The Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center will host the 49th
annual Haru Matsuri, or Spring Festival, a celebration of local
Asian-American heritage and the longest continually running
cultural event in South Santa Clara County.
Morgan Hill
The Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center will host the 49th annual Haru Matsuri, or Spring Festival, a celebration of local Asian-American heritage and the longest continually running cultural event in South Santa Clara County.
Featured at this year’s Haru Matsuri, which is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center, will be cultural and historical displays, a tea ceremony, martial arts and Tai Chi demonstrations, traditional dance, Asian cuisine, and of course, lots of traditional Japanese drum performances known as Taiko, according to event organizers.
The event will also feature the 13th annual Northern California Taiko Expo, one of the largest annual gatherings of Taiko groups in northern California. Morgan Hill’s Sandoshin Taiko, Watsonville Taiko, and San Jose Taiko Dojo will be among the groups to perform.
The goal of the Haru Matsuri is to promote cultural awareness and insight into the heritage of Japanese Americans, whose contributions and historical significance within the local community are substantial, according to Paul Yoshikawa, an event coordinator.
“The most recent focus has been on preserving the legacy of the pioneering Japanese American families” in South Santa Clara County, many who struggled after their return to the region from internment camps after World War Two, said Paul Yoshikawa, an event coordinator.
Many historical artifacts such as photographs, farming implements and letters documenting the local history of Japanese Americans will be displayed at Sunday’s event. A tribute to the World War II Nisei Veterans, one of the most extensive of its kind in northern California, will also be on display.
Little known accounts of local Japanese American history, including connections with widely known businesses such as Nob Hill Foods, Driscoll Farms, and Nature Ripe Berries will be presented.
From its beginnings as a Sunday School fundraiser, the Haru Matsuri has grown into a wide-ranging community event, with support from local businesses, community organizations, and individual volunteers, Yoshikawa said.
Also featured at this year’s Haru Matsuri will be arts and crafts, a farmers’ market, raffle drawings, and Asian cuisine.
Parking and admission are free. The Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center is at 16450 Murphy Ave., across from the soccer fields. The main entrance can be accessed from Barrett Avenue.
Details: 779-9009 or visit www.mhbcc.org.
