Sacramento’s Japanese Food & Cultural Bazaar is turning 80 next Saturday, bringing a mountain of teriyaki, new street-food stalls, taiko drumming and live music to the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. The one-day celebration is expected to draw thousands, and admission is free.
The bazaar runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with food and performances spread across the church grounds. According to the Buddhist Church of Sacramento, visitors can also use a free shuttle from nearby parking at 8th and X streets, a useful detail for anyone who would rather not turn the afternoon into a parking scavenger hunt.
The menu covers plenty of Japanese comfort-food territory, including barbecue chicken teriyaki, beef teriyaki sandwiches, sushi, udon, gyoza, Spam musubi, karaage, mochi, an pan and other sweets. Nichi Bei News also lists matcha lattes, Japanese beer, sake, tuna poke and teriyaki portobello sandwiches among the offerings.
Two new food stalls are adding a more modern street-food angle, with furikake garlic fries, okonomiyaki pancakes and fried takoyaki octopus balls joining other new offerings such as gyoza, chicken karaage and chow mein, according to the Sacramento Bee. Organizers are also preparing more than a ton of chicken, 1,000 pounds of rice and over 20 gallons of soy sauce for the crowd.
Eight Decades Of Food, Culture And Community
The bazaar began in 1947 as Sacramento’s Japanese American community rebuilt after wartime removal and internment. The church’s event history says the gathering later expanded into a broader cultural exchange featuring ikebana, calligraphy, classical dance, concerts and taiko performances.
This year’s entertainment leans traditional, contemporary and a little bit of everything in between. The Sacramento Bee reports that the outdoor stage will feature taiko ensembles, martial arts groups, Japanese folk dancers, a local DJ, rappers and a 10-piece band, while the indoor stage will include koto music, ikebana and a sake crash course.
Guests can have personalized calligraphy made from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a silent auction will offer Sacramento-area gift cards, Pokémon and Sanrio collectibles and a pair of Meta Ray-Bans, with online bidding closing at 8 p.m. next Saturday. The mix of longtime favorites and newer attractions reflects what a church representative told Nichi Bei News is the bazaar’s larger mission: keeping old traditions alive while making room for a new generation.
