Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival - A Highlight of the National Cherry Blossom Festival

Americas Largest Annual Exhibition of Japanese Culture - Presented by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC.

The Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival is a major event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

It is the biggest Japanese street party in the nation.

The festival will stretches six blocks and include Japanese performances on five stages, 20 Japanese and Asian restaurants, 30 interactive cultural exhibits and 35 vendors selling Japanese products.

*Sushi Masters Competition with some of the areas top chefs.

* Chat with Maki Kaji, the man who started the worldwide Sudoku craze.

* Washington Nationals mascots Screech and the Racing Presidents .

* Musical performances by Japanese singer Ai Kawashima, six rock bands from Japan and taiko drummer Kaoru Watanabe.

*Interactive Stage - learn how to bow, how to dance and sing Japanese style.

Fans of Japans railroads will display a 300 square foot display of Japans famous bullet trains and a Tokyo city scene.

Saturday, April 4, 2009. The street festival begins immediately following the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Sakura Matsuri will be centered at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, stretching east to west on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, from 10th to 14th Street, and north to south on 12th Street NW from Pennsylvania to Constitution Avenues.

The best way to get to the festival is by public transportation. The closest Metro stations are Federal Triangle and Archives/Navy Memorial and Smithsonian.

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. The characters which make up Japans name mean sun-origin, which is why Japan is sometimes identified as the Land of the Rising Sun.

Japan comprises over 3,000 islands making it an archipelago. The four largest islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, together accounting for 97% of Japans land area.

Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japans highest peak, Mount Fuji, is a volcano.

Japan has the worlds tenth largest population, with about 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, ,is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.

A major economic power,Japan has the worlds second largest economy by nominal GDP and the third largest in purchasing power parity.

It is a member of the United Nations, G8, OECD and APEC, with the worlds sixth largest defense budget.

It is also the worlds fourth largest exporter and sixth largest importer. It is a developed country with high living standards (8th highest HDI), the longest life expectancy in the world (according to UN estimates)

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft).
Floating torii, Miyajima.
Himeji Castle.
Korakuen Garden, Okayama.
Great Buddha of Kamakura.
Neputa Matsuri, Hirosaki.
Sakinoyu Onsen, Shirahama.
Bathhouse, Dogo Onsen.
Osaka Bay at night.
Sulphur pit, Mount Osore.
Fushimi Inari, Kyoto.
Vine bridge, Iya Valley.
Chinatown, Yokohama.

Capital : Tokyo.
Population : 127,433,494.
Language : Japanese.
Currency : Yen.
National Foundation Day - Feb 11.

>City(s) = Washington DC; State(s) = DC; Country = USA.
>Title = Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, Washington DC, US - Video.
>Keywords = Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, National Cherry Blossom, Culture, the Japan America Society, Washington DC, performances, Sushi Chat wit Maki, Kaji Sudoku, craze singer, Ai Kawashima, bullet trains, Tokyo, Pennsylvania Avenue, Federal Triangle, Land of Rising, Sun Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, mountainous, volcanic, Mount Fuji, yen, ourtripvideos, our, trip, videos, crlapindfrn, Buddha of Kamakura, Floating torii Miyajima, Himeji Castle, Korakuen Garden Okayama, Neputa Matsuri Hirosaki, Sakinoyu Onsen Shirahama (65)
>Catg =