Don Le, Staff Reporter
April 27, 2019
Credit to Jamie Lamping
Cupertino’s 36th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival was held on April 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cupertino Memorial Park.
After parking for free at the De Anza College parking lot and crossing the street, you walk across the green grass of the park. The sun is shining and there is a faint breeze in the air.
Children are walking around with their parents and dog owners have brought their canines to the event.
When you walk into the park, the first thing you see are booths set up for arts and crafts vendors. Jewelry, clothing, ceramics, paintings, anime plushies, and windmills are just some of the various objects you can buy.
There are plenty of food choices if you’re hungry for a snack. Large bags of kettle corn, snow cones, and cotton candy are being sold near the vendors’ booths.
Don’t forget to bring some cash because the “food court” area sells delicious Japanese foods, including Takoyaki, yaki soba, and sushi.
Yaki soba are japanese fried noodles while takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter.
You can see the ingredients sizzling on a hot grill before they are served to you on a plate. The yaki soba has a generous portion of wheat flour noodles, cabbage, chicken, and carrots. It is very filling and the different textures of the vegetables, protein, and noodles make the dish very good.
The takoyaki balls are filled with minced or diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion. They are then drizzled with a takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. You get served six of the delectable bite sized balls and they are delicious snacks, perfect for munching on while walking around the park.
If you’re thirsty, Amor Café and Tea is selling refreshing milk teas and coffees. For any adults that want something with a little more buzz, there is also a booth selling Japanese beers and sake, including Sapporo and Asahi.
At the outdoor amphitheater, the beating of Japanese ceremonial drums could be heard around the entire park from San Jose Taiko. The performers were smiling and very expressive as they banged their big, traditional Japanese drums for the “young art form of kumidaiko (ensemble drumming featuring the Japanese drum)”, according to their website.
Walking in deeper into Memorial Park, the Quinlan Community Center had a Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) demonstration by Master Suisen Sekiguchi. She was using a giant ink brush to write Japanese characters on a piece of paper while dancers with colorful wagasas (oil-paper umbrellas) performed in front of her with fun, Japanese music playing over the speakers.
The Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival is a result of community appreciation for Japanese arts, music, and food. As you walk back to your car, after seeing all the amazing performances done at the festival and the authentic Japanese food served, you definitely get a sense of appreciation for Japanese culture.
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