First Ever Japan Day Parade in May 2022 + Street Fair

Saturday, May 14, 2022

“A first for the Japanese-American community!”

The Parade is hosted by Japan Day @ Central Park and supported by the Consulate General of Japan in New York.

Beginning at 1:00 pm on Central Park West and W. 81^st Street and traveling south to W. 68^th Street, the parade will celebrate Japan’s friendship with the U.S. and aim to strengthen the solidarity of the Japanese-American community. 

The Parade will also be a fun, festive way for New Yorkers to celebrate Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May.

The parade will include Japanese culture, art, tradition, and food along with live performances, including:

• the cast of “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon” The Super Live,
• the Young People’s Chorus of New York City,
• COBU (traditional Taiko drumming with rhythmic Tap dancing),
• Soh Daiko (traditional Taiko drumming),
• Japanese Folk Dance of NY,
• Yosakoi dance groups: 10tecomai, Ito Yosakoi, and Uzumaru,
• Tate Haroryu,
• International Karate Organization Kyokushin-kaikan,
• Columbia University Gagaku Instrumental Ensemble of New York, and
• Anime NYC

There will also be a street fair between 1:00 – 4:30 pm on W. 69^th Street between Columbus Ave​. and Central Park West featuring authentic Japanese cuisine.

The parade marks the 150^th anniversary of two important milestones for Japan-United States relations: 

1. the first major Japanese mission to the United States, led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Iwakura Tomomi, and
2. the United States’ introduction of baseball to Japan.