OC Japan Fair: a festival of tradition with a pop culture twist

Traditional and contemporary Japanese culture takes over the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa this weekend with over 200 booths celebrating the country’s history, food, art, music and more.

Organizers expect more than 60,000 people to attend the 18th Annual OC Japan Fair, which takes place Friday through Sunday. It promises an immersive showcase of both time-honored customs like tea ceremonies, sumo wrestling and taiko drummers as well as modern cultural phenomena like J-pop, anime and cosplay.

Cosplayers gather for a photo during a recent OC Japan Fair at the OC Fair & Event Center.

(Courtesy of OC Japan Fair)

One portion of the fairgrounds will be transformed into “Akihabara Electric Town,” inspired by Tokyo’s pop culture district. There, visitors will find a maid cafe and stalls featuring a variety of anime merchandise.

Another section will be modeled after Nakamise Street, a famous outdoor shopping area in the Akasuka district of Tokyo. Shoppers and festival goers will be treated to Bon Odori folk dancing, taiko performances, koto music, live calligraphy and flower-arranging demonstrations.

Chicken Yakitori sizzles on the grill during the OC Japan Fair in Costa Mesa.

(Courtesy of OC Japan Fair)

The OC Japan Fair kicks off with “Kawaii Friday,” featuring live performances by idol groups traveling from Japan. Saturday’s festivities include the release of hundreds of candle-lit lanterns at a special ceremony as well as a cosplay competition. Highlights on Saturday and Sunday include, Oiran Dochu, a procession of traditionally dressed Japanese courtesans, and live tuna-cutting demonstrations.

Artists perform at a recent Freedom LA Japanese music festival held at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. The festival returns this weekend.

(Courtesy of OC Japan Fair)

The three-day fair runs alongside Freedom LA, a festival featuring popular and up-and-coming artists of the Japanese music scene. This year’s performers include Minmi, Naoto Inti Raymi, Genki Iwahashi and Yuriyan Retreiver.

Attendees release candle-lit lanterns during the Freedom LA Japanese music festival.

(Courtesy of OC Japan Fair)

Entry to the OC Japan Fair is free for children under 6 or seniors over 65, and $23.18 for general admission. That includes fees and access to the Freedom LA on Friday and Sunday, but a separate ticket is required to attend the music festival on Saturday.