On August 19th and 20th, Rockford, Illinois’ Anderson Japanese Gardens hosts its annual Japanese Summer Festival, which features a tea ceremony, traditional dance performances, martial arts presentations, Japanese sword performance, hands-on origami demonstration and children’s games.

Nisei Week is an annual festival that celebrates Japanese and Japanese-American culture in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood. This year, Nisei Week will happen between August 19-27th. Highlights include the Grand Parade, on August 21s; the World Gyoza Eating Championship (in which competitors attempt to break the existing record - 384 Gyoza eaten in 10 minutes); exhibits of bonsai, calligraphy and Ikebana; Ondo street dancing; and martial arts demonstrations.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston showcases ukiyo-e woodblock prints by renowned artists Utagawa Kunisada (known for realism and portraits of Kabuki actors) and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (whose supernatural designs foreshadowed manga and anime). This exhibition features a selection of 100 works drawn entirely from the MFA’s preeminent Japanese collection, including large, multi-sheet images. Visitors are encouraged to decide for themselves who has prevailed in this artistic rivalry.