I had never been to the Cherry Blossom Parade before, so I was looking forward to this year’s production – and the Sakura Matsuri was conveniently located a block away. Both were so full of sensation and sensory overload that it was quite an overwhelming day. The parade didn’t have much of a food connection, but the Matsuri made up for that.
No Food, Lots of Spectacle
The parade was a visual spectacle. From the press corral, we could see both the marching phase of each unit and the performance area in front of the viewing stand, where We Were On National Television!! So, here are some of my personal favorite highlights.
The press was invited to arrive early to capture some of the preparations, which allowed me to get a few candid shots. Rain had been forecast, but the parade had a postcard-perfect sky after a slight sprinkle.
My first experience of the day was running into a clutch of volunteers holding enormous cherry blossom balloons.
Being slightly early gave me a chance to watch workers pasting decals down on the street to mark the place for the performances,
and to notice a flutter of girls in elaborate antebellum Southern belle costumes waiting to take part in the opening number.
“Are you going to be dancing?” I asked one. “No,” she replied. “We’ll be promenading!” And so they did.
There were many marching bands, interspersed with some unique and (my favorite) quirky groups. The parade Grand Marshals were Mickey and Minnie Mouse (take that, governor of Florida!) Among local shout-outs, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton riding in the car I have lusted after since I was a teenager, a worshipful company of Almas Shriners going from the sublime to the ridiculous, the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, and the DMV Onewheel Riders.
Several balloons made their appearance. My favorite was this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, although the program did not specify which Turtle it was. My daughter assures me it was Michelangelo.
Japan was represented by several floats, two of which supported members of taiko drum groups. The Tamagawa University float stopped for a very brief but exciting number.
Among the several performances in front of the viewing stand, the standout had to be the dynamic singing and dancing of Michael James Scott, starring as the Genie in Aladdin at the National Theatre.
And did I mention quirky? (I mean, besides the Onewheelers.) The Gym Dandies Childrens Circus of Scarborough, ME wowed ’em with unicycle and balancing-ball acts. And guess who came along in a cherrypicker? My favorite park ranger, Superintendent Jeff Reinbold!
And now I must confess that we had to leave early. A combination of hunger, too much sun, and the need for indoor plumbing drove us away and towards the National Gallery’s bathrooms. The last thing we saw as we crossed the street was a group of Metro pylons being positioned for the march. I guess they were going to promenade.
Find Food (and Many Other Things) Here: The Sakura Matsuri
We headed straight for the food booths, with a stop at the gelato stand. Eat dessert first! Dolci Gelati (same as last year) was selling green tea and ginger flavors. Then we continued on to the taiyaki booth, which happily did not have as long a line as last year. We enjoyed ube- and pandan-custard flavors of the fish-shaped waffles.
The Matsuri itself, however, seemed lots more crowded than last year. As we made our way to the stage hosting the food demos, we encountered some impressive cosplayers. They were delighted to pose.
Koji. No, I didn’t know what it was either, but Robert Cabrales educated his audience on this traditional Japanese flavor enhancer. Made by fermenting rice and salt with aspergillus spores, there are many health benefits claimed for it, but Mr. Cabrales emphasized the qualities of tenderization and umami it imparts to proteins and other ingredients.
He began the demonstration by unpacking a huge tomahawk-cut steak which had been marinating in koji and placing it on a grill. Then, while the audience was tantalized by the aroma of sizzling meat, he explained how a koji marinade breaks down the tough elements and seasons the meat.
Cabrales Koji uses traditionally-crafted cedar boxes to ferment the rice, and does not add any other ingredients, such as sugar or alcohol, which might be found in commercial koji. It’s produced locally, in Virginia, and is available to order or at Rice Market in downtown DC.
Then, as they say, the proof was in the eating. That steak disappeared amid great appreciation.
Wandering through the Japan Smart Infrastructure Pavilion, there was yin to the yang of traditional food, a display featuring Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata and food eaten in space. Stewed chicken, beef curry, cooked plain rice, soy sauce: the pictures on the packages looked tasty. I’d like to try them someday, just in the interest of research.
