Brooklyn Botanic Garden Celebrates Hanami Beginning Saturday, April 5

Cherry Viewing Season Culminates with Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival

Hanami, the cherry viewing season, honors the Garden's unparalleled collection of over 220 flowering cherry trees, comprised of over 40 varieties. Sakura Matsuri, "New York's Rite of Spring," is May 3 and 4 and features over 50 performances, demonstrations and exhibits. (Left photo: Barbara Alper, courtesy Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Right photo, Joseph O. Holmes)

HANAMI: Celebrating the Cherry Blossom-Viewing Season at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
April 5–May 4, 2008

SAKURA MATSURI: BBG's 27th annual Cherry Blossom Festival
Saturday, May 3–Sunday, May 4, 2008 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sakura Matsuri tickets are available through www.TicketWeb.com.

Brooklyn, NY—April 4, 2008—From April 5 to May 11, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) celebrates Hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of viewing and cherishing each moment of the cherry blossom season from the first buds to the pink blossoms that fall like snow. During Hanami, visitors can track the cherry display using Brooklyn Botanic Garden's award-winning website's CherryWatch feature, view mesmerizing large-scale art inspired by BBG's cherry collection in Cherry Blossom Visions: Works by Charles Gustina and David Wander (opening April 5), and take a Seasonal Highlights Tour focusing on the ethereal beauty of cherry blossoms on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. The Zagat-rated Terrace Café will offer a selection of special Japanese entrées throughout the season, and the Garden Gift Shop will present an exceptional Hanami Collection at the Gift Shop, both in the Garden and online at shop.bbg.org.

For more activities in the Garden, Sakura Matsuri is scheduled for May 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to Noon, with over 50 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits—many of which are new and especially created for the nation's largest event in a public garden. Visitors of all ages are welcome.

Hanami

Hanami is the Japanese name for cherry blossom viewing, around which the Japanese have long-established customs, including picnicking under the boughs of cherry trees and trapping fallen petals in cups of sake. The sweet blush of cherry canopies has captured the hearts and minds of Japanese poets and artists for centuries; come visit the Garden and allow the cherry blossoms to captivate your imagination. (Visitors to BBG this spring are sharing their cherry blossom pictures on the Garden's Hanami photo pool on Flickr.)

Japanese flowering cherries can be found throughout Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Special highlighted concentrations of cherries can be found in the following areas: Cherry Esplanade, a broad field with 76 specimens of the bright pink Prunus 'Kanzan' cherry; Cherry Walk, a meandering path east of Cherry Esplanade and behind the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden; between Cherry Walk and Cherry Esplanade, which is planted with Cherry cultivars; and the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, where cherries are planted throughout, in particular the weeping higan cherries, Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula'.

Hanami culminates with Sakura Matsuri, "New York City's Rite of Spring," with over 50 events and performances. Sakura Matsuri (May 3 and 4) is a two-day festival of Japanese culture, arts, and performances for all ages in tribute to the Garden's iconic collection of Japanese flowering cherry trees. As Hanami draws to its seasonal conclusion, visitors delight in experiencing the cherry blossoms cascading from the trees to create a petal carpet—a tradition thought to bring good luck.

CherryWatch

A more recent—and now much-beloved—tradition surrounding Hanami is BBG's CherryWatch, a Web-based exhibit that tracks the blossom season and provides a detailed guide to the history, cultivation, and care of BBG's 220-tree cherry collection. This is a great way to learn when nature reveals the first blossoms and to plan visits throughout the season. From the early-blooming Prunus 'Okame' in the Cherry Cultivars area and Prunus hirtipes (formerly Prunus conradinae) in the Plant Family Collection to Prunus 'Kanzan', on Cherry Esplanade, visitors near and far can watch the dramatic and sumptuous beauty progress from bud to fallen petal.

Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery

Hanami visitors can view striking contemporary art inspired by BBG's collection of flowering cherries in the exhibit Cherry Blossom Visions: Works by Charles Gustina and David Wander. Charles Gustina's remarkable wall-sized cherry blossom murals are composed of a mosaic of color photographs, and invite comparisons to painting in their studied detail and intense color. Wander's rich and expressive oil paintings and pastels communicate the intense beauty of each stage of the blossom cycle. Wander will guide gallery tours during Sakura Matsuri.

Sakura Matsuri

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's peerless collection of cherry trees—the largest and most diverse outside Japan—creates a canopy of blossoms in the spring worthy of celebration. Over the course of its 27-year history, Sakura Matsuri has evolved into one of the city's most anticipated weekend events, as tens of thousands of visitors come to experience the breathtaking beauty of the cherry tree's fleeting blossoms and learn about Japanese culture. This year, visitors from around the world and the New York metropolitan area alike will enjoy a dynamic weekend of music, dance, martial arts, food, workshops, demonstrations, art exhibits, and guided tours of the Garden's plant collections.

Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All activities are free with Garden admission and take place rain or shine, with indoor locations provided for all activities in the event of rain. Tickets are available through www.TicketWeb.com; for same day ticket information, visit bbg.org or call 718-623-7200. A detailed schedule of the festival is available by visiting Brooklyn Botanic Garden's website at bbg.org/sakuramatsuri, and information is available by calling the public events hotline at 718-623-7333. To help offset the ever-rising costs of public programs, regular admission fees will be charged all weekend, including Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (On all Saturdays without public programs scheduled, the Garden will continue to extend free admission from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) Media sponsorship for Hanami at Brooklyn Botanic Garden is provided by WNYC.

New to Sakura Matsuri this Year:

For the first time ever, BBG presents the Sakura J-Lounge on the grounds of the elegant Osborne Garden. Festival-goers can enjoy the sounds of four top East Coast DJs spinning the finest in Japanese and Japanese-American music, each with his or her own distinctive style. On Saturday, DJ Saiko Mikan will be spinning a set of Group Sounds—the buoyant genre of late sixties Japanese rock—and DJ Hayden Honey will thrill visitors with a set of pure Shibuya-kei, the fusion pop that exploded out of the uber-hip Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo. On Sunday, DJ Jaiko Suzuki will keep the party going with a set of seventies and eighties Japanese rock and pop, and Boston-based DJ 2Thirteen will take inspiration from his highly successful Boston radio show to spin anime-themed tunes.
The Legend of Ninja Kotaro is a ninja cosplay spectacle conceived and developed especially for Sakura Matsuri by the Spinnin Ronin Martial Arts Dance Theater. Martial arts, acrobatics, and hip-hop are used to tell a story of adventure and intrigue sure to amaze festival-goers.
Gaijin a Go-Go triumphantly returns in a new incarnation with their most vibrant, energetic lineup to date, wearing psychedelic costumes and sharing infectious pop melodies
Global skin care and beauty company L'Occitane en Provence shares its expertise on crafting fragrances derived from cherry blossoms and other botanical beauties in the lecture Cherry Blossoms and the Art of Perfume.
Musical duo Love, etc brings extra sunshine to Sakura Matsuri with its charming blend of airy vocals, soulful piano, and theatrical rhythms.
Samurai Sword Soul performs Mask-Battles for the Truth, a spectacle specially commissioned for Sakura Matsuri featuring samurai sword fighting, martial arts, acrobatics, and sure to delight the audience.
Documentary filmmaker Miyuki Sohara screens her new film, Hannari: Geisha Modern, which explores the evolution of geisha in Japan, from their early history to their contemporary incarnation. The screening will be preceded by a kimono fashion show of these spectacular garments.
Renowned manga artist and Manga for Dummies author Kensuke Okabayashi presents a character-sketching lecture for all cartoon manga enthusiasts, meets visitors, and signs books.
During a Children's Suzuki Recital, children ages 4 through 13 from Brooklyn College's Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts perform a string version of the Japanese folk song "Sakura, Sakura" as well as other classical music selections.

Returning Favorites:

Taiko Drumming by Soh Daiko and Taiko Masala allows visitors to experience this ancient percussive art in a riveting modern form, performed by these energetic groups.
A Japanese nature manga comics library offers families the chance to peruse hundreds of exquisitely illustrated nature-inspired comics provided by AnimeNEXT.
The Japanese Folk Institute of New York presents a visually stunning performance of Hanagasa Odori (Flower Hat Dance).
Both members of ZAN—one of the most popular young bands in Japan—are sons of two of the most famous instrumentalists in that country, who have passed the gifts of the harplike koto and shakuhachi bamboo flute to their sons. ZAN uses these traditional instruments to write and perform thoroughly modern Japanese pop.
Precocious performers abound, including the pint-size ensemble Genki Daiko who perform a thrilling kids' taiko drum show.
Urasenke Chanoyu Center presents a Traditional Tea Ceremony, demonstrating the ancient, elegant, and meticulous art form of preparing and serving tea.
Craft demonstrations of washi ningyo and mataro ningyo doll making use beautiful patterned paper, wood, and cloth to fashion delicate artisanal dolls.
In a special "Sleeping with the Fishes" photo op, visitors can cozy up to sushi-shaped pillows designed by The Original Sushi Pillow.
View Japanese classical dance from Sachiyo Ito & Company featuring breathtaking costumes and makeup, accompanied by the Sonny Ochiai Quartet.
See a striking exhibit of Ikebana Flower Arranging and a demonstration of this beautiful and disciplined art by ikebana master Fumiko Allinder.
Meet the curator of BBG's world-famous bonsai collection and watch a demonstration of this ancient horticultural art in Bonsai Pruning Techniques.

Sakura Matsuri: Event Highlights

Music

Visitors to the Garden enjoy traditional Japanese music performed with authentic instruments as well as contemporary music by leading musicians. The new Sakura J-Lounge features renowned DJs spinning Japanese music to pack extra punch into the festivities! Other musical highlights include a Japanese pop concert by ZAN, who make thoroughly modern music using the traditional Japanese instruments shakuhachi bamboo flute and the harplike koto; Love etc, who perform charming love ballads; and a performance of Japanese imperial court music by the Tenri Gagaku Music Society of New York. Gaijin a Go-Go returns to Sakura Matsuri, bringing back their infectious pop sounds, outrageous costumes, and mod sensibility with a new lineup of songs. A Children's Suzuki Recital features kids ages 4 to 13 performing string versions of Japanese folk songs. Enjoy the adrenaline-pumping sounds of taiko performances by Taiko Masala, Soh Daiko, and the all-children Genki Daiko—then try this ancient art of drumming in two hands-on taiko drumming workshops for families!

Dance & Martial Arts

For the first time, BBG welcomes Spinnin Ronin Martial Arts Dance Theater, which will dazzle audiences with its performance of The Legend of Ninja Kotaro—specially commissioned for Sakura Matsuri 2008. Samurai Sword Soul returns with another original piece, Mask-Battles for the Truth, which will showcase the mastery of these sword-fighting professionals. Enjoy works by the legendary dance troupe Sachiyo Ito & Company, performing the expressive tradition of Ryukyu Buyo Okinawan dance and the graceful Nihon Buyo, Japanese classical dance. Experience the vibrant tradition of Japanese folk dance with the colorful Hanagasa Odori (Flower Hat Dance) Parade—performed by adults and children at different times throughout the festival—and minbu dance, all performed by the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York. Witness a moving performance of butoh, a Japanese style of dance that emerged after World War II, performed by Dean Street FOO Dance.

The Arts

Sakura Matsuri offers a manga library, where children and adults can partake of the global phenomenon of these exquisitely illustrated Japanese comics and read nature-inspired manga. Plus, Manga for Dummies author and renowned manga illustrator, Kensuke Okabayashi, will present a fantastic character-sketching talk and demo; Okabayashi will sign copies of Manga for Dummies. Explore additional Japanese art forms and creative disciplines with special workshops and demonstrations of ikebana flower arranging, origami paper folding, mataro ningyo wooden doll making, and washi ningyo paper doll making. Artist David Wander leads a gallery walk of the exhibit Cherry Blossom Visions on display in the Steinhardt Conservatory Gallery. BBG's own curator of the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum, Julian Velasco, shares his expertise in bonsai pruning techniques. Other highlights include a traditional Japanese tea ceremony presentation, a whimsical soft sculpture sushi display and photo op, and a screening of the film Hannari: Geisha Modern, which explores the lives of modern-day geisha. The screening will be preceded by a stunning kimono fashion show.

Children's Activities

Children's activities include the Japanese manga nature comic library, a thrilling performance of The Legend of Ninja Kotaro featuring dazzling martial arts and dance, Samurai sword fighting performed by Samurai Sword Soul, the Sakura tattoo parlor, a workshop all about haiku and papermaking, an entertaining origami paper-folding workshop, plus taiko drumming for the whole family. Kids will love watching their counterparts star in a suzuki recital, a taiko-drumming performance, and a special hanagasa odori (flower hat dance) parade.

Cherry Blossom Viewing at Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Visitor Services

Sakura Matsuri tickets are available through www.TicketWeb.com. For same day ticket information, visit bbg.org or call 718-623-7200. A special menu at the Garden's Terrace Café also highlights the culinary traditions of Japan. Guests of the festival can purchase Japanese food, beer, and sake on the Cherry Esplanade. Visitors can also take home Japanese and cherry blossom themed items like sushi pillows, haiku books, sugar-cane confections, plus Japanese treasures from the Garden Gift Shop, or visit the online gift shop at shop.bbg.org

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