Explore Japanese Culture at LA Bloom

The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Los Angeles is proud to present their first annual spring celebration festival: LA Bloom.

The LA Bloom festival is a 9-day celebration (ending on May 5) of Japanese Art and Culture, featuring ageless traditions, contemporary art, culture, performances and entertaining community activities.

LA Bloom has been co-curated by JACCC's Artistic Director Hirokazu Kosaka, and landscape architect and artist Calvin Abe of AHBE Landscape Architects. The overall approach for LA Bloom comes from a 16th-century painting of a traditional Japanese fair that depicts a sense of community brought together by simple, shared activities and time itself. With this concept, Kosaka has curated a varied mix of over 120 artists, designers, and performers to bring Japanese culture to life for Los Angeles residents. "The festival emulates the natural course of the sakura (meaning: cherry blossom) from its initial unfurling through full blossom to its graceful and inexorable end" he says.

Throughout the 9-day festival will be special performances, lectures and workshops that have been designed to inspire, entertain and intrigue guests. Sunday May 5th marks "Family Day" from 12:00pm to 4:00pm in the JACCC Plaza. This event is free and activities will include live performances and workshops that will teach children Japanese traditions, ranging from sushi-making to Japanese calligraphy. The festival closes with a special performance of Mexican folklorico by the Pacifico Dance Company.

Tickets start at $25 for performances and can be purchased now. Entrance to Ecoartspace is free. Admission for children is free.

Desiree Eaglin blogs at Sarcastic, Funny and Brutally Honest. You can find her on Twitter too.

Photos courtesy of LA Bloom