It’s the return of a modern tradition as Japan Day @ Central Park 2010 hits the East Meadow Sunday. With an array of free family-friendly and traditional activities, samplings of popular cuisine and powerful stage performances featuring entertainers from Tokyo and New York, this year’s festivities are expected to top the estimated 45,000 New Yorkers drawn to last year’s Japan Day.

Continuing in the custom of previous years, the day kicks off with the four-mile Japan Run mini-marathon at 8 a.m., followed by the Japanese Day Festival in the East Meadow at 10 a.m. with the unveiling of all activity tents and the main stage show. The year 2010 is especially promising—it marks the 150th anniversary of the first Japanese diplomatic mission to New York—and there will be special activities to celebrate this historic milestone.

Conceived by the Japanese community of New York, Japan Day’s mission is to promote deeper understanding of Japanese culture, to offer thanks to New York for providing a home to its Japanese community, and to strengthen relationships within the Japanese grassroots community, which of course includes those interested in Japan and its culture.

Hosted by CNN personality Sandra Endo with co-host Brian Nishii, Japan Day offers a full day of live entertainment and activities. The stage performances, which run throughout the day, commence with samples from traditional Japan (taiko drums, a samurai show, a shrine parade from the stage through the East Meadow), follow into “Tokyo Now” (J-pop, hip-hop and a techno fashion show), and wind down with “The Future” (chanson singing and a collaboration between renowned jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe and children’s choruses from around New York).

Tent activities opposite the main stage feature photo sessions with Hello Kitty, traditional arts and crafts like origami, calligraphy and the perfect-for-summer uchiwa hand fan workshop. Visitors can also try out traditional Japanese clothing and toys, and participate in a “Robot Sumo Battle” as well as the popular Yo-Yo Fishing, a popular festival game where patrons “fish” for colorful water-filled balloons. Hosted by New York’s Japan Local Government Center and Japan Society, the whole family can enjoy this game in addition to other activities throughout the day.

Should visitors get hungry amid all the fun, an assortment of free food and drink are available courtesy of Japan Day’s sponsors, including Soka Senbei rice crackers, ITO EN bottled teas, gyoza dumplings and Sushi Popper rolls on a stick!

Harking back to the samurai procession from 150 years ago, the Japan Day Organizing Committee and the Consulate-General of Japan in New York hope to make modern history with the fourth annual edition of Japan Day, where all are welcome to share the joy of Japanese culture.

Discover Japan Day @ Central Park 2010 at the park’s East Meadow (entrance on 97th Street and Fifth Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit http://japandaynyc.org for more info.

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