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Image by Tong Su

Updated: May 20

Get ready for an amazing weekend of fun at JapanFest! Don't miss out on this amazing event!  


Dates:

Sept. 21 (Saturday) 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Sept. 22 (Sunday) 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM


Link to the mobile-ticketing guide:  https://www.japanfest.org/mobile-ticketing


Buy your advanced tickets for a discounted price now! 

Visit the "Gas South Convention site" or call (470) 639-8243!


To purchase tickets online, simply go to the "Gas South Convention site", click the buy now button, and the purchasing process will begin!


By purchasing tickets to this event, you agree to the  JapanFest 2024 Visitor Terms & Conditions set forth.


Ticket prices:

Gas South Convention Center

Advanced Ticket: $16 (~Sep.20)

Children 6 and under free


Access your digital tickets by downloading the Ticketmaster & SafeTix™ app.


  1. Your phone is your ticket!

  2. Download the Ticketmaster app (Apple or Google Play).

  3. Open the app and sign in to your Ticketmaster account, then tap on My Events to locate your order.

  4. Tap your order to view your tickets. All you have to do is show your phone at the entrance and you're in!


Your ticket is valid for one-time use only on either day of the festival. Some performances are one day only. So be sure to check your schedule before you go!





Katsura Sunshine is one of a kind, the first foreigner to train in rakugo, the 400-year-old Japanese comic storytelling art, and now he's bringing this laugh-filled tradition to the rest of the world, including JapanFest this year.

 

Each show is two parts, a comedic monologue of his own material, much like the stand-up comedy you love, and then Sunshine's performance of age-old Japanese storytelling with his own special presentation.

 

Sunshine is currently in his 5th year of performing Rakugo in New York on Broadway, to great critical acclaim:

 

“A Master Storyteller!”~The New York Times

“The King of Kimono Comedy!”~Reuters

“There is only one Sunshine!”~The New Yorker

 

 Sunshine spends his time between Tokyo, London and New York but this year he's taking time to make his JapanFest debut and laughter is going to be rocking the Gas South Center.



What is rakugo

Rakugo originated in Japan more than 400 years ago, and its stories have been passed down from master to apprentice orally through the centuries.

 

To become a professional rakugo storyteller, an aspiring comedian must fulfill and three- to four-year apprenticeship which resembles indentured servitude. 

 

In his apprenticeship, Sunshine went to his master's home every morning and did laundry, cleaned, carried bags, folded kimonos, and watched and learned in the way that every Japanese apprentice has done for hundreds of years.




Who is Katsura Sunshine?

He was born in Toronto and holds Canadian and Slovenian citizenship.​

In 2008 he was accepted by the great rakugo master Katsura Bunshi VI, who gave the young Canadian the name Katsura Sunshine.

Sunshine became Katsura's 15 apprentice and was the first ever Western rakugo-ka in the Kamigata tradition (Osaka / Kyoto) and only the second in Japanese history, preceded by Kairakute Burakku a hundred years before.

A worldwide phenomenon

Sunshine has toured around five continents, performing in three languages (Japanese, English and French) and is in his 5th year performing in New York.


*Subject to change

Updated: May 20


Since Miyabiya's appearance in 2016, people in Atlanta kept asking us to bring the Kabuki performance back. After 8 years, Miyabiya Japan is back in Atlanta with their traditional but modernized performances that will amaze you!



What is Kabuki

Kabuki is a classical performing art that originated in Japan. It combines elements such as grand gestures, history, life experiences, and dance to tell relatable stories. Kabuki is still considered a mainstream entertainment in modern Japan and is widely enjoyed by the Japanese population and foreigners who visit Japan. In 2005, it was designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Kabuki uses exaggerated gestures and body movements to express emotions, incorporating stylized performances, extravagant costumes, and exaggerated kumadori make-up. 

History of Kabuki

Kabuki theater is believed to have originated in Kyoto during the early Edo Period, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Though Kabuki is performed only by male actors now, it was originally created by a woman and priestess named Izumo no Okuni.

It was only after 1629 when men took the limelight of the stage and Kabuki started to become what we know today.

The term Kabuki originally suggested the unorthodox and shocking character of this art form. In modern Japanese, the word is written with three characters: ka, signifying “song”; bu, “dance”; and ki, “skill.”



Who is Miyabiya Japan

Miyabiya delivers traditional and legendary Kabuki theater performances combined with geisha, ninja, samurai, shamisen guitar, Koto harp, Taiko drum, and even a magic show with a modern twist. Miyabiya's show is comprised of top performers in their field, providing unforgettable entertainment that takes you on a journey back to the 17th century of Japan.


*Subject to change

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