OC Japan Fair Spring 2026 Recap (April 3 - 5 2026)

We wrapped up the OC Japan Fair with a wonderful sense of accomplishment, and above all, deep gratitude to everyone who came out to support us.

One of the things we truly cherish about local events is the people.

Over the weekend, we had the pleasure of meeting so many kind, thoughtful, and inspiring individuals. Those moments of connection are what make these events so meaningful to us.

On the morning of the first day, I arrived early and walked through the venue as vendors were setting up. 
There is something special about that quiet, anticipatory time—seeing hundreds of people preparing their booths, each with their own vision and purpose.

Every person there is working hard, chasing a dream, and doing their best to create something meaningful for others. Being surrounded by that energy is incredibly inspiring.

It reminds me to keep pushing forward—ganbaranaito.(頑張らないと)

Recently, we experienced an unfortunate incident involving theft.

While it was disheartening, it also made me reflect on how people choose to use their energy. 
There are so many individuals at events like this who pour their effort into creating joy, building connections, and contributing something positive to the world.

I feel grateful to be on this side of the world. 

Miki Pon's Art Shop Debut

One of the highlights of this event was the continued introduction of Miki Pon’s work to a wider audience. Following its earlier debut at the Spring Market, this was the first time we were able to showcase her collection at this scale—and the response was incredible.

So many people connected with her artwork and supported her by purchasing prints, T-shirts, and more. Some items were sold out! 

We’ve included a video below to capture some of those moments. To everyone who supported Miki Pon and our booth—thank you.

Your support truly means the world to us.

Here is the original post about the event:

We are so excited to announce that we are coming back to OC Japan Fair for the third time!

If you came to see us in April 2025 or October 2025, thank you so much — it was amazing meeting so many of you in person. And if you haven't been to one yet, this is the perfect time to come!

This time around, we have some really exciting things planned.

Not only will we have new products for you to try, but for the first time, our Chief Design Officer, Miki Pon, will have a section at the booth featuring her original artwork. (More on that below — I'm really excited about this one!)

We've also upgraded our booth even more since October. If you visited us before, you know our handcrafted Port Orford Cedar booth is pretty unique — and it keeps getting better.

Event Details

Show:
OC Japan Fair 2026

Place:
OC FAIR & EVENT CENTER
88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (Google Map)
Booth #A8 (Close to where we were the last two times, but a bit more inside the same building on the same side)

Date & Hours:
4/3/2026 (FRI) 4:00PM – 10:00PM
4/4/2026 (SAT) 12:00PM – 10:00PM
4/5/2026 (SUN) 11:00AM – 7:00PM

Tickets:
General admission is $23.18 (at the door). Children 6 and under and adults 65 and over get in free.

Your ticket also includes admission to the Freedom LA Japanese Music Festival (except Saturday — Saturday requires a separate Freedom LA ticket).

Parking: $15 at Gate 1

You can get tickets from the OC Japan Fair site here

Where to Find Us — Floor Map

We'll be at Booth #A8 — close to where we were the last two times (Booth #A3 in April 2025 and Booth #A5 in October 2025), but a bit more inside the same building on the same side.

Please see below where we will be (Booth #A8).

You can download the PDF version of the floor plan by clicking on this link here.

Miki Pon's Art Section — NEW!

Okay, this is the part I'm most excited to share with you.

If you've visited our booth at any event over the past year, you already know Miki Pon — she's our Chief Design Officer and the creative mind behind everything you see at our booth, from the beautiful Port Orford Cedar backdrop to our product packaging and branding.

But what many people don't know is that Miki is also a talented artist and graphic designer in her own right.

About Miki Pon

Miki graduated from Portland State University's graphic design program and is now based in Los Angeles. She describes her design philosophy as creating "quiet, yet profound quality design shaped by my upbringing in Japan."

That's exactly what you see in her work — there's a simplicity and intentionality that feels very Japanese, but also modern and fresh.

She designed our entire booth from scratch, worked with carpenters and metalworkers to bring it to life (you can read the full behind-the-scenes story here), and continues to refine and improve the design for every event.

You can follow Miki on Instagram at @miki.pon.

What She'll Be Showing

For the first time ever, Miki will have her own section within our booth at OC Japan Fair, featuring her original artwork!

Support Local Artists!

One of the things we love about events like OC Japan Fair is the chance to connect with local creatives.

Miki has put so much of herself into building our brand's visual identity over the past year, and it means a lot to us that she's now sharing her personal artwork with our community.

If you're at the event, please stop by and say hi to Miki! Even if you just want to look around and chat, she'd love to meet you. And if something catches your eye, your support means the world — to her, to us, and to the local creative community.

New Products at Our Booth

As always, we'll also have our popular teas and products available for you to try and purchase at the event!

Our Upgraded Booth

If you visited our booth at the October 2025 OC Japan Fair, you saw our handcrafted Port Orford Cedar wood backdrop, custom carrying boxes, and bar table.

Since then, we've made even more improvements. The booth keeps evolving, and we're really proud of how it looks now.

If you haven't read the story behind our booth, I highly recommend it — it took over six months of planning and building with some incredibly talented craftspeople. The wood is actually Port Orford Cedar, known in Japan as Hinoki of America (アメリカ檜) — the same type of wood used to build Shinto shrines and temples.

Read the full behind-the-scenes story of how we made the event booth and backdrop here.

What to Expect at OC Japan Fair 2026

OC Japan Fair is the largest Japanese cultural festival in Southern California, and this year it's bigger than ever with more than 250 booths!

The April 2025 event drew 52,000 visitors and actually sold out — many people were turned away. So if you're planning to come, I'd recommend getting your tickets early.

Here are some of the highlights for this year's event:

Freedom LA Japanese Music Festival

Your OC Japan Fair ticket includes admission to the Freedom LA Japanese Music Festival (except Saturday, which requires a separate ticket).

This year's lineup includes performances by MINMI, Naoto Inti Raymi, Genki Iwahashi, Yuriyan Retriever, Aonyan, Britany Tokyo, and more.

MINMI performed at the October 2025 event too, and the energy was incredible.

Akihabara Electric Town — NEW!

This is new for 2026! A section of the venue will be transformed into Akihabara Electric Town (秋葉原電気街), recreating the vibrant atmosphere of Tokyo's famous pop culture district — complete with maid cafés and themed attractions.

If you're into anime, manga, or Japanese pop culture, this is going to be really fun.

Oiran Dochu Procession

On Saturday and Sunday, you can witness the Oiran Dochu (花魁道中) — a procession recreating the historical Edo-period tradition where oiran courtesans paraded through the streets in elaborate costumes. It's a beautiful and impressive spectacle.

Tuna Cutting Show

A Tuna Master from Japan will perform a live tuna cutting show on Saturday and Sunday at the main stage. The whole tuna is flown in directly from Japan for the event!

Cosplay Contest

Come in cosplay! There's an annual cosplay show on Saturday with prizes from sponsors.

Even if you're not participating, it's so fun to walk around and see all the amazing costumes.

Lantern Release Ceremony

On Saturday evening (April 4), there will be a special Lantern Release Ceremony — a moving moment that has quickly become a fan-favorite tradition since it started in 2025. The lanterns symbolize hope and the connection between Japan and Los Angeles as they rise into the night sky.

Videos from Our Past OC Japan Events

If you've never been to OC Japan Fair, here are some videos from our previous booths so you can see what it's like!

Our booth at OC Japan Fair — October 2025:

Our booth at OC Japan Fair — April 2025:

Click here to read about our April 2025 OC Japan experience.

Click here to read about our October 2025 OC Japan experience.

Conclusion

This will be our third OC Japan Fair, and honestly, every time we go, it gets better.

The people we meet, the energy of the event, the incredible food and performances — it really is something special.

This time, we're especially excited because Miki will be sharing her artwork for the first time at one of our events. That's a big deal for us, and we'd love for you to come see what she's been working on.

As always, please follow us on Instagram if you haven't — I'll be posting stories during the event so you can see what's going on in real time. (I'm still learning Instagram, but I'm getting better!)

Follow us on Instagram to see our updates

We hope to see you there!!

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