Following their participation in the major National Cherry Blossom Festival in April this year, the Millennial Global Youth (MGY) foundation, in collaboration with FASCA Washington D.C., was once again invited to participate in a Japanese event to promote cultural exchange and friendship between Taiwan and Japan. Various regions in Japan hold "Boroichi" (flea markets) throughout the year, a tradition dating back centuries. To allow the American public to experience this unique Japanese tradition, the organizer, SJA, hosted a Boroichi market in Arlington, Virginia, during the beautiful spring season. Historically, these markets began with the sale of second-hand clothing and eventually evolved into marketplaces for all kinds of daily necessities.

The event featured approximately 30 stalls offering a wide array of goods. In addition to commercial vendors, the market hosted various Japanese cultural organizations, as well as the D.C. Go (Weiqi) Club and Kendo Club, creating a warm and family-friendly atmosphere. FASCA DC was the only Taiwanese group invited. Impressed by the students' outstanding performance during the Cherry Blossom Festival earlier this year, the organizers extended a special invitation for Taiwan Youth to host family-oriented activities, allowing visitors to enjoy fun games while shopping for vintage goods.

The most popular attraction was the iconic Taiwanese night market game, "Baseball Nine-Square Grid." Since baseball is a national sport in both Taiwan and Japan, the youth volunteers assisted children with their pitches while sharing the history of baseball culture in both nations, as well as highlighting famous players and teams in the U.S. leagues. Beyond baseball, many attendees queued up to write their names using traditional calligraphy brushes, while the youth volunteers explained how Hanzi (Chinese characters) are a shared script used across many East Asian countries. Furthermore, the "32 Shared-Name Railway Stations" game between Taiwan and Japan was a specific request from the organizers. After comparing the unique attractions of stations that share the same names, many participants felt as though they had embarked on a journey across time and space, sparking a strong interest in visiting both Taiwan and Japan.

In addition to the cultural booths, the FASCA Diabolo (Chinese Yo-Yo) team braved the heat to perform freestyle routines on the grass. Set to popular Japanese anime music, their performance drew enthusiastic cheers from the audience. This was followed by a Taiko drumming performance that brought the atmosphere to its peak. At the conclusion of the event, the organizers prepared special gifts for the Taiwanese youth volunteers, expressing their hope for even more participation from the Taiwanese community next year to continue adding vibrancy to the festival.

• OCAC News (2022-05-25)