Arizona Matsuri

THE ARIZONA MATSURI IS A 501 (3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED ON THE DEDICATION OF VOLUNTEERS WHOSE MISSION IS TO INTRODUCE AND EDUCATE ALL IN THE ESSENCE OF TRADITIONAL AND MODERN JAPANESE CULTURE. WE FULFILL THIS MISSION BY HOSTING THE ANNUAL ARIZONA MATSURI (AZM), WHICH IS OUR SOLE AND CORE PROGRAM. THIS LONG-STANDING JAPANESE EVENT IS HELD ON THE LAST WEEKEND IN FEBRUARY IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA, PARKS, AND RECREATION CENTER FOR 39 YEARS. THE AZM COMMITTEE IS COMPOSED OF VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR VISION TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY. FOR 2023 THE THEME WAS "WA". THIS IS A JAPANESE CULTURAL CONCEPT USUALLY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AS "HARMONY," IT IMPLIES A PEACEFUL UNITY AND CONFORMITY WITHIN A SOCIAL GROUP IN WHICH MEMBERS PREFER THE CONTINUATION OF A HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY OVER THEIR PERSONAL INTEREST. THE COMMITTEE THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE SINCE THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED EVERYONE, MANY OF OUR PARTICIPANTS CLOSED THEIR BUSINESS AND OTHERS COULD NOT GET THEIR MERCHANDISE TO SUPPORT OUR EVENT. THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL VENDORS (TO REPLENISH THE ONES THAT COULD NOT RETURN) AND CREATED AN ONLINE APPLICATION FOR ALL NEW INTERESTED CANDIDATES. ALL APPLICANTS WERE VETTED BY A COMMITTEE AND PRESENTED TO THE FULL AZM COMMITTEE FOR FINAL APPROVAL. IT WENT LIVE IN SEPTEMBER, CLOSED IN JANUARY (DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE), AND RECEIVED 105 SUBMISSIONS (70 - MERCHANT, 26 - FOOD, 5- PERFORMERS, AND 4 - EXHIBITORS). THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH HARMONY BY THE COMMITTEE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. IT ALSO ALLOWED US TO HAVE MORE MERCHANT VENDORS THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. THE EVENT CONTAINED 49 MERCHANT AND 27 FOOD VENDORS AND THE TWO COMBINED PROVIDES 64% OF OUR PROGRAM REVENUE WITH APPROXIMATELY 339 INDIVIDUALS TO OPERATE THEIR BOOTHS. THE ATTENDANCE ON SATURDAY WAS RECORD BREAKING WITH AN ESTIMATE OF 60,000 PARTICIPANTS AND 40,000 ON SUNDAY. HOWEVER, THE AZM PROVIDES MUCH MORE THAN FOOD AND MERCHANT VENDORS THAT HELP ACHIEVED A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE THEME "WA." THE AZM CONTAINS FOUR STAGES THROUGHOUT THE PARK THAT PROVIDES JAPANESE ART FORM PERFORMANCES SUCH AS TRADITIONAL & INFORMAL GROUP OF JAPANESE DANCES, RAKUGO (ANCIENT JAPANESE STORY TELLING FROM THE 17TH CENTURY PERIOD) PERFORMERS FROM JAPAN, TAIKO, VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF MARTIAL ARTS, ANIME SING ALONG DANCE, COSPLAY CONTEST, RICE BALL MAKING DEMONSTRATIONS, KENDAMA (JAPANESE CHILDRENS YOYO) PERFORMANCE, SHINOBUE (FLUTE), HIGH SCHOOL JAPANESE DANCE CLUB TEAM, AND SHINOBI (ANIMATED WARRIORS). IT IS 26% OF THE PROGRAMS EXPENSE AND APPROXIMATELY 230 PERFORMERS PLUS 25 VOLUNTEERS TO OVERSEE ALL THE STAGES. MOST OF THE LONG-TIME PERFORMERS PROVIDE THEIR TALENT AT NO COST, THIS DEMONSTRATES ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT. WE ALSO EXHIBIT OTHER VARIOUS JAPANESE FORMS OF ART AND PROVIDE OTHER ITEMS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. WE DISPLAYED JAPANESE HINA, KOKESHI, AND DOLLS IN CASES, AND KIMONOS. WE PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE EFFECTS FROM THE HIROSHIMA ATOMIC BOMBING AND DISPLAYED VARIOUS ORIGAMI FIGURES. THESE ARE HELD IN THE PARKS VISITOR CENTER WHERE YOU CAN ALSO ATTEND A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY. WE SUPPORT VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER NON-PROFITS THAT PROMOTE OTHER JAPANESE CULTURALS SUCH AS, IKEBANA DISPLAY, MARTIAL ARTS, A JAPANESE GARDEN IN PHOENIX, AND THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN IN LOS ANGELES SHOWS SUPPORT BY ENCOURAGING BUSINESS GROWTH BETWEEN THE CITIES AND JAPAN. OUR BEER GARDEN IS SPONSORED BY ASAHI BEER AND HIRO SAKE AND IS 17% OF THE PROGRAMS REVENUE, 10% OF THE TOTAL EVENT COSTS, AND 35 INDIVIDUALS TO MANAGE THIS AREA. OUR PATRONS DONATE ITEMS FOR OUR ONLINE RAFFLE WITH A GRAND PRIZE OF AIRMILES FROM JAPAN AIRLINES, THIS MADE UP 9% OF OUR REVENUE AND 7 VOLUNTEERS TO MANAGE. THE COMMITTEE HOLDS AN ANNUAL HAIKU CONTEST, A JAPANESE CALLIGRAPHY BOOTH, AND A CHILDREN'S AREA WHERE JAPANESE GAMES ARE AVAILABLE TO PLAY. IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 155 COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS TO SUSTAIN A TWO -DAY EVENT, THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT HELPS TO KEEP OUR OVERHEAD EXPENSES LOW, WHILE 96% IS FOR PROGRAM EXPENSES. THIS RECORD-BREAKING SUCCESS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ADHERING TO OUR MISSION STATEMENT, ORGANIZING THIS EVENT WITH HARMONY AND SUPPORT FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY.