Aki Matsuri draws 20,500

Cute kids, good food, kimonos and gorgeous weather. That pretty much sums up the Aki Matsuri festival last weekend, Sept. 10-11, at Bellevue College.

By Gabrielle Nomura • September 16, 2011 1:35 pm
Two models in the yukata fashion show look over the crowd at Aki Matsuri Sept. 11. The matsuri is a Japanese arts and culture festival held each Septemver at Bellevue College over two days.
Two models in the yukata fashion show look over the crowd at Aki Matsuri Sept. 11. The matsuri is a Japanese arts and culture festival held each Septemver at Bellevue College over two days.

Cute kids, good food, kimonos and gorgeous weather. That pretty much sums up the Aki Matsuri festival last weekend, Sept. 10-11, at Bellevue College.

More than 20,500 people flooded the campus for the two-day celebration of Japanese culture and arts.

“I think it was a huge success for the community,” said Aki Matsuri organizer Tom Brooke. “We had so much participation in all the events.”

Twenty-five people attended the traveling in Japan lecture, plus the University of Washington put on a workshop for 40 K-12 teachers.

For next year, Tom said he may prepare better in the case that unusually warm weather in the 70s and 80s returns

“Next year, I want to wear a cap because my hair is thinning and my head was getting burned in the sun,” he said.

All joking aside, Brooke said the Eastside Nihon Matsuri Association that puts on the matsuri, or festival, can always be better.

“We hope to find mature members who really have a deep personal interest in Japan,” Brooke said, adding he hopes to expand the organization.

For next year, Tom and his wife, Katsuko Brooke, already have a ceramic artist from Shikoku, Japan lined up. The couple will be visiting Japan in November to meet with other artists and plan for next year.

“It’s already begun,” Tom said.