This year marks the 50th Japanese Street Festival in Washington, DC. It will take place on Saturday, April 10, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. after the Cherry Blossom Festival parade. The motto of the festival is all things Japanese. From sushi to origami to jujitsu, sumo and sake, festival goers will imbibe the Japanese culture. There will be traditional dances, the dramatic taiko drums, Japanese arts and crafts , Anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics), and J-Pop music.
This year’s Matsuri will be the biggest ever, on Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street in the west to 10th Street on the east —and on 12th Street from Pennsylvania southward to Constitution Avenue.
Admission is free.
The Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival has four main areas:
- The popular Taste of Japan features 15 Japanese and Asian restaurants, plus two Kirin Beer Gardens and a Hakutsuru sake tasting area
- J-Pop features popular Japanese culture such as anime (animation), manga (comics), J-POP music, and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)
- Arts & Crafts is an introduction to Japan’s traditional culture
- The Ginza Marketplacefeatures Japanese and other products for sale
Plus there are five live performance stages:
- Martial Arts Stage - Aikido, jujitsu, sumo, karate, kendo, kyudo
- 12th Street Stage - with “Super Karaoke”
- Pennsylvania Avenue Stage - Japanese traditional music and dance, koto, and the exciting taiko drums, sponsored by All Nippon Airways and WASH-FM
- Constitution Avenue Stage - Featuring performers from Japan’s southern-most island.
- J-POP Stage- Featuring Japanese popular music and anime from Japan
For more information about the Sakura Matsuri, please go to our special website, www.sakuramatsuri.org.