Japanese Festival

Origami, ramen, bonsai, karate, and ikebana are among the number of things you can expect to experience at the Missouri Botanical Garden Japanese Festival. Sponsored by the many Japanese organizations in the St. Louis area (and there are quite a few of them), the festival offers entertainment for those of all knowledge levels of Japanese history and culture, although the food alone is enough reason not to miss this yearly event. If cosplay is more your thing, the festival also has a cosplay competition, and several of the merchants sell related goods. The one downside of cramming so many awesome things into three days is that the more popular demonstrations fill up quickly so arriving early is a must. Festival goers also have complete access to the botanical gardens, and can leave on a guided tour every half hour. Anyone looking to get more involved with the Saint Louis Japanese community should contact the St. Louis Japan Society.