{"id":174198,"date":"2024-05-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=174198"},"modified":"2024-05-13T08:42:32","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T08:42:32","slug":"neighboring-cities-invite-camp-zama-to-share-in-japanese-culture-at-giant-kite-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=174198","title":{"rendered":"Neighboring cities invite Camp Zama to share in Japanese culture at giant kite festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/p>\n

<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>

\n
\n
\n U.S. Army Japan and U.S. Army Garrison Japan leadership and their families stand in front of a giant kite with members of the local kite association at Sagamihara City\u2019s giant kite festival May 4 at the Sagami River near Camp Zama.
\n (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

ZAMA, Japan \u2013 Two cities that border Camp Zama invited the installation\u2019s leadership and its community to their giant kite festivals to experience and share in a longstanding part of Japan\u2019s cultural heritage.<\/p>\n

The cities of Zama and Sagamihara, both of which Camp Zama shares land with, hosted their festivals jointly May 4 and 5 at the nearby Sagami River.<\/p>\n

The commanders and senior enlisted leaders of both U.S. Army Japan and U.S. Army Garrison Japan were among the distinguished guests recognized during the opening ceremony on the first day.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Neighboring
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n Col. Marcus Hunter, center, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, waves after being introduced during the opening ceremony of Zama City\u2019s giant kite festival May 4 at the Sagami River near Camp Zama. Also recognized as distinguished guests were, from left, U.S. Army Garrison Japan Command Sgt. Maj. David Rio; Jenifer Peterson, USAG Japan deputy garrison commander; U.S. Army Japan Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery D. Weaver; and Maj. Gen. David Womack, USARJ commanding general.
\n (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The festival was the first Col. Marcus Hunter attended since taking command of USAG Japan last summer. He noted that while countries around the world fly kites, the pastime holds a unique and special place within Japanese culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great tradition and a great example of our close relationship in both the community and our alliance between United States and Japan at every level,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cWe are very honored to be part of that close relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

The commander had an especially personal connection to one of the kites flown at the festival. In November 2023, Hunter helped harvest bamboo from on Camp Zama with representatives from the Sagami Giant Kite Association, Kassaka District. That bamboo was used to construct the frame of the association\u2019s kite. At the festival, a Kassaka District member showed Hunter where on the kite they had used one of the bamboo stalks the commander had cut down.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Neighboring
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n Col. Marcus Hunter, right, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, harvests bamboo stalks with members of the Kassaka Giant Kite Preservation Association Nov. 15, 2023, near the installation’s Gate 7. The bamboo stalks<\/p>\n

he cut down were used to construct the frame of a kite that was flown during Zama and Sagamihara cities’ giant festivals May 4 and 5 at the Sagami River near Camp Zama.
\n (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo)<\/span>\n <\/p>\n

<\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Seeing up close the hard work and care that went into building the kite was amazing, Hunter said. He added that it was a privilege to have been part of the process of making the final product and for Camp Zama to have been able to share its resources and contribute to the success of the festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are so thankful to be able to participate with both Zama City and Sagamihara City, and all the kite associations\u2019 wonderful traditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Each year, both cities construct multiple kites of different sizes for use and display at the festival. The centerpieces are the cities\u2019 two largest kites, each measuring about 14.5 square meters and weighing more than two tons.<\/p>\n

Each city decides annually on which \u201ckanji\u201d character will be written on their kites to represent the message they want to convey that year. This year, Zama chose the character \u201ckoryu,\u201d which means \u201cshining dragons,\u201d to represent this year\u2019s zodiac sign and to evoke the image of the kite shining and running across the sky. Sagamihara chose \u201ckifu,\u201d which means \u201cwinds of celebration,\u201d to represent 70th anniversary of the city\u2019s founding.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Neighboring
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n A giant kite flies in the air during Zama City\u2019s giant kite festival held May 4 at the Sagami River near Camp Zama.
\n (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

During the festival, Hunter met with both Sagamihara City Mayor Kentaro Motomura and Zama City Mayor Mito Sato, who were there to kick off the joint event.<\/p>\n

Mayor Motomura said he wanted to invite Camp Zama leadership, their families and the Camp Zama community to enjoy the festival and to see the giant kites up close to gain an appreciation of the master craftmanship that has been passed down for nearly two centuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially notable are the Kassaka Association\u2019s kites, which are made from bamboo from Camp Zama that Colonel Hunter helped harvest,\u201d Motomura reiterated. \u201cI think the friendship between us and Camp Zama will be further strengthened through this event, and I hope both sides will continue to learn about each other\u2019s culture and history and build our communities together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Neighboring
\n <\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n A member of the Sagami Giant Kite Association, Kassaka District, right, shows Col. Marcus Hunter, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan, the frame of a giant kite and points out a specific bamboo stalk Hunter harvested from Camp Zama when association members came to the installation last fall.
\n (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The festival also celebrated the Japanese holiday of Children\u2019s Day, a day in which citizens pray for the health and well-being of children in Japan. Having Camp Zama leadership and community members at the festival to celebrate the observance was a special privilege, Mayor Sato said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting to know each other and each other\u2019s cultures is the first step toward peace, and I believe it is very important for both of us to continue to deepen our cultural exchange as good neighbors,\u201d Sato said. \u201cThrough interactions like this, we see the areas where we can both help each other.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

U.S. Army Japan and U.S. Army Garrison Japan leadership and their families stand in front of a giant kite with members of the local kite association at Sagamihara City\u2019s giant kite festival May 4 at the Sagami River near Camp Zama. (Photo Credit: Noriko Kudo) VIEW ORIGINAL ZAMA, Japan \u2013 Two cities that border Camp […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":174200,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=174198"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":174206,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174198\/revisions\/174206"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/174200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=174198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=174198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=174198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}