Madoka Koguchi, a Japanese native, moved to Kansas City to help found the Vietnamese coffee shop Café Cà Phê. While the area has seen other Japanese cultural festivals, Koguchi says there has never been an authentic Natsu Matsuri for Kansas Citians.
Natsu Matsuri translates to "summer festival" in Japanese.
“Our version is more like ‘We want to take up space.’ We want to, you know, be unapologetically Japanese,” Koguchi said. “Café Cà Phê made me feel unafraid to take up space, and that is kind of the theme for the Asian community in general.”
The free event will showcase Japanese artists, businesses and activities — including a Taiko drum performance.
Chikara Hibino grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and said he had a hard time meeting other Asians, especially Japanese people. He says it would have meant the world to have a Japanese summer festival when he was young.
“I've been having to find my own belonging. I've been having to create my own spaces, finding the people that I can associate with,” Hibino said. “Having a space where I was able to just go there and feel like ‘This is part of me,’ would have been great.”
Kansas City's Natsu Matsuri is Saturday, Aug. 31, from 4-8 p.m. at 12th Street Post in the West Bottoms.
- Madoka Koguchi, co-founder and manager of Café Cà Phê
- Chikara Hibino, Bilingual Youth Programs Coordinator for the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault
