50th Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival: Japanese Cultural Events

On Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9, the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, in partnership with six Japanese and local companies (Takara USA, Iichiko, Choya, Sequoia Sake, N.A. Sales, Taragawa) held a Sake Tasting Event as part of the 50^th NCCBF. Attendees were able to taste Japanese Nihonshu (Sake), Shochu (distilled liquor), Umeshu (plum wine), and Awamori (Okinawan Shochu) and were introduced to the quality and variety of Japanese beverages and culture. Over the two days, around 800 people visited the Sake Tasting Event.

On Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9, the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco partnered with Kendama USA to present the third “Sakura Classic” Northern California Kendama Competition.
Throughout the weekend, amateur players of all ages and skills visited KendamaUSA’s festival booth to participate in the contest’s preliminary rounds. Professional Kendama players also performed during the finals, held at the NCCBF Peace Plaza Stage on the evening of Sunday, April 9. More than 1,500 people participated and watched the preliminary and final rounds of the contest over the two days.

On Saturday, April 8^th, Sunday, April 9^th, and Saturday, April 15^th, the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco in partnership with the NCCBF festival committee, presented the inaugural Cherry Blossom Film Festival. During the festival, three revered Japanese live-action films, “The Tale of Zatoichi”, “Tampopo”, and “Like Father, Like Son”, were screened. In total, over 200 people attended these film screenings.