text: The festival seemed a little smaller than what I expected, and I didn't find a lot to peruse when not looking at various food booths.  They had a lot of local Japanese restaurants selling food, such as Nagasaki Grill, Paradise bbq, and Arai Pastry, which was nice but I am close enough to all those restaurants that I could just buy their selections any time at their restaurants.  I think I've been too spoiled by the Japanese festivals in San Francisco, since the food selection here was more limited and there wasn't as many booths to buy things from.  I did like the cultural shows, such as the taiko and the martial arts demonstrations, and the shaded area with the bonsai and akitas was nice.  I think in general though, if you don't live close to Japanese restaurants or haven't had a lot of immersion into Japanese culture, this is a good way to introduce yourself to it here in Arizona.