They don't dance the hasapiko very much in Japan, but that didn't stop 22-year-old Yohei Maruyama and his pals from locking arms and giving the traditional Greek butcher's dance a whirl.

Maruyama, a Japanese student studying at the University of Hawai'i, and his Japanese friends — Ana Uechi, 26; Junichi Tsukamoto, 23; and Juliet Warren, 24 — spent the first hour of yesterday's 29th annual Greek Festival tapping their toes to the frenetic rhythms of the band Fotia. But when a couple of traditional Greek dancers gestured for others to join, Maruyama jumped and his friends followed.

"It was fun," a buoyant Maruyama said afterward. "I like the dancing the best."

Indeed, there was much for hard-core Hellenophiles and more casual visitors to enjoy at yesterday's event, which was presented by Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Pacific.

Through the early afternoon, hundreds of hungry patrons waited patiently for moussaka, gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita and Greek salad. Others skipped straight to the baklava and kataifi, washing down the pastries with strong, fragrant Greek coffee.

A Greek deli stand sold jars of grape leaves, olives, olive oil and other delicacies.

Shoppers also had their choice of a wide variety of Greek music CDs, prints of icon art by Diamantis John Cassis, hats, scarves, bags, stickers and jewelry. A T-shirt stand featured selections emblazoned with "Got Ouzo?" and "Leonidas Would Go."

Keoni Pappas, 47, of Mililani attends the festival every year. His grandfather taught him his first Greek dance steps when he was just 4 years old. He would continue to refine his art, eventually teaching Greek dance at the University of California-Santa Barbara.

"I come here every year," Pappas said. "It's my one chance a year to see if I can still dance."

Pappas, whose family has roots in the island of Crete, said there are basic similarities between Hawai'i and the Greek Isles.

"It's the same island mentality," he said. "Food, drink, music, dance — any reason to have a party."

Music teacher Barbara Silvey, 63, of Waikiki has been coming to the festival for the last 20 years.

"To study music, you have to study all cultures," she said. "I just enjoy the sound of Greek music."

Beyond that, Silvey said she appreciates the casual open-heartedness of Greek culture, as evidenced by the way a single person might take to the dance floor and find himself or herself soon joined by a dozen others.

A festival veteran, Silvey brought a cooler to store her purchases of cheese, kalamata olives, pita and take-home gyros.

Sixty-year-old Bill Patronis drove in from Nanakuli with his family to nosh a bit of souvlaki and listen to music. Patronis, who is part-Greek, said his appreciation for the culture grows with each visit to the festival.

"You've got to find out about your culture," he said. "And this is a nice way to do it."

The festival continues today from noon to 8 p.m. at Ala Moana Park's McCoy Pavilion.