79th Annual Japanese Food & Cultural Bazaar

Saturday, August 9, 2025 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission

Summer is here so that means it’s time for our annual Food and Cultural Bazaar. For one delicious day, we are bringing back many of the traditions you love to see at our Bazaar!

Beloved Traditions:

• Traditional Japanese Food

• Japanese Cultural programs

• BBQ smoke billowing from the bazaar

• Games for kids and adults

• Beer and Sake Garden

• Gunther’s Freezes

• Commemorative Bazaar tee shirts and aprons for sale

• Warm summer temperatures (wouldn’t be a tradition without the heat!)

Japanese Cultural Events and Entertainment

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - East Wind Band (Outdoor Main Stage)

Noon to 5 p.m. - Calligraphy Class by Fusako Mizushima (Inside in the Little Hondo)

1:30 to 2 p.m. -  Sakura Minyo Doo Koo Kai (Outdoor Main Stage)

3 to 3:30 p.m. - Sacramento Taiko Dan Youth (Outdoor Main Stage)

4 to 4:30 p.m. - Sacramento Taiko Dan Adult (Outdoor Main Stage)

Japanese Food Favorites:

• Teriyaki Chicken

• Teriyaki Beef Sandwiches and Veggie Portobello Sandwiches

• California Roll, Inari Sushi, Spam Musubi, and Tuna Poke Bowls

• Curry, Gyoza, Ebi Fry, and Chicken Karaage

• Noodles - Somen, Udon, and Yakisoba

• Traditional Japanese sweets like Anpan and Mochi

  Check out the Food and Drink Menus for details and pricing.

Meet Our Ministers and Learn About Buddhism:

Rimban (head minister) Yuki Sugahara and Reverend Matt Hamasaki will present Introduction to Buddhism sessions in the temple (main Hondo).

1:30 p.m.     Introduction to Buddhism by Rimban Yuki Sugahara in the Hondo/Temple

3 p.m.          Introduction to Buddhism by Rev. Matt Hamasaki in the Hondo/Temple

Highlights from the 2024 Bazaar

Location

Fee-based parking for the bazaar is available at the DGS parking lot located at the corner of 8th Street and W Street (across from Southside Park). Through the Asian Community Center (ACC), we are offering free shuttle rides to and from the bazaar from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM for patrons and volunteers. Security will patrol the parking lot for our patron’s safety.

Click here for detailed parking information.

Parking and Shuttle Service

About

For over 75 years, our beloved Bazaar has always been something to look forward to and to reminisce. For one day in August, visitors and Sangha members alike enjoy a vast array of Japanese food, cultural events, music, and games.

The words “Thank You” are not enough to express our gratitude to the Greater Sacramento community for their patronage over the decades. It is through the continued support of our families, friends and visitors, as well as hundreds of dedicated volunteers, that enable us to keep this longstanding tradition alive as a highlight of the summer!

History

1947 marked the beginning of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento Bazaar, as the Japanese rebuilt their community following their forced removal from the West Coast by Executive Order during World War II. The Bazaar was primarily a social festival where church members and the local Japanese community shared good food, great memories and lasting friendships. In later years, the Bazaar was expanded to include Japanese cultural exhibits and demonstrations such as flower arranging (Ikebana), classical dancing (Odori), calligraphy, concerts, Taiko drum performances, and more.

Hundreds of volunteers, ages 7 to 90, invest thousands of hours to bring the Bazaar to life. We gratefully welcome back annual attendees and are thrilled to see new visitors, traveling from miles around, to join in the festivities. Proceeds from our Annual Bazaar support the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, as well as our affiliated organizations: Dharma School, youth basketball teams, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Sakura Gakuen Japanese language school for children and adults, among other groups at the temple.