Sumo wrestling, calligraphy, and drum performances filled Low Plaza on Friday bringing together tradition and modernity at Matsuri.

"Matsuri is basically a event that we have at Low Plaza that mirrors a festival that we have in Japan during the spring and during the summer time."

"It’s normally done at a Japanese shrine and that’s why we have the ginga which is a Japanese shrine and we have the signature right gates in front of Matsuri."

Matsuri is sponsored by the Columbia Japanese Society, but support also comes from other cultural clubs here at Columbia and from New Yorkers as well.

"We like to spread Japanese culture to the Columbia community and also to the larger Morningside Heights neighborhood, and also bring the Japanese community in New York City to campus and have interactions between the community and the Columbia students."

The purpose of Matsuri is also to bring a greater awareness to Japanese culture.

"I feel that the Japanese community is underrepresented on campus so I feel this it is important to have this every year in order to get more people to know about Japan and know about traditional Japanese culture."

Matsuri provided entertainment in the afternoon and night time festivities were provided by the Taiwanese American Students Association.

Matusuri and Taiwan Festival Day are just two of the 30 evens planned by APAAM for the rest of the month.

"The objectives of APAAM are to bring together the Asian Americans on campus but also to share this history of the interracial America and also the history of Asian American individuals in the United States with the rest of the Columbia community."

APAAM reaches out to cultural groups on campus through co-sponsorships and support in attending events.

"Even within the Asian American community there are a lot of various groups that very disparate and so it’s a good contribution to bring people together. There is like this common cause and a unity, and so that’s why it’s important to the Columbia community."

APAAM ends on May first with a closing reception at Barnard Quad.