Cheekwood Estate & Gardens will celebrate the beauty and traditions of Japan during its 12th annual Japanese Moon Viewing Festival, or Otsukimi, on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. Click for More Events
Held near the date of the Harvest Moon, the festival will feature an evening of Japanese art, music, food, storytelling and cultural traditions throughout Cheekwood’s gardens.
Presented in partnership with the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville and the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, the event will include tea ceremony demonstrations, taiko drumming, shamisen and shakuhachi performances, a kimono fashion show, mochi pounding, kamishibai storytelling, ikebana and bonsai displays, art activities and guided tours of the Blevins Japanese Garden.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell is expected to attend the 6 p.m. welcome ceremony and deliver remarks.
“The celebration of the Harvest Moon is a time of reflection and appreciation,” said Shinji Watanabe, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville. “The Japanese Moon Viewing Festival at Cheekwood is an extraordinarily unique event in our region with Japanese cultural performances and demonstrations that are hard to find anywhere else.”
Festival highlights include performances by Nashville Taiko and Shamisen Knoxville beginning at 5 p.m., followed by the welcome ceremony at 6 p.m. A kimono fashion show is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., tea ceremonies will take place at 7 and 8 p.m., and a shakuhachi performance is set for 7:30 p.m.
The evening will conclude at 8:30 p.m. with a closing ceremony featuring a reading of the Japanese folktale “The Bamboo Cutter.”
Additional activities throughout the evening include Choir SAKURA, traditional kamishibai storytelling, mochi pounding demonstrations and guided tours of Cheekwood’s Blevins Japanese Garden, also known as Shōmu-en.
Guests can also view ikebana floral arrangements and bonsai displays inside the Frist Learning Center. Hands-on activities will include Japanese calligraphy, kanji-inspired art, a Japanese luna moth craft and a “Rabbit in the Moon” banner inspired by Japanese folklore.
Cheekwood is also inviting the public to enter its annual haiku contest. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 13, with winners announced during the festival’s 6 p.m. welcome ceremony.
Asian food and drinks will be available from local food trucks and chefs in Lot B, along with displays from organizations including the Japan-America Society of Tennessee and Sister Cities Nashville.
Japanese Moon Viewing is one of four multicultural festivals presented at Cheekwood throughout the year, highlighting cultural traditions and communities across Nashville.
The event is free for Cheekwood members. General admission is $23 for adults and $16 for ages 3 to 17. Children 2 and younger are admitted free.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive in Nashville. Tickets and additional information are available at Cheekwood.org.
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