Last year, Kit and I went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) for the cherry blossom festival, where we took the photo at left that wound up being my author photo on my book. Last year, the Garden was packed with people, there to admire one of the largest collections of flowering cherry trees in the United States, all in bloom. It was magnificent. (All photos in this piece are by SFScope Associate Editor Kit Hawkins.)
This year, we realized that in addition to the gorgeous natural imagery of the 220 trees, the BBG hosts Sakura Matsuri, the “rite of spring”, on the weekend of 2-3 May. In addition to the blossoms, this weekend is a celebration of Japanese culture, with a “range of performances from traditional Japanese music and dance to concerts by some of Japan’s hottest J-pop stars, plus taiko drumming, an anime voice actor panel, bonsai pruning workshops, J-pop DJs, a traditional kimono show, and demonstrations and workshops for all ages. Bring your camera and join anime comedian Uncle Yo and the World Cosplay Summit Team USA in a giant Sakura Matsuri cosplay photo shoot!”
The range of events, performances, demonstrations, and exhibits, is so large that there is no possible way to see it all. Spread across the 52 acres of the BBG were blossoming trees, blooming flowers in profusion (it’s also tulip season), wonderful trees and landscaping, and—this weekend only—hundreds of anime fans in costume.
We arrived at the Sakura J-Lounge (J-Pop Culture Pavilion) to find anime comedian Uncle Yo entertaining a packed crowd. Yo knows his material, and knows how to work a crowd.

In the same neighborhood is the Manga & Anime Artist Alley, with exhibits and sales offered from Del Rey Manga, Abby Denson, Misako Rocks!, the New York Anime Festival (NYAF), Kensuke Okabayashe, and Uncle Yo. The NYAF was taking votes on its ten finalists for this year’s festival logo (see this article). Denson is selling several of her books, including My Boyfriend is a Space Robot!, which we’ll be reviewing soon. Okabayashi (pictured at right) is the author of Manga for Dummies.
Following Uncle Yo’s show was the group mass cosplay photo shoot (see the group photo above). Below are several shots we got of costumes, being worn, being repaired, and being enjoyed. A lot of people really enjoyed letting their alter egos shine through.
Radio host Megumi Sato did a live broadcast from the J-Pop Pavilion for Japan’s Samurai Beat Radio, interacting with the crowd, playing some music, and interviewing some stars of the day, including Japanese-born, American comic artist Misako Rocks (photo above at left, Rocks on the left, Sato on the right). Later, she played some songs from, and then interviewed live 23-year-old J-pop star Ai Kawashima, on her first trip to New York (photo at right: Kawashima on the left, Sato on the right).
Meanwhile, for the less anime-minded, more traditional Japanese culture fans, there were continual events in the main tent in the Cherry Esplanade: concerts, drumming, a wide selection of Japanese foods, and more. We caught a bit of “Bushido: The Soul of Samurai” (a swordplay demonstration and show), and Kawashima’s concert.
Elsewhere on the grounds were demonstrations of origami, doll making, and flower arranging, dances, exhibits of bonsai (the BBG’s permanent bonsai display was open to all), workshops on origami, the game of go, children’s arts and crafts, and much more.
There is another, completely full schedule on tap for Sunday 3 May, and if you’re anywhere in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I highly recommend getting there, whether you’re a big fan of all things Japanese, or don’t yet realize you are. The BBG (and Sakura Matsuri) is open from 10AM to 6PM. Admission of $12 for adults.
Below is a selection of photos of the crowd, costumes, on-the-spot costume repairs, and more. Enjoy what we saw, and then try to get there to enjoy it yourself. And if you can’t make it this year, put it on your calendar for next year.