The largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture will take place Nov. 20 in Frisco.
The 22nd-annual Otsukimi prounced oat-sue-kee-mee) Moon Viewing Festival will be held from 6-9 p.m. in Simpson Plaza at Frisco Square, 8874 Coleman Blvd. The family friend event celebrates the autumn or “harvest” moon with themed art and cultural activities.
Attendees will have opportunities to view the moon and otherwise stargaze with telescopes that will be available onsite.
Other activities will include such crafts as origami and Japanese calligraphy. Traditional tea ceremony demonstrations will be presented along with live music performances and haiku readings. Japanese culture groups, musicians, dancers and taiko drummers are scheduled to perform. Numerous food, beverage and other vendors will also be on hand.
The festival, hosted by the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth and the Crow Museum of Asian Art. The moon viewing custom is believed to have originated during the Heian period (794 to 1185 A.D.) among Japanese aristocrats. They gather to recite poetry when the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon caused the latter to appear especially bright.
Additional information about the Otsukimi Moon Viewing Festival is available at jasdfw.org.
