TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Capstone International Center Japan Program at The University of Alabama will be celebrating the 22nd annual Sakura Festival March 1-31.
The Sakura Festival is held in honor of the budding cherry blossoms and exhibits the Japanese culture through music and dance, art displays, events and a Haiku contest. The theme for this year’s festival is “kagami,” or mirror, to remind us that we may see our own reflections as well as those of the people we love and respect all around us.
The festival brings people throughout the Southeast to the Capstone and Tuscaloosa. A number of events will be hosted on the UA campus, but many in the community as well.
The schedule for the 2008 Sakura Festival includes:
- The 18th Annual Haiku Contest of the 22nd Sakura Festival
Saturday, March 1 Deadline
With its theme of “kagami” or mirror, the Haiku contest provides an opportunity for all citizens of Alabama and Narashino City to reflect on what is in their hearts. Entries can be in either English or Japanese. Winners receive prizes. Information and entry forms are available at http://bama.ua.edu/~jprogram/sakura.
- Sakura Festival at the Children’s Hands-On-Museum, CHOM
March 1-31
Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., closed Sunday
CHOM, 2213 University Boulevard, Downtown Tuscaloosa
Information is available at 205/349-4235. Free with museum admission.
Celebrate Sakura Festival with a visit to CHOM’s Japan House, an authentic replica of a Japanese home. The Japan House will feature a “Girls’ Day” display, highlighting this unique holiday and the cultural role of girls in Japan. Visitors can create a variety of Japanese-inspired art projects throughout the month of March, including kimono doll bookmarks, cherry blossom pictures, Japanese fans, framed Imperial Couple paper dolls and origami samurai helmets. Creation Station will be open daily to make kimono doll bookmarks and view the Hina Matsuri-Doll Festival display in CHOM’s Japan House with additional activities each weekend.
Every day
Kimono Doll Bookmark, 2-4 p.m.
Saturday, March 1:
Origami Kimono Dolls, 10:30 a.m.-noon, 2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 8
The Cherry Blossom Pictures, 10:30 a.m. -noon, 2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 15
Japanese Fans, 10:30 a.m.-noon, 2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 22
Imperial Couple Framed Paper Dolls, 10:30 a.m. -noon, 2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 29
Origami Samurai Helmets, 10:30 a.m.-noon, 2-3:30 p.m.
- Tuscaloosa Public Library
March 1-31
There will be a display of Contemporary Japanese Culture in the exhibit case in the lobby of the Tuscaloosa Public Library throughout March.
1801 Jack Warner Parkway, Tuscaloosa
Information is available from Jana R. Fine at 205/345-5820.
Admission is free.
Additional activities at other library locations are listed below:
“Wii Gaming for Teens and Tweens”
Monday, March 17
4 p.m.
Tuscaloosa Public Library
Thursday, March 20
4 p.m.
Weaver Bolden Library
“Anime Drawing with Kittyhawk”
Tuesday, March 18
2 p.m.
Tuscaloosa Public Library
“Japanese Folklore and Puppet Show for School-age Youth”
Wednesday, March 19
2 p.m.
Tuscaloosa Public Library
- “Great Day Tuscaloosa” Sakura Festival Television Appearances.
Tune in to “Great Day Tuscaloosa” on Comcast Cable Channel 20 to enjoy Japan’s traditional cultural activities and preview upcoming Sakura Festival activities.
| At Noon | Featured Topics |
|---|---|
| Monday, March 3 | Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission |
| Tuesday, March 4 | Ukiyo-e (Japanese Art) |
| Wednesday, March 5 | Children’s Hands-On-Museum (CHOM) |
| Thursday, March 6 | UA Arboretum |
| Friday, March 7 | Tuscaloosa Public Library |
| Thursday, March 27 | Nozomi Daiko (Japanese Drum) |
- Exhibit: “Small Exhibition of Books by Onoto Watanna”
Opening Reception, Monday, March 3
Closed for Spring Break, March 17 – 21
Monday – Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday, 8 a.m. -9 p.m.
W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library Lobby, Mary Harmon Bryant Hall on the UA Campus.
The books are featured in the internationally known online resource, Publishers’ Bindings Online, “1815 – 1930: The Art of Books,” which was developed by UA Libraries with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries.
- Doll Festival/Hina Matsuri Exhibit
Monday, March 3
Noon- 4:30 p.m.
B.B. Comer Hall-121F, UA Capstone International Center
Admission is free
Beautiful dolls representing the traditional Japanese royal court will be on display in the Tatami Room. These precious dolls have been handed down from generation to generation. The Doll Festival, which was originally a purification ritual, represents a day of hope for the growth, happiness and future of young girls. Japanese refreshments will be served. Information is available at 205/348-5256 or http://bama.ua.edu/~japan/sakura
- Ukiyoe : Pictures of the Floating World
Opening reception, March 6, 6:30 p.m.
Art Gallery, UA Ferguson Center
Admission is free
To view by appointment, contact Catherine Pagani at 205/348-1428
The Ferguson Center Art Gallery will be the site of an exhibit of Japanese woodblock prints. Included in the exhibit are examples of ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” from the 17th through 19th centuries by such well-known masters as Utamaro, Hiroshige and Hokusai. This exhibit will also feature works by modern masters of the 20th century. A gallery talk on the influence of Japanese prints on Western art will be given in conjunction with the exhibit.
- A Garden Talk on “Cherry Blossoms/Sakura”
Saturday, March 8
2 p.m.
UA Arboretum, 4801 Arboretum Way, Tuscaloosa
Mary Jo Modica, the UA horticulturist, will present a brief overview of the history of the flowering cherry trees in the U.S. Talk beneath one of the largest flowering cherry trees in the city of Tuscaloosa while sipping a cup of tea. For more information, contact Modica at 205/553-3278.
- Lecture: “Turning Japanese: How Winnifred Eaton Became Onoto Watanna” by Dr. Edward Tang, associate professor of American studies
Wednesday, March 11
4:30 p.m.
W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, Mary Harmon Bryant Hall, UA
- Tea Ceremony
Presented by Lilly Kimata Eagleson, the Omote Senke tea master
Saturday, March 15
1 p.m. and 2 p.m., Toshinan – Japanese Tea House
Birmingham Botanical Gardens,
2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham
Admission is free
Ikebana International Jefferson County Chapter 137 will present the Tea Ceremony at the Toshinan – Japanese Tea House. Come and enjoy the tea ceremony performance along with a cup of hot powdered green tea and a traditional Japanese sweet. Spaces are limited. First come, first served. Information is available from Jessie Bean, president of Ikebana International Jefferson County Chapter 137, 205/823-1985
- “A Gallery Talk” by Dr. Catherine Pagani, UA professor of art history
Thursday, March 20
6:30 p.m.
Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art
2700 Yacht Club Way, Tuscaloosa
For more information: museum@warnermuseum.org or 205/343-4540 - The 10th Annual Art Contest of the 22nd Sakura Festival at Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission
Friday, March 21
The Art Contest, “A Reflection on Your Community,” is open to grades 1-12 in the Tuscaloosa City School System, Narashino, Japan, and Schorndorf, Germany. There will be three categories – elementary, middle school and high school. Any medium may be used on poster paper no larger than 24″ x 30″ and all art work must be mounted on art card. The artwork will be judged on Tuesday, March 24, and will be on display in the Center Court of McFarland Mall from March 26-30. Information is available from Lisa Keyes at 205/ 469-2183 or lykeyes@dbtech.net. 
“Matsuri in the Mall”
Saturday, March 29
11 a.m. – 5:40 p.m.
McFarland Mall Center Court
900 Skyland Blvd. E., Tuscaloosa
“Matsuri in the Mall” offers an opportunity to experience Japanese culture. Through an exciting variety of Japanese cultural exhibits and performances, we hope to build friendship and to increase an understanding of the country and people of Japan. More information is available at 205/348-5256, Capstone International Center in 135 B.B. Comer Hall.
“Matsuri at the Mall” Booth Activities:
| Activity | Organization |
|---|---|
| Anime and Popular Culture UA | Anime & Manga Association |
| Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu | BTSD Tuscaloosa Bujinkan Martial Arts |
| “Come to Japanese General Store” | West Alabama Japanese Community |
| Display & Sale of Bonsai | Leo Wagner |
| Display & Sale of Student Ceramic Work | Crimson Ceramics Society |
| Display of Flower Arrangement | Ikebana International Jefferson County Chapter 137 |
| Display of Okinawa Dance and Taiko | Miyagi Ryu Noshokai |
| “Fun with Japan Club” | UA Japan Club |
| Information on Japan | The Consulate General of Japan-Atlanta |
| Information on Tuscaloosa Sister Cities | Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission |
| Japanese Martial Arts | UA Yoseikan Budo Club Japanese |
| Woodwork Display & Sale | Sahara Japanese Architectural Woodworks |
| Kimono Display | Kimono Consultant |
| “Let’s Sumo!” | Georgia Sumo Association |
| Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship | International Shinkendo Federation in Alabama & Georgia |
| Traditional Japanese Toys & Origami Folding | The Japan-America Society of Alabama |
Stage Activities:
| Time | Performance | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 11 – 11:05 a.m. | Opening Ceremony with Nozomi Daiko – Drumming | Kip Tyner, Master of Ceremonies UA Nozomi Daiko |
| 11:10 – 11:40 a.m. | Music Performance by uzuki Students | Violin UA Community Music School Suzuki Strings |
| 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship | International Shinkendo Federation in Alabama & Georgia |
| 12:20 – 12:50 p.m. | Nozomi Daiko – Drumming | UA Nozomi Daiko |
| 12:55 – 1:15 p.m. | Sketch Comedy Show | UA Japan Club |
| 1:20 – 1:40 p.m. | Okinawa Dance & Eisa Taiko | Miyagi Ryu Noshokai |
| 1:45 – 2:15 p.m. | Japanese Martial Arts | UA Yoseikan Budo Club |
| 2:20 – 2:50 p.m. | “Let’s Sumo!” | Georgia Sumo Association |
| 2:55 – 3:25 p.m. | Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu | BTSD Tuscaloosa Bujinkan Martial Arts |
| 3:30 – 3:50 p.m. | Okinawa Dance & Eisa Taiko | Miyagi Ryu Noshokai |
| 3:55 – 4:25 p.m. | Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship | International Shinkendo Federation |
| 4:30 – 5 p.m. | “Let’s Sumo!” | Georgia Sumo Association |
| 5:05 – 5:25 p.m. | Okinawa Dance & Eisa Taiko | Miyagi Ryu Noshokai |
| 5:30 – 5:35 p.m. | Nozomi Daiko – Drumming | UA Nozomi Daiko |
| 5:35 – 5:40 p.m. | Closing Ceremony | |
| Drawing for a free round-trip ticket to Japan. |
For more information about Sakura Festival events, contact the Capstone International Center at 205/348-5256, http://bama.ua.edu/~jprogram/sakura.
Contact
Christoffer Feemster or Linda Hill, UA Public Relations, 205/348-8325, lhill@ur.ua.edu