San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Nihonmachi Street Fair

Address: Post St. - Between Laguna and Fillmore, San Francisco

Description:

The Nihonmachi Street Fair is a two-day event that celebrates the cultures of various Asian and Pacific Islander communities around the Bay Area. The event is organized by local youth and allows community-based organizations to set up tables alongside Post St. and outreach/fund-raise for their respective programs. To attract incoming visitors, the fair provides a wide array of entertainment attractions, including lion dancing (see photo), live musical performances, and dance exhibitions. At the Nihonmachi Street Fair Food Fest, community groups can create and sell their own unique cultural foods – for example, Kimochi Inc., a senior services organizations, sells its trademark “Teri-burgers” every year. The event also provides venues for kids through the Nihonmachi Street Fair Children’s World, which allows them to learn about other cultures through games, crafts, and performing arts. At the Nihonmachi Street Fair Asian Artisans, Asian American artists can showcase their talents and display some of their works. Five years ago, the Asian American Bike Show was also added to the fair, which invites members to put their modified Harley Davidson and Asian motorcycles on display.

History:

The Nihonmachi Street Fair was started over 31 years ago by three young, Asian American community activists: Steve Nakajo and Ron and Ken Kanzaki. At the time, most community festivals were geared towards commercial interests, so the Nihonmachi Street Fair was created as an outlet for Asian American youth to celebrate their identity and culture. The first Nihonmachi Street Fair only featured four community groups, but now draws in more than a hundred organizations, filling up a sizable portion of Japantown.

Significance:

Cultural, Historical, Social

Recognition of Significance:

Sources:

Wes Nihei, Nihonmachi Street Fair – Board member – Public Relations

Other Comments:

The Nihonmachi Street Fair is remarkable because it is one of the few events organized by and geared towards community youth.

Prepared By: Darryl Abantao Date Prepared: 6/23/04