Are you in or near New York and ready to attend a “May the Force Be With You in Japan” float at the third annual Japan Parade in New York? If you are then this is right up your street as the Japan National Tourism Organization will be doing just that on Saturday 11th May, kicking off at 1.00pm and riding from 81st Street to 67th Street along Central Park West. As well as that and to celebrate the return of Star Wars Celebration to Japan on 18th – 20th April 2025, JNTO are running a sweepstakes to win a free trip to Japan which will run until 30th September 2024.
The float will include costumed fans who have been officially invited by Lucasfilm, in conjunction with Japan Parade and members of Japan Society. Star Wars Celebration, the ultimate Star Wars fan event, will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan from April 18-20, 2025. In honor of that, JNTO will roll out a sweepstakes to win a free trip to Japan, which will run until September 30, 2024. Further details of the sweepstakes will be announced online on May 11. Wheelchair tennis star and four-time Japanese Paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda has been named this year’s Grand Marshal, and the parade will also feature a live performance by the cast of Demon Slayer: The Stage, the musical stage adaptation of the popular anime and manga series, Demon Slayer. The parade will also feature performances from taiko bands, bon-odori dance troupes and martial arts groups.
Alongside the Japan Parade, Japan Street Fair will be held on West 72nd Street, with over 20 food tents serving authentic Japanese street cuisine. The street fair will also feature a JNTO tent, highlighting the best of travel to Japan, and cultural activities including calligraphy, water balloon yo-yo fishing, origami and a photo opp with Hello Kitty. A charity tent will collect donations for Noto earthquake victims, providing a free Japan Parade tote bag as a thank-you gift. In addition, JNTO has recently released a special video message from Boston Red Sox player Masahiro Yoshida, whose hometown in the Hokuriku region was affected by the earthquake.
