Seven young Japanese American women, who will participate in the 2016 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program, were introduced at a press conference March 12 at the Union Bank Community Room in San Francisco’s Japantown. The Queen Program, a highlight of San Francisco’s 49th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, will be held Saturday, April 9 […]
Kyle Sayaka Fujiki Tana crowned 2014 Northern Calif. Cherry Blossom Queen
April 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
With cherry blossoms in bloom in San Francisco’s Japantown, the 47th annual Cherry Blossom Festival began April 12, and with it, the new queen’s court was named that evening during the queen program at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas. Emcees Jana Katsuyama, a KTVU reporter, and George Kiriyama, a former NBC Bay Area reporter, led the program, […]
Japanese cultural classes
April 4, 2014 by 2 Comments
Taiko San Francisco GenRyu Arts Location: Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, 1840 Sutter St., S.F.’s Japantown Contact: (415) 420-3151, info@genryuarts.org, www.genryuarts.org Maikaze Daiko Location: Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St., S.F. Contact: (415) 513-7798, info@maikazedaiko.org, www.maikazedaiko.org San Francisco Taiko Dojo Classes: 212 Ryan Way South San Francisco, CA 94080 Contact: (415) 928-2456, […]
Kelly Yuka Walton crowned 2013 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen
April 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Kelly Yuka Walton, an eighth-grade math teacher who grew up in San Francisco, was crowned the 2013 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen April 13 during the annual Queen Program, held at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco’s Japantown. “It’s been a lifelong dream to participate in this program,” Walton, 25, said after her win. “I […]
2013 Northern Calif. Cherry Blossom Queen Program candidates announced
March 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The five candidates who will compete for the title of Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen were introduced to the public for the first time on Saturday, March 16 at the Union Bank Community Room in San Francisco’s Japantown. Michiko Marie Maggi, Jamie Sachiko Martyn, Tiffany Sieu Okimura, Kimberly Miya Sasaki and Kelly Yuka Walton will […]
Japanese government honors NorCal Cherry Blossom Festival leaders
June 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dozens of community members associated with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival gathered at the official residence of Consul General of Japan in San Francisco Hiroshi Inomata on the evening of May 30 to honor the work of the festival’s General Committee. The evening celebrated the presentation of the Commendation of the Minister for Foreign […]
Japanese government honors Benh Nakajo
May 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program took place on April 14 at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco’s Japantown. Along with the crowning of Queen Asaki Osato, the program’s longtime chairman, Benh Koreyoshi Nakajo, was also honored. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan bestowed on Nakajo a commendation for his years […]
Asaki Osato named 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen
April 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Asaki Osato, a college student from San Jose, was crowned 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco’s Japantown on April 14. Candidates Chihiro Hirai, Manami Kidera, Osato, Miki Fukai and Megumi Yoshida competed for the role of queen in the program, a highlight of the 45th annual Northern California […]
S.F.’s Japantown kicks off 45th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
April 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
The streets of San Francisco’s Japantown were filled with people who had gathered amid the fluttering pink petals of the cherry blossom trees to celebrate the first day of the 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, April 14. Allen Okamoto, one of the co-chairs of the festival, described the annual event as “one […]
LETTERS: Great job on the Cherry Blossom Festival and Japanese Culture Guide!
April 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
Dear Editor, The Cherry Blossom edition (Nichi Bei Weekly Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival and Japanese Culture Guide) is fantastic! I enjoyed reading it cover to cover and especially liked the directories the paper provided on how you can learn more about each of the topics highlighted. In addition to being a sort of introduction […]
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