2023 Otsukimi Moon-Viewing Party (In Japan, Moonviewing is a Tradition Where the Harvest Moon is Regarded as a Symbol of Blessings and Abundance)NEW

We hold our annual Otsukimi moon-viewing party on the Sunday closest to the full harvest moon each October, held at the Gardens at Lake Merritt. We have been holding these parties, which feature traditional Japanese entertainment, authentic Obento dinners, and astronomers with powerful telescopes, since 1965. 

The harvest moon is a symbol of blessing and abundance for many cultures, including Japan. Similar to tea parties, the moon viewing parties are occasions for for sharing food and stories, while enjoying what is considered the most beautiful moon of the year.

Date
October 22, 2023, Sunday

Time
5:30-8:30pm

Bento Dinner

Optional bento dinners (regular or vegetarian) are available for pre-order - deadline of October 16, 2023.

Free / Open to the Public

Parking Cost
$5 all day parking on the weekend and holidays

2023 Event Schedule

5:30 pm - Bonsai Garden & Bento Dinner*
• Open House by the Golden State Bonsai Collection North, 5:30-6:30pm
• Japanese “Bento” box dinners (sushi & skewered meats/fish) created by Musashi of Berkeley. *Vegetarian Bento available upon request.
• Come see our beautiful mosaic mural installed in 2022 in honor of our 60th anniversary, Japanese stone lanterns dedicated in honor of our 50th anniversary in 2012, and the magnificent Torii Gate (dedicated in the Memory of the late Oakland Council Member Frank Ogawa 1917-1994) in honor of our 40th anniversary in 2002.

6:30pm - Entertainment
• Diablo Taiko (Japanese drums)
• Performances by the student ambassadors from the 2023 Summer High School Exchange Program
• Las Lomas High School Japanese language class

7:30pm - Moon Viewing
• Telescopic Viewing of the Moon and other celestial points of interest provided by the Eastbay Astronomical Society



About Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association (OFSCA)
Oakland's Oldest Sister City Relationship, Since 1962

Celebrating our 60th Anniversary in 2022!
The sister city program between Fukuoka and Oakland began with President Dwight Eisenhower’s "people-to-people" program, which made the pairing of American communities with those abroad a national priority. Because of the many similarities between the two cities, the Oakland City Council adopted a resolution in 1962 making Fukuoka its official Sister City.

The Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association helps to foster and promote cultural awareness, understanding, and friendship between the people and cities of Oakland and Fukuoka. We believe that this collaboration will strengthen us as individuals, strengthen our cities, our regional communities and our Sister City organization, which will ultimately enhance international understanding and harmony between cities and nations.

Location
Lakeside Park Garden Center, Bellevue Avenue, Oakland CA