The Northwest Summer Matsuri Brings Japan to Sefton Park

Sam Rosen, JETAA Northwest Chair, reflects on the recent success of the Northwest Summer Matsuri, held on Sunday, 31st August, in Liverpool’s Sefton Park Palm House. 

The Palm House, in the heart of Liverpool’s historic Sefton Park, was transformed into a fantastic full-day celebration of Japanese culture as JETAA Northwest, in conjunction with the Japanese Society Northwest (JSNW), proudly hosted our annual Matsuri. This year, once again, the Matsuri drew a wide range of Japan-related groups from across the region, and we were supported by a team of over 120 dedicated volunteers and performers, whose energy and commitment created an unforgettable experience for the almost 3,000 visitors we welcomed on the day.
 

This year marked a significant milestone for us, as we were sponsored for the first time by generous donations from Lexus Liverpool and The Essential English Centre, Manchester. Their donations, combined with the annual grant from the Japan Local Government Centre (JLGC), and support from the Japanese Embassy and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, provided the funding that enabled us to bring in so many performers and exhibitors this year. This included not one, but two fantastic groups of Taiko drummers; Tengu Taiko and Kaminari Taiko, the inimitable enka singer, LJ English, and the wonderful Sumie Kent, who performed several sets on her koto. We also held a series of workshops, allowing guests to watch demonstrations about putting on a kimono, hosted by Jill Clay, how to put together traditional ikebana displays with Kiki and the team from Floriental, participate in a real tea ceremony with sencha-do sensei Kumiko Murooka, and learn about the intricacies of Japanese embroidery from the team at Nejiribana. Outside, we held a Japanese martial arts showcase of kendo and karate, and for the younger visitors, we had lessons on origami and shodo (calligraphy), along with a “treasure hunt” featuring Japan-related mini-challenges.
 

Beyond the stage, we hosted an array of exhibition booths to give the visitors a chance to learn about things like the intricate details of Japanese embroidery from Nejiribana, and the maintenance of and principles behind the construction of Japanese gardens from the team at the Japanese Garden Society. 

We also had stalls selling Japanese trinkets and kokedama moss displays, as well as delicious bento boxes made by family-run Ta-ke-bon Sushi, and Maki Hoye’s Japanese curry buns. We were honoured by the attendance of the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, who spent time enjoying the festivities, experiencing the tea ceremony, trying some calligraphy, and meeting and greeting the guests. 
 

Finally, we welcomed a group of researchers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, who are studying how Japanese Culture is promoted outside Japan, and several guests who had flown over from Japan and the Philippines to participate. A sincere thanks must go to the wonderful team at the iconic Victorian Palm House. Thanks to the cooperation and generosity of two JET Alumni who work there, we were able to secure this stunning venue free of charge. And despite a short, refreshing drop or two of rain in the afternoon, the weather remained largely fantastic throughout the day, allowing everyone to enjoy a truly magnificent and memorable celebration of Japanese culture.