Nisha K. Vanakarnkovit (left), 19, and Lisa Fong (Center), 20, lined up to show their costumes.
By Andrew Rivera
Staff Writer
Japan and Beyond held their Matsuri event last Friday May 23, 2014. This was their first time
hold this event since 2010. This event brings Japanese culture to CSUB by displaying Japanese games, tradition and music.
The event had many activities for people to enjoy, like sumo suits. People were able to wear sumo suits and participate in a sumo fight. It was a major attraction because if allowed people to fight and have a good laugh because typically when you fall you can’t really get up by yourself.
Another attraction was the Ninja Chopsticks both. Here people were had to use chopsticks to move M&Ms from a bowl to another bowl. It was fun because some people are not that great at using chopsticks.
“We just have many different activities that bring out Japanese culture like the Taiko performance,” Said Christina Swanson, President of Japan and Beyond.
During the event, the highlight had to have been the Japanese Taiko Drumming performance by the Taiko Center of Los Angeles Taiko is a musical performance that involves drums that provides musical, physical and mental training and discipline. The Taiko, which means drum in Japanese, was use throughout Japanese culture. The Taiko was used in places of Divinity, hunting, battle, and festival.
This was the a highlight of the event because it brought a major part of Japanese culture here to CSUB.
“Once you learn about other people’s culture, your whole world opens up and you want to learn more about other cultures and you learn more about yourself,” said Tom Kurai, Director of The Taiko Center of Los Angeles.
Kurai thought the event held by Japan and Beyond was a terrific to show CSUB students other cultures and show students how they might actually relate to cultures other than the ones they have been around here.
The Gamers Club of CSUB also helped out at the Matsuri. They had a section set up where people could play Japanese based games. The primarily Nintendo gaming consoles such as Nintendo64,Game Cube, and Wii. The games they had available to play were Super Smash Brothers, Drangonball Z, and other Japanese themed games.
Japan and Beyond gave everyone a glimpse of what Japanese culture is, but some people wanted more. They wanted more because they love the culture and want others to share in with it.
“I wish they have more entertainment like dancing and music, said Ting and Tsit Kong, sister who are seniors at CSUB.
The Matsuri was a great way for students to enjoy another culture here on campus. It brought many new things to students that they might actually want to try out and explore more into what Japanese culture is and maybe find themselves to what they actually like. Hopefully the there is another Matsuri at CSUB next year, because I don’t know if people are willing to wait four year for another one.
The Japanese Night Festival was held on Friday, May 23, 2014 inside the Student Rec Center Gym. There were free food, games, raffles, and entertainment.
Video story by Mark Felix and Gerardo Saenz
The Japanese Matsuri Festival had sumo wrestling, calligraphy, gaming and even a costume contest with a greater turn-out than organizers expected. Hosting the event at CSUB, the Japanese and Beyond Club treated some of the attendees with Panda Express. The festival also had Judo demonstrations and a costume contest where contestants brought to life their favorite Japanese characters.
