Sakura Matsuri! Mark your calendars!

I recieved this in my mailbox today.  How wonderful that local students recieve this exchange opportunity.  And How wonderful that these schools and their students are offering the Central Oregon Community the chance to be introduced to the Japanese culture:

Japanese Festival/ Sakura Matsuri

Each year Mountain View and Summit High School students get together to fundraise for our annual Japanese Exchange Program. This program between MVHS, SHS and Kamogaoka Senior High School in Toyota City, Japan, has been sending and receiving students for over 35 years and began with Bend High School.

The cost for each student to go is around $2500 for 18 days in Toyota City and Tokyo. While there, students live with a Japanese family and attend school with their host students. This is quite a phenomenal experience for our students.We also receive students from Kamogaoka High School each March for about 2 weeks. They too live with host families, attend classes and venture around Bend and the surrounding area.

The Japanese festival started as a way to enhance Bend’s awareness of Japanese culture and customs. At the festival, students from MVHS and SHS work together to teach others about various traditional crafts, such as: Origami (paper folding), Ikebana (flower arranging), and Shodou (Calligraphy). The festival centers on a “Japanese Festival, or Matsuri” theme and we will have a wonderful Taiko (Drumming) performance by a group out of Portland called En Taiko. Students put on a Fashion show highlighting both traditional Japanese fashion as well as various “Tokyo Fashions”. Sakura Immersion Pre‐school students will be there to entertain as well. There is also an area for little ones that includes “gold fishing” in which you fish with origami cups and try to catch a goldfish. Face painting and a ramen‐eating
contest are other events not to miss.

During the event we will have a silent auction with goods from our friends at Wabi Sabi and other local vendors. Sumi’s Japanese Restaurant will be serving food too.

The Date of the event is Saturday, May 22 from 12 until 4 at Mountain View High School. Admission is $5 per person or $12 for the family. The price includes Taiko performance and access to all activities.