The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai�i will this Sunday hold its New Year�s Ohana Festival, which offers local and ethnic cuisine and entertainment; cultural art displays and demonstrations; a craft fair and book sale.
Keiki activities include kimono dressing, �make-n-take� activities, games, jumpers and storytelling. Among the top attractions this year: fav superheroes Kikaida and friends.� There wil be a �Kikada Brothers vs. Gill�s Monsters� performance and autograph signing, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Mo�ili�ili Field stage.
�The Cultural Center would like to share some of our Japanese traditions with the community while also showcasing the other diverse cultures and customs that make up our island state,� Lenny Yajima Andrew, the center�s president and executive director said in a news release. JCCH, a non-profit organization, aims to share the history, heritage and culture of the evolving Japanese-American experience in Hawai�i.
Festival entertainment will takes place on two stages�one dedicated to Japanese and Okinawan performances in the center�s courtyard and the other on Mo�ili�ili Field. Among performances: Japanese folk and classical dancing; Japanese sword and fan dancing; koto and shamisen; and Okinawan dancing and drumming.
A kimono dressing and photography session will give children the chance to dress up in elegant kimono and zori and capture the day with a special portrait. Kimono dressing cost is $75 per person; center members get a 20 percent discount.
The year-of-the-tiger event is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; scrip will be sold for food and other activities.
A free shuttle service will run between the University of Hawai�i at M�noa�s Dole Street parking structure and the center, 2454 South Beretania St. For more information, call the center at 945-7633 or go to www.jcch.com.