Japan FestOH!

JASCO
4 days ago
2 min read

August 16, 2025 | Riverside Crossing Park, Dublin, Ohio

What an incredible crowd we had at Japan FestOH! on August 16, 2025! Despite the summer heat, thousands of guests gathered at Riverside Crossing Park in Dublin, Ohio, for a celebration of Japanese culture. Visitors enjoyed stage performances, workshops, hands-on activities inspired by Japanese summer festivals, cultural demonstrations, and a wide variety of food and retail vendors.

This year marked the 7th Japanese summer festival celebration since its start in 2018, and it was inspiring to see how the festival has grown into a beloved community tradition celebrating Japanese culture.

Festival Highlights

Special Guest Performance

For the first time in festival history, we welcomed Samurai Sword Soul, a professional theater company from New York led by Yoshi Amao. Their dynamic sword-fighting performance and interactive Samurai Boot Camp captivated audiences of all ages.

Beloved Performances by Ohio-Based Artists

The Columbus Koto Ensemble filled the stage with the elegant sound of koto (Japanese harp).
Dublin Taiko, a beloved student group, delivered powerful taiko drumming performances.
The OSU Japanese Student Organization energized the crowd with a lively Soran Bushi dance.
Awaodori Ohio led both Awa Odori and Bon Odori, closing the evening with a joyful community dance where the audience joined in.

Workshops

Guests also had the chance to take part in two creative workshops:

Calligraphy, led by Sora Calligraphy
Manga drawing, with artist Misako Rocks!

Participants enjoyed learning how to write Japanese characters with brush and ink, as well as drawing their own fun manga-style characters.

Festival Activities

A favorite feature of Japan FestOH! was the festival activities, where guests could try several traditional Japanese summer festival games. Each booth was lively and full of energy, with the Yo-Yo Fishing especially popular among families and children.

Martial Arts Demonstrations

Guests also enjoyed cultural demonstrations by:

Columbus Naginata Club (naginata)
OSU Aikido Club (aikido)

Both showcased the artistry, discipline, and traditions of Japanese martial arts.

Vendors

The festival wouldn’t be complete without our amazing food trucks and retail vendors, who brought delicious flavors, unique crafts, and an extra festive spirit to the event.

Sake Tasting at Song Lan

Our very first collaboration with Song Lan featured a festival-special sake flight in honor of Japan FestOH!, and it was truly something special this year. JASCO board members were able to enjoy these unique festival flights together with Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes of the City of Dublin and the Consul General of Japan in Detroit, Hajime (Jimmy) Kishimori.

Thank You!

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, led by the City of Dublin. Their generous support made this festival possible. A heartfelt thank you also goes to nearly 100 volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and passion to ensure the event ran smoothly. Your contributions were truly invaluable and helped create an unforgettable experience for our community.