Leigh Miller for GlobalAtlanta
Some 350 Japanese companies with operations in Georgia are to present their products during the 20th anniversary of JapanFest, to be held Sept. 23-24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Stone Mountain Park.

Organized by the Japan-America Society of Georgia and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and supported by the Consulate General of Japan, JapanFest is the highlight of a month-long series of events designed to promote understanding between Japanese and Americans in the Southeast.

Many of the more than 350 japanese businesses located in Georgia will display their products and company representatives will be on hand to answer questions.

The companies that will be participating include Kubota Manufacturing of America Corp., which manufactures lawn tractors and implements; Interesse International Inc., a human resources recruiting firm specializing in full-time placement services, part-time temp/outsourced employment services and translation services;

IACE Travel, a travel agency specializing in discount airplane tickets to Japan; Symbiosis, a system management company; Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corp. of America, which manufactures all-terrrain vehicles, golf carts and personal watercraft; JETRO Atlanta, a government-supported organization promoting mutually beneficial trade and economic relations between Japan and other nations;

Hoshizaki America Inc., which manufactures and distributes ice machines; Murata Electronics N.A. Inc., which designs, manufactures and sells ceramic-based passive elecronic components and modules; Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corp., which manufactures all-terrain-vehicles; Toto USA Inc., which manufactures bathroom fixtures; Go Visit Japan Co., a travel agency that provides discount air tickets, hotel and rental car bookings; Panasonic Automotive Systems Co. of America, which develops, produces and sells automotive products and TDK Components USA Inc., which manufactures surface mount capacitors that handle audio and video recording media.

The event also is to highlight Japanese martial arts, including a sumo wrestling competition and demonstrations of aikido, judo, karate, kendo, kyudo, katori shinto-ryu, kashima-shinryu,and shinkendo.

In addition, Japanese musicians, dancers, cuisine, arts and workshops are to be featured. Two new performers this year are New York-based Japanese jazz trumpeter Shunzo Ohno and Osaka, Japan-based dancer Keiko Fujii.

Atlanta restaurants Haru Ichiban and Umezono are to provide Japanese food, and Paolo’s Gelato is to offer Japanese themed gelato.

Attendees can learn Japanese arts through workshops on bonsai, woodblock prints, ikebana, origami, netsuke and haiku.

The first 2,000 children visiting JapanFest will receive a free Japanese toy.

Festival attendees are encouraged to wear Japanese attire. Tickets are $5, and children two years old or younger are free. An entrance fee to Stone Mountain Park is not included. For more information, call (404) 842-0736 or visit www.japanfest.org.