For more than 20 years, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) has hosted the annual Greater Kansas City Japan Festival on its campus in Overland Park. Hosted by the Heart of America Japan-America Society (HAJAS) and JCCC, this one-day celebration of Japanese culture has attracted over 100,000 people since it began.
Hosting the festival is especially meaningful to JCCC, which has several faculty and staff members with personal and professional ties to Japan and Japanese culture. JCCC is also one of the few community colleges in Kansas to offer robust Japanese language studies, cultural programming, and Study Away opportunities with partner institutions in Japan.
Engaging JCCC students
For Karen Miller, Director of Global Engagement at JCCC, the festival is an opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences and help students engage with different aspects of Japanese culture. Over the years, JCCC students from a variety of academic disciplines have found ways to participate in and contribute to the Japan Festival.
Students in JCCC’s Floral Design program have competed in the festival’s ikebana competition, showcasing the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement. In 2025, Journalism students received media credentials and were assigned to cover the Japan Festival as working reporters and photojournalists to gain practical experience. Their photographs later earned recognition at both state and national competitions for student journalism.
Students in JCCC’s Electronics Technology program have also contributed to the festival. In previous years, the department restored a vintage pachinko machine, a popular Japanese arcade game, and displayed it during the event. A former JCCC student in the Fashion Merchandising and Design program even designed and created a collection of garments inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics.
2026 GKC Japan Festival highlights
28th Annual Kansas City Japan Festival
Saturday, October 3, 2026
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
JCCC Main Campus, 12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS 66210
This year’s theme is Sumo, which began in ancient Japan over 1,500 years ago as a Shinto ritual to pray for good harvests.
Festival guests can watch live Sumo demonstrations featuring special guest Tatsuosho, a celebrated retired professional Sumo wrestler from Japan, alongside Shogeki Sumo, a renowned Sumo team based in Houston, Texas. Demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., followed by a lecture panel at 1 p.m. and a meet-and-greet at 4:15 p.m.
Returning to the festival stage is Aya Uchida, an internationally recognized J-Pop singer from Kyoto, Japan, who will perform alongside Kansas City musician and songwriter Jo Yamanaka. Attendees can also experience the powerful rhythms of taiko drumming with local ensemble Three Trails Taiko, which will open and close the festival.
Throughout the day, festivalgoers can enjoy martial arts demonstrations, participate in origami classes, shop the Japanese Bazaar, observe a traditional tea ceremony, and attend academic presentations on garden design, samurai swords, traditional kimono, and other aspects of Japanese art and culture.
Learn more
To learn more, view the full Festival schedule, or purchase tickets online, visit kcjapanfestival.org.
JCCC students can purchase discounted tickets with valid JCCC ID for just $8 online and on the day of the event. Tickets will be sold at the Midwest Trust Center box office or the satellite box office location in the JCCC Student Center.
