After having breakfast at a Thai restaurant near the Ocean Beach, I decided to visit the Japanese Center. When I got there, I realized that today was the Cherry Blossom Festival. There was a parade of organization members of the Japanese community, including a float of the annual festival queen and princesses.
The parade was highlighted by a Buddhist organization's palanquin of a temple ark of some sort. There were two half naked guys riding the palanquin who were leading the members and carriers in a ecstatic chant, equivalent to a football cheer in a football stadium. As the palanquin prodeeded some members of the group started started spraying water to everyone in the crowd. Some of spray got into me. I supposed that the water was a good thing, a symbolic spring rite of passage. The center today was a hub of activity. At the main plaza, there were store booths and a beergarten, just like those of the Northwest spring and summer festivals. For anyone visiting the city, he or she should attend this festival to celebrate the days of spring, along with the various sites and activities that are available here. JR
