Grand Marshal Masaharu Morimoto and More Announced for 4th Annual Japan Parade & Street Fair

The 4th annual Japan Parade & Street Fair in New York City will be held on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 1pm. Starting on Central Park West at West 81st Street and traveling south to West 67th Street, the purpose of the parade is to celebrate, express, and bring awareness to the friendship between NYC and Japan with a thank you from the Japanese community.

Iron Chef, Restauranteur, and Author Masaharu Morimoto will be this year's Grand Marshal of the Japan Parade and President of the Japanese American Association of New York, Koji Sato will be the 2025 Japan Parade Community Leader.

Chef Masaharu Morimoto — known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America and now executive producer and head judge for Roku's Sushi Master — has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients. In 2001, Chef Morimoto opened his first restaurant in Philadelphia, which was later followed by restaurants in New York, Napa, Honolulu, Boca Raton, Mumbai, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Maui. Morimoto Asia Orlando at Disney Springs opened in 2015, followed by Momosan NYC and Morimoto Las Vegas at MGM Grand in 2016. Morimoto Asia Waikiki, Momosan Waikiki, and Morimoto Doha opened in 2018. Next came Momosan Seattle (2019), Momosan Wynwood (2020), Morimoto Taghazout Bay (2021), Sa'Moto (2021), Momosan at Hub Hall in Boston (2021), Morimoto Asia Napa and Momosan Santana Row (2022), Morimoto Bordeaux, Morimoto Jakarta, and Morimoto by Sea aboard Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam (2023), and most recently and most recently Mori Mori, bringing Chef Morimoto's global restaurant count to 24.

His first cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking (2007), won two IACP awards (in the “Chef's and Restaurants'' category and the “First Book: The Julia Child Award"), and it was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award. His second cookbook, Mastering The Art of Japanese Cooking (2017), introduces readers to the healthy, flavorful, surprisingly simple dishes favored by Japanese home cooks.

In a newly created position this year, Koji Sato will be the 2025 Japan Parade Community Leader with the goal of being the conduit between the Parade and the Japanese community in New York. Sato is the President of the Japanese American Association of New York, Inc., a position he's held since 2022, He is on the board of Governors of the Japanese American National Museum on Los Angeles and is the co-chairperson and Board member of the Asian American Advisory Board in Westchester.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed the Grand Marshal of this year's Japan Parade in New York City,” said Chef Morimoto. “This role gives me a unique opportunity to celebrate and share the rich, dynamic culture of Japan with the heart of one of the world's most vibrant cities.”

“I am very happy and honored to be the 2025 Community Leader for the Japan Parade,” said Koji Sato. “This event will showcase the culture of Japan and how Japanese and Japanese Americans in New York add to this vibrant and diverse community. I look forward to seeing you all at the Japan Parade.” 

The participating groups and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. The Parade participant application HERE is open until March 3. 

Sandra Endo, news correspondent on KTVV Los Angeles, Fox 11 News, and a feature reporter for Good Day LA, will serve as Emcee of the parade.

The very first Japan Parade & Street Fair were held in 2022. Actor, author, civil-rights activist, and influencer George Takei was the Grand Marshal for the inaugural parade, while Olympic Gold medalist and author Kristi Yamaguchi was the Grand Marshal for the Japan Parade in 2023, and wheelchair tennis star and four-time paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda was last year's Grand Marshal.

Over the last three years, the parade has had many memorable participants and performances by Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live, Live Spectacle “NARUTO” and DEMON SLAYER - KIMETSU NO YAIBA - the stage as special guests from Japan, as well as taiko performers, bon-odori dance and kimono groups, Karate and other martial arts groups, and many more. More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Activists protesting against attacks targeting Asian citizens and anti-Asian rhetoric have also marched in the parade.

Concurrently with the Japan Parade, the Japan Street Fair will be held on West 72nd Street, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue.

The Japan Street Fair will feature tents offering fun and educational cultural activities including calligraphy, origami, and photo opportunities. In collaboration with JAPAN Fes, one of the largest organizers of Japanese food festivals in the U.S. that hosts over 20 Japanese food fair events a year in New York City, the Street Fair will also feature about 20 tents serving authentic Japanese food. The latest information on Japan's many tourist destinations will be made available at several other tents, and as with last year, there will also be a tent where visitors may donate to a charitable cause. The Japan Street Fair is your chance to experience a Japanese festival, or matsuri, unlike any other.

The Japan Parade & Street Fair is affiliated with Japan Day @ Central Park, an annual event that has taken place in Central Park from 2007 until 2019.