Matsuri festival in Santa Rosa showcases Japanese culture

Taiko drumming, sushi and martial arts were among the many offerings Saturday at the Matsuri Japanese Arts Festival at Santa Rosa’s Juilliard Park.

Hundreds of enthusiasts turned out for the sixth annual event designed to showcase Japanese culture.

People watched judo and karate demonstrations, pored over Japanese photography and pottery and browsed an exhibit of Japanese maple trees from Santa Rosa’s Momiji Nursery.

Tony Rambonga Jr. sat on the grass in the bright sun, eating a plate of teriyaki and sushi with drums beating softly in the distance.

“You got to have wasabi and ginger or you’re not good,” he said

Organizer Henry Kaku said a popular food item was the Japanese/Hawaiian-style sushi that instead of fish used ham or Spam - a common ingredient in Hawaiian cuisine.

He and other organizers staged a raffle to raise money for a scholarship to study Japanese culture.

“The history goes back thousands of years,” he said.

Also, he said local artist Mario Uribe wowed onlookers by painting a large “peace circle” he hopes to someday display at City Hall. He used a 7-foot-tall brush, Kaku estimated.

Turnout seemed lighter than last year, when up to 3,000 people attended, Kaku said.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @ppayne.