Cherry Blossom Festival 2023
Wow, thank you all for making the 2023 Sakura Festival our biggest one yet! Although we had to postpone for one day due to the weather, we had a lovely - if breezy - Spring day for the event. The cherry blossoms cooperated brilliantly, with all of the trees up by the garden in almost full bloom.
We would like to thank Deputy Consul General MORI Kazuya for visiting us all the way from the Japanese Consulate in New York! He set the tone for our day by opening with remarks about the community-building power of events like these.
We'd also like to give a heartfelt thank you to Iroha Taiko from the Shumei Center in Lyons Station, PA. Their incredible drum performances were a crowd favorite once again this year.
Even if you can't attend our event this year, the blossoms will be open for business for several days and can safely be enjoyed in the outdoors! The trees are best enjoyed with a homemade picnic lunch, or takeout from one of our local Japanese (or Japanese-adjacent) restaurants, such as The Other Fish, 24 East, Rakkii Ramen, Kumo Sushi, Randevoo, or Steak and Steel Hibachi!
The festival takes place around the time our sakura (cherry blossom) trees surrounding city hall are in bloom, which historically occurs in early to mid April. Instead of having a set date, we try to schedule the festival to coincide with the opening of the blossoms, which varies year to year with the weather. At our festival, you can:
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Participate in a tea ceremony
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Try your hand at the ancient art of calligraphy
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Create Japanese origami
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Sample some great Japanese festival food
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Pound rice into a sweet treat with a giant wooden mallet
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Have your picture taken in a kimono or yukata
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And more!
We hope to once again have Shumei of America attend our Festival and bring their taiko drumming group from the Shumei center in Lyons Station, PA. Their thundering Japanese drums were a smash hit last year and we sincerely hope to have them with us again in the future! Check out their Facebook page for more info if you want to play Japanese taiko drums, or if have an interest in natural agriculture or spiritual healing:
Stop by to enjoy these activities and experience Japanese culture! Be sure to check your local paper or this website for announcements about the next festival.
