Participation in Calgary Japanese Community Association “OMATSURI 2025”
2025/7/30
On July 18th and 19th, Calgary Japanese Community Association (CJCA) hosted OMATSURI – the Calgary Japanese Festival.
The festival featured a wide variety of performances, cultural demonstrations, vendor booths, food stalls, and exhibits, offering visitors a rich opportunity to experience Japanese culture and traditions.
Japanese communities from across the Prairies also gathered to participate in the festival, with members of the Edmonton Japanese Community Association (EJCA), The Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area (NCS), the Saskatoon Japanese Association (SJA), the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba (JCAM), and the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) contributing through booths and other activities.
Consul-General Waijma attended the opening ceremony, where he gave remarks and participated in the traditional Kagami Biraki sake barrel ceremony.
At the Consul-General’s booth, visitors picked up travel brochures showcasing a variety of tourist destinations in Japan, and learned about the JET Programme and Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships. The booth also featured calligraphy and origami, and welcomed many visitors.
The festival featured a wide variety of performances, cultural demonstrations, vendor booths, food stalls, and exhibits, offering visitors a rich opportunity to experience Japanese culture and traditions.
Japanese communities from across the Prairies also gathered to participate in the festival, with members of the Edmonton Japanese Community Association (EJCA), The Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area (NCS), the Saskatoon Japanese Association (SJA), the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba (JCAM), and the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) contributing through booths and other activities.
Consul-General Waijma attended the opening ceremony, where he gave remarks and participated in the traditional Kagami Biraki sake barrel ceremony.
At the Consul-General’s booth, visitors picked up travel brochures showcasing a variety of tourist destinations in Japan, and learned about the JET Programme and Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships. The booth also featured calligraphy and origami, and welcomed many visitors.
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| Consul-General Wajima delivering remarks | Kagami Biraki （Sake barrel opening ceremony） |
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| The Consulate-General booth | Inside the venue |
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| Portable shrine being carried | Bonsai exhibition (Japanese art of cultivating miniature trees in containers) |