Children’s Day Festival at Little Tokyo’s Japanese Center, May 15, 2010

JACCC Chibi-K Run for Children's Day Celebration

Chibi-K Run for Children's Day Celebration by Japanese American Cultural and Community Center

The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) presents it’s 27th Annual Children’s Day Celebration on Saturday, May 15 at the Center’s campus in the heart of Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles.

A one day festival, where kids rule, families have a blast and people can engross themselves in cultural activities, cuisine, arts and entertainment around Japanese culture.

The Children’s Day Celebration is JACCC’s signature festival honoring the cultural diversity and children of Southern California.

Make your way downtown this May 15 and once in Little Tokyo look up to the skies for the giant multi-colored carp kites billowing in the wind off of the top of the JACCC building.

Carp kites are the traditional symbols of Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) and signify aspirations for long life, strength and determination to travel upstream, against the river’s current, as carp fish do.

Children’s Day kicks off at 8 am with the endearing Chibi-K: Kids Fun Run, where children ages 4 to 12 run through the streets of Little Tokyo in one of 4 divisions- 1/4K (4 yrs), 1/2K (5-6yrs), 1K (7-9yrs), 1K (10-12yrs).

All runners receive a Chibi-K Run t-shirt, bib, goodie bag, and as a thumbs up for waking up so early, a pancake breakfast.

At 9:30 am the streets are cleared to make way for the San Tai San / 3 on 3 Youth Basketball Tournament. Teams of boys and girls 3rd-7th grade bring it to the streets of Little Tokyo to play 3-on-3 basketball.

All registered teams play at least 3 games and all players receive a goodie bag and t-shirt. Registration is required for both the Chibi-K Run and the San Tai San/3 on 3 Basketball Tournament.

From 10am to 4pm on the JACCC Plaza the annual Asian Pacific Arts & Crafts Faire presents a host of vendors offering traditional handmade Asian Pacific craft items, food, children’s games, crafts, health and community information booths, and a wide representation of Pan-Asian performances on the main stage. Admission is free.

Families are invited to sign up together for one or several Cultural Discovery Workshops being offered throughout the day. This year workshops are being offered in taiko drumming with Prota, manju making with Manju Master Brian Kito of Fugetsu-Do Confectionary and sushi making with Sushi Chef Institute’s founder Chef Andy Matsuda.

Pre-registration is recommended but not required. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come first serve basis.

For more information and to register for Chibi-K, San Tai San, and the Cultural Discovery Workshops, please visit www.jaccc.org or call (213) 628-2725 ext. 128.

The JACCC is located in the Little Tokyo district in downtown Los Angeles at 244 S. San Pedro St., Downtown.

Parking is available on 2nd Street, between Central Avenue and San Pedro Street.

Go Metro to the 27th Annual Children’s Day Celebration. Parking will be limited, so public transit is the best way to avoid traffic and parking hassles. To plan your trip, simply use the Metro Trip Planner at www.metro.net or call 1-800-COMMUTE.

The 27th Anniversary Children’s Day Celebration is made possible in part by support from the Japanese American Optimists (JAO), Ties That Bind, and the UCLA Nikkei Student Union.

JACCC programs are made possible in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors through the County Arts Commission. Significant support is provided by American Airlines. KSCI-LA18TV and The Rafu Shimpo are media sponsors.