Regina Matsuri and Proclamation of Japanese Heritage Month
2026/8/29
On August 29, the Regina Matsuri, a Japanese Summer Festival, organized by the Regina Japanese Cultural Club, was held in Regina, Saskatchewan. This year’s festival was the first to be held since the COVID-19 pandemic and the first in seven years.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. André Boutin-Maloney, Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Regina; and Mr. Brad Crassweller, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, announced the designation of September as Japanese Heritage Month in Saskatchewan. The establishment of Japanese Heritage Month in Saskatchewan commemorates a historic milestone in September 1988, when the Government of Canada and the National Association of Japanese Canadians reached a redress agreement following the hardships endured by Japanese Canadians, including forced relocation, internment, and the confiscation of their property. The designation also serves to officially recognize the contributions of the Japanese Canadian community to the cultural richness of Saskatchewan through cultural and educational exchanges, as well as its longstanding efforts to foster friendship between Japan and the province of Saskatchewan. Following the proclamation, the Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary expressed its respect and appreciation to the Japanese Canadian community, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for their efforts in establishing Japanese Heritage Month. The Consulate also expressed its hope that Japanese Heritage Month will contribute to the further development of friendly relations between Canada and Japan, as well as between Japan and Saskatchewan, for generations to come.
The festival also featured a variety of food and activity booths, including traditional Japanese cuisine and fishing for yo-yos. Performances showcasing Japanese culture, including Yosakoi dance, taiko drumming, and demonstrations of judo and karate, entertained and energized the audience. This year, for the first time, a 27-member delegation from Fujioka City, which has a Friendship City Agreement with the City of Regina, participated in the festival. The delegation presented traditional Japanese performing arts, including hayashi music and Nankin Tamasudare, further adding to the celebration of Japanese culture and the friendship between Regina and Fujioka.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. André Boutin-Maloney, Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Regina; and Mr. Brad Crassweller, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, announced the designation of September as Japanese Heritage Month in Saskatchewan. The establishment of Japanese Heritage Month in Saskatchewan commemorates a historic milestone in September 1988, when the Government of Canada and the National Association of Japanese Canadians reached a redress agreement following the hardships endured by Japanese Canadians, including forced relocation, internment, and the confiscation of their property. The designation also serves to officially recognize the contributions of the Japanese Canadian community to the cultural richness of Saskatchewan through cultural and educational exchanges, as well as its longstanding efforts to foster friendship between Japan and the province of Saskatchewan. Following the proclamation, the Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary expressed its respect and appreciation to the Japanese Canadian community, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for their efforts in establishing Japanese Heritage Month. The Consulate also expressed its hope that Japanese Heritage Month will contribute to the further development of friendly relations between Canada and Japan, as well as between Japan and Saskatchewan, for generations to come.
The festival also featured a variety of food and activity booths, including traditional Japanese cuisine and fishing for yo-yos. Performances showcasing Japanese culture, including Yosakoi dance, taiko drumming, and demonstrations of judo and karate, entertained and energized the audience. This year, for the first time, a 27-member delegation from Fujioka City, which has a Friendship City Agreement with the City of Regina, participated in the festival. The delegation presented traditional Japanese performing arts, including hayashi music and Nankin Tamasudare, further adding to the celebration of Japanese culture and the friendship between Regina and Fujioka.
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