Kai’s Candy Company at Newport’s Black Ships Festival This Weekend
Kai’s Candy Company will make its debut off-line, real world appearance at the Newport, Rhode Island Black Ships Festival this weekend.
The Black Ships Festival offers a variety of events that emphasize both Japanese art and culture. Events include Origami, Martial Arts, and a Japanese Tea Ceremony. A highlight will be the Annual Festival of Drums, featuring the Matsuriza Taiko Group.
The Black Ships Festival commemorates the historic achievements of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, USN, of Newport, Rhode Island. The “Black Ships,” or “Kurofune,” refers to the Japanese term for foreign ships which, with one exception, were excluded from Japan for two hundred years until 1854. Commodore Perry negotiated the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, the first treaty between the United States and Japan, thus ending two centuries of Japanese isolationism. This year the Black Ships Festival celebrates over 150 years of the signing of the treaty, which brought the two countries together as trading partners.
I grew up in Newport so it’s a nice opportunity to see family and old friends too. The Black Ships Festival is one of Newport’s top summer attractions and is a big success every year. We are the first company to import Japanese kumi ame (rolled candy) to the United States, so we’re looking forward to introducing our candies to everyone visiting the Festival.
We will be outside Oriental Arts, Ltd. in Newport’s Brick Market Place. We’ll be in the heart of the Festival, as many of the main events will take place at the Brick Market, including a Sumo “meet and greet”, tea tasting, a demonstration of sword techniques, an anime presentation, and, of course, ninjas!
If you’re in Newport for the Festival, keep an eye out for us from noon - 4pm on Saturday July 19, and Sunday July 20. You might even have a chance to meet Kai.
