Ginza Street
Finding Japan in Every Corner
At Ginza Street, visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of Natsumatsuri, the traditional Japanese summer festival with authentic games, gifts and toy shops, Wataame, and festival snacks.
Ginza Street is Brought to You by
Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia (JCCG)
JapanFest thanks all the volunteers from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia member companies.
Learn more about JCCG or become a member of JCCG
Tentative Line-up for 2024
*Subject to change
Omikuji - Japanese Fortune Slip
Test your luck with Omikuji! Omikuji is a paper slip with the result of fortune-telling written on it. Many Japanese shrines and temples offer this omikuji to tell your fortune and give you advice on how to improve your life in the future. If your Omikuji tells you that your fortune is not so good, tie it to the tree. By tying the fortune to the tree, you are leaving your bad luck there rather than having it follow you home.
Kingyo Sukui - Goldfish Scooping Game
Kingyo-sukui is a traditional Japanese game in which a player scoops goldfish with a paper scooper called a "poi." The players puts the scooped fish into a bowl with the poi. The game is over when the poi is completely broken or incapable of scooping properly. At JapanFest, you catch a plastic toy gold fish.
Kakigori - Japanese Shave Ice
Kakigori is a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener, often condensed milk. It is similar to a snow cone but with some notable differences: It has a much smoother, fluffier ice consistency, much like freshly fallen snow, and a spoon is almost always used to eat it.
Japanese Carnival Games
New! Katanuki, also known as "Die-cutting," is a popular game for children at festivals in Japan. Challenge yourself using various tools like a drawing pin to cut out shapes on a board of pastry. You may have seen the Katanuki game in the Korean movie "Squid Game." In Japan, the materials are made of starch, sugar, and gelatin instead of caramel. It's easier to cut the shape out, but also more fragile. Wanage, the ring toss, is always popular among challengers. Kids or those young at heart can all try the Japanese carnival games at Ginza Street!
Dagashi-ya
Embrace your inner child and dive into the world of our Dagashiya shop! It's a Japanese version of what we call a penny candy store in the US. It's brimming with brightly packaged sweets, snacks and small Japanese toys. While the retro dagashiya is on the decline in Japan, you can still find them across the country when you visit Japan!
The history of the dagashiya goes way back to the Meiji era (1868-1912), but most Japanese people associate their popularity with the Showa era (1926-1989). These lovely little shops were often set up as one-room storefronts that were part of a residential dwelling. They were usually located near elementary schools, which was perfect for reaching their target clientele!
Wafu Komono - Traditional Japanese Gifts
Travel thousands of miles to Japan to get authentic Japanese gifts, or just come to Ginza Street in JapanFest. So many cool "Omiyage" are available.