Torrance Sister City Association presents its 44th annual “Bunka-Sai: Japanese Cultural Festival” on Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at Ken Miller Recreation Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd. at Madrona Ave.
This annual event features authentic demonstrations of Japanese dance, koto and shakuhachi music, traditional vocal music, taiko drums, shodo calligraphy, and origami.
The event also includes colorful Okinawa taiko & dance exhibition and martial arts performances such as kendo, judo, aikido and naginata and a kimono talk.
Cultural events include ikebana and bonsai and Girl’s Day dolls on display, Kamishibai Japanese story-telling in English and Japanese both days, games and crafts for kids. Bunka-Sai is designed as a fun and educational event for families and the community.
Free admission and there will be free parking space. Japanese sweets (mochi and Okinawa dango doughnut) and tasty food such as yakisoba noodles, curry rice, spam musubi and BBQ plate lunches will be available for purchase.
Proceeds from the event benefit TSCA’s student cultural exchange program, which sends up to eight students and an adult leader from Torrance to Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture for three weeks in July. TSCA will host Kashiwa students and an adult leader during August. TSCA is a non-profit, community-based, volunteer organization dedicated to promoting goodwill between the people of Torrance and Kashiwa Japan. www.torrancesistercity.org
