Annual Sakura Days Japan Fair celebrates spring at Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, April 13 and 14
Premium sake sampling, children’s J-pop dancing, samurai sword performances, and more at weekend event
Cherry blossoms in bloom at Sakura Days Japan Fair. Photo by Gianell Campos
Sakura Days Japan Fair. Photo by Gianell Campos
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival hosts Sakura Days Japan Fair with the Japan Fair Association of Vancouver at VanDusen Botanical Garden on April 13 from 10 am to 6 pm, and April 14 from 10 am to 5 pm
SAKURA DAYS JAPAN FAIR was introduced by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival in 2008—that’s just two years after the fest was founded, and it’s been a spring staple in the city ever since.
The annual Japanese-culture fair is bringing back many of its beloved events, including taiko drumming performances from GO Taiko and Vancouver Okinawa Taiko, traditional tea ceremonies hosted by Urasenke Tankokai Vancouver Association, and premium sake sampling. There are also a couple of new features to look forward to this time around—namely a 50-percent increase in food vendors, and the addition of a second stage for performances.
On the central Cherry Stage, audiences can expect anything from Japanese martial arts by Vancouver Eishin Ryu Iaido Club to children’s J-pop dancing from Tenrikyo Joyous Stars, and a mixed-voice choral performance from the Sakura Singers to Hawaiian hula dancing by Wailele Wai Wai. The all-new Floral Stage has a whole lineup of its own, too; standouts include a Kengido-style samurai sword performance, and a Japanese archery martial-art show by Vancouver Kyudo Club.
Taiko drumming at Sakura Days Japan Fair. Photo by Barry Yip
Folks can try a hand at various workshops: making wooden windmills with Japanese Canadian construction-forum group Kenyukai, designing ikebana (Japanese floral arrangements) with Vancouver Ikebana Association, decorating temari (traditional thread-ball toys) with TEMARIMO, writing in calligraphy with the Vancouver Japanese Language School, and crafting haikus with poets Sophia Conway and Michael Dylan Welch.
In the food department, there are 19 tents and six trucks serving up delicious bites. The crowd-pleaser Teriyaki Boys truck is back in town, with stir-fried yakisoba noodles, teriyaki-grilled chicken rice bowls, garlic-Cajun shrimp drizzled with Kewpie mayo, and more.
Teriyaki Boys food truck at Sakura Days Japan Fair. Photo by Barry Yip
If you’re in the mood for savoury, try a tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) bento box from Manpuku Bento, a crispy garlic-miso spiral-potato stick from Potato San, or a fish-katsu sando layered with deep-fried black cod, shredded cabbage, and tartar sauce from Tokyo Katsu-sand. For those with a sweet tooth, check out Rika Plant Kitchen’s vegan cheesecakes in strawberry, raspberry, and matcha flavours, or sip on an icy watermelon yakult from Boketto Tea Bar.
If snacks, live music, and workshops aren’t enough, festival-goers can also participate in complimentary yukata (Japanese summer kimono) fittings, and take 20-minute strolls around VanDusen Botanical Garden in the colourful cotton garments. There’s much more on offer, too, from a samurai photo booth to a children’s story reading with author Emily Seo.
To purchase tickets to the fair, register for workshops and events, and learn more about all the happenings, be sure to visit the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s website. 
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