There is something for all ages at Sakura Sunday. For the adults, the performances, the vendors, the items to purchase. For the children and the younger people, there are activities, such as learning Japanese calligraphy, origami folding, fish-kite making, and others. There is also the perfect opportunity for the family to have a picnic: on the sides of the long pool there is a large grassy patch, with the tree shedding their blossoms like rain. Here families can unfold a blanket, sit, and have a good lunch, enjoying the music in the background. Some people even bring Bento boxes, a standard of Japanese lunches where things are packed tightly, efficiently, and arranged in an inviting way (somehow making vegetables and seaweed appealing to younger people).
These are just a few parts of the Cherry Blossom Festival, a month-long event that centers around Sakura Sunday on April 14, the “day that the cherry blossoms fall.” Held yearly in Philadelphia, it is something that any person of any nationality and any age can enjoy. There is a lot to do, but it can all be done in a single day.
There are stands of vendors that sell products and services: there are, of course, the sponsors, followed by vendors selling traditional Japanese items, including chopsticks, boxes, fans, tiny umbrellas, and bokas, wooden swords meant for beginning samurai (all of which are priced pretty reasonably for specialty items).
Speaking of samurai—there are performances of samurai and martial artists throughout the
day. There are different levels of skill in samurai training, just as there are the different kinds of belts in martial arts. These students—ranging in age from very young to adult, from schools all across Pennsylvania—display their talents on stage, showing off their skill and talent.
There are musical performances and dramatic performances. Costumes are beautiful and vibrant, and catch the eye of any viewer. The singing is superb, the performances flawless.
The crowd that gathers at the event is even more vibrant and alive. Besides just regular tourists, there are people who dress up, not just in traditional Japanese clothing but as anime, video game or film characters.
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For More Information Visit:
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http://www.subarucherryblossom.org/events/107
