50th Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in San Francisco Japantown on Saturday, April 8; Sunday, April 9; Saturday, April 15; and Sunday, April 16 (2^nd and 3^rd weekends in April). This year, NCCBF celebrates its monumental 50^th festival. Over 200,000 people attend the festival every year, making it the second largest cherry blossom festival in the country, after the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco will hold a number of events in conjunction with this year’s monumental 50^th festival in cooperation with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Committee and other relevant partners. Please come and celebrate with us!

Three esteemed Japanese films, ranging from treasured classics to modern masterpieces will be screened at the inaugural Cherry Blossom Film Festival. Please enjoy this excellent opportunity to re-experience classic Japanese cinema on a local theater screen.

Cherry Blossom Film Festival
Dates: Saturday, April 8; Sunday, April 9; Saturday, April 15
Location: New People Cinema in San Francisco Japantown
Entry: $13 (General Admission); $7 (Children 12 and under)
 
● “Tampopo” (Director: Juzo Itami/1985): 
    Saturday, April 8, 1:30PM
● “Like Father, Like Son” (Director: Hirokazu Koreeda/2013):
    Saturday, April 15, 1:30PM
● “The Tale of Zatoichi” (Director: Kenji Misumi/1962):
    Saturday, April 15, 4:30PM
 

“Tampopo”	“Like Father, Like Son”	“The Tale of Zatoichi”

In addition to these, the following fun-for-all-ages animated films will also be screened during the Cherry Blossom Film Festival. We hope that everyone will be able to find time to enjoy a film.

● “Sailor Moon R – The Movie” (Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara/1993): Saturday, April 8, 11:30AM
● “My Neighbor Totoro (English Subtitles)” (Director: Hayao Miyazaki/1988): Sunday, April 9, 1:00PM
● “My Neighbor Totoro (English Dubbed)” (Director: Hayao Miyazaki/1988): Saturday, April 15, 11:30AM
● “Castle in the Sky” (Director: Hayao Miyazaki/1986); Saturday, April 8, 4:30PM

“Sailor Moon R – The Movie”	“My Neighbor Totoro"	“Castle in the Sky”

For more information and tickets, please visit: http://www.jffsf.org/cbff2017   　

A special tasting area for Japanese alcohol returns to the festival, with cooperation from Japanese sake brewers and distributors. This event will introduce visitors to the allure and depth of Japanese sake (rice wine), shochu (distilled liquor), and awamori (Okinawan shochu).
 
Date and time: Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9, 11:00AM-5:00PM
Location: Near Post St. and Webster St. in San Francisco Japantown
Admission: $10 (Ages 21+ only)
 

In partnership with Kendama USA and other local Kendama organizations, the third “Sakura Classic” Northern California Kendama Championship will be held on Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9 as part of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Contest finals will be held on the main stage of Peace Plaza in San Francisco Japantown on Sunday, April 9. In addition to the amateur contest, professional and semi-professional players from around California and beyond will be featured in this year’s program. Come experience the American Kendama renaissance!
 
Date and time: Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9, 11:00AM-7:00PM
Location: San Francisco Japantown (Finals on Peace Plaza Stage)
Admission: Free and Open to the Public
Additional information on the contest may be found at Kendama USA’s website: http://www.kendamausa.com/sakura-classic/