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Japan Fest
Sat, October 11th at 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Celebrate Japanese culture through art, performances, food, and more at Japan Fest, organized by NOMA, the Japan Club in New Orleans, and the Consulate General of Japan in Nashville.
Sample Japanese cuisine, enjoy traditional dance groups, martial arts demonstrations, and tours throughout the day. Shop a variety of vendors offering unique goods in a festive atmosphere. Costumes are welcome, please see costume guidelines below.
Please note: The expansion of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is not included in the Japan Fest festivities but will be open to the general public.
Tickets for Japan Fest are $10 General Admission, $5 for NOMA members, and free for attendees 19 years old and under
Pre-purchasing Japan Fest tickets online is strongly recommended. Tickets are also available for purchase at the admissions desk in the Great Hall, as well as in front of the main gate of the Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
Festival Schedule
All Day Activities
Play Go with Crane’s Nest Go Club (Samuel H. Kress Galleries, first floor)
Buddha Board demonstration (NOMA Museum Shop, first floor)
Samurai Suit Fitting with Japan Society of New Orleans (Second floor elevator lobby)
Schedule of Events
Start Time | Event and Location |
10:00 am |
|
10:30 am |
|
11:00 am |
|
11:30 am |
|
12:00 pm |
|
12:30 pm |
|
1:00 pm |
|
1:30 pm |
|
2:00 pm |
|
2:30 pm |
|
3:00 pm |
|
3:30 pm |
|
4:00 pm |
|
Participants
- Please note: some vendors for Japan Fest accept cash only. Cash is recommended for making purchases at the festival.
Food Vendors
Ajun Cajun |
Oni 225 |
Nori Guys |
Violet Sprinkles |
EM’s Bakery |
Nola Cane Juice & More |
Candy5 Traditional Candy Art |
Observatory 11 |
Café NOMA |
Merchandise Vendors
Kawaii NOLA |
Showtime Sweeti |
NOLA Kimekomi |
SofinaCo |
Minty Mix |
TwootieTarte |
Shiratori’s Cove |
B.sweetLA |
Madame Butterfly Nagasaki |
Donn Davis |
Art by Artemis Solas |
NOLA Rufflebuts |
Shattered Rose Jewelry |
Japanese Weekend School |
Performers, Tours, and Workshop Hosts
Aikido of New Orleans and NOLA Aikido |
Louisiana Karate Association |
Minoyo Dance Group |
Japan America Society of NW Florida Folk Dance |
Japanese Weekend School of New Orleans |
Kaminari Taiko of Houston |
Kaigai Idol Showcase |
Japanese Fashion Club (NOLA RuffleButts Costume Contest & Fashion Show) |
Japanese Language Workshop |
New Orleans Taiko Drum Workshop |
Gitter Gallery of Japanese Art tours |
Candy5 Traditional Candy Art |
New Orleans Zen Temple |
Tablers
Japan Club of New Orleans |
Japan Society of New Orleans |
Japanese Consulate of Nashville |
APAS (Asian Pacific American Society) |
Just Another Con |
Cranes Nest GO Club |
Aikido of New Orleans and NOLA Aikido |
Louisiana Karate Association |
Jefferson Parish Library Anime Club |
COSTUME GUIDELINES
For the safety and comfort of all guests, as well as the artwork at NOMA:
- Costume masks that obstruct or cover the wearer’s face are prohibited. Face masks covering the nose and mouth for health reasons are welcomed but not required.
- Accessories or toy weapons, such as swords, greater than 2 feet in length are not permitted.
- No sharp objects are allowed.
- Costume components cannot extend more than 2 feet in length from the body.
- Please keep all costumes family friendly.
Other restrictions may apply at NOMA’s discretion. A check room will be available for any items not in compliance. For questions regarding costumes, please call 504.658.4100. Please note that admission is required for fashion show participants.
Sponsors |
Cornerstone Chemical Company, LLC |
Gray Construction |
UBE C1 Chemicals America, Inc. |
Consulate General of Japan Nashville |
Japan Foundation of New York |
Japan Society of New Orleans |
Japan Club of New Orleans |
Denka Performance Elastomers |
Zen Noh Grain Corporation |
CGB Enterprises |
Observatory 11 |
SMBC Bank |