Event Special Events Japanese Culture Day

Date and Location

  • When: Saturday, March 23, 2024

    10:00 am - 3:00 pm EDT

  • Where: Thomas Jefferson Building - Great Hall - 2nd Floor (LJ200-E)

    10 1st Street SE, Washington, DC 20540

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Japanese Culture Day will take place at the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring family activities, including Japanese drum and traditional dance performances, book author talk, storytelling, and arts and crafts from Japan. The event is free and open to the public. 

PLEASE NOTE: Advanced time entry reservations are recommended at https://loc.usedirect.com/LOC. Free same day tickets will be made available online here each day at 9 a.m. using the same link.

Children of all ages, families and teachers can learn about Japanese culture through reading, writing and craft-making with Japanese cultural and linguistic professionals during the Library’s Japanese Culture Day. Collection items related to cherry blossoms and Japanese culture will also be on display.

Featured activities include:

  • Japanese Drum Performance by Eissa Club, Okinawa kai of Washington, D.C. Performances will take place at Neptune Plaza or Coolidge Auditorium (in case of rain) at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

  • Japanese Storytelling will take place at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

  • Japanese Dance Performance by Onoe Ryu Dance Enterprises. Performances will take place at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Other activities throughout the day include:

  • Hands-on lessons about origami artwork creation.

  • Decorative Koinobori and Japanese woodblock print coloring.

  • Tiara making with cherry blossom princesses.

  • Kimono trial and more.

Middle Grade Fantasy with Author Misa Sugiura

In connection with the Japanese Culture Day, Japanese-American author Misa Sugiura will present a book talk about her series “Momo Arashima,” with focus on her research and incorporation of Japanese folklore, mythology, and legends into her middle grade fantasy novel. All ages are welcome; recommended for ages 7 and older.

  • Read-alouds with author Sugiura will take place 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

  • Author Program with Sugiura, followed by book signing: 2 p.m. in room LJ-119