Bunka no Hi (Japanese Culture Day)

JCCCW's Bunka no Hi (Japanese Culture Day) returns Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1414 South Weller Street. The free, all-ages festival highlights Japanese and Japanese American culture with bilingual programming, with free access supported by 4Culture.

This year's focus is local cartoonist Sam Goto and the Seattle Samurai exhibition, plus iaido sword demonstration, samurai armor displays, tea ceremony, crafts, Game of Go, and Japanese food for purchase. Indoor rooms help when November rain makes outdoor festivals harder.

Food is sold separately while supplies last. If tea ceremony demos again use free timed tickets at the front desk, grab those early. Plan a short Chinatown-International District meal afterward rather than stacking a second full festival the same day.