The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It’s open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ST. LOUIS — The Japanese Festival has become a St. Louis tradition for nearly half a century at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Floods of people coming out to experience all the sights and sounds all Labor Day Weekend long.
Jessika Eidson, Missouri Botanical Garden Public Information Officer, said the festival’s become synonymous with the end of summer holiday.
“We’ve been putting on this festival for almost 50 years. It’s really just become a staple of what to do in St. Louis on Labor Day weekend,” she said.
Back in the 1970’s, according to Eidson, the Missouri Botanical Garden partnered with Japanese Americans in St. Louis and created one of the largest Japanese gardens in North America. While celebrating the opening of the garden, the festival was born.
“The festival has just grown, and it is now one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country,” she said.
Wendy Roll, Japanese American Citizen League President, has had a front row seat to that growth. She’s experienced the festival from it’s very first year to now.
“Since 1977, when I was a teenager, I used to sell soda, as a teenager, in a booth,” Roll said.
48 years later, the Japanese Festival now welcomes over 50,000 visitors. Roll said it’s been inspiring to see people from all over come to St. Louis to immerse themselves in her culture.
“I think this is a wonderful way to open it up for people to make it more accessible for people who maybe can’t travel, and they can see what it’s like,” she said.
Not only are there authentic music, art, dancing food and entertainment. According to Eidson, you can also learn a few new tricks through the popular interactive demonstrations.
“If you’re wanting to learn how to do Bonsai, you can do that. If you’re wanting to learn a little bit about calligraphy, you can do that and hopefully take some of that home with you,” she said.
Every year, the garden partners with local Japanese American organizations to host the event and offer something for everyone. Roll said the tradition all started because of the city’s welcoming spirit and she’s proud to see that legacy continue on.
“It encourages people to explore and to learn more and understand me and then it gives me opportunity to tell the story of how this started and how the Japanese Americans in the United States have been treated in their history,” she said.
The Japanese Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Labor Day, Monday, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is some construction in the Tower Grove area, so see this map to help you with parking. You can purchase tickets here.
AloJapan.com