Japan Parade 2023

Parade

Date: Saturday, May 13th, 2023
Time: 12:30PM –
Route: Central Park West

Street Fair

Date: Saturday, May 13th, 2023
Time: 1:00AM – 5:00PM
Location: 72nd Street
(Near Central Park West）

Japan Parade 2023 Grand Marshal:

KRISTI YAMAGUCHI

Kristi Yamaguchi captured the gold medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France in figure skating. She is also a 2-time World champion and U.S. National Champion. Kristi is a member of the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic Hall of Fame. She recently received the USOPC’s Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award for “serving as a powerful force for good in society” as well as the 2019 Heisman Humanitarian Award for the work of her Always Dream organization. Following and successful career in professional figure skating including 10 years of touring with Stars On Ice, Kristi took to the dance floor to win the mirror ball trophy with partner Mark Ballas in season 6 of the popular TV show “Dancing With The Stars.”

In 1996, she founded Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream whose mission is to give children from low-income families access to high-quality books in the home environment. Aiming to close the opportunity gap and digital divide with an innovative, family engagement literacy program. Www.alwaysdream.org . In 2012, Kristi added New York Times Best-Selling author to her list of achievements by introducing her first children’s picture book, “Dream Big, Little Pig!”, and then following up with “It’s A Big World, Little Pig!” and a third title “Cara’s Kindness”. Kristi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, 2-time US Olympian and Stanley Cup Champion, Bret Hedican, and their daughters Keara and Emma.

SANDRA ENDO Emcee

Sandra Endo is an anchor on FOX 11 Good Day LA. Sandra covers breaking news and feature reports for Good Day LA. She moved back to her home-town of Los Angeles after spending most of her career on the East Coast. Before making the move back to LA, she worked for CNN based in Washington D.C. Her stories have appeared on prime time shows such as AC360with Anderson Cooper. She also reported on the devastating tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan in 2011, as well as the international conflicts in Egypt and the U.S. involvement in Libya. Prior to joining CNN, Sandra was a political reporter, host and anchor for NY1, covering a wide array of campaigns, the transit strike of 2005 and reporting around the clock after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A California native, Sandra is a second-generation Japanese American whose grandfather was interned during WWII. She believes it is important to teach her two young children their cultural heritage to keep traditions alive and to learn from the past. (Kimono Design by Kimono SK)

Photo: Simon Raymundo

Featured per formers

Live Spectacle “NARUTO”

©KM, S/S/LSN2022

Naruto is one of the most internationally recognized and popular manga series of all time. The franchise has sold over 250 million copies worldwide to date. Written and illustrated by creator Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto was first published in Shueisha’s magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, where it was serialized and ran for 15 years. It was also released in book form, totaling 72 volumes plus 1 side volume. Naruto was also subsequently adapted into two anime television series, covering Parts I and II of the manga, respectively. Naruto has been licensed in 90 countries and released in languages including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, and Italian.

The 2.5-Dimensional Musical stage production adaptation of Naruto, Live Spectacle “NARUTO,” was produced as a part of a new generation of projects commemorating Naruto’s end of serialization. Live Spectacle “NARUTO” premiered on March 21, 2015, at the AiiA 2.5 Theater Tokyo, and went on for a total of 62 shows throughout Japan. Since then, Live Spectacle “NARUTO” has put on five more runs that has included expanded and revamped repeat performances and sequels, from 2016 to 2022.
The show has also toured actively outside of Japan, with tours in Malaysia, China, and Singapore. The fantastic action, innovative direction and stunning visuals of Live Spectacle “NARUTO” has made it both the gold standard and the cutting edge of 2.5-Dimensional Musicals.

JUNKO KUBO Emcee for Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Born in Japan, raised in UK and US, she worked in multiple roles at NHK including news anchor, sportscaster, interviewer, and the lead emcee for numerous national

events. After becoming a freelancer, she has directed and hosted her own children’s programs. She is also a certified Montessori teacher and is now teaching at a Montessori School. Lives in NY with her family.

The Japan Street Fair

The Japan Street Fair was held alongside the Japan Parade on West 72nd Street, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The fair featured activity tents where visitors could get hands on with Japanese cultural activities including calligraphy, origami, and yo-yo fishing. The fair also had special tents providing information on Japan’s tourist destinations, and a booth where donations were collected to aid the victims of the War in Ukraine and the recent Turkey-Syria Earthquake. The Japan Street Fair had 22 food tents produced by JAPAN Fes, serving authentic, delicious cuisine for a taste of the Japanese street food scene. Dishes on offer included Japanese food staples like Karaage, Ramen, Soba, and Takoyaki, to tasty goodies like Matcha Soft Serve, Dango, and Mochi Donuts.