A press release from Kate Blumm of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden:
One of New York City’s most anticipated weekend events returns in late April for the 31st time: Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (April 28 and 29, 10AM to 6PM). Tens of thousands of visitors come to enjoy a dynamic weekend of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture inspired by BBG’s famous collection of flowering cherry trees. Visitors will experience a program of over 60 events and performances including dance, martial arts, manga, costume play (“cosplay”), workshops, demonstrations, and guided tours of the Garden’s Japanese plant collections.
Among the dozens of offerings on the schedule for 2012 are a specially created performance by renowned jazz pianist Kuni Mikami and his band, interpreting traditional Japanese folk songs using a jazz vocabulary. Morning Musuko, a 15-member J-pop big band, returns by popular demand, playing a stand-alone set in addition to scoring the dazzling Cosplay Fashion Show. Closing the festival for the third year in a row, the fashion show features over a dozen unique renditions of Japanese manga and anime characters—all painstakingly hand-fashioned by dedicated participants exclusively for this event.
Other returning favorites include performances by Okinawan-pop stars happyfunsmile and the martial arts ensemble Samurai Sword Soul. Manga and anime activities include a live collaboration between Veronica Taylor (the voice of Pokémon) and artist Misako Rocks! At Puzzle Plaza, visitors can immerse themselves in Sudoku, LaQ, shogi, and the game of go, and throughout the Garden there will be hands-on activities especially for children.
Festival hours are from 10AM to 6PM on Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29. All activities take place rain or shine, with indoor locations provided for some activities in the event of rain. A detailed schedule for the festival will soon be available at bbg.org/sakuramatsuri. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students with ID; kids under 12 and Garden members are admitted free of charge. Admission fees will be charged all weekend, including Saturday from 10AM to noon. (On all Saturdays without scheduled public programs, the Garden will continue to extend free admission from 10AM to noon.)
Sakura Matsuri Highlights:
Music, Dance, and Martial Arts:
* A new performance from renowned jazz pianist Kuni Mikami, interpreting traditional Japanese folk songs using a jazz vocabulary
* Concerts by 15-member Brooklyn-based J-pop big band Morning Musuko
* Earth-shaking taiko drumming by Taiko Masala and Soh Daiko
* Thrilling samurai demonstrations by Samurai Sword Soul
* Expressive Nihon Buyo classical dance and Ryukyu Buyo Okinawan dance by Sachiyo Ito & Company (featuring legendary dancer Sachiyo Ito, who has performed at every Sakura Matsuri since 1981)
J-Pop Culture, Cosplay, and Anime (presented in partnership with the NY Anime Festival):
* BBG’s Parasol Society Promenade through the Osborne Garden, led by J-pop stars happyfunsmile
* Cosplay Fashion Show featuring over a dozen of the most extraordinary hand-made costumes in the city and music by Morning Musuko
* A chance for visitors to meet Pokémon voice artist Veronica Taylor and graphic novel writer and illustrator Misako Rocks!
Traditional & Contemporary Arts and Culture:
* Exquisite urasenke and sohrenyu-style tea ceremonies
* Selection of hana kanzashi hair ornaments and other delicate accessories to try on and take home
* Satellite store from Kinokuniya—America’s largest Japanese bookstore—offering language, travel, and art books in addition to a robust selection of manga
* Workshop on shogi, a Japanese relative of chess, by New York Shogi Club
* Vintage kimono display
Flowers, Bonsai, and Garden Tours:
* Guided tours of BBG’s bonsai museum, plus a talk with BBG’s curator of the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum
* Ikebana flower-arranging demonstration and exhibit with expert Fumiko Allinder
* Trained BBG Garden Guide-led tours of the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Japanese tree peonies (if they are blooming), and flowering cherry collection
For Families:
* Hands-on workshops for kids, inspired by both horticulture and Japanese culture, where young ones can try things like taiko drumming
* Beloved hanagasa odori flower hat dance parade by Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York
* Origami paper-folding workshops
For more information on BBG’s flowering cherries and Hanami events, please visit bbg.org/cherries.
Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an independent nonprofit institution committed to education, research, and the display of horticulture. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn [New York], the Garden is home to over 12,000 kinds of plants and hosts more than 725,000 visitors annually. Learn more at bbg.org.
Related articles previously published on SFScope:
Brooklyn again anticipates cherry blossoms and Sakura Matsuri (8 January 2010)
Sakura Matsuri—Japan comes to Brooklyn (2 May 2009)