Japan Cultural Festival Celebrates Harrison Library Support

June 30th, 2017

The Matsuri, the Japan Cultural Festival, celebrated its fourth year with a hugely successful event in Riis Park and the Harrison Public Library.  The festival was organized to present Japanese culture to both Americans and Japanese residents of the community and to facilitate exchange between the two groups.

The Organizing Committee said in a letter to HPL Director Galina Chernykh that they “hope this event is a means to express the gratitude of the Japanese residents to their adopted community.”

The huge crowd enjoyed 20 different performances of music and dance, a dozen food booths, 10 games, and numerous other entertaining, enlightening exhibits and booths.  The Library hosted two beautiful demonstrations of a traditional Tea Ceremony and continuous instruction in Japanese Calligraphy. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont and Masashi Mizobuchi, Consulate General of Japan in New York.

The committee continued their tradition of making a generous donation to the Harrison Public Library Foundation, saying “We believe that the library is a wonderful space that welcomes and is visited by people of all ages, races, and more. The Committee looks forward to continued support in the coming years.”