Seattle Center Festál: Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival Runs 4/26-28

Seattle Center Festál presents Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., April 26 - 28, in Seattle Center Armory, Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center Pavilion. Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Japan through live performances, visual arts, hands-on activities, foods, games, and a lively marketplace.

The 38th annual Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival focuses on the theme of Numbers. Did you know that the name Google was adopted from the word Googol, which signifies the number digit one followed by 100 zeros? Do you know how many zeros a Nivenonagintillion contains? The Festival delves into these and other numeric fascinations. It also will attempt to create a new Guinness World Record involving a challenge between a Japanese Abacus device called Soroban and the Super Computer.

Additional Festival highlights:

TOHOKU Through the Eyes of Japanese photography exhibit, sponsored by Japan Foundation;
U.S. premiere - Aquaphoto Concert by underwater photographer-singer, Hiroshi Takano of Osaka, Japan, sponsored by Japan Foundation;
Dance and music by the Nago Minori troupe of Okinawa, Japan;
Over 60 traditional arts and crafts;
Over 30 traditional performing arts / martial arts including Taiko Drummers;
Many child oriented hands-on activities including The Kid's Passport;
Japanese foods including: curry-rice (Japanese style curry), Takoyaki (octopus dumplings), Gyudon (beef bowl), Japanese hot dog, Bento-Box, Manju sweets and gourmet cookies;
Updates on the 2011 Erthquake/Tsunami recovery.

The Festival was founded in appreciation of 1,000 cherry trees gifted to Seattle by Prime Minister Takeo Miki on behalf of the Japanese government in commemoration of the nation's bicentennial. It is the first ethnic festival to be held at Seattle Center annually and the oldest in the Seattle Center Festál series.

Seattle Center Festál, a series of 22 celebrations presented by community organizations with support from Seattle Center, considers themes of importance to ethnic cultures in our region, revealing their common forms of tradition and expression, while highlighting their unique contributions to the Pacific Northwest and the world.

Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival is produced in partnership with Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival Committee. For more information on the Festival, the Festal series and other public events at Seattle Center, visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200.

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