annual summer festival, this historic district comes alive as shops, galleries, restaurants, and other creative space host community events, promotions, and performances! The whole family is invited for all-ages fun, food, and shopping all week long!
Check out the schedule of events below with more details about Hai! Japantown’s kick-off celebration on Saturday, August 12th!
KICK-OFF CELEBRATION:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
Don’t miss this opening block party for Hai! Japantown featuring live music, performances, and special treats!
Check out the schedule of events, walking tour information, and list of community booths below.
EVENT INFO BOOTH
On Saturday, August 12, find the Info Booth at Jackson Street outside Nihonmachi Alley near the Itsumono storefront.
EVENT INFORMATION
TICKETS REQUIRED FOR
JART WALKING TOURS
Although Hai! Japantown is a free event, guided Japanese American Remembrance Trail Tours require advanced registration and paid ticket admission. Learn more!
MASKS ARE ENCOURAGED
Mask protocols vary by business. Masks are encouraged in community areas. Masks and hand sanitizer can be found at the Info Desk outside the Itsumono storefront on Jackson Street and Nihonmachi Alley.
Click on parking options to learn more about Street and Parking Lot options.
Street parking is free all day Sundays and holidays.
Please note that there is a Mariners Game on Saturday, August 12 beginning at 6:40 PM. Additionally, there are scheduled Sound Transit Link Light Rail service disruptions from August 12-20.
PARKING
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer spots are full for this event; however, we always take new applications for upcoming events!
Our volunteers make Hai! Japantown a welcoming and fun event for visitors to Nihonmachi!
We are grateful for new volunteers and old volunteers to lend a hand greeting visitors, preparing for the event, and closing the event.
Immerse yourself in the spaces that keep Seattle's Nihonmachi alive! These historic sites and locales for hold the memories of old Japantown through art and stories.
This ticketed tour is 1.5 hours long and travels approximately 1 - 1.75 miles. The tour includes some steep uphill inclines.
Tickets are required. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly recommended. Guests need to show proof of ticket purchase at the Info Booth located outside the Itsumono storefront on Jackson Street and Nihonmachi Alley to begin the tour.
Walk-in tour spots are available until the tour reaches capacity or up to 10 minutes after each tour begins. Each tour has a capacity of 15 people.
Tour Tickets come with General Admission to all Wing Luke Museum galleries for the day. Arrive early and plan your visit to the museum, open from 10 AM - 5 PM.
ADULTS $24.95
SENIORS (62+) $21.95
STUDENTS (13-18) $18.95
CHILDREN (5-12) $16.95
CHILDREN UNDER 5 Free
Wing Luke Museum Members receive a 15% discount on tours. Log in or join today!
JAPANESE AMERICAN REMEMBRANCE TRAIL MAP
Missed out on a guided walking tour? Download or print out the map here!
Be sure to check out the interactive digital map online.
The program is subject to change. For more detailed notes about the events, artist bios, and more, please continue to the Schedule by Location below.
Be sure to stop by our Info Desk outside of Itsumono on Jackson Street and Nihonmachi Alley for the day of programs!
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
SATURDAY, 8/12
JAPANTOWN BLOCK PARTY EVENTS!
1 - 5 PM
Community Booths Various
Business Promos at Sairen, KOBO at Higo,
Trichome, Pioneer Barber, and more!
Happy Hour at Chiyo’s Garden
Live Music & Dance Performances Various
Art Walk Various
SUN. 8/13 - THURS. 8/17
Nihonmachi Small Business Promos!
FRI. 8/18
5 - 8 PM
Chiyo’s Garden Visiting Hours with special performances
SAT. 8/19
HAI! JAPANTOWN CLOSING EVENTS
7 - 10 PM
Movies in the Park Hing Hay Park
SUN. 8/20
Chiyo’s Garden Visiting Hours with special performances
SCHEDULE BY LOCATION
The program is subject to change. Be sure to stop by our Info Desk outside of Itsumono on Jackson Street and Nihonmachi Alley for the day of programs!
CHIYO’S GARDEN
Located in Nihonmachi Alley, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
Wing Luke Museum Marketplace
Japantown Neighbors Merch
1 - 1:30 PM | Selections of House, Disco, and Funk music from DJ Mac Tray or Tracey Wong (黃麗塋). Tracey is a Teochew American artist who makes you wanna dance. Her deepest joy about spinnin’ is sharing a vibration that can bring people together to dance, heal, and enjoy freely.
Born and raised in Beacon Hill of Duwamish Land/ Seattle, she’s spun at local dance parties & events like Azn Glo, Sweet Home, Dayshift, and LoveCityLove, Deep From the Underground (Vancouver, CA), and Cypher Culture Conference (Portland, OR).
1 - 3:30 PM | Garden Happy Hour & Teri Burgers with Itsumono
1:30 - 1:45 PM | Butoh performance by Kaoru Okumura who is a Japanese Butoh performer based in Seattle. Kaoru studied Butoh in 1993 at Asbestos-Kan in Tokyo with Akiko Motofuji, the wife of one Butoh’s originators, Tatsumi Hijikata.
Kaoru first started Butoh activities in Seattle in 2008. Since then, she has enjoyed performing solo and with Danse Perdue, KOGUT Butoh, and others, where she experiences how a body bridges the soul and the world. Kaoru has a MS degree in mathematics, and a career in computer research as an advisory researcher. She enjoys tech worlds, and gadgets, including photography.
2 - 2:30 PM | Taiko performance by Dekoboko Taiko. With a shared desire to create and experiment with new and old sounds, Dekoboko Taiko’s repertoire ranges from traditional to modern classics to songs self-composed by its members.
2:45 - 3:45 PM | Musical performance from BrandonLee Cierley and his band who will perform original music from his Sophomore Album "Camaraderie" and more.
Born in Tacoma, now relocated to Portland, BrandonLee Cierley's music combines elements of modern jazz, groove, hip-hop & R&B to create a unique sound.
3:30 - 5 PM | Garden Happy Hour Drinks with Itsumono
3:30 - 5 PM | Musical performance from Tomo Nakayama whose melodic, complex, and emotionally compelling indie-folk and synthpop music has been praised by NPR, New York Times, and The Stranger!
Tomo has toured across the US and Japan, sharing the stage with Cornelius, Wye Oak, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Ben Gibbard, Damien Jurado, and Shugo Tokumaru. As a longtime member of the Seattle music and arts community, Tomo has also curated and produced events for Forterra (Ampersand Live) and Town Hall, where he also served as Artist in Residence.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 5 - 8 PM
Visiting Hours! The Garden will be open for visitors with drinks from Itsumono and a live performance
NIHONMACHI ALLEY
JACKSON BUILDING, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
International District Emergency Center (IDEC)
Nihonmachi Alley Master Planning with SCIDPDA
NIHONMACHI BUSINESSES
Shop small, shop local, shop Seattle’s Nihonmachi! Hai! Japantown wouldn’t exist without the stalwart small businesses of Nihonmachi. Stop in, say hi, and come back all week for Hai! Japantown specials!
ITSUMONO
610 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM*
*Itsumono’s full menu with access to indoor dining is open at 5 PM but enjoy Happy Hour Drinks in Chiyo’s Garden from 1 - 5 PM hosted by Itsumono staff!
Info Booth: Find the guest booth outside of Itsumono on Jackson Street & Nihonmachi Alley and get a map and program for all the festivities!
WA Trust for Historic Preservation: Pick up a Japanese American Remembrance Trail map and check out the new digital map for the JART!
1:30 PM | Check-in for the JART Walking Tour*
3:30 PM | Check-in for the JART Walking Tour*
*JART Walking Tours require advanced registration and may sell out! Learn more about getting tickets.
KOBO AT HIGO
604 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
Children’s Festival Games for all ages (adults too!) — Everyone wins something!
Yo yo Tsuri, the Japanese fishing water balloon game
Kingyo Sukui, the goldfish scooping challenge: scoop as many balls and objects before the paper scoop gives out.
Inarizushi from MODERN Japanese Cuisine
Mochi Brownies from Setsuko Pastries
ENFU bag and posters! Come inside KOBO to receive a free KEN Taya ENFU bag and other goodies!
SAIREN
600 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
11 - 5 PM
Sairen Summer Sidewalk Sale
11AM - 3PM | Coffee pop-up serving cold brew, sparkling cold brew, and decaf from Tanuki Coffee Roasters
1 - 5PM | Kid’s Crafts & Coloring Station with artist Alyssa Guzman teaching how to create a paper koi flag and paper dango treats!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 13
11 - 5 PM
Sairen Summer Sidewalk Sale
TRICHOME
618 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
Drinks & Gummies at Trichome Seattle
PIONEER BARBER COMPANY
314 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
ALL WEEK
Stop into Pioneer Barber Company for 10% off all pomades!
Book ahead for an appointment from Saturday 8/12/2023 to Sunday 8/19/2023.
Mention ‘Hai Japantown’ to receive 15% off your Haircut!
PANAMA HOTEL TEA & COFFEE HOUSE
605 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
9 AM - 4 PM
Wagashi from Tokara
Seasonal Drinks including iced Tea, matcha lattes, and green teas from Panama Hotel Tea and Coffee House
2:15 - 2:30 PM | Butoh performance by Kaoru Okumura who is a Japanese Butoh performer based in Seattle. Kaoru studied Butoh in 1993 at Asbestos-Kan in Tokyo with Akiko Motofuji, the wife of one Butoh’s originators, Tatsumi Hijikata.
Kaoru first started Butoh activities in Seattle in 2008. Since then, she has enjoyed performing solo and with Danse Perdue, KOGUT Butoh, and others, where she experiences how a body bridges the soul and the world. Kaoru has a MS degree in mathematics, and a career in computer research as an advisory researcher. She enjoys tech worlds, and gadgets, including photography.
2:30 - 3:30PM | Jazz program from the Milo Petersen Quartet. Enjoy selections from Steve Griggs’s PANAMA HOTEL JAZZ program and choice standards from the Great American Songbook.
Milo and his quartet play regularly around Seattle. Milo is an original member of Steve Griggs' PANAMA HOTEL JAZZ band.
ONIBABA
ONIBABA
515 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
Onigiri served togo! Stop by during these special festival hours! Onibaba is open for indoor seating from 5-9PM following the festival!
MANEKI SEATTLE
304 6th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104
ALL WEEK, CLOSED MONDAYS
5 - 9 PM
Seattle’s oldest sushi bar, Maneki Seattle, is closed for lunch, but open for indoor dining during dinner.
FUJI SUSHI SEATTLE
520 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
11 AM - 5 PM
Stop into Fuji Sushi Seattle for indoor dining. Take out is available for pre-order.
11AM - 2PM | Bento box lunch specials offered!
2 - 5PM | Happy Hour drink specials
ART GALLERIES
DADADA GALLERY
513 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
(located in the HTK Kubota Building on Main St)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
DaDaDa Gallery presents "White Noise", a group featuring Ling Chun, Aleksandra Pollner, and Nin Truong. The gallery will have a curated selection of craft, art, and design books to accompany the show.
Maiden Noir will have a selection of their annual Pre-Archival Sale. 50-80% off Men and Women's apparel, hats, and accessories.
Japantown Neighbors Beautification Fundraiser (cash or cc via online donation) with sales proceeds from Ice Matcha Lemonade and Japantown Nihonmachi T-shirts going to the Japantown Neighbors Beautification.
BONFIRE GALLERY
605 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
12 - 5 PM
SPIRIT COMPASS: Navigating the Maelstrom, an exhibit by Kree Arvanitas on view at Bonfire Gallery until September 9, 2023
Greedy gods, sacrificial dolphins, messages from the ancestors - step into a realm where time has no meaning, ecodystopia looms, and whimsy is a weapon of resistance. Body, canvas, image are the mystical trappings Kree Arvanitas engages to explore our uncanny common experiences. Art is the Spirit Compass binding past and future, as she paints her own mythology.
Kree Arvanitas creates stories reflecting the maelstrom of our daily lives, the fragility and strength of our planet and our innate desires to live, struggle, share, love. Whether on canvas or the topography of a human body, Kree juxtaposes a bricolage of objects of purpose, working in many styles, cultural references and historical periods -- engaging symbols, anachronisms and humorous cues revealing our common humanity. Each work is a Spirit Compass navigating an uncertain future rooted in the issues of our time.
“Whether painting on human bodies, canvas or fabric, my goal is to portray the courage of transformation. My hope is that the viewer will share some of the elation I feel when under the spell of a provocative creative process.” - Kree Arvanitas
WOODBURN COMPANY
WOODBURN COMPANY
516 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
CID Vision Group
One World Now
Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington (JCCCW)
Japantown Neighbors
WING LUKE MUSEUM
719 South King St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
10 AM - 5 PM
Wing Luke Museum galleries are open with general admission! Tickets are available online or in person. Plan your visit to see the exhibit Resisters: A Legacy of Movement from the Japanese American Incarceration before it leaves October 14, 2023
1:30 PM | Wing Luke Museum hosting a Walking Tour for the Japanese American Remembrance Trail***
3:30 PM | Wing Luke Museum hosting a Walking Tour for the Japanese American Remembrance Trail***
*Guests with tickets meet at the Info Booth on Jackson & Nihonmachi Alley! Do not meet at the Wing Luke Museum
**Walking Tours require advanced registration and may sell out! Learn more about getting tickets.
GARDEN & PARK ACTIVITIES
DANNY WOO COMMUNITY GARDEN
DANNY WOO COMMUNITY GARDEN
620 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
1 - 5 PM
InterIm CDA maintains the C-ID’s only community garden, the Danny Woo Community Garden. The garden hosts plots for 80 elders to grow their own produce, care for chickens, and share knowledge with youth about environmental stewardship. Learn more about the community by visiting their booth!
WILD: Wilderness Inner-City Leadership Development is InterIm CDA’s award-winning youth leadership program for low-income refugee and immigrant youth aged 14-19. Visit their booth to learn more about their environmental justice and civic engagement projects.
Pastry Pop-up Booth by Sweet Dream Bakes is serving up home-style baked goods inspired by nostalgic eats. Owner Cindy Yuong will be serving
Lunchbox cakes
Cake parfaits
Mochi bites
Milk nougat
Granola
1:15 - 1:45 PM | Art Workshop: Japanese Texture Craft Maps with Samuel Leung! An activity for all ages and all art abilities. This is a roaming art activity where visitors will trace the “textures” of the Danny Woo Garden using pastel rubbings and a paper map to explore the natural beauty of Nihonmachi. Led by Samuel, you’ll be taught to find the memory of our previous generations. Second workshop at 4 PM!
Samuel Leung (he/him) is an artist and designer born and raised in the Greater Seattle area and studying architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. His work celebrates local histories and often engages people to relate more to the community around them. Spreading the joy of connection, he continuously aims to engage with the ways that design can expand the potential for cultural expression and community building.
3:30 - 4:30 PM | Koto performance by Shion who brings the Japanese harp to the gardens. Shion began formal koto training at age 7, with Shiho Kurauchi, a Seattle-based koto instructor who studied at Sawai Koto Academy in Tokyo where Shion holds an Intermediate Level of Koto Certificate. Shion is looking forward to studying music at Cornish College of the Arts this upcoming Fall.
4 - 4:30 PM | Art Workshop: Japanese Texture Craft Maps with Samuel Leung! An activity for all ages and all art abilities. This is a roaming art activity where visitors will trace the “textures” of the Danny Woo Garden using pastel rubbings and a paper map to explore the natural beauty of Nihonmachi. Led by Samuel, you’ll be taught to find the memory of our previous generations (see above for Samuel’s bio).
HING HAY PARK
HING HAY PARK
423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
7 PM - 10 PM
Seattle Asian American Film Festival hosts movies in the park with family-friendly programming beginning at 7 PM and Pokémon: The First Movie showing around 8:15 PM.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19
7 PM - 10 PM
Seattle Asian American Film Festival hosts movies in the park with family-friendly programming beginning at 7 PM and Easter Sunday showing around 8:15 PM.
HAI! JAPANTOWN IN THE NEWS
HISTORIC SOUTH DOWNTOWN
Check out this video from Historic South Downtown highlighting the community process and heart behind this celebration!
