CONWAY, Ark. (March 28, 2018)
— Hendrix College, the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), and Arkansas Tech
University will co-host the first Central Arkansas Omatsuri Japanese Festival
on Saturday, April 7 from 2-4 p.m., at the Brick Pit near the center of the Hendrix
College campus. The festival will feature Japanese food, games, cultural
activities, music, and dance performances. Admission is free, and the festival
is open to the public.
Since the summer of 2016,
Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator Aya Murata has been working with
students, faculty and staff from all three schools, as well as Japanese
community members, to raise awareness about Japanese culture in Central
Arkansas. The initiative aims to provide opportunities for college students to
share their knowledge about Japan with other college students and the local
community in order to grow future leaders in Japan-U.S. relationships, as well
as deepen the understanding of Japan in the Conway community.
Featured activities at the
festival include:
- 2:30 p.m.: A performance of “So-ran bushi,” a
Japanese traditional fisherman’s dance, by students from the University of
Arkansas-Fayetteville (U of A). Following the performance, the dance will be
taught by students from Hendrix and U of A to all attendees who wish to learn.
- 3:30 p.m.: A performance of “So-ran bushi” by
Hendrix students.
- 3:40 p.m.: “Bon odori,” a Japanese traditional
festival dance, will be taught by a women’s dance team from Hot Springs, and
all are invited to participate.
In the event of rain, the festival
will move from the Brick Pit to the Wellness and Athletics Center at Hendrix,
on the east side of Harkrider Street.
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal arts
college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as
one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That
Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and
rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.