Despite the chill in the air, the Japanese Student Association plans to usher in spring this weekend with its annual Sakura Festival.
The festival, which is based around the spring equinox and commemorates the cherry blossom, will include student performances of dance, music and martial arts.
“In Japan, when spring comes, people like to come together to drink and sing and watch the flowers bloom,” said Nami Ueda, president of the association. “And that’s where Sakura, which means cherry blossom, came from. It’s all about people coming together to celebrate nature.”
This year will be the first that the Japanese Student Association will hold the festival indoors, but it hopes to make up for that with extra festivities.
“This will be the first year we will include local bands in the event,” said Japanese Student Association Treasurer Erika Todushi. “I’m very excited about that, as music is my favorite part of Sakura.”
This Sunday will mark the 11th consecutive year the group has held the festival at OU, and it has been happy to see interest from non-Japanese students steadily rising.
“We get all sorts of people,” said Ueda. “Sakura is popular with the other foreign students, as well as the American ones. Some people even come from other schools to celebrate with us. Everyone is welcome.”
One such American is junior Camille Scott, who, in addition to attending the festival, will perform in the women’s Judo competition.
“I’m really looking forward to the Sakura Festival,” Scott said. “I love how the Japanese culture celebrates nature. Sakura is a nice peak into the sometimes elusive Japanese culture, which I think is really cool.”
The festival will be held in the Baker University Center Ballroom, and will begin at 1 p.m. The Japanese Student Association has been gearing up for the festival for weeks, and the Japanese students involved are excited for what is quite possibly their biggest event of the year.
“There really isn’t a comparable American holiday,” said Todushi, who has been in the U.S. for seven years. “Sakura is just something you have to come and experience for yourself.”
Tickets for the festival are available now for $8, and everyone who buys a ticket will also receive a Japanese lunch box.
de155710@ohiou.edu
