Japan day

Every spring, we celebrate Japanese language and culture during “Japan Day.” This will be the 19th year of Japan Day, which is hosted by the Sac State Japanese Program and Japan Club as part of the Festival of Arts. The theme for this year is “Matsuri - Festival," and the event features a variety of traditional and modern performances, including a Taiko drumming performance, Samurai demonstrations, Sac State’s Soran Bushi dance, and more. In addition, there are many hands-on learning activities available, such as origami, calligraphy, board games, drawing, and lantern making.

• Free Admission

• Free parking: TBA Parking PDF Map

• Open to Public

Questions? 

Japan Club President: Meng Xiong (mxiong12@csus.edu), Japan Club Vice President/Event Coordinator: Renee Zhang (qianhuizhang@csus.edu); Sac State Japanese Program: Prof. Kazue Masuyama (masuyama@csus.edu)

💪Volunteer Wanted!

Please note that the website may contain advertisements.

Japan Day 2026 Theme:  Matsuri 祭り

Festival

SLOGAN: 繋ぐ、繋がる、繋げる (Tsunagu, Tsunagaru, Tsunageru)

Our slogan is about connection.

繋ぐ (tsunagu) = to connect (action)

繋がる (tsunagaru) = to be connected (state)

繋げる (tsunageru) = to expand or create connections

We chose 繋ぐ as our main idea because Japan Club is about actively connecting people—
connecting people with each other, with Japanese culture, and with the community.

Japan Day has continued for many years, and each year we pass this experience to the next group.

So, this slogan represents both connection and continuity.

Our Partners

American River Conservancy: Wakamatsu Farm

Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center

Center for Sacramento History

Japanese Language Teachers in the Greater Sacramento Region

Matsuyama–Sacramento Sister City Corporation (MSSCC)

MinyoNorthern California Koyasan Temple

Port of Sacramento Japanese School ポートオブサクラメント補習校

The Sacramento Kendo Dojo

Friends of Japan Club: 

Soranbushi Club, Anime and Manga Society, Judo, Cosplay

Local Companies who support this event (2026)

North American Food Distributing Co., Inc. [LINK]

2026 Stage Performances

10:00 AM Opening Parade

Led by Sac State's Soran Bushi Club, Sac State's Judo Club, Sac State's Japan Club officer

10:10 AM Opening Act - Soran Bushi Dance Performance by Sac State's Japan Club

Led by Sac State's Soran Bushi Club

10:15 AM Introductions & "Welcome to the 19th annual Japan Day"

Led by MC Anh Lu, MC Karena Chiu

10:20 AM Radio Taiso

Led by Joshua Opada

English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zbv6gWK3TE

Ehime Prefecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJH2MGNtwiM

10:30 AM Samurai Demonstration

Led by Tip Sayamnath 

11:00 PM  Singing Performance by Port of Sacramento Japanese School

Song: School Anthem of Port of Sacramento Japanese School

11:10 PM Judo Demonstration

Led by Sacramento State Judo Club

Kata demonstration, followed by some throwing/technique demonstrations, and then some sparring matches.

11:30 AM Kendo Demonstration

Led by Sacramento Kendo Dojo

Kendo, meaning "the way of the sword," is a traditional Japanese martial art that emphasizes the use of bamboo swords (shinai) and protective armor (bōgu). It has deep roots in the culture and history of the Samurai, focusing on discipline, respect, and the development of mental and physical strength while adhering to tradition and etiquette. Come and watch Sacramento Kendo Dojo’s demonstration and learn about the spirit of Kendo.  

12:00 PM Shouting Contest 

By Sac State Japanese Program

Sign up at MC Booth

Write your name, and give us your best scream in Japanese!

12:20 AM Bun-Eating Contest (pankui kyousou パン食い競走）

By Sac State Japanese Program

Sign up at MC Booth.  Write your name, and try to grab a bun—no hands!

1:00 PM Dance Performance

By Minyo Tanoshimikai

1:30 PM Taiko Performance

By Koyasan Spirit of Children Taiko

2:00 PM  Ju-Jutsu Demonstration

By  Eliot Kelly Sensei

In recent times, Ju-Jutsu has become known as an effective form of self-defense, an international sport, and an integral component of mixed martial arts. While Ju-Jutsu was a battlefield martial art practiced by the Samurai in Japan, the art was brought to Brazil after the immigration of Japanese people to the Americas began in 1908. In Brazil, the martial art of Ju-Jutsu became known as a hand to hand combat art. As the art was practiced in Brazil, the martial art gradually became to be practiced as a sport. With a new sounding name, Jiu-Jitsu, the sport and martial art was presented to the world through UFC 1 in 1993, and the world championships in 1996. At Japan Day, practitioners of Jiu-Jitsu will demonstrate some of the different strangles, joint locks, throws and positional holds. 

2:30 PM Open Mic🎤 Act/Performance

Sign up at MC Booth

2:45 PM Stamp Rally Raffle Drawing

By Professor Masuyama Kazue 

2:55 PM Soran Bushi Dance Performance by Sac State's Japan Club

By Sac State's Soran Bushi Club

3:00 PM Closing Remarks 

By Japan Club and the Japanese Program

2026 Japan Day Learning Tables

TABLE MAP: coming soon 

Are you interested in helping out this event? 

Please click this Volunteer Sign Up Link

SIGN-UP Link

Thank you for your support! Please click HERE (Logistics of the Day)

Quadrant 1 Leader: Liliana Baez

Welcome Table 1  

Lead: John Oropesa

Welcome Table 2 

Lead: Lauren Mangels

Calligraphy Table  

Lead: Arielle David

Experience the grace and discipline of Japanese calligraphy.

Sac State's Judo Club Table  

Lead: Judo Club President Maxmillian Daniel Bender

Kendama Table - Cup and Ball

Lead: []

Try your hand at Kendama, a traditional cup-and-ball skill game.

Hoshuko Table - Port of Sacramento Japanese School

Lead: Principal Abe

Sakura Gakuen Table 

Lead: Tomomi Flesuras
https://www.buddhistchurch.org/sakura-gakuen
Engage with Japanese language and culture in a community setting.

High School Teacher Table 

Japanese language teachers at high schools and colleges

Quadrant 2 Leader: Paolo Hidalgo

Pin Making Table

Lead: []

Koyasan Temple   (Northern California) 

Lead:  (community member)

Gain spiritual insights directly from a Buddhist priest from Northern California's Koyasan Temple.

More information about us, here is the link. Koyasan and other temples

WAKAMATSU Farm Table 

Lead: Cynthia Chaponot (community member)
Learn about the first Japanese colony in the U.S. and its legacy with the American River Conservancy.
Historical site (1st Japanese colony in US by delegation from Aizu, Japan), American River Conservancy

Matsuyama City Table – Sacramento’s Sister City    - pending

Lead: Bryan Fisher (community member)
Visit Matsuyama and other places in Ehime
Explore Sacramento’s sister city, Matsuyama, and other locations in Ehime prefecture.

Haiku Table

Lead: Sac State Alumni Ian Zentner

Kanji Challenge Table

Lead: Winston Cardozo

Card/Board Game Table

Lead: Yuichiro Hiramoto (Shogi), Shiho Asai (Hanafuda)

video instruction

Learn to play Hanafuda, Karuta, Shogi, Go and enjoy this classic Japanese card game.

Origami Table

Lead: Emily Lim

Sac State's Cosplay Club Table

Lead: Cosplay Club president []

Quadrant 3 Leader: Hazuki Uemura

DJ/MC Table

Lead: Meng Xiong, KSSU, DJ

Tongue Twister in Japanese 

Lead: Takahiko Hirae

Have fun twisting your tongue with tricky Japanese phrases.

Hashi - Chopsticks Table

Lead: []

Picking beans using chopsticks  

Master the art of using chopsticks by participating in our bean-picking challenge.

Lantern Making Table

Lead: Serena Hak

Kimono and Photo Booth

Lead: Miskow sensei, Sarah Swanner
Try on kimonos and capture the moment in our themed photo booth.

Japanese Jeopardy

Lead: Miskow sensei

Test your knowledge about Japanese culture at our interactive quiz station.

Quadrant 4 Leader: Mark Mulumba

Study Abroad Program Table

Lead: Yuki Oshiro, Hanako Nakajima

Samurai / Sumo 

Lead: Tip Sayamnath

Witness the power and precision of samurai swordplay and putting on Sumo Costume.　

Card-making Table

Lead: Kaylene Ly

Design unique cards using Japanese motifs and techniques.

Anthropomorphic/Furs Clubs

Lead: Anthropomorphic Club

Anime and Manga Society Table

Lead: Anime and Manga Society Club

Games/Art: Showcase of various arts and crafts based items as well as game related hobbies which include model kits, clay figures, trading card games (yugioh and digimon). Also, we will be giving beginner friendly advice on how to enter these hobbies.

Quadrant 5 Leader: Emma Ketsavong

Merch Table

Lead: Myron Reyes

At this table, we will be selling Japan Club merchandise, including:

• Japan Club 2026 T-shirts

• Sticker Packs

Snack & Drink Selling Table

Lead: Vassil Kristina Sensee

Carnival Donation Table + Stamp Rally Raffle Box

Lead: Kailee Knox, Matthew montgomery

Carnival Game 1 - Wanage

Lead: []

Carnival Game 2 - Scoop "Goldfish" - Kingyo Sukui 

Lead: []

Carnival Game 3- Chopstick Tossing

Lead: []

Carnival Game 4 -  Pingpong Nage

Lead: []

Special Activities

Open Mic Act 

Radio Exercise 

Shouting Contest in Japanese

Shouting in Japanese! Led by Masuyama sensee

Bun-Eating  Contest 

Get a donut without using your hands! Led by Kelly sensee

Carnival Games

Stamp Rally Raffle Lucky Draw

Virtual trips to Japan (Watch out QR Code Posting!)

https://www.japan.travel/brochures/eng/index.php

Tokyo: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1032.pdf

Tochigi - North of Tokyo: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/896.pdf

Kyoto: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1487.pdf

　　　https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1485.pdf

Kyoto: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1487.pdf

Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka, etc.) https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1607.pdf

　　　https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1630.pdf

Virtual Trip to Aomori Nebuta and other activities in Tohoku: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/353.pdf

Virtual Trip to Sendai Tanabata: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1367.pdf

Virtual Trip to Aizu Wakamatsu and other places in Fukushima: https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/1484.pdf

Japan Day Organizers

Meng Xiong - Japan Club President

Qianhui "Renee" Zhang - Japan Club Treasurer

Event coordination & management - Renee Zhang, Meng Xiong, Dom Mesa

Flyer, Brochure, Graphic - Serena Hak, Renee Zhang

Check out Japan Club's Official Facebook and Instagram

Japan Club Adviser - Prof. Kazue Masuyama (masuyama@csus.edu)

サクラメントとは？日本語でサクラメント州立大学やサクラメントについて説明しています。

https://sites.google.com/view/japn150classproject/home