After an unbearably long winter, spring has finally arrived.
In celebration of the mid-60 degree weather and the blooming cherry trees, locals and tourists gathered at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Saturday for the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, one of the biggest spring events in the city.
The festival showcases different facets of Japanese culture, including tea ceremonies, Japanese pop music, manga artists, taiko drumming (a choreographed drumming performance), and cosplay (dressing up as a character in a Japanese anime or manga).
Here are some highlights:
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- Cherry trees in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Cherry Esplanade. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- A parade of cosplay participants. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Shakeyva Fitzgerald (left) and Amanda Morgan (right) dressed up for the festival. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Students dressed as Japanese geishas. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Jordan Love (left) and Mae Seto (right). (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Visitors dressed in kimonos, traditional Japanese garments. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Christina Karas (left), Stephanie Rios (center) and Taylor Durham (right) cosplaying (Jennifer Kang/NYCity Lens)
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- Gina Grosso (left) and Larissa Rios (right) dressed up for the event. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
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- Alice Shih (left) and Sophie Zhang (right) dressed in kimonos, traditional Japanese garments. (Jennifer Kang/NYCityLens)
