We’re doing three Instagram Scavenger Hunts as part of this year’s festival. Read the rules below, then head on over to our instagram (@uptownmatsuri) to play!
There are three separate hunts, and they all run from June 5th-June 19th. Players can participate in as many as they prefer. The hunts are: Local Business Hunt, Location Hunt, and Activity Hunt
Local Business Hunt
To enter the hunt, comment on the instagram scavenger hunt post with “Local Business Hunt.” Make a purchase from any of our local business partners (or another locally owned business that we haven’t met yet!) and post evidence of your purchase on your instagram feed. This can be a pic of your meal or purchase, a snap of your receipt (identifying info removed) or any other creative way you can think of to show you materially supported a local business. You will need to collect 6 entries to complete the hunt. Tag the entries as follows:
#jscclocal1, #jscclocal2, #jscclocal3, #jscclocal4, #jscclocal5, #jscclocal6
Non-exclusive local businesses to shop at:
Albonée Winery
Cool Crest
Englewood Cafe
Hi-Boy
A Little BBQ Joint
Pace Bicycle Haven
Polly’s Pop
Scandinavia Place
V’s Italian Ristorante
Build-Up Hobby and Import
Dave’s Deli
Fun House Pizza
Jack’s Donuts
Mugs Up
Paletería El Chavo
Poppy’s Famous Donuts
Three Trails Brewing
Common House KC
Dixon’s Chili
Game Cafe
Liquid Lines Studio
Music Gear
Peddler’s
Salvatore’s
Top Hat Winery
Also please tag the business, as appropriate: the objective of this hunt is to support local businesses!
Once you have completed the hunt, you will be entered into a drawing for a prize (TBD) Winners will be announced on Monday, June 21st.
Are you a local Independence Business that we left out? Message us on Instagram for a mention here and a flyer!
Location Hunt
Snap selfies or photos at any of the listed locations. To enter the hunt, comment on the instagram scavenger hunt post with “Location Hunt.” To complete the hunt, post photos of at least 10 of the listed locations by June 19th and tag them as follows:
#jsccplaces1, #jsccplaces2, #jsccplaces3, #jsccplaces4, #jsccplaces5, #jsccplaces6, #jsccplaces7, #jsccplaces8, #jsccplaces9, #jsccplaces10
Waterfall Park
Midwest Genealogy Center
Japanese Garden at City Hall
National Frontier Trails Museum
The Twin Drive-in sign
Little Blue Trace Trail
Higashimurayama Dr. Street Sign
Uptown Market
Englewood Station Arts District
JSCC gift display case at Truman Memorial Building
Sadako statue at United Nations Peace Plaza
George Owens Nature Park
Truman Courthouse (on the square)
Once you have completed the hunt, you will be entered into a drawing for a prize (TBD) Winners will be announced on Monday, June 21st.
Activity Hunt
To enter the hunt, comment on the instagram scavenger hunt post with “Activity Hunt.” To complete the hunt, choose 8 of the following activities and post photos of your completed work to your instagram feed. Tag the posts as:
#jsccactivities1, #jsccactivities2, #jsccactivities3, #jsccactivities4, #jsccactivities5, #jsccactivities6, #jsccactivities7, #jsccactivities8


How to Make Bento (#4 Cute Tako-chan Octopus Sausage) タコさんウィンナー – YouTube

DIY Matsuri Banner/Kite. Right click/save, then scale to paper size when printing to color your own Uptown Matsuri Banner.

Try Mizuhiki! Two instruction resources:
Mizuhiki – The Art of Knotting Cords – Yona Schuh Postcards from Japan
Tying the Knot: The magic of Mizuhiki that brings people together (piecesofjapan.com)

Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen Noodles) つけ麺

Free origami instructions, origami diagrams.(origami-resource-center.com)
Fold as many or as few origami as you want! However, origami only counts as one activity, no matter how many you fold.

(text from image reads: Higashimurayama Challenge! Record a short video of yourself saying the name of our Japanese Sister City, then tag a friend or friends to do it too. A pronunciation hint: break down those syllables! Hi-ga-shi-mu-ra-ya-ma.)
(more activities coming soon!)
Once you have completed the hunt, you will be entered into a drawing for a prize (TBD) Winners will be announced on Monday, June 21st.