The 3rd Annual Japan Parade Returns To NYC In May

The 3rd annual Japan Parade in New York City will be held on Saturday, May 11, 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. Paralympic wheelchair tennis star and Paralympic four-time gold medalist Shingo Kunieda will be the Parade's Grand Marshal.

This year's Parade will also feature a live performance from the cast of the 2.5D Musical “Demon Slayer: The Stage” plus a special appearance from the Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke Mini Corps Member mascots from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime series. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of the most internationally recognized and popular manga series of all time. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, created by Koyoharu Gotoge, first appeared in SHUEISHA's magazine Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 2016 and published by JUMP COMICS, which consists of 23 volumes with over 150 million copies in publication worldwide.

The anime series has won numerous awards and broke the record for #1 foreign language film opening in U.S. box office history with Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train. In 2023, Netflix's What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report revealed that the first season of the anime series was the most-watched anime in the first half of 2023 with 95.8 million hours viewed.

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 is the successor of Japan Day @ Central Park.

The Japan Street Fair will feature tents offering fun and educational cultural activities including calligraphy, water balloon yo-yo fishing, origami, photo opportunities, and a giveaway. In collaboration with JAPAN Fes New York, one of the largest organizers of Japanese food festivals in the world that hosts over 30 Japanese food fair events a year in New York City, the Street Fair will also feature 20 tents serving 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. This charity tent will collect donations for Noto earthquake victims, providing a Japan Parade tote bag as a thank-you. The Japan Street Fair is your chance to experience a Japanese festival, or matsuri, unlike any other. 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 and the Japan Street Fair was 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.

“I am very honored to serve as Grand Marshal of the Japan Parade, and I'm delighted to be involved in this opportunity to promote Japanese culture,” said Shingo Kunieda. “I look forward to marching in the parade with all of you.”

Participating groups include (as of 4/25): Anime NYC (Anime Convention), Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, COBU (Drum), Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir, International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan, The Japanese Folk Dance of NY, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Japan Performing Arts (Bon Odori), Naoya Ogura Jazz Band, NYPD Police Band, Soh Daiko (Drum), Yamaguchi City Government, Yosakoi Dance Project 10tecomai, and many more.

Of special note: Yamaguchi City was selected third among destinations around the world in the New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2024". Also, to celebrate US-Japan Tourism Year 2024, The Japan National Tourism Organization's (JNTO) float will include costumed fans who have been officially invited by Lucasfilm under special arrangement with Japan Parade, and members of Japan Society.

“The Japan Parade is extraordinary. My New Yorker friends said they have never seen a parade like this,” said Ambassador Mikio Mori, Consul General of Japan in New York. "From traditional to pop culture, this is a spectacular event where everyone can enjoy all aspects of Japan. This is the third annual celebration, but it has already taken root in New York City. The trust and friendship built in this community adds so much to the U.S.-Japan ‘global partnership,' mentioned by Prime Minister Kishida and President Biden in April.”

“It is my honor to work with our wonderful sponsors and energetic volunteers to celebrate U.S. – Japan relations and the cultural diversity found here in New York,” said Japan Day Chairman of the Board of Directors, Koichi Yamaguchi, who represents the notable Japanese and Japanese American companies that make up the Japan Day Inc. Board of Directors. “We are proud to highlight the continued collaboration and partnership between our city, Japan, and the Japanese American community. The Japan Parade has become a symbol of cultural exchange and embodies New York's spirit of inclusivity and opportunity. For those visiting this year, we hope you enjoy all the parade has to offer. May the experience further your appreciation for the uniqueness of Japanese culture and how it enriches life in New York while strengthening the important ties between our countries.”

“After the huge success of the last two years, and the support of the community, volunteers, and participants, we are very excited that The Japan Parade and Street Fair is back in New York City for our third year, demonstrating the diversity and pride of Japanese community,” said Japan Parade Executive Producer Kumiko Yoshii. “We also couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Shingo Kunieda as this year's Parade Grand Marshal as his accomplishments and what he means to the Japanese community speaks for itself. Bring the kids and experience Japanese culture and food, right in your backyard. We especially want to thank our sponsors and supporters, without whom this event would not be possible.”

Over the last two years, the parade's participants have included the cast of “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon” The Super Live and “Live Spectacle ‘NARUTO'” as special guests from Japan, as well as children's choirs, taiko performers, bon-odori dance and kimono groups, Karate and other martial arts groups, and many more.

MORE ABOUT SHINGO KUNIEDA

At the age of 9, Kunieda began living with a wheelchair due to a tumor in his spinal cord. He discovered wheelchair tennis at 11. While at first he was simply engrossed with playing sports alongside his able-bodied friends, this honed his skills, thus developing his ability and mastery in maneuvering with his wheelchair.In 2006, Kunieda made history by becoming the first Asian to reach rank No. 1 in the world rankings. The following year, in 2007, he achieved a monumental milestone by becoming the first wheelchair tennis player to secure a Grand Slam (*at this time consisting of the Australian Open, Japan Open, British Open, and the U.S. Open). In April 2009, Kunieda became the first Japanese wheelchair tennis player to turn pro, marking a new chapter in Japanese wheelchair tennis. Kunieda's remarkable singles winning streak of 107 matches, lasting until November 2010, solidified his dominance in the sport. In 2021, he achieved his third Gold Medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, his first medal in two Paralympics. In 2022, he claimed his first, long-awaited Wimbledon championship, and in doing so became the first male wheelchair tennis player to achieve a “Career Grand Slam,” in which the player must win each of the four major championships over the course of their career. Kunieda's Wimbledon championship win was also the final title he needed to achieve a “Career Golden Slam,” having won a major title in each of the four majors and having captured a Paralympic medal. With an unmatched tally of 11 Australian Open titles, 8 French Open titles, 1 Wimbledon title, and 8 U.S. Open titles, Kunieda accomplished an unprecedented feat of excellence. He retired in January 2023 while still holding the No. 1 spot in rankings. He received the People's Honor Award in March.