Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City was once home to a thriving Japantown that housed 2,000 people and featured businesses, schools and churches and community spaces. Today, Japantown has faded from popular memory and only two buildings remain: the Japanese Church of Christ and the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple.
The Nihon Matsuri Japan Festival this weekend aims to highlight that and other forgotten moments of Japanese-American history Utah as well as Japanese culture. It will feature a wide variety ranging from traditional tea ceremonies and exhibits exploring Japanese history and culture in Utah to dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, food, children's activities and live music.
"I think people do not understand the role that the Japanese have played in Utah history," Nihon Matsuri chairman Floyd Mori said. "The festival is to celebrate but also to help people remember and understand that there is a significant Japanese American segment of Utah and that they have played a very important part in the history of Utah."
The festival is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 100 South between 200 and 300 West at the edges of what was Japantown. Today, the heart of the city's historic Japantown is covered by the Salt Palace. In 1967, the town was demolished to make way for the convention center.
Japantown, however, is just a small part of Japanese American history in Utah — the majority of which most Utahns are unaware of, said Mori. For example, many Japanese workers constructed the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which connected Salt Lake with Denver. A number of Japanese farmers and miners also contributed to the state in the 1800s and 1900s. Japanese families were also held in the Topaz Internment Camp in Delta in Millard County during World War II.
"It's unfortunate that people don't understand that. We hope that our exhibits bring out some of the history and maybe invigorates some people in Utah, particularly in education, to begin to recognize this in the education system," said Mori, who was born to Japanese immigrants in Murray. "I deem it a very important privilege to be able to speak to people about this."
The festival was first held in 2005, and Mori said attendance has tripled since then. This year, over 10,000 people are expected to attend. He added that this year he's most looking forward to a performance and audience Q&A from G Yamazawa, a Japanese American hip-hop and spoken word artist whose work explores Japanese American history and culture.
More information about the festival, including a map of booths and a schedule of performances is available on the Nihon Matsuri website.
"I want people to come to be able to share and learn about a very rich culture that is here in Utah, and to be able to meet and interact with many of the Japanese Americans that live here and work here," Mori said.
