For moms in Osaka, a family getaway to Midosuji Boulevard may turn out to be a pretty good gift this Mother's Day weekend. Expect plenty of fun when the area holds its annual festival.
First, there will be a small concert featuring Hiroshima singer-songwriter Leyona and singer and performer Spinna B-Ill. To make the show more palatable for humor-loving Osakans, comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. are also set to appear.
For sports lovers, there will be street basketball matches organized by Somecity Osaka. A succession of mind-boggling feats by certified daidogei (street performance) artists should also have visitors in awe.
Of course, the festival hasn't forgotten to take advantage of the fact that its date this year coincides with Mother's Day. There will be a special screening of a documentary that focuses on the heartwarming relationship between Akira Ishida, a member of award-winning comic duo Non Style, and his mother, Miyako.
As 2012 marks the festival's 10th anniversary, the theme of festivities will be Osaka's internationalism, so included in the lineup will be tae kwon do practitioners from South Korea and professional guitarist Gigi D'Errico from Italy.
The Midosuji Festa 2012 takes place along Midosuji Boulevard in Osaka on May 13. For more information, call (06) 4301-7285 or visit midosuji-openfesta.com/index.html.