On Monday 7/3 from 16:00-19:00, the TUJ Program Board and a student organizing team held the TUJ Summer Matsuri, an evening filled with engaging performances, unique game booths, and tasty food.

The performances of the night featured special guests specializing in Japanese traditional performing arts, as well as acts from the TUJ student body. The Program Board welcomed the Oyama ryu Tsugaru shamisen group: a group that specializes in Tsugaru Shamisen, a traditional three-string instrument. They also hosted the Fuyou ryu Nihon Buyou Group, which showcased Japanese traditional dance. For student performers, the TUJ Music Club played their dynamic band performance alongside their calm beatbox and guitar performance. This was followed by an impressive guitar solo by Kimiaki Sano. Koshi Amagasa, a student singer-songwriter also performed a mix of song covers and original songs. The night ended with a burst of energy and summer spirit with three different styles of dance—kpop, hip hop, and girls hip hop—performed by the TUJ Dance Club, who received roaring cheers from the crowd.

In the cafeteria, the Program Board organized 6 activities for people of all ages to enjoy; matsuri classics such as ring toss, shooting game, omikuji (paper fortune), bouncy ball scooping, and an activity from one of the organizer’s home-town:, the oekaki-senbei. The Program Board also held their 2nd clothing giveaway, where clothes collected by TUJ Alumni, staff, faculty, and students were given away to TUJ students in need.

Last but not least, TUJPB offered traditional matsuri food from Takoyaki and Yakisoba to Shaved Ice and Cotton candy, in addition to energy drinks provided with the help of ZONe ENERGY. All of these items were of immense popularity amongst the students, and were served completely for free!

The event welcomed an amazing crowd of over 500 participants consisting of TUJ students, students from our neighboring Showa Women’s University, the Taishido community, and students from the Komazawa University. This is said to have been the event with the most participants from outside the TUJ Community. The TUJ Program Board is appreciative and

thankful to the student body for the successful turnout of this one-of-a-kind event, and continues to strive to put on more fun activities for the TUJ community.

Stay tuned through the TUJPB instagram: (@tujpb) for more events like the Summer Matsuri