2024 NYC Japan Parade draws thousands to Upper West Side

2024 Japan parade

Thousands of people celebrated Japanese culture on Saturday on the Upper West Side during the Japan Parade. Even though the parade is relatively new to the city, many showed up to honor Japanese traditions and the community in NYC. FOX 5 NY's Michelle Ross has the story.

NEW YORK - Thousands of people celebrated Japanese culture Saturday in Manhattan for NYC’s Japan Parade.

If you're wondering why you haven't heard of this parade, it could be because this is just the third annual celebration.

What started as a festival in Central Park in 2007 has expanded to a parade on the Upper West Side, featuring about 100 different groups marching.

Performers prepare for the Japanese Culture Parade on May 14, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service via Getty Images)

According to the consulate general of Japan in New York, around 30,000 Japanese nationals live in New York, yet the city doesn’t have a "Little Japan" or "Little Tokyo" neighborhood.

But those who attended the parade got a taste of Japan at the nearby street fair on 72nd Street.

The fair offered a variety of food and activities, from Wagyu sizzling on the grill to Japanese calligraphy writing.

Hello Kitty sits in a convertible car during the Japanese Culture Parade on May 14, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service via Getty Images)

The day was meant to celebrate cultural exchange and promote friendship between the U.S. and Japan.

"We all have a common heritage, so this is something that we're very happy to celebrate with New Yorkers. We're also all New Yorkers too," said Koji Sato, president of the Japanese American Association of New York.

Parade grand Marshall and line of march

Wheelchair tennis star and four-time Paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda was the Grand Marshal.

Shingo Kunieda of Japan returns a shot against Alfie Hewett of Great Britain during their match on Day 12 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

According to the parade's website, Kunieda is regarded as one of the best wheelchair tennis players in history. He is a seven-time International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champion, the first wheelchair tennis player to secure a Grand Slam, and the first male wheelchair tennis player to achieve a "Career Grand Slam."

Parade participants attend the Inaugural Japan Parade on May 14, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

The line of march included the cast of the anime series "Demon Slayer," Hello Kitty and several local Japanese organizations. Click here for the full list.