Travel – Eat – Sleep

Nisei, in Nihonggo, means ‘second generation’ (‘ni’ meaning two, and ‘sei’ probably meaning generation). This month-long festival is held usually in August, with the main attractions heralding the first two weekends of the fest. Nisei Week draws the attention and the support of both Japanese and non-Japanese festival goers, due to its grand floats and parades, and the month long activities that soon follow. This 2009, the festival will be celebrating its 69th year.

The festival grounds of the Nisei festival is tremendous. Following the original structure of the Japanese matsuri (or festival), the streets are lined with booths that are filled with food, games, prizes and others. There was once a free-admission carnival and art show, but they were removed, and/or changed. Up 2006, an eating contest consisting of Japanese pot stickers or “gyoza” was added. The attraction was tremendous. Contestants each ate as much as nearing 200 or so.

The Tofu festival of Los Angeles was added. The festival was once a self-standing fest of sorts, but after the greater success of the tofu festival (beer was a factor that helped); it was now a festival that was held after the Nisei month.

They also have the Nikkei games, an open competition for everyone with running, martial arts and exhibitions. The Little Tokyo Anime Festival, another crowd bringer that spawns a massive amount of audience, most usually fans of Japanese animation (Girugamesh, anyone?). Cosplays and booths were comics are sold are usually rampant.

Ondo dancing, were people dance to the tune of a singer (sometimes lyrics being read off a magazine!) happen too. The choreographer has the dancers carry chochin lanterns as they will the night away, dancing in the streets. The audience can dance too, with little supervision as the dance is often times just easy to follow and easy for the bones. (Really!)