Japanese Cultural Fair held June 6 in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ – Mark your calendars: June 6 marks the 29th annual Japanese Cultural Fair of Santa Cruz, held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Mission Plaza Park in Santa Cruz.

The fair provides an opportunity for the Santa Cruz community to increase its awareness and understanding of Japanese culture, both traditional and contemporary.

Traditional Japanese music – from the stringed koto to the shakuhachi (Japanese flute), along with performances by both the Watsonville Taiko Group and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo – will be presented at the fair. Aikido, Karate and Kyudo (Japanese archery) will also be demonstrated at the Aikido of Santa Cruz, near the fair. Other demonstrations include a Bonsai demonstration, Ikebana (flower arranging), a kimono workshop and a tea ceremony, among other activities.

Various booths will have Japanese related items and food available to the public.

Because parking is very limited near the fair location, a free shuttle service sponsored by Toyota of Santa Cruz will provide transporation between the County Building at 701 Ocean Street and the fair. Fairgoers are urged to use this free shuttle and park at the County Building.

A schedule of events, as well as periodic updates, can be found at http://www.jcfsantacruz.org/events-schedule.html

For more information, visit the JCF site at http://www.jcfsantacruz.org