Maui Matsuri Highlights Japanese Culture, May 9-10

Maui Matsuri. File image courtesy Maui Matsuri.

By Wendy Osher

The 14th annual Maui Matsuri festival returns to the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, for two-days of festivities to honor, celebrate, and perpetuate Japanese Culture.

The event opens on Friday night with local storytellers who will share fables of Hawaiʻi and Japan from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the UHMC Pilina Building student lounge.

Stories will include fairy tales, plantation stories, and obake or ghost stories.  Event organizers say guest storytellers include local entertainer Kathy Collins; and special guest Group, Bento Rakugo from Oʻahu that specializes in magic shows, and variety acts.

Festival activities continue from 2 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at the UHMC Courtyard with contests, crafters, entertainment, demonstrations, and a bon dance scheduled to take place at 7:30 p.m.

Contests include: natto and saimin eating, kendama, manga and art, and cosplay and video-gaming.  The kendama tournament is only available to the first 200 participants who pre-register at the Kaleidoscope store at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center.

This year’s event is presented by the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui and is sponsored by the County of Maui, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Island Honda, IBEW-Local Union 1186, Maui Taiko, and UH Maui College.

Admission is free on both days.